Contents 5
Leader
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News
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Putting On A Show A look ahead to Blueprint, the newest art licensing show to open its doors, plus a full Exhibition Diary for the year ahead.
10 License it – don’t steal it ACID CEO Dids Macdonald gives her top tips for ensuring artists benefit from their work.
12 Worldly Wise Check out what’s in store at the annual showcase that is Surtex, with full exhibitors’ list.
summer 2015
50 How Do Artists Create Art For Products?
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Licensed artist Joan Beiriger explains how computer technology is important even to traditional artists these days.
52 Everywhere And Everything The whole world of brands, licensing and illustration can be seen at Licensing Expo, with art and design exhibitors’ list.
56 Agency Spotlights Ansada, Interlitho and Kathleen Francour.
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60 Artist Spotlights Clare Jordan, Joan Beiriger and Rose Mary Berlin.
62 Image Library Spotlights 16 Varied Versatility Covering the story of the 3D master Michael Searle.
Image Source and Mary Evans Picture Library.
63 Last Word Bridgeman Images Artists’ Manager Lucy Innes Williams discusses how to innovate to create.
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The Victoria and Albert Museum is the world’s leading museum of art and design with over two million objects and designs providing almost inďŹ nite sources of inspiration from textiles, furniture, graphics, to photography, jewellery and fashion. The V&A’s collections appeal to a broad range of clients, including advertising agencies, publishers and broadcasters offering almost limitless opportunities for image licensing. The global brand licensing programme spans interiors, table top, stationery, apparel, jewellery and gifts. Images and brand licensing opportunities are available. For further information contact: Lauren Sizeland Director: Business Development & Licensing +44 (0)20 7942 2981 licensing@vam.ac.uk
vandalicensing.com vandaimages.com
+44 (0)1442 289936 (direct)
Group Editor Mirella Cestaro mirella@lemapublishing.co.uk Group Advertisement Manager Ryan Horwood ryan@lemapublishing.co.uk Publisher Mark Naish mark@lemapublishing.co.uk Production Director Paul Naish paul@lemapublishing.co.uk
Tracey Bearton
Advertisement Manager Christine Contreras christine@lemapublishing.co.uk
Editor
Editor Tracey Bearton tracey@lemapublishing.co.uk
Managing Director Malcolm Naish malcolm@lemapublishing.co.uk Subscriptions Manager Robert Thomas robert@lemapublishing.co.uk Our thanks to the contributors in this Summer 2015 issue: Joan Beiriger, Dids Macdonald and Lucy Innes Williams. The views of the contributors expressed in this journal are not necessarily those of the publisher. Comments, letters, praise and criticism are all welcome.
Leader NEW York, New York – so good they named it twice! And this will be only my second visit to the Big Apple when I fly over in May for Surtex and the new Blueprint show. I’m really looking forward to viewing all the wonderful new designs and illustrations that will be on display at these two trade fairs – and will also be popping into the adjacent National Stationery Show to see exactly how some of this artwork looks on products. The delights of New York are also on my itinerary as I definitely want to go up the Empire State Building this visit and hopefully get something delicious from the Carlos Bakery of TV’s Cake Boss fame, after all, art isn’t everything – or is it? Actually, these days it probably is as art and surface pattern design cover just about everything you can think of, from food packaging to fashion, gifts, stationery, home products, there’s not much that hasn’t had a designer near it! That means shows such as Blueprint,
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Surtex and LicensingExpo in Las Vegas in June are very important as a way of getting artists and designers in a place where they can show off their work to the people who are looking to buy or licence it. And it’s very much an international industry as there’s also just been MosBuild in Moscow, PrintSource in New York, Kazachock in Paris, Italy’s Comocrea Interni, and we have the Showtime Market coming up in North Carolina, the third PrintSource of the year, and Indigo in Brussels, although Evolution in the Netherlands has now been cancelled. Here at Art Buyer we help out by presenting our readers with previews of the big shows along with exhibitor lists – we’re always willing to cover as many as exhibitions as possible both in our three print issues a year and on the website. Now, if you’ll excuse me, the art is calling – I must start checking out the artistic merits of Buddy’s cupcakes…
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the team
Art isn’t everything – or is it? way
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news
News in brief ●
NATIONAL Gallery images are to feature on an new range of e-reader, tablet and phone cases thanks to an new licensing agreement between the London museum and iGatgitz brokered by JELC. Artists include Canaletto, Georges Seurat, Leonardo da Vinci, George Stubbs, and Vincent Van Gogh’s Sunflowers. www.jelc.co.uk
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ADVOCATE Art’s brand-new website has now been launched. They’ve developed a new user-friendly interface and streamlined the search functions with no more closed galleries or passwords. www.advocate-art.com
BRANDAR Consulting have conducted the International Licensing Industry ● Merchandisers’ Association’s first Annual Global Licensing Survey, and the initial results will be presented at June’s LicensingExpo in Las Vegas. www.licensing.org A NEW online marketplace for artists to manage, promote and sell their works ● around the world launched on April 16 with an exhibition of artworks and events to mark the first month of trading. The aim of Aitherena is to enable artists from across the globe to use their online showcase to sell by auction or fixed price as well as finding new sponsors. www.aitherena.com LOS Angeles private equity firm Art Brand Studios have acquired the Thomas Kinkade ● Co nearly three years after the death of the Painter Of Light. The Kinkade Family Trust sold the company to the affiliate of Next Point Capital, giving them the exclusive licence to publish artwork created or inspired by Thomas. www.thomaskinkade.com THE V&A have announced a series of new international licensing partnerships. ● Bekking & Blitz, Ixxi, Sparkk, Lakeland and Stratton Of Mayfair have all signed licences to produce a variety of products including wall coverings, furnishing fabrics, cushions, cupcake and cake accessories, multi-posters, cloth-bound journals, compacts, mirrors and pill boxes. www.vandalicensing.com UK GREETINGS and Pyramid International are the two latest companies to win licences ● for Studio Pets By Myrna’s portfolio of artistic photography featuring popular pets. Gift bags, wrap and greetings cards will be available from UKG, while Pyramid will create a line of posters, print canvases, notebooks, pencil cases, mugs, coasters, badges and key chains. www.lislelicensing.com THE Happy Jackson brand is expanding into limited edition prints thanks to a deal ● with Iron Gut Publishing whose products are all mounted with certificates of authenticity and packaged for gift retail. www.irongutpublishing.com ENJOYING yourself is the theme running through English self-taught artist Beryl ● Cook’s exuberant paintings and they’ll soon be available on calendars, diaries, stationery, cards, jigsaws, key rings and giftware thanks to licensing agent ThisisIris’ deal with Carousel Calendars and Otter House. www.thisisiris.co.uk NOTED illustrator and artist from the Golden Age of American Illustration Bob ● Pettes has died aged 92. The funeral was held in Parkville, Missouri, on March 6. LADYBIRD Books celebrate their centenary this year so owners Penguin have launched ● the official licensing programme for their Vintage
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Collection. The first products include greetings cards from Kiss Me Kwik, stationery and gifts from Portico, postcards from the Wooden Postcard Company, prints and canvases from King & McGaw, mugs and tea towels from W2, and adult retro games and jigsaws from The Lagoon Group. www.vintageladybird.com
Pop artist sues Apple APPLE are being sued