Review of the BCTF

Leigh Shepherd Designs

Last month saw the annual British Craft Trade Fair at Harrogate, a three day event attracting more than 500 designers and artists and over 5000 visitors.  This has to be the most exciting event in the designer-maker trade show calendar with buyers from galleries, department stores, gift shops, boutiques and garden centres all looking for the next big thing.

Because of the economic climate and the demise of many handmade outlets in the UK, the past two years have been particularly tough for the creative industry so it was inspiring to see so many buyers at this year’s event and to hear so much excited and positive feedback from the traders there.  Four people who caught our eye were artist Julie Bell of SiaArt, semi-precious jeweller Rachel Lucie, glass artist Genevieve Thompson of Wicked Gen Crafts and contemporary jeweller Leigh Shepherd.

Rachel Lucie Designs

Competition is fierce at the BCTF with traders vying to make their product stand out. Simplicity is the key to success with most traders opting for simple white displays that complement their work and show off their key pieces. Here you can see how Leigh Shepherd used two plain display shelves mounted onto white cabinets to show her vibrant paper and scrabble tile jewellery to its best advantage.  Both Leigh and Rachel Lucie were in the Newcomers Gallery but both designers made their displays look totally professional. I really liked Rachel’s use of enlarged images of her key pieces.

Wicked Gen Crafts

But before you even consider taking a stand at the BCTF you need to be absolutely sure about your product. Because of the cost of exhibiting there it is not the venue for test trading to see if your work is saleable.  You need total confidence in your work and be positive that there is a market for your designs. Genevieve of Wicked Gen Crafts has a large repertoire of glass designs but she was extremely selective in what she brought with her.  Her latest glass hearts have a unique appeal and she chose pieces that both complement and describe her style.  She also chose pieces that she loves to make knowing, that if she landed a large order, she would have to make the same design many times over.  

SiaArt

Over-stocking a display is detrimental to the look of a trade stand. Although buyers may order multiples of one item, showing the same item as a multiple makes that display look more like a shop and not a trade stand. Artist Julie Bell of SiaArt kept her display to a minimum, her work shows her artistic style and stands out brightly against the stark white display stand.  Julie knows that selling her art is about selling a life style and appealing to interior designers.

But, like most shows, the BTCF has its winners and its losers – designers who could not pick up a single enquiry and designers who were overwhelmed with orders. Disciplines such as jewellery and glass are highly competitive and oversubscribed. But the most likely measure of success at the BCTF is a long term one – and that is securing a REPEAT order.

In the Studio (Part 3)

Each month we feature artist's studios on the blog to inspire others to create their own creative space. What makes a studio? It can be a kitchen table, a spare room or a purpose built space. Sheds, garages and attics make wonderful studios.



Lauren Alexander Illustrator

"I started illustration and painting work in 2002. I used to paint on my apartment floor or on my bed or where ever I could fit in. Since business has grown a little since I started painting my husband and I turned our dining room into our studio. I paint and he writes. It works out pretty well, as long as we have no use for a dining room. Most of my paintings are pretty small so the little fold up table I work on is perfect. I love to have books, movies and other inspiring things around my work space to help give me ideas or to assist with the perfect title. I mostly paint abstracted animals and forms from nature so it fits that my workspace faces right out onto our patio where my dog keeps watch over the birds, squirrels, and the occasional stray cat or two. I love working with color so having natural light around really helps. I look forward to paintings to come and hope to be doing what I love for a long time!"

Lauren Alexander Blog



Rachel Lucie Jeweller Rachel Lucie Designs

"After what seems like many months (because it was) my workroom/office/hideaway-from-the-kids is finished! By finished I mean finished decorating, and I am in.For anyone familiar with the Julia Donaldson book 'A squash and a squeeze', let me just say, that old man was right. Take everything out of one stacked-high room, stash it round you whole (small) house, for months on end, and when you take it out, your house is MASSIVE! Months and months of sorting will now follow as me and the other half finally look in all those boxes we have had stowed away for over 10 years, but that's another story.The main news here is I'm in, and I LOVE IT! Come in and have a cup of tea, and a biscuit....
You will notice 3 things immediately, which I will discuss below:
1) Let's just start with this one, you all saw it - half of it is orange.Suspiciously like 'etsy' orange. Let me explain, I am not THAT addicted to etsy, honest. It's paint by Fired Earth that we bought 10years ago to paint our kitchen, called 'Brussels Orange'. It never got used, so hey, why not. It's only on the 2 walls you can't see from the landing, so it's sort of a secret (or it was). The other 2 walls are plain white and filled with Ikea furniture.
What can I say, I love Ikea, and the white really helps to brighten up my north-facing room. Specially in the winter, as the sun doesn't rise about the hill on my side of the valley. I live on what is colloquially known as 'the dark side'!
2) It's very small, or 'compact and bijou' as I like to call it, Mostin (do you remember that advert?).
3) It's pretty messy. What can I say, I work in mess, it's how I am. I have found that clever use of tools like a 'bead amnesty pot' pot helps immensely with all the stragglers left lying around. And I generally have a desk clear every couple of days, mainly because I can't find a pen anywhere.

"But just look at my view!
I love Hebden Bridge, right outside my window you have the most amazing Yorkshire gritstone houses perched on the Birchcliffe hill on the other side of the valley. I am actually quite high up, and you can't see down into the bottom of the valley from here. Those woods are called 'Machpelah' and the ever-changing trees reflect the seasons."

Rachel Lucie on Etsy
Rachel Lucie on Coriandr
Rachel Lucie on Notonthehighstreet

If you would like to be featured "In the Studio" contact Artists in Business via the email link at the bottom of the page and prepare a short write up and four jpegs too.