Ever wondered what it takes to exhibit and sell your work at one of the high-end craft shows?

In their quest to attract new talent, the American Craft Council gave several art/craft-focused organizations the opportunity to invite 10 of their members to bypass ACC’s jury process. 4 out of the 10 SDA invited took us up on the offer by participating in the 2012 Baltimore ACC Show in February.

With over 650 juried artists, the Baltimore show is a bit overwhelming. For the visitor, there is no shortage of interesting and inspiring new work. For the exhibitor, however, there are some challenges involved in putting yourself out there. Jiyoung Chung, Tamara Embrey, Jenne Giles and Deborah Kruger shared some insights into their experience of working this venue below.

JIYOUNG CHUNG

Jiyoung Chung received 1 out of 4 Awards of Excellence at the Baltimore Show.
This YouTube video features comments about her work:

What was your biggest challenge in putting together your booth design for the ACC Show?
In order to maximize the effect, it is essential for me to show the right amount of work; not too much and not too little. So coming up with a panel booth design that suits my purpose -  as well as looks different from other booths – was my biggest challenge.

It’s a challenge to find the right venue for selling one’s work. Did you feel the ACC Show was the right fit for selling yours?
It is a great venue for many artists because the people who come to the show really appreciate what you do and are willing to pay for it. And you will get to meet other artists who have been doing this show for years and get their priceless advice for the future.

Visit her website at: www.jiyoungchung.com

TAMARA EMBREY

Do you feel being a part of the ACC Baltimore Show was a benefit to your craft/art business?
Being part of ACC was a great benefit to my art business because of the prestige of being in the show, the client-building I was able to do and the buzz about my work the show allowed me to generate. There were also a couple of press mentions of my work and now there are quite a few more blog connections online. As an artist, the show coming up allowed me to push myself to make new work and take risks. Working so hard to get ready pushed my work in new and exciting directions.

Did you encounter any problems over the course of the weekend? If so, how did you resolve them?
I thought the show was run very professionally. My only problem was being alone at the show. I am lucky that I knew other people there, who did help me out, but if I ever do the show again I will schedule some friends to help out on a more formal basis. Not being able to see the whole show myself was the biggest drawback of doing the show without help.

What tips would you give someone thinking about exhibiting in a craft show?
Like many artists, talking about my work is one of my biggest challenges. I just want to make awesome work and have people appreciate it. I don’t want to have to explain to people (over and over) WHY it’s awesome. But that’s what doing a craft show is all about. It isn’t enough to have superlative work (that’s only the start). Doing a craft show is all about connecting with people and exploring with them what it is that sets your work apart and makes it special.

When people buy art or fine craft, they really are buying your story. What will make them want to own it for themselves is that feeling that they are connecting with the artist and the artistic process of making it. Getting all of this across to potential collectors, without seeming like you’re trying to sell them something, is the other half to selling your work at a craft show. If you hate doing that, or have no idea how to do that, then showing at a craft show is probably going to be a big, disappointing waste of time. On the other hand, if you LOVE talking about the ins and outs of your work all day, then you will love doing a craft show.

Visit her website at: www.thedevilmademedoitclothing.com

JENNE GILES

What was your biggest challenge in putting together your booth design for the ACC Baltimore Show?
I tried something new in Baltimore; I shared a booth with my friend and fellow Bay Area feltmaker, Heidi Paul. We recently decided to work together as a “craft show team”: sharing show info, tips, booths (when possible) and providing each other with feedback & support. I would recommend forming a group like this in one’s area as it can be a great way to be social and also tackle these big shows.

Our 8′ x 15′ booth was split into 2 halves. I thought we did a great job and were really well-balanced. It was nice to share expenses and to lend each other support over the course of the show.

It is expensive to participate in a craft show: booth fees, shipping, working/staffing the booth, travel expenses, food and lodging. Was it financially worthwhile for you to participate in the Baltimore Show?
It was worthwhile. Building a clientele from one year to the next would make a big difference in greater returns. Therefore, it’s very important to make sure you give it a personal touch and follow up after the show as well as keeping in touch for future shows.

Did you feel the ACC Show was the right fit for selling your work?
ACC offers a wide range of clientele, especially at this show, which had 650 vendors this year. It is a definite destination for collectors and “cognoscenti” (those in the know). The sheer size of Baltimore can be difficult to navigate and overwhelming for both visitors & artists alike. One should try to stand out as much as possible to develop a clientele at the show.

Do you feel being a part of the ACC Baltimore Show was a benefit to your craft/art business?
The exposure is a very valuable part of doing an ACC show. You will meet many “birds of a feather” such as fellow artists, retailers and clientele. It can be the best part of doing what you do: meeting others who enjoy these things, too. Whether it’s tips on how to do things from other vendors, feedback from other artists in your field, connections for selling your work, or interaction with the public, there are many ways that “getting out there” can benefit your business.

Visit her website at: www.harlequinfeltworks.com

DEBORAH KRUGER

What was your biggest challenge in putting together your booth design for the ACC Baltimore Show?
I simply didn’t know anything about booth design and decided on a simple, relatively easy to install design using black gridwall that featured the work. There are many gorgeous booth designs and fancy lighting displays at ACC that cost oceans of money. Most of these artists are regulars who make their living at these shows and can afford to make an investment of this scale. That wasn’t my situation.

