Fifty Three Applicants Are Accepted Into The New Handmade® Division Premiering At The Seattle Gift Show®—August 18-22, 2001

Furniture World Magazine

The jury for the new Handmade® division, premiering at the recently expanded Seattle Gift Show®, has accepted 53 companies to the August 18-22, 2001 market. These companies will be featured in 65 booths on the 4th Floor of the Washington State Convention & Trade Center’s new expansion area. Throughout more than 4,800 net square feet, Handmade will offer collections of contemporary, ethnic and traditional crafted merchandise. Many product categories will be represented and will include functional and decorative home accents, glassware, textiles, furniture, stationery, jewelry plus an array of other unique craft objects. "Many of the artisans featured in the Handmade division of the Seattle Gift Show are from the Pacific Northwest—which will bring a new dimension to the designs and products found in other Handmade divisions across the country," said Amanda Kasper, divisional manager. "Seattle is the perfect location to introduce new talent and quality handcrafted merchandise. We know that retailers attending this market will find the diversity and uniqueness in product that will keep their stores on the cutting-edge. A five-member jury, consisting of craft retailers, exhibitors, craft professionals and show management representatives, select all Handmade exhibitors. The selection committee included: Mary Jane Craig, exhibitor relations manager for Western Exhibitors, LLC; retailer Michael Holmes of Velvet da Vinci; retailer and exhibitor Eleanor Hopewell of Ethnic Arts; retailer Leah Perry Shelhorn of Studio 41; and Carol Sedestrom-Ross, director, craft marketing for George Little Management, LLC (GLM). To ensure that each exhibitor brings a new dimension to the marketplace, the Handmade selection process remains highly competitive. After reviewing applications, photos, slides, catalogs, company backgrounds and additional support materials, jury members accept exhibitors on the basis of originality, authenticity and appropriateness for the gift market, with an emphasis on how the product is made. The Seattle Gift Show® is co-produced by Western Exhibitors, LLC and George Little Management, LLC, and features over 900 exhibiting companies in a variety of product categories including giftware, tabletop items, home and decorative accessories, stationery, licensed products, collectibles, souvenir and resort items, pre-packaged gourmet food, fashion and fine jewelry, multi-cultural merchandise and antique and vintage goods. The 142nd semi-annual Seattle Gift Show will take place August 18-22, 2001 at the recently expanded Washington State Convention & Trade Center. This market is expected to attract approximately 16,000 buyers. In addition, there are six new product divisions making a debut: At Home, GardenStyle, Handmade®, Northwest Directions (a reformatted tourist and resort merchandise division), Personal Style and Village Arts. For exhibitor information about the Handmade division, contact Amanda Kasper, divisional manager, at George Little Management, LLC, Ten Bank Street, White Plains, NY 10606-1954. Telephone 914.421.3367; fax 914.948.2918; e-mail: amanda_kasper@glmshows.com. For attendee information, contact Western Exhibitors, LLC, at 415.346.6666; fax 415.346.4965; e-mail showinfo@weshows.com. For additional information, visit the Seattle Gift Show’s interactive web site at www.seattlegift.com.