Brenda Pinnick -news, ideas, events and more...

CHA! yaaaay!

I'm off to CHA, seems like last week I was saying this. They come fast!

If  you're coming, please come see me! Here's my schedule:

When I'm not at one of the following, I'll be in my L&D booth, #2722 in the LIcense & Design Section

Saturday, DESIGNER SHOWCASE - 5:30-6:30

Saturday, DESIGNER NETWORKING EVENT - ROOM 303D - 5:30-6:30

Sunday, MAKE & TAKE at IMAGINE THAT! DESIGNS BOOTH - # 2813 (new exhibitor section) 11:00 a.m.

making an adorable little pin from my felt kit, designed by Phyllis Hoover.

Monday, SIZZIX STAGE EVENT 2:30 - I'm showing how to make a clever and beautiful message board using my papers, overlays & featuring my Sizzix Die, Flowers, Wedding. I'm giving away posters which I will be signing so be sure to at least stop for a short while! 

Tuesday, POWER BRAINSTORMING, room 206AB, 2 p.m. - please come, it will be a great class!!! (I have props!)

Tuesday, DESIGNER MEETING - 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.  - If you're thinking about becoming a designer member, you're invited to attend. Come and meet your peers, learn about the benefits of membership, relax!

Wednesday, WHEN CREATIVITY KNOCKS taping, in my L&D booth, number 2722. I'm taping the same project I'm demoing at the Sizzix booth so if you can't make it to Sizzix, you can see it on line at a later, yet to be determined date.

Wednesday - 11:00 p.m. - fly home, arrive at 7:00 a.m.    z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z

See you there! - I'll be the one with bags under her eyes, half asleep. (It's going to be a looooong night tonight!)

props

What do these things have in common? 

They are idea starters. Innovation launch pads...read on

If you are attending CHA next week in Anaheim, you will want to be sure to sign up for my POWER BRAINSTORMING class on Tuesday, Jan. 27 at 2:00 p.m.

Now more than ever, it's critical to develop products, art, design and business models which offer innovation, forward thinking and consumer focused design. Take a break, come to my class where you'll have a great time playing with props, imagining new ways to use them and then how to apply it all to what you do. Everyone is welcome and will benefit from this enjoyable exercise. You'll leave with a hand out that you can take with you to share with your creative team. I hope to see you there!

trend watching, or not

I promised I'd report on trends from the mart....

I think the big new trend is "nothing new", really safe, everything from the last 5 years all together in one big mash-up.  I think that manufacturer's are playing it safe right now.  My opinion, why put more stuff out into the world that looks just like everyone elses? With all eyes on how we can become "greener", this seems absurd. I think innovation is what will set manufacturer's apart even more so now.

Still everywhere in the mart are:

Decorative signs with words, phrases, sayings featuring hand done art.

Lodge looks are becoming important again which reflects the "nesting" urge we are all feeling right now. We want comfort, home, warm and fuzzy.

Lots of clear or translucent properties, especially in holiday

Personalization of everything, still...initials, names, "you design it" type items, customization.

I don't know if I just happen to be responding to this, but I saw lots of humor items. Maybe it's because I need to laugh more...hmmm. or even smile more. 

Games, gaming themes

Anything showing aged effects, time worn, patina, etc.

Still lots of beach/seashore themes.

The pet category continues to be really strong. There is a lot of merchandise FOR your pet, not necessarily with pet icons.

and last but not least, all things Obama. Throw pillows, blankets, figurines, gift type items.

There's more, but some things I have to keep to myself...

Have a good weekend! 

art theft

My dear friend Sharyn Sowell attended the Atlanta Mart this past weekend. For those of you who don't know her work, go here and be amazed. She is probably one of the most talented people I know. An artist. A working wage earner who puts in the same long hours as I do, probably even more. She has honed her skills, marketed her brand, registered her copyrights, worked hand in hand with her manufacturers, delivering her best work, on time. She not only creates art, she has the sought after ability to create art that sells products...something that many artists lack. It takes a certain vision, a special amount of restraint and perseverance to get through the muck of doing business as an artist and meet the desires of mass consumer consumption. She is loved by many & respected by her peers as a consumate professional. She is also my dear friend who took time out of her very busy schedule to call me and email me often, when I underwent major surgery this past summer. 