Did your participation in the ACC Baltimore Show benefit your craft/art business?
Having your work exposed to the public, especially at ACC – which has such a large number of visitors – is always beneficial. You never know what seeds get planted that will yield fruit later. Sales can happen months and years after a fair like this. I certainly added a lot of new names to my mailing list and that is always valuable.

Did you feel the ACC Show was the right venue for selling your work?
I definitely did not feel like ACC was the right venue for my work. When I think about the number of hours I invested, I realize that I could probably make a lot more progress in my career if I invested that time in other forms of marketing: more blogs on my website, more newsletters to my mailing list, adding prints for sale on my website, more gallery submissions, etc. I would rather focus my marketing efforts on finding a couple of galleries to represent me and let them do the heavy lifting as far as sales.

Was it financially profitable for you to participate in the Baltimore Show?
I created a spreadsheet of all of my costs. Since I had free lodging and transportation to the recent DC show – as well as 2 friends helping me – that show only cost $2500, but the ACC Baltimore show cost $3700. This includes all related expenses for each show including the materials for the booth and paying a helper for Baltimore. I made no sales in WDC and only made 1 sale in Baltimore. But it was the most expensive piece in my inventory ($7,000). After the discount, I netted $211 between the 2 shows. Not a great ROI (return on investment). I do feel lucky that I got my investment back.

I spoke to many seasoned exhibitors and they all said that it took them years to establish a following. However, in today’s economic climate – and with the high cost of booths ($1100 – $1400) – this is no longer feasible unless an artist has some significant financial backing. And of course even then there is no guarantee of success.

What tips would you give someone thinking about exhibiting in a craft show?
Like any business, do the math first. Know what your expenses will be in advance. If you don’t know how to do this, ask a seasoned exhibitor. If you can’t afford to lose your booth fee and related expenses, make sure that you have inexpensive items for sale and don’t rely on the large ticket items. Find out what the previous year’s sales were in your category of work. Talk to other exhibitors about their price range and make sure yours is wide enough to satisfy all economic brackets. Try to find free places to stay and a friend to staff the booth so that you don’t have to do it all by yourself and you can have some down time.

This is a very exhausting undertaking. Have things to hand out. I brought business cards, postcards and, for more interested customers, an 8-page color catalogue. Make sure you have a pad where they can sign up for your newsletter so you can expand your mailing list and reach. Find a way to be inviting (without being vulture-ish) and encourage folks to enter your booth.

And then SMILE – even if you are tired, hungry and disappointed.

Visit her website at: www.deborahkruger.com

_____________________________
Candace Edgerley specializes in shibori-dyed silk and cotton and incorporating her hand-dyed fabrics into wall pieces and clothing. She teaches classes in surface design at Corcoran College of Art + Design in Washington, DC and at the Art League in Alexandria, VA. Her work can be seen at Fiberworks Gallery, Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA. Edgerley served as President of the Surface Design Association from 2009-2012.

Hooray!  New Potatoes – my new book – has been published. Self-published, that is.

It was quite a challenge.

After my first book, Mark Making, sold out, I immediately wanted to produce another. I had new work to show! In my country, The Netherlands, it is hard to find a publisher or to get financial backing or support these days.

So I decided to self-publish at my own expense. There are quite a few choices to make when producing a book yourself. If you’ve been thinking of doing this yourself, here are some tips:

THE ECONOMICS OF SELF-PUBLISHING

My primary focus (and concern) was the financial challenge.
So I educated myself and made the decisions to:

1) PRINT A LARGE EDITION
This meant 3000 instead of the usual 500 or 1000 copies. Printing more books only costs a bit extra and enables all books to be sold at a lower price. This is important since I sell both directly and via retailers (who want to make a profit on the sale). I ordered 1500 copies of my first book, Mark Making, then had to order a second edition. It cost a lot more than ordering 2500 copies at once.

2) PRODUCE WITHIN YOUR MEANS
Strive for a good and informative book – not for the best book ever. Some art books win prizes because of their unique look and special printing, paper, cover, etc. Most of these extras make the book a lot more expensive. Unless you are a very famous artist or exhibiting at expensive galleries I advise you not to take such risk or to be too extravagant.

3) GET THE FULL STORY ON COSTS
Research and calculate ALL costs in advance, so you know if you can afford this project.

Books are primarily an instrument of self-promotion. But why not make a bit of money since you’ve invested so much time and effort? Decide on a sale price that enables you to reach a break-even point when you have sold about 50 – 70% of your books.

Determine all costs and calculate what one book will cost in advance. Then decide at what price you intend to sell it to retailers (book cost + a bit extra for you) and what would be the sales price (retailers price + 40% or even more). Compare this sales price with other art books and decide if it is a reasonable price that will make sense to buyers. If not, analyze how to lower the cost or ask for advice. For my book it made a lot of difference to produce the book 22 cm. wide instead of 23. (These figures may differ for other printing companies.)

MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT CONTENT

ART BOOK OR HOW-TO BOOK?
It is important to decide in advance what kind of book you want to publish. I chose to produce an art book – not a practical book on how to make a Tilleke Schwarz embroidery. The focus is on my work. Because my embroidery is very detailed, I reserved several pages for each work. This allows plenty of room for large details and background information. I added a few small chapters on my inspiration and favourite artists as well as techniques and materials used, since this information is usually of interest to readers. I engaged a professional writer and also wrote part of the book myself.

