Kentucky.gov: - KC_Philly_Aug08

Arts Council
Kentucky Crafted Artists Debut at Philadelphia Buyers Market

Press Release Date:	Monday, July 28, 2008
Contact Information:	Ed Lawrence Communications Director 502-564-3757 ext. 473 ed.lawrence@ky.gov

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Six Kentucky Crafted® businesses will market their work in the Kentucky Arts Council's exhibit on the tradeshow floor at the Philadelphia Buyers Market of American Craft, August 2-4, 2008.

The Buyers Market of American Craft is the nation's largest wholesale trade show of American craft, providing artists a professional venue to build relationships with qualified wholesale craft buyers. Approximately 1,500 artists exhibit to more than 9,000 buyers from across the United States and Canada.

"This is definitely a change for us," says Lori Meadows, executive director of the Kentucky Arts Council. "We have assisted Kentucky craftspeople and marketed the Kentucky Crafted® brand for over 25 years in New York. We feel the move to Philadelphia will enable us to focus our marketing efforts on retailers that have a commitment to selling American craft."

The Kentucky Arts Council is the first state agency to exhibit at the Buyers Market of American Craft.

Participating artists are: Erica Kirchner, Creature Comforts by Erica, Prospect; Mark Needham, Good Idea!, Louisville; Craig Kaviar, Kaviar Forge & Gallery, Louisville; Kathleen O'Brien, Kathleen O'Brien Studio, Harrodsburg; Susan Hatcher, Suzy Hatcher, Pottery, Louisville; and Michelle Weston, The Glass Studio, Berea.

Kaviar's wrought iron wine racks have been selected for a special display, Tabletop for Wine Lovers at the Buyers Market.

Kentucky Crafted® is a program of the Kentucky Arts Council that enables Kentucky artists and craftspeople to reach regional, national and international markets through state-sponsored wholesale and retail promotional venues. Acceptance into the program is based on artistic excellence in design and technique, originality or authenticity (for traditional work), and marketability. There are currently 510 juried visual and craft artists in the Kentucky Crafted® program.

The Kentucky Arts Council also produces Kentucky Crafted: The Market, an annual wholesale/retail marketplace featuring approximately 300 exhibitors of traditional and contemporary art and craft along with authentic folk art, Kentucky related books, musical recordings and specialty food products. The next market will be held at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center in Louisville, February 19-22, 2009.

The Kentucky Arts Council is a state agency in the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet that creates opportunities for Kentuckians to value, participate in and benefit from the arts. Kentucky Arts Council funding is provided by the Kentucky General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Contact information for participating artists and a brief description of their products are listed below.

Print quality product photos are available by clicking on the following links:

Creature Comforts by Erica - http://artscouncil.ky.gov/Press_Images/CreatureComforts.jpg

The Glass Studio - http://artscouncil.ky.gov/Press_Images/GlassStudio.jpg

Good Idea! - http://artscouncil.ky.gov/Press_Images/GoodIdea.jpg

Kaviar Forge Studio and Gallery - http://artscouncil.ky.gov/Press_Images/KaviarForge.jpg

Kathleen O'Brien Studio - http://artscouncil.ky.gov/Press_Images/OBrien.jpg

Suzy Hatcher Pottery - http://artscouncil.ky.gov/Press_Images/SuzyHatcher.jpg

Creature Comforts by Erica

Products: (Metal) Contemporary, Small Copper Sculptures of Insects, Frogs, Cats, Dogs, Horses, Flowers, etc.

Erica Kirchner

Telephone: (502) 338-1726