With the American Made Show at the Dallas Market Center coming up June 25-28, I took a bit of time out of Wendy Rosen’s busy schedule to do a short interview.
If you are not familiar with this show, the American Made Show is proudly partnering with Dallas Market Center to promote American craftsmanship. As a complement to our long-running winter marketplace, the American Made Show will introduce a curated collection of work by award-winning studio artists to buyers of the Central and Southwest regions.
According to their website, “The American Made Show is the largest wholesale trade
show where retailers place orders directly with studio artists and designers who produce handcrafted works.”
Here is my short interview with Wendy Rosen, the mastermind behind the American Made Show:
1. Tell us a bit about yourself and what your feel your mission or vision is for professional crafters and artisans?
The artisans and/or makers we represent are all focused on developing a successful body of work or line to sell in top stores, museum shops, galleries, jewelry and home decor stores.
2. Can you tell us about your different enterprises – especially your upcoming American Made Show in Dallas?
We’re excited whenever we get an opportunity to meet new retailers and to serve a new group of artists. The Dallas show has really attracted some great new artists and we look forward to having them with us in DC as well. Dallas Market Center is such a great marketplace with everything under one roof… every other large gift show is split between many buildings and not well organized by category… DMC creates a more efficient buying experience.
3. How did you get the idea or inspiration for these projects?
Creating a new show is not something that is an inspiration… you go where the need and the opportunity arises. The increased consumer demand for authentic American Made gifts, decor and fashion has provided us with a growth opportunity we never had when we were called the “Buyers Market.”
4. Can you give us some tips, from your prospective, to help professional crafters and artisans succeed in their business?
Find just one item that is your best design and grow a new body of work from that one great idea. That’s how all successful artists start out. It’s like growing a tree with a trunk and branches. Make sure each new piece is evolution n
ot revolution.
If you are interested in more information on the American Made Show, check out their website.
Check out the video of the Washington D.C. American Made Show
Hear more from Wendy about the American Craft Movement.