IN WHICH LANGUAGES?
I live in The Netherlands and hardly anybody outside my country speaks Dutch. So I needed to use 2 languages in the book: Dutch and English. My knowledge of English is sufficient for daily use thanks to my year as an exchange student in California. However,  I preferred  to invite a professional translator (native speaker) to improve my text and translate the main interview. Of course involving a professional writer/translator costs some money, but it is well worth it. Having your book in more languages could be beneficial if you are active in the international market.

GREAT PICTURES!
I already had good images of my work – by a professional – made  for general PR reasons. High-quality images are the most important part of the book – and well worth the investment.

MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT DESIGN

DIY OR HIRE A PRO?
The first choice is between do-it-yourself design or hiring a professional designer. I chose a professional designer because I am not good at designing with computer graphic design software. From the start, the designer needs to know what you want: size of your book, number of pages, text and images, etc. Of course you can discuss every detail before they begin – but that makes the process take longer and get more expensive and unpredictable.

I had everything prepared before involving the designer; all texts, translations and images. As it turned out, the designer had a special way of working. Within a few weeks he designed the entire book. This first concept came by email and it was quite a shock as it was not my taste at all. At first it felt uncomfortable to explain that the design had to be done over. But the designer was very relaxed about it and explained that he always works this way and I was invited to make any comment or change I wanted. In his experience, it is easier to communicate about a concept that to discuss in advance a lot of details. After that we had several sessions together at a computer to improve every page of the book. The designer preferred to make the changes when I was around so I could immediately respond to the result. After that, I received the second concept at home and I could make final improvements – which we did together at a computer. This way of working was quite new for me. But it worked well; the result is truly my book.

PRINTING & BINDING
Before deciding about printing and binding, I asked several colleagues for advice. After that I decided the basic specifications for the book (amount of pages and pictures, hard or soft cover, size, quality of printing, etc.). If this is all very new for you, my advice is to use specs from another book that looks similar to the book you have in mind. These specs can be used to get comparable price quotes from different designers and printing companies so that you can determine the best offer.

At this point you still can make every – and any – change you want. Printing companies and designers are usually happy to inform you about any detail and what difference it makes in the price.

GETTING IT OUT THERE: PACKING & POSTAGE

Postage is often expensive; this can add a lot to the costs of getting your book out there. For this reason, you may choose to be mindful of the size and weight of the book as you design it. In general, the weight of 1 book has to stay below 500 grams (about 1 pound); this is the weight of the book + packing + an invoice. The size (book + packing) should be mailbox-friendly (fit in a mailbox).

This may seem all very obvious, but I really had to watch that my 72 paged book stayed well below 500 grams. (Check both local and international postal/shipping regulations in your country).

Of course you can choose to make a larger book with heavy paper and a hard cover, but people who are interested in buying it will look at the total price – meaning what additional fees you are charging for shipping and handling – unless you mainly sell at galleries and shops.

NEW POTATOES: THE FINISHED PRODUCT

New Potatoes shows my embroidered work from 2007 – 2012, plus 2 special works made of buttons. It runs 72 pages and contains more than 90 full-colour images (many of them very large). I have avoided white (blank) pages in the book, though their usage is the norm. The book costs 26 euro (about $40 US) including S & H to the USA and other countries outside Europe. For Europe it costs a bit less depending on the country.

For more information – and to download a preview pdf of my book, please email me at email hidden; JavaScript is required
If you would like to order books for your shop or students, I offer a retailer’s price with a 4 book minimum.

________________________________________
Tilleke Schwarz, an SDA member for many years, lives in The Netherlands. She makes contemporary art using embroidery. She has exhibited, taught workshops and lectured all over the world.

Visit her website at:
www.tillekeschwarz.com

“Although Patricia Malarcher made her final farewells in the Winter 2012 issue, she had complete editorial control of this exciting issue dedicated to new and innovative wearable art forms. After 17 incredible years at the helm of Surface Design Journal, she leaves some very big shoes to fill. But readers can be assured that I am dedicated to continuing the quality and diversity of coverage that has made Surface Design Journal a rich and invaluable source of textile art inspiration.”

—Marci Rae McDade, incoming editor of SDJ

Find related links to this issue’s profiles and features below:

Tracking the Art-to-Wear Spirit
in the 21^st Century

By JoAnn C. Stabb

Take a trip back in time to the exciting origins of contemporary art-to-wear with insights from experts in the field.

Judith Content

Sally Jones

Akihiko Izukura

Carol Lee Shanks

Iris Apfel Advanced Style video

Debra Rapoport Advanced Style video

Rodarte:
Outsiders Inside the Runway

By Ida Miller

“Their inimitable rise in fashion can be attributed to two things: they are insistent on maintaining their status as outsiders without formal training…and their design ethos is rooted in their joint exploration of an intimate language known only to themselves.”

Rodarte

Video of Rodarte’s Spring 2012 collection

Video of Rodarte’s Fall 2012 collection

The short film The Curve of Forgotten Things by Todd Cole (starring Elle Fanning) showcases Rodarte fashions.

Authentic Hybrids in African Fashion

By A.M. Weaver

“Africa has inspired designers in New York and Paris since the 1960s. The four artists featured in this article [Bayo Adegbe, Anisa Mpungwe, Bisrat Negassi and Duro Olowo] exemplify a hybrid aesthetic in which colors, textures, loose construction, generous materials, and pattern are authentic to their African origin, in all its diversity and complexity.”

