- Chihuahuan Desert Ocean photo by Hannah Davis
John’s “Chihuahuan Desert Ocean” piece was selected by a jury of American craft professionals as a 2012 NICHE Award finalist!
The NICHE Awards competition is sponsored by NICHE magazine, a national magazine written exclusively for retailers of fine craft published by the Rosen Group who also publishes American Style Magazine for art collectors.
Six leading figures in the fine craft industry served as jurors this fall for the 2012 NICHE Awards competition for American and Canadian makers of fine craft:
- Julia Daily- Executive Director of the Craftsmen’s Guild of Mississippi and 2011 recipient of the AmericanStyle Honor Award for her contribution to the field of craft.
- Arthur DeBow- Exhibitions Director of Hoffman Gallery at the Oregon College of Art and Craft.
- Leslie Genszler- Director of Retail Operations at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, the winner of the 2011 NICHE Top Retailer Award for “Best Museum Shop”.
- Gywnne Ruckenbrod- Executive Director of HandMade in America, a non-profit organization promoting craft and culture for community and economic development in western North Carolina.
- Ruth Misenko- Owner of Seasons on St. Croix Gallery in Hudson, Wis.
- Betsy Poole- Museum shop manager at Fallingwater, the Frank Lloyd Wright designed house preserved by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.
Just being selected as a finalist is an honor! The judges scored entries for innovation in design, technical achievement and marketability.
In the professional division this year, there were more than 2000 entries in nearly 40 categories covering a variety of mediums, both functional and decorative designs.
The finalists will be on display at the 2012 winter Buyers Market of American Craft, February 18-20, in Philadelphia, Pa., where they will be seen by hundreds of buyers from retail stores, galleries and museum stores. Winners will be announced by art advocate and Buyers Market founder Wendy Rosen, during their 30 year celebration that weekend.
Seems like just yesterday we helped celebrate the Buyers Market’s 25th year!
- John’s vase in NICHE Magazine
The event is unique among gift tradeshows, as all works on display are exclusively designed and studio made by artists in the United States and Canada – no imports or mass-manufactured products allowed.
- Buyers Market of American Craft
