CraftBoston!

Last year I was thrilled to be asked to be an Invited Artist for the 2011 CraftBoston shows.  I've done a ton of shows over the last five years, but never any of the high end ones.  It seemed incredible (and still does) that I would ever be in the same show as Kathleen Dustin, Ford|Forlano, Bonnie Bishoff,  Karin Noyes and Mary and Louann!  It was also very gratifying to see polymer's strong showing at CraftBoston, topped off by Kathleen Dustin taking home the Best of Show award!

My CraftBoston 2011 booth.  My home for 4 days!

Fortunately, I had lots of time to prepare. I thought long and hard about my display and decided to invest in ProPanels.  They've turned out to be very useful at all my indoor shows.  I took the full set to CraftBoston, but also use them in different combinations for other shows.  They are modular, so they fit into any kind of space.  The panels wiped out my display budget, so I made do with my folding tables, making new coverings out of a soft gray cotton.  I opted to go rug-less to keep the look rather stark and industrial.  I used gray chipboard on the panels as a backdrop for my work.  Twine necklace busts, wood pushpins and baskets add an organic touch. 

The show logistics were pretty much what I'm used to, just on a bigger scale.  Load in and out was super smooth, with walkie talkie organizers keeping things moving.  I had very nice neighbors, which is important since there's nothing worse than a cranky show neighbor.  The crowds were steady all three days, Saturday being the busiest.  Overall, I had a great show and hopefully will be accepted again next year!

My stuff waiting to be loaded into the car

View of aisle 200 during set-up

View of the main floor area right before the opening reception

Kathleen Dustin - Best of Show award winner!!