Anisa Mpungwe

Bayo Adegbe

Bisrat Negassi

Duro Olowo

Sandra Woodall:
More than Meets the Eye

By Connie Strayer

“As a costume designer in the field of dance, Sandra Woodall searches for a balance between the seen and the unseen.”

Nicole Dextras:
Decomposing Couture

By Leesa Hubbell

“Each new piece begins as a wearable sculpture constructed from local and renewable plant materials. It is then photographed with a model in a landscaped urban setting, emphasizing the impact of humans on the natural environment.”

Nicole Dextras

Erica Spitzer Rasmussen:
Clothes Tell the Tale

By Mason Riddle

“Erica Spitzer Rasmussen‘s sculpture is as much about storytelling as it is about process and materials. Taking the form, primarily, of the female body or the clothes that women wear, her dresses, jackets, vests, kimonos, collars, and corsets are metaphors for ancestral heritage, family illness, pregnancy and motherhood, femininity and masculinity, travel and death.”

Shinique Smith: Fiber into Form

By Sally Hansell

“Each work has multiple influences. The figural sculpture Crone Huntress is a “warrior goddess” inspired by Celtic lore, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and costume drama. A bundle of contradictions, the commanding figure has a tai chi sword strapped to her back above a bustle and long train.”

Shinique Smith

Karen LaMonte:
Clothes Cast in Memory

By Marilyn Millstone

“It’s a haunting piece: a gorgeous yet ghostly garment clothing an absent body, a seemingly fragile work that actually weighs a hefty 360 pounds and is as durable as marble. “Glass is contradictory,” says Karen LaMonte, who created the work. “It is made of nothing but light yet is massive and strong.”

After many years of knitting sculptural hats, the impact of an arts center fire in 1999 dramatically changing the direction of what flowed through my hands and emerged out of my studio. Wanting to imbue my work with more meaning, I – a National Public Radio junkie – started to respond viscerally to the news (mostly bad) which poured out of the radio as I worked.

The American flag is an iconic and powerful image. The impetus for my flag pieces started with the anti-war piece Cost of War which was a simple arrangement of knitted linen male bodies – each with genitalia but no arms. I tried the bodies in a number of configurations before placing them on the wall with the upper left corner empty.

Later, as I studied this arrangement, it appeared to me to resemble a flag. Thus followed the red, white and blue linen piece Fated Glory in which the bodies became the stripes (detail shown at top).

I had long been thinking about knitting a second flag when Congressional impasses during the summer of 2011 gave me the perfect opportunity to visually address the way divisive politics are tying the country up in knots. The stripes in A House Divided are the result of many hours working on a small child’s hand crank toy for making I-cord (a narrow knitted tube).

Students at a Haystack workshop last fall encouraged me to turn this image into a postcard and to send one to each member of Congress. In deciding on the text, it seemed very apropos to use textile terminology for the message.

This so reflects the overwhelming mood of the country that I got an ovation when I spoke about it  during a recent artist’s talk at North Country Studio Workshops. Unfortunately the video we shot there – of a large crowd reading the postcard text aloud then raising the cards and shouting “We vote!” – was too blurry to post on Youtube. I am currently looking to organize other readers to complete this part of the project.

The text on the card reads:

The postcards, which I give out liberally, have been very well received. An invitation on my website titled Lobby Congress with Art encourages others to join me in this protest by signing and sending their own.

By contrast, the sole response thus far from those on the receiving end in Washington (including the President and all members of Congress as well as Republican hopefuls) has been to add my email address to the electronic distribution lists of representatives from Idaho, Iowa and Virginia. Disappointing but not surprising.

Textile Society of America is holding its biennial conference in September in Washington DC. The very timely conference theme is Textiles and Politics and I will be chairing a panel entitled Unraveling Political Knitting.

Let’s hope Washington starts listening.

A House Divided is on view through April 21, 2012, in the Fiber in the Present Tense exhibition of work by SDA members in the Massachusetts/Rhode Island area at Arsenal Center for the Arts in Watertown, MA.

____________________
Adrienne Sloane has shown her work nationally for over 20 years. A hand and machine knitter, she teaches sculptural fiber internationally and has also worked with indigenous knitters in Bolivia and Peru.

Her work has been published in Fiberarts, American Craft, Surface Design Journal, The Culture of Knitting and is profiled in Knitting Art. Her work has been shown by Philadelphia Museum of Art, Goldstein Museum of Design, American Textile History Museum and the Kamm Collection. Sloane’s curatorial work includes Beyond Knitting and Primary Structures at San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles and Metaphoric Fibers in Minneapolis. She is currently SDA Area Representative for Massachusetts/Rhode Island.

Visit her website at www.adriennesloane.com
Visit her blog at adriennesloane.blogspot.com

During her term as SDA board president, Candace Edgerley has helped SDA enter a new era as a membership-supported organization. She has faced challenges that ranged from relocating the national conferences to dealing with a major overhaul of the website.

Edgerley has been active in SDA since she attended her first conference in 1997. “I was in heaven taking a shibori workshop with Joan Morris,” she remembers.

By 2006, Edgerley had accepted a board position as Director of Membership. When the vice-president position opened in 2007, she accepted it and worked with Jason Pollen until he retired as president in 2009. She managed the huge endeavor of traveling the member exhibition from 2007-2010. Then in 2009 she stepped up to be SDA President.

