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Are American Crafts An Art? Or A Business? The truth is, they're anced representation both. of general craft media You only have to ex- groups, shops and gal- perience the work of leries, and craft organi- America's craftspeople zations. to recognize the art- Even the method of istry. Artistry that's the A viewing applicants' focal point of an over AMERICAN CRAFT slides is unique: using $2 billion dollar a year ENTERPRISES!« five projectors and spe- industry. cial equipment, a Selec- We understand both the art and the tion Committee views an artist's work as a business of American crafts. We're whole, to develop a total point of American Craft Enterprises, Inc.—organ- view—eliminating the possibility of "judg- izers and promoters of the premier craft ing" individual pieces. And allowing for fairs in the country. the full scope of a craftperson's vision. Our purpose? To provide the finest So even before opening day, our ex- marketplace possible for craftspeople. hibitors know they're in the best com- And the greatest collections of quality pany—artistically and commercially. craftwork available for discerning Which means buyers are assured that buyers. they're looking at the best the country To accomplish these goals, every one has to offer. of our fairs has its exhibitors chosen American Craft Enterprises, Inc. Our through a unique Selection Committee fairs are for the person whose art is a process. Craftspeople themselves business. And the person whose business choose Committee members for a bal- is art. f B^HfTT^ W9 bring together the art and business of American Craft AT: Xbaltimore fY^A^I rn W W m f**, Dallas Market Center Lr/lLI./Vj March 24_27'1983 • m WW W mi MM M ^ Dutchess County Fairgrounds KM I Hi LDLLh m WT^W W J fl/\ri'T' Newport Yachting Center nE/iiirUIVl juy23 25 982 SAN FRANCISCOp™ A subsidiary of The American Craft Council For further information contact: American Craft Enterprises, Inc./P.O. Box 10 New Paltz, N.Y. 12561/(914) 255-0039 'pjjj^ AMERICAN CRAFTS AQ^HINEBECK TABLE OF CONTENTS Welcome to The Fair At Rhinebeck 2 A Look at What Makes ACE Craft Fairs So Special 3 Contemporary American Crafts 6 Glossary of Craft Terms 9 Overall Map of Exhibit Areas 13 A Directory of Exhibitors by Booth Number 14 Craft Supplies and Equipment Exhibitors 23 A Directory of Exhibitors by Media 24 A Directory of Exhibitors Alphabetically 32 Display Advertising 50 The Fair At Rhinebeck Official Directory, 1982. Published by American Craft Enterprises, Inc. All material is copyrighted and not to be reprinted without written permission. Additional copies are available by writing to American Craft Enterprises, Inc., P.O. Box 10, New Paltz, New York, 12561. Phone (914) 255-0039. Single copies cost $2.00, which includes first class postage and handling. Checks should be made payable to American Craft Enterprises, Inc. American Craft Enterprises, Inc. is the marketing arm of the American Craft Council, a not-for-profit educa- tional organization dedicated to fostering an appreciation of American Crafts. Through its various marketing activities, American Craft Enterprises, Inc. lends enthusiastic and practical support to people making creative objects of high quality. Welcome to The Fair At Rhinebeck I imagine myself a visitor to The Fair At Rhinebeck about to discover, perhaps for the first time, the tangible results of America's renewed craft tradition. The objects I am about to see are exquisite; the displays evidence a level of excellence that astounds me. The efforts of 600 contemporary craftspeople create a cornucopia of beautiful things—all guaranteed to stimulate my visual senses and win my admiration and respect. But I know I am not a first-time visitor. My sense of excitement, discovery and appreciation of each new object has never dulled, but what has become more important to me are the people who make the beautiful things. I respect, admire and have come to love their energy.. .their integrity.. .their resourcefulness.. .their humor... their tenacity.. .their reticence.. .their honesty.. .their independence.. .their naivete.. .their hope.. .their ability to cope.. .their warmth.. .their love for their work.. .their love for each other.. .their concern for their environment and their society.. .and their desire to be appreciated. Enjoy The Fair At Rhinebeck. Enjoy the beautiful objects. Enjoy America's craftspeople! Carol Sedestrom, President American Craft Enterprises, Inc. A Look at What Makes ACE Craft Fairs So Special... When visiting an American Craft Enterprises' craft fair—whether in Baltimore, Dallas, Rhinebeck, New York, San Francisco, or even in Newport, Rhode Is- land—one word seems to continually come to mind. Quality. Aisle upon aisle of marvelous objects by America's foremost craftspeople bedazzle the imag- ination. Booth displays are so exquisitely designed they become miniature boutiques. Buyers from small galleries and some of the largest stores in the coun- try come to place orders. Even champagne appears at some of the openings. Behind each of these quality craft events is one organization, American Craft Enterprises, Inc. As the marketing subsidiary of the American Craft Council, A.C.E. was created with the following objectives: 1) To provide professional craftspersons living in the United States an exposition of high quality in which to exhibit and sell their work. 2) To provide buyers who purchase handmade ob- jects for resale purposes a marketplace sched- uled at a time of year which will accommodate summer and fall buying schedules. 