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It's Friday October 12, 2012
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CRAFT Affinity Partners

Cost Saving Programs for CRAFT Members

  

Bank of America Merchant Services

  

Packaging Specialties

Discounts on packaging

  

Constant Contact

Email marketing service

  

Shapiro Graphics

Ad designs services

  

Carbonite

Online back-up

  

Table Top Studio

Product photography systems

  

Vanguard ID Systems

Customer loyalty systems

  

MM Services

Hotel & car rental discounts

  

CerTek

Artisan POS System 

  

Visit the CRAFT website for more details

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CRAFT

Board of Directors

 

Chairperson Emeritus

David Brooks, Appalachian Spring

 

President - Karen Hohler

 

Treasurer - Randi Chervitz, Uncommon Threads

 

Secretary - Maud Boleman, Black Mountain Studios

 

Vice President Education Projects - Donna Milstein, Hanson Galleries

 

Directors

Robert Rickard, Rickard Studio

Diane Sulg, Maddis Gallery

Greg Worden, Vermont Artisan                          Designs

Nicole Carroll, Nicole Carroll  

                     Consulting

Q Evon, Q Evon Designs
Small Bus Sat Small Business Saturday

Small Business Saturday this year will be November 24.  It is a national initiative by American Express that marks a day to support the local businesses that create jobs, boost the economy and preserve neighborhoods around the country.  The goal of Small Business Saturday is to drive shoppers to local, independently-owned merchants. 

Read the attached link and sign up.  Get your business or gallery listed nationally.  More importantly SBS will send you a media kit for getting local attention.  This is another tool to get recognized within you community!  Read more and sign up.


Exciting news from NYIGF 

We approached NYG at the August show and suggested that there were additional ways that they could highlight American artisans and drive traffic to their booths at the January and August Shows.  We suggested putting a logo next to their names in the program books, creating a separate web search listing, designating booths with a special sign and educating buyers as to why they should add American handmade into their mix.
They loved the idea!  The first hurdle has been leaped over with approval by NYIGF of the following criteria (created by a committee of CRAFT artists and gallery owners) that artisans would have to meet in order to be listed as American handmade:

1.  All work must be created and assembled within the USA.
2.  Work must be the design and creation of the artist/studio.
3.  No work may be assembled from commercial kits or molds, or be embellished commercially made objects.  Repurposed materials incorporated in an original fashion are acceptable.
4.  If employees are hired or contractors are used to fabricate components, work must be directly supervised by the artist within their studio or community. 

The next material that CRAFT members will work on is wording that NYIGF can use to convince buyers to consider American handmade.  They will use this in all their publicity materials.  If you are interested in helping, contact Karen at kshohler@gmail.com. 

Thanks for your help:  Robert Rickard, Maud Boleman, Dickie Miller, Betsy Ratzsch and Randi Chervitz.
 
Member News

Our sympathies go out to Rich Kolb and the entire Yardbirds family for the passing of Richard Kolb Sr. Father and son started Yardbirds in 1991, with Richard Sr making the very first Yardbird. More information can be found here.
CRAFT is a national organization of artists, retailers & show sponsors working to support American craft, save money, educate & network.