Calm, precise, discerning – and always ready to help, Edgerley has been a dedicated volunteer leader of our organization.

She is stepping down just as her husband, Mel, is entering his retirement. They purchased a Roadtrek RV and have been enjoying trips to Canada and the southern U.S. More traveling is in their future!

Edgerley also looks forward to spending more time in her studio while continuing to teach surface design classes at Corcoran College of Art + Design. She savored her new-found “civilian” status (effective as of April 1, 2012) by attending a workshop following SDA/SAQA joint Identity conference in Philadelphia instead of the SDA Board meeting.

“I plan to continue to enjoy everything that SDA has to offer,” she exclaims.

(We hope she’ll continue to offer SDA her outstanding proofreading skills! -Ed.)

Please join the SDA Board & Staff in extending a sincere THANK YOU to Candace Edgerley for her service and contributions to the growth and refinement of our member-focused organization. Bon voyage, Candy!

It’s that time of year again.  Competition entry season.
Multiple deadlines. Each with its own rules and hurdles.

Quilters are working towards International, handweavers for Convergence, SDA members for Interface….and I’m not even going to mention all the global competitions!

You wonder:
Is your art good enough?
How far can you stretch your artistic abilities?
Should you even try?
Do you really want to show your work?
How much are you willing to sacrifice to achieve this goal?

Once you grapple with these internal questions, you need to consider the specific competition process and rules.
What are the fees?
Is the art insured?
Are the winners published?
Is it a gallery show?
Does it embrace new media?
How is the competition supporting you, the artist?

Here are some questions I ask myself before entering any competition
and some answers I’ve found the hard way.

Who is the juror?

Does their aesthetic make them inclined to like your work?
Research their art and review what events they have judged.  Sometimes their aesthetic preferences will simply not match yours.  The more informed you are, the more likely your work will support the competition’s theme and juror’s vision for curating a show that fulfills it.

How will the organization contact you once decisions are made?

Will they notify you of acceptance via mail, phone or email?  If you’re traveling and they mail information to a physical address will you be able to reply in a timely manner?  If you are outside of your home country how easily can you access your phone messages?  You don’t want to miss an opportunity simply because of a communication snafu.

What does ‘First Right of Publication’ mean?

Some organizations require that your submitted pieces have not been published.  But how are they defining”‘published”? Does that mean the out-of-focus snaps you post on your social media site for your mom to see?  What are their rules for electronic, print, televised and international media?  If you are unclear about their regulations, contact the competition organizers before submission and request clarification.  You don’t want to be disqualified because you hastily shared a process pic on a personal blog.

Does the entry allow hyperlinks?

Many of us now document the majority of our lives on the internet: portfolios, interviews and videos of our projects, classes and installations. Verify if the entry process supports embedded hyperlinks. If it is a paper submission, can you send a CD with a pdf document containing links to your online documentation? You don’t want to be rejected because the entry process did not allow you to present your work and accomplishments to the best of your ability – using 21st century practices and formats.

Does the entry process allow for video?

Most competitions allow for static images only.  If you are creating interactive art the best documentation is video. If the entry states JPG and TIF format, contact the organizers and ask that this be expanded to accommodate new media and contemporary practices.  It might not happen for that specific competition – but perhaps the next year they will update their rules to support video submissions.

What rights does the organization have to your photo?

Most competitions state that upon signing the entry form you have given them the rights to publish your images. But does this give them rights to publish your work even if you do not win?  Read the fine print – because their publication of your work will disqualify that piece from other competitions that require first rights of publication. Let the entrant beware!

Are they releasing images that include your copyright?

Most competitions require submission of JPG and TIF formats for jury review as well as for publication. Are you allowed to include your copyright on these images?  If not, are they requesting watermarked JPG and TIF for publication purposes?  You don’t want to expose yourself to copyright infringements because an organization released images that did not include your name, date and copyright notice.

After answering this checklist of questions, I can determine if entering the competition is a worthwhile venture; one that will enhance my portfolio and augment my list of exhibition credits. If the competition’s rules are unclear or do not protect my work, I will contact the organizer to request clarification or revisions in their documentation.

I hope these insights and tips help you with your own decisions this competition season.  I look forward to reading your comments and experiences (below) on how you evaluate which competitions you are supporting this year.

GOOD LUCK. See ya at the shows!

__________________________________
Lynne Bruning is the creatrix of exclusive wearable art, eTextiles and adaptive technologies. Fusing together her BA in neurophysiology from Smith College, Masters in Architecture from the University of Colorado and her family history in textiles, Bruning jets thru the universe creatively cross-pollinating the worlds of science, textiles, fashion and technology. Her introductory electronic textiles classes infect textile artists, electrical engineers and computer hacks with the love of wearable computing and spawn local eTextile groups. Her innovative, award winning designs will inspire and challenge you to see beyond the fabric and into today’s technologically complex surface designs.
Experience her world at lbruning.com; on twitter; on facebook; on pinterest; and on youtube

If you like awe-inspiring landmarks, civic pride, and professional baseball the odds of having a good time in St. Louis are in your favor. My trip last fall was a big hit in large part to Innovations in Textiles 9 (IT9), a biennial celebration of contemporary textile art that officially began September 17–18, 2011. Since 1991, scores of non-profit and private arts organizations, collectors, curators, and educators throughout the region have joined forces to promote exceptional fiber work by national and international artists through exhibitions, gallery tours, lectures, and workshops.

