Handmade Tile Association May 2010 Newsletter

Handmade Tile Association Newsletter

May

2010

11th Year

Greetings!

As the summer approaches many of our members are busy doing arts festivals, workshops, and trade shows. The presence of handmade tile and mosaics is growing every year. With that knowledge it is important to make sure that artists recognize the value in defining their image customer service.

One of our major goals the HTA set for itself this past year was to keep creating learning opportunities for members to expand their skills, ceramic techniques and business knowledge. In our meetings and on our social media outlets (Linked In and Facebook) we have been trying to foster conversation about issues in the tile and mosaic community. Our marketing company Trebuche has been writing a monthly article on marketing techniques and things to consider. As well as attending our meetings for artists to ask questions directly. We will continue to try to bring new ideas and issues up for members to discuss. If you have concepts you would like to have discussed please write back to the HTA and tell us more of what you would like to see.

In This Issue

Phipps Center Amazing Show Opportunity

Minnesota State Fair Art Judge needed

Trebuchet Talk: The World Wide Web

Meetings streamlined

Next HTA meeting May 25t

Welcome new and renewing members

Thank you

May Jobs

MN Tile Festival registration continues

Visit the HTA online Store

Phipps Center Amazing Show Opportunity

Last year Laura McCaul asked for images and submitted the 12 HTA artists work to be considered for a show at the Phipps Center for the Arts in Hudson Wisconsin. Due to another artist cancellation the Phipps contacted Laura and asked if the HTA could have enough work to fill the 4 large galleries. Laura and Josh Blanc meet with Anastasia from the Phipps and they worked out a plan to offer to all the advertising artist members to submit 3 pieces of work to fill the galleries.

This is a great opportunity for the Handmade Tile Association to show the entire group. We have not been able to do this since 2002 at the MN State Fair Grounds. It will be going on for one month before the 2010 MN Tile Festival and it will be a great way for artists to promote your work before the show and the show itself.

It is a free show to participate in. There is a 65% / 35% split with the Phipps Center for any sales of the work and 10% for any referrals that turn into sales is expected. Any sales will be paid out within 30 days of the end of the show.

Here is the info you need to know to participate
you must be a current 2010 artist advertiser in the directory

3 pieces - we are looking for at least one large piece over 2' can be a large mural, floor piece, tiled furniture, fireplace framed tile work, multi piece that acts as one piece. The other two pieces can be big as well or smaller. This is a gallery show we would like to see your biggest wow work you can make or have to submit.

August 20th - September 19th - Time of show

August 17th from 2 - 8 - Drop off of work
August 18th and 19th - Install of show
August 20th 6 -8:30 - Opening of show
September 19th Show ends. Pick up work from 12 - 4:30

We need 5 volunteers
One for August 17th
Three for Install of work on the 18th and 19th
one for picking up work September 19th and shipping back pieces from out of town.

Any work that is shipped must have return shipping included. This show is completely done by volunteers and the work submitted must be made easy to return if you can not drop off and pick up. The Phipps does not have extra storage so they have a do not pick up policy. If you do not pick up your work on the allotted time you will be charged $30 per day to pick it up. If you can not make arrangements to have your work picked up then please don't apply.

What we need from those who want to participate. By May 15th we need a RSVP so we can get you into the Phipps newsletter and finalize the program. If you have the art work you want to submit please send a high resolution image to josh@handmadetileassociation.org and he will compile the images to be used for the press releases and postcard. The Phipps will be mailing 2000 postcards a 1000 from their mailing list and 1000.

If you are interested please contact Josh by May 15th and he will put you on the list.

Minnesota State Fair Art Judge Needed

The Handmade Tile Association was contacted by curator Robert Meyer of the Fine Arts department of the MN State Fair to see if the HTA would be interested in being a award sponsor and juror for the 2010 fair. Of course we said yes and we have put forth a $100 award to the artist a juror selects as the best tile in the MN State Fair.

Two issues we need the membership to help us with to complete this program. We need a volunteer to be the juror. This volunteering would go toward artist fulfilling their 5 hours per year for discounts in the directory advertising. It is also good on your resume. You DO NOT need to be a MN resident to be a juror but you will need to be able to jury the show in person in August.
Second is we need tile artists to submit work to the show. I told Robert that an issue of why tile artists do not submit as much as other ceramic participants is because there is a framing requirement to be considered. He said he would wave that issue since pottery does not need to be framed he could work around that. If you want to submit to the MN State Fair you DO need to be a Minnesota State Resident.

Registration for the Minnesota State Fair Fine Arts Competition is required and will be available April 1. Eligible artists must register their work. Registration must be completed on-line no later than 4:30 p.m., Monday, July 19, 2010. Registration absolutely closes July 19, 4:30 p.m.

The Fine Arts department of the Minnesota State Fair presents an annual art exhibition that is the result of a juried competition. Participation is open to all living residents of Minnesota, and each may submit one work for consideration. Only those works selected by the jurors are displayed in the Fine Arts Center during the State Fair. In 2009, a total of 2,566 pieces were submitted, and 382 works were accepted.

Please contact Josh if you are interested in being a Juror. If we have multiple people wanting the job we will do first come first serve and we will put people on the waiting list for future years.