Sharyn's art can be found on wonderful products in the Demdaco showroom, (where we all aspire to be), as well as several other high quality manufacturers who pay her to use HER art to sell THEIR products, via royalties. (art licensing). Sharyn carefully chooses whom to do business with based on many factors, including the quality of product, the reputation of her business partners, the return on investment (time spent developing new product). She is very selective because this protects her brand and the manufacturers she does business with. Their customers know that products which carry the Sharyn Sowell name are high quality, and brought to the marketplace with pride.

This weekend, in the temporary showrooms at the Atlanta Mart Gift Show, a small, start up manufacturer was showing their wares. A whole booth full of wall art, all SHARYN SOWELL'S art. No permission, no contract, done poorly and with the proclamation that she, the manufacturer had created the art herself. This is blatant theft, there is no other name for it. It is illegal & it is immoral. 

There are probably some readers who are saying, "it's just art". I hope that's not you, dear reader. But if it is, please read on:

When creating art is your livelihood, the ability to protect your brand, use it how/when/where YOU see fit, with WHOM you agree is a respectable partner, and on the product category that does not interfere with who you are already partnered with, is critical. This breech has hurt her brand , robbed her of income, and interfered with her life in a way that no one should have to deal with in order to protect what the INTERNATIONAL copyright laws and the U.S. laws say is HER PROPERTY – like her house. like her car. like her computer equipment. 

If the ORPHAN WORKS bill passes, no one...NO ONE... including manufacturers who own art or want exclusivity for product categories will be able to stop the run-away train. Living working artists who create art for product and license it for multiple categories will no longer be able to protect their brand and consequently make a living. The costs of this change will be astronomical in terms of dollars and creative content. We will all suffer, not just the artists. 

Please visit Sharyn's blog, leave her some warm words, she's feeling violated as any artist would. Then, go to the Illustrator's Partnership to read the particulars of the bills and why we are adamant in our resolve to fight it.

I appreciate those of you who respect artists as important contributors to our society and consider art as something of value and not as just a way to sell crap or decorate a wall.  And for anyone who feels that product would sell just fine without the art, well, good luck with that. 

buried in ink

yep, buried. 

I've been very, very busy getting ready for two, well, actually three upcoming trade shows. This weekend is the GiftMart here in Atlanta and I'm showing in the new Licensing Temporaries with some other artists. Then, in two weeks, it's off to Anaheim for the Winter Craft and Hobby Show where I'm also in a shared booth in the License and Design Section as well as doing a stage event at the Ellison Booth, teaching a class and doing a make and take at the A.J.International booth, (their first time showing). Brooke is going with me as my assistant, thank goodness.

She's excited to go and is planning on taking some classes as well. 

There's always so much to do before shows and sometimes I have to really struggle to make sure I leave time to actually MAKE THE ART! With press kits, projects to show, display boards...it's a big commitment to participate in these shows and it is truly all consuming, not to mention very expensive, ouch! 

I did finish out my newest collection and have it in two different colorways. I'm very, very happy with it and feel it's going to be a big hit. It's very fashion oriented and it will make nice fabric as well. Speaking of which, I got a call from my fabric mfr. who said the first strike-offs arrived so things are progressing as scheduled. Next week I'll  be designing some projects for the fabric that they can show at Quilt Market in May. I'm so excited to have fabric in my line, my Mom would be so proud of me! She taught me my love of fabric and I still have some pieces she bought when I was little and never cut into, they were simply too beautiful to cut! 

Wish me luck and good furtune please! I'll post again after the show this weekend and I PROMISE to have some trend information for you after having walked the gift mart.

hugs to all,

Brenda