IT9 exhibitions took place at over 20 venues in the metro area. Catching all these shows was a cinch with guided gallery bus tours on September 17 and October 1. I tagged along on the former after giving the keynote lecture (titled Beyond Comfort) at the Missouri History Museum. My talk discussed the work of several artists who create innovative hybridized forms that expand the very definitions and boundaries of textile art. Citing recent examples by Cal Lane, Ligorano/Reese and Stephanie Liner (to name just a few), I posited the theory that artists today, often trained in more interdisciplinary and conceptually driven academic programs, are naturally  more inclined to make hybridized art forms that exude an evolved fiber sensibility. Over the past decade artists working in all media have begun to embrace the ubiquitous nature of fiber materials and techniques for their vast emotional and symbolic potential.

With thoughts of innovation and evolution swirling in the collective consciousness, we arrived at the Grand Center Gallery of Craft Alliance to see the humorous yet haunting Follow the Leader by Guerra de la Paz (GdlP). The charming Miami-based dynamic duo of Alain Guerra and Neraldo de la Paz created what appeared to be a deranged conga line with dozens of dancers frozen in time. GdlP created the site-specific installation with hundreds of pounds of discarded clothing and shoes. Inspired by the childhood game, destructive fashion industry practices and Darwin’s theory of natural selection, the psychedelic tableau captivated viewers with its camp and complexity. Like lemmings bumping and grinding their way off a cliff, this politically charged work playfully provoked a darker reconsideration of how we choose – and blindly follow – our leaders.

Craft Alliance’s Delmar Loop Gallery featured colorful self-portraits and narrative quilts by Japan-based SDA member Jim Hay and large-scale abstract sculptures made from found objects by Nigerian-American artist Nnenna Okore. Nearby Duane Reed Gallery presented mesmerizing wire mesh sculptures by Lanny Bergner (Anacortes, WA) and nostalgic Jacquard weavings of childhood dolls by Lia Cook (Berkeley, CA).

The volume of hometown talent on display was impressive but also uneven at times in scope and presentation. The innovative energy dipped at times when shows included pieces too provincial or too similar to those featured in earlier biennials. The paramount challenge of any regionally-focused arts event is to inspire the local community to create truly innovative new work, a goal IT9 sought to achieve in part through invitational opportunities with progressive visiting artists and curators.

To this end Fiber Focus 2011 provided a must-see snapshot of Midwestern contemporary textile art. Internationally celebrated West Coast artist, educator and juror Lia Cook filled the cavernous gallery space at Art Saint Louis with her selection of 42 recent pieces from Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Tennessee.  The entry that most effectively captured the spirit of IT9 and won the Best of Show award (sponsored by Missouri Fiber Artists) was Remnants (2011) by University of Missouri—Columbia MFA student Trudy Rogers-Denham of Columbia, MO. This blanket-sized floor piece was composed of dirt intricately stenciled with an antique lace tablecloth. Its ephemeral nature and site-specific composition both attracted and repelled curious viewers. Symbolically it served as a potent reminder of how we, as a country, have had the metaphorical rug ripped out from under us to reveal the grime of greed and corruption swept beneath.

Teresa Paschke of Ames, IA received the 2nd place award for A.K. (2011), a digitally printed and hand-embroidered piece from a travel-inspired series that attracted attention during the 2011 SDA conference in Minneapolis. Jill Rumoshosky Werner of Wichita, KS took home the 3rd place award for her disconnected quilt composition Miscalculated (2009). Chicago-based emerging artist Aviva Alter provided evidence of less formal compulsions with Inside a Crowded Place and Winter Fragments 1 (both 2011). Oddly refreshing and a bit revolting, these abject departures from the norm were made of felted wool, gauze, wire, glue and hundreds of pins. The show also afforded opportunities to see exceptional works by many established artists like Shin-hee Chin (McPherson, KS) and Arturo Alonzo Sandoval (Lexington, KY).

Venturing beyond the city limits, I was treated to an extra day of gallery hopping by my fabulous hostess Zoe Perkins (Textile Conservator, Saint Louis Art Museum). Our first stop in nearby Edwardsville, IL featured a sampling of recent textile pieces made by Southern Illinois University (SIUE) alumni at the Edwardsville Art Center. The selection, curated by artist and SIUE faculty member Laura Strand, offered a variety of fresh fiber forms including politically charged wearables by Bridget Kraft, handstitched photographic-print pieces by Luanne Rimel, dyed and felted wall works by Angela Perkinson, and a charming stampede of tiny bunnies made out of credit card junk mail by Christine Holtz.

The exhibit that felt the most communal and cohesive in its goal to create innovative new work was Collaboration: Reaping and Sewing at the Jacoby Art Center in nearby Alton, IL. Curated by participating artist, educator and blogger Patricia Vivod, this unique group show combined the textile-arts expertise and adventurous spirit of 6 friends who have influenced each other’s practices in teacher/mentor/student relationships. Erin Cork, Erin Vigneau Dimick, Nina Ganci, Jo Stealey, Laura Strand and Vivod selected 7 unfinished projects to be completed by others. The premise demanded an intense level of trust and commitment to on-going dialogue as each person sacrificed much-loved but languishing pieces of Jacquard-woven and shibori-dyed fabrics, vintage textiles and garments, handmade paper, found objects and other natural materials. In the curatorial statement Vivod writes: “This collective conversation has taken us out of our comfort zones to expand how we work conceptually, materially and how we think about our work.”