3) To encourage professional craftspersons from diverse geographic areas and various craft tradi- tions to come together in one place to stimulate the interchange of ideas and enthusiasm. 4) To offer the general public an opportunity to see crafts, and to give all visitors a better under- standing of the American craft movement. To maintain an active and open relationship be- tween craftspeople and the organization, A.C.E. bylaws stipulate that at least three of the nine to fif- teen members of the board of directors must be trustees of the American Craft Council. Many of the board members have backgrounds in the crafts. For example, the current chairperson of the A.C.E. board is Mary Nyburg, a Baltimore potter. Board members are also selected based on their background of direct, hands-on knowledge of galleries, shops and the national craft market in general. Our special screening process The most significant feature which insures con- sistent quality at A.C.E. fairs is the selection proc- ess. A.C.E.'s unique screening process was devel- oped over a number of years, and has become the model for juried craft fairs nationwide. Months before each event takes place, potential exhibitors submit five slides of the type of work they intend to exhibit. Using five projectors, these slides are later shown simultaneously and viewed by a screening committee who silently cast votes on a paper ballot. This simultaneous presentation of a craftsperson's work encourages committee mem- nal Revenue Service reasons, since the American bers to develop a total point of view rather than Craft Council is a non-profit educational organiza- "judging" each individual piece as they would in ex- tion with tax-exempt status. hibition jurying. Points are assigned to the total Over the years, the prestigious Northeast Craft presentation, not to each slide. This approach is in Fair at Rhinebeck each June has continued to grow, keeping with the nature of the A.C.E. events; as with total projected sales from the 1981 fair at nearly marketing events, they require an emphasis on total $5 million. From its simple beginnings over seven- presentation rather than on individual pieces. teen years ago in Vermont, "Rhinebeck" has Consistent with the A.C.E. philosophy of working become known throughout the world as the premier closely with craftspeople, the screening committee market of American crafts. A first for 1982, The Fair is elected by previous fair exhibitors. Each commit- At Rhinebeck will break out of its historical "500" tee includes craftspersons working in clay, fiber, with an additional 100 outstanding booths of metal, wood, glass and leather, as well as shop America's finest craftspersons. owners or craft organization leaders who are ap- By 1977 the new corporation had expanded its pointed to the committee. This cross-section in- efforts to include a winter fair in Baltimore in sures a broad base, with input from all segments of February. This new event was a perfectly natural the craft field. next step, responding directly to the pleas from Based on the craftspersons' slides, the selection craftspeople for year-long attention, and from stores committee chooses only one out of four applicants. doing a large part of their business during the This rigorous screening process, and the fact that it summer months. A very popular event, The Fair At takes place for each one of the A.C.E. events, guar- Baltimore has continued to attract growing numbers antees a market of the highest quality, with the work of buyers from throughout the country since its of 300 to 600 outstanding American craftspeople on initial year. Even a blizzard which paralyzed the view at each fair. entire East Coast during the 1979 fair did not keep the craftspeople or buyers away! After three years in the Baltimore Civic Center, the Winter Market is now annually housed in the beautiful new Baltimore Con- A short history vention Center. With 400 artists from states across the nation, The Fair At Baltimore is the largest and The seeds of what has become known as most prestigious winter craft event in the country. American Craft Enterprises were planted over seven- The summer of 1982 marks the seventh annual teen years ago, one snowy winter night, by a group Pacific States Craft Fair.