Trebuchet Talk: The World Wide Web

The Web. It's everywhere. It's where people of all ages and backgrounds gather information. If your business doesn't have a web presence in some capacity, it's almost as if it doesn't exist! Internet marketing tools are a great way to reach a wider audience (it is worldwide, after all) in ways that traditional marketing methods can't compete with. We're going to discuss a few of them here!

Websites vs. Splash Pages
website vs splash page

A website is a way to legitimize your business. It's expected that even the smallest of companies at least have a simple website containing basic information. It tells people how to reach you, what your business does, and might even have photos of your work or testimonials from satisfied customers. Even a basic website will have 3-5 "buttons" or "tabs" for the separate pages. The purpose of a website is to tell potential customers what you do. It should function as a brochure of sorts, and should let people know how to get a hold of you if they have additional questions.

A splash page is a single landing page on the web. It can have hyperlinks to other websites, but doesn't have any buttons or tabs leading to additional pages. It's a static entity. These are great for small companies that can't afford to do a full website, but still want to have a web address and a small amount of information visible. There's room on a splash page for 3-4 photos, contact information, and a brief blurb or two about your company. It's better to start small than have nothing at all!

Example Splash Page: http://shopyourhouse.com

Example Website: http://www.christinenelsondesign.com trebuchet logo

Read More Click Here

Meetings streamlined

After 11 years of meetings we are going to try to make the meetings more of a regular scheduled program. We are going to meet 7 times a year. The first 5 months of the year January through May on the third Tuesdays from 6 to 8:30pm and restart in October and November to meet about the directory to register artists and advertisers and proofing. We have found that the summer months and December are to busy for most people to attend.
The five meetings a year will be opportunities for artists to get host a meeting and get your 5 hour volunteering in. We will try to bring in speakers based on members suggestions. A demo and or tour of artists studio will be welcomed. If you are interested in hosting contact Josh

2010 final dates
May 25th
October 18th
November 15th

2011 schedule
January 17th
February 21st
March 21st
April 19th
May 24th
October 17th
November 21st

These dates will be posted on on the website under membership and events

Next HTA meeting May 25th

Mercury Mosaics new studio tour
This is our last meeting until October. Don't miss it. Lots to discuss and plan for this year and next.

May 25th, 2010
6 - 9 pm
at Mercury Mosaics

1331 Tyler St. NE, Suite 110
Minneapolis, MN 55413
612.236.1646 phone|

Pot Luck

Agenda

The Edina Art Center is soliciting concepts for what they should do for a project at the MN Tile Festival
Planning of the 2011 directory. What do you want to see, what don't you want to see.

Minnesota Tile Festival registration continues. Prices go up in May.
Get your Bumper Stickers
Postcards will be available
Other

PLEASE RSVP so we know how many chairs and materials we need. Thanks

We are looking for venues to have meetings for 2010 and 2011. If you would like to host a meeting please contact the HTA to set one up. info@handmadetileassociation.org

If you are not in the Minnesota region consider creating a meeting of tile and mosaic artists in your area. The HTA can promote your meeting through this newsletter and on the website, Facebook, and Linked in. It is a great way to learn and promote tile ideas.

Sincerely,

Josh Blanc
Handmade Tile Association.LLC

Quick Links

Welcome new and renewing members

Business Members

Ceramic Chinn
Alex Chinn

Pearson Art Works
Marty Pearson
Thank you!

Thank you

Thanks to Laura McCaul and Josh Blanc for working on the Phipps show project.

Tell us what you are up to and we will highlight you with a link to your website.

May Jobs

Get your 5 hours in!

1. The HTA needs a monthly person(s) to do filing and office work.

2. Volunteers for the Phipps Show. We need 5 all together.

3. We are looking for Volunteers for the MN Tile Festival.

4. Host a meeting in 2011 and get your 5 hours in. If you are in another part of the country consider hosting a meeting of artists near you and get more organized. We can send you directories, info, and help with topics.

Click here to tell us what you can do

MN Tile Festival registration continues

The registration for the MN Tile Festival is moving into the final stages. Only ten inside booths remain

You can use our new online registration and use your credit card (please note a $3 fee will be assessed for the service). Or you can do the old fashion way by sending a check. Click here for more details

Artists Registered for the MN Tile Festival

James Whitney Tuthill
Stone Hollow Tile jane swan
Martha Enzler Designs
North Prairie Tile Inc. Clay Squared to Infinity
Miriam Shuros
Leslie A Krist
Cotten Lake Tile Belvedere Art Tile Ltd
Pearson Art Works
Duluth Pottery
FK Art Glass
Nancy Froseth Stephanie Kaczrowski
Margy Jean Balwierz Blue Marble Clayworks
Sheryl Tuorila Minnesota Mosaic Guild Christine Nelson Design Lindsay Rude
John D Luetke

Visit the HTA online Store

Recently many members received a reminder to renew your membership. We are making it easier with our new online store where you can use a credit card. Please note there is a $3 charge for this option to pay for the service.
Not only can you renew your membership you can purchase HTA history ie maps, commemorative tiles, and past directories.
Click here to find out more.

The
Sponsors of the Handmade Tile Association