The resulting objects were both exceptional and unusual. While the majority were up-cycled with additional materials and techniques, others took a more deconstructive turn to reach their final destination. Erin Vigneau Dimick’s By Tradition Bound (2011) reveals a vintage slip trapped in the re-stitched surface of an indigo-dyed ikat textile. She combined newly learned dye and resist techniques with her own textile choices.

Following the garment thread, Jo Stealey created Ode to Susan (2011), a delicate apron made with processed leaves and cotton paper. The feminine mystique form features ties made of intricately machine-embroidered words like charm and entice to convey the often conflicting roles of wife and mother. When asked about the collaborative experience, Stealey reflects: “I believe all of us found this process very energizing. It pushed us beyond our current creative ruts. Although [there were] moments of paralysis as we digested the discussions about our work, we have all grown and evolved as artists.”

An unexpected favorite (impulsively added to my personal art collection) was Erin Cork’s Collaboration with Laura Strand (2011). Starting with a piece of Strand’s Jacquard-woven cotton fabric, Cork (a former SIUE student) needle felted flesh-colored wool into boil-like shapes along the bottom. Wet felting further distorted the traditional weave structure “infecting” it with a strange new conceptual agenda. Cork’s comical evolution of her mentor’s work offered an irresistible twist on the forward-thinking concept of innovation. Try as we may, teachers and mentors can nurture but never control the actions—or aesthetics—of our students. To an uncertain but always exciting extent, the future belongs to the next generation.

Before heading to St. Louis from my hometown of Portland, OR I enjoyed researching the exhibiting artists through IT9’s website, which provided information about and links to all of the events. Craft Alliance, Art Saint Louis, and Duane Reed Gallery all piqued my interest with images of works in progress and finished pieces on their websites and facebook.com pages. The smaller, volunteer-reliant spaces tended to provide only exhibition dates and artists’ names. For these less assertive galleries I encourage taking advantage of the many free and user-friendly online promotional tools available today through blogs, social networking and Flickr.com image galleries that can easily be linked to from existing webpages.

Online and in person, I look forward to seeing the next wave of innovative textile art on display at IT10 when I’ll be the juror for Fiber Focus 2013 at Art Saint Louis. I hope to see you there!

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Marci Rae McDade is the new editor of Surface Design Journal and former editor of FiberArts magazine. She received an MFA in fiber and material studies from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a BA in film and video production from Columbia College Chicago. As a practicing fiber artist and independent curator, McDade has exhibited her own work nationally in solo and group shows and curated numerous contemporary art exhibitions over the past decade. She is currently a mentor in the Applied Craft & Design MFA program (cosponsored by OCAC and PNCA) in her hometown of Portland, OR. You can find her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter@marciraemcdade.

Men and the Art of Quiltmaking (2010)
by Joe Cunningham

With this survey, Joe Cunningham takes us on a foray into a growing subculture of a subculture and shows us a slice of what is being made within it.

He takes us through interviews and images of 30 male quilt-makers. You can learn a lot by just flipping through these pages.

Joe is a historian. He’s also at the forefront of modern quilt-making, so his insights come from a long and diverse career that spans the historical documentation and replication of traditional works to modernizing the way quilts are made and understood. This informed perspective is a filter that gives context to what is being made by men today.  Want to see contemporary quilt making situated within a gender-colored timeline of makers and techniques? Pick up a copy.

I’d like to highlight a few of the artists featured in the book.

Let’s start with Michael Kashey. His pieces are hand made and kaleidoscopic. You can see where he pulls from traditional piecing and makes it his own. Focusing on ornament and geometry, he uses color to accent each of his shapes and his quilting to make a plane from which areas emerge and recede.

Next, let’s look at the work of Erick Wolfmeyer. His work rests solidly in the camp of “classical” piecing; the kind seen in quilting for the last several centuries. His approach is subtle, using a visual language that references both modern art and the use of quilts as wall art, yet he consciously makes his works with utility in mind. His colors are used to make 3-D shapes and give depth to the picture plane.

Let’s look at a quilt by author Joe Cunningham himself. As mentioned above, his works are a response to his knowledge of history and his experience of both making and writing about it. His response, however, is very un-traditional and outside the ordinary. His work has evolved from feeling scripted and prescribed to recent works that are free form – even “performative”. He uses his colors as they fall, taking cues and working from the materials to inform the way the quilt is made and how the composition comes together.

On the other end of the approach spectrum is Shaun Quinlan. His works reflects his dabbling in other art forms and media, like television, with skills that include video editing. Looking through his work, you see the visual language of marketing and his concerns with accessibility. His works are conversations with ideas or events. The colors and images are made or re-purposed to fit his concept and to illustrate the ideas.

Here is a piece of mine from Joe’s book. My work is inspired by my career as an architect and designer. I have little knowledge of quilting histories and the methods used by generations before me. I pull from design and pop-art for my ideas. My colors are used to build depth and form – to allow me to create figures out of fabric.

These are just a few of the artists from the book. Joe suggested that they are a good cross section of what can be found between the pages – but by no means inclusive of the many talented makers and their individual ways of working. There are projects for everyone. If you don’t like something, flip to the next page; all the while learning about the male identity within contemporary quilt making.

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Luke Haynes‘ most recent works have been investigating nostalgia and function. He works with quilts because they subconsciously embody these ideas while lending a unique materiality to the process. He is currently living in Brooklyn and exhibits across the country as time permits.
See more of his work at LUKEHaynes.com

“Innovation means change. Innovation is what takes us into the future.” -Warren Seelig

On Innovation by Warren Seelig

El Anatsui Represented by Jack Shainman Gallery, New York www.jackshainman.com

Susie Brandt www.mica.edu

Anne Wilson www.annewilsonartist.com

Warren Seelig (author) www.warrenseelig.com

Anne Wilson: Labors Lost, Re-Imagined
by Shannon Smith

Anne Wilson annewilsonartist.com

Shannon Smith (author) www.three-walls.org

Kiyomi Iwata: Material Shift
by Susan Iverson

Kiyomi Iwata www.kiyomiwata.com

Susan Iverson (author) www.susaniversonart.com

Hi-Tech to Wear: Raising the Bar
by Jo Ann C. Stabb

Helen Storey www.helenstoreyfoundation.org

Jennifer Darmour www.electricfoxy.com

Lynne Bruning  www.lbruning.com, www.aniomagic.com

Gisela Meyer-Hahn:
Mixing Light, Sound, and Motion
by Marion Tuttle Marzoff

Gisela Meyer-Hahn www.meyer-hahn.de

Elizabeth Whyte Schulze: Painting in the Round by Patricia Malarcher

Elizabeth Whyte Schulze www.elizabethwhyteschulze.com

Waxy Ornament:
Cat Crotchett’s Innovative Hybrids
by Mary-Louise Totton

Cat Crotchett www.catcrotchett.com

Stephen Talasnik: Holding the Line
by Janet Koplos

Stephen Talasnik www.stephentalasnik.com

Confluence: Beyond Surface
by Pat Hickman

Pat Hickman (author) www.pathickman.com

SDA NewsBlog is pleased to announce the following new board members:

Susan Taber Avila

For many years I’ve volunteered behind the scenes, particularly with conferences. I’m committed to SDA because I believe that we are a tribe of like-minded people and being part of the organization creates a sense of community. SDA is only as strong as its members; if everyone contributes then we have strength in numbers and we can be a true member organization. I want to be the SDA evangelist, reaching out to young and emerging artists as well as increasing our international presence. We all benefit from a more inclusive and diverse organization.

Susan Taber Avila is an artist and designer who uses textiles to enhance perception of contemporary culture. She is Professor of Design (Textiles & Fashion) at the University of California, Davis and a Sunshine Scholar at Wuhan Textile University in Wuhan, China. She was a recipient of a 2010 Center for Cultural Innovation “Investing in Artists” Grant. She has shown internationally in Argentina, China, Costa Rica, Hong Kong, Lithuania, Mexico, Swaziland and the UK and in numerous exhibitions in the United States. Her work is included in Machine Stitch Perspectives, Contemporary Textiles, and Textiles Now as well as several other books and periodicals including American Craft, Fiberarts, and Surface Design Journal. She was the co-creator of the website, FiberScene.com (1999-2010) and has published articles in Fiberarts, Ornament, and Surface Design Journal.

Jeanne Raffer Beck

I have always felt a deep loyalty to SDA because of its appreciation for the whole field of fiber-related practices – from textile and fashion design to installations and sculptural forms. As members, we are exposed to tremendous diversity and opportunities to learn from each other. I’ve been an active volunteer at conferences, on conference committees and then as New York State Representative. Now, as a board member, I recognize how important good communication is to our success. I want to work to make sure that people know who we are and are eager to join our dynamic, growing membership network.

Jeanne Raffer Beck is a studio artist whose mixed media fiber works explore letterforms as visual imagery. Beck has shown her work in juried, invitational and solo exhibitions throughout the United States, England and Australia. Her work is in numerous books and magazines, including Surface Design Journal. Previously, she ran Beck Publications for 8 years, creating promotional materials for corporate clients and writing freelance magazine articles. Her business background includes experience as executive director for 3 non-profit organizations. Beck was SDA New York State Representative from 2008-2011. During her tenure she started the first SDA blog, In A New York Minute, and oversaw the Northeast Regional SDA Contemporary Fiber Exhibition in 2011. She is president of a contemporary art group in Rochester, NY and is also active in the association of artists who work in her studio building.

Teresa Paschke

I have strong feelings about making it possible for more students and those with low incomes to join SDA and attend our conferences. I’ve been involved in SDA for a long time. I’ve served on many committees and now want to see us generate the revenues to become much more of a resource for others. I’m chairing the fund-raising committee because I would love SDA to have the means to offer scholarships to students for the study of textiles. When we nurture the involvement of students and emerging artists, we are truly nurturing future members and organizational leaders.

Teresa Paschke is an Associate Professor at Iowa State University in Ames, where she teaches textile design courses in the Integrated Studio Arts program. Her work has been featured in many national and international exhibitions as well as in American Craft, Fiberarts, Surface Design Journal, Shuttle, Spindle and Dyepot, Fiberarts Design Book 6 and Fiberarts Design Book 7. Her current creative scholarship examines the history of textile printing processes and, specifically, the relationship between hand- and mechanical-printing methods. She is a member of several national and international organizations including Textile Center in Minneapolis and American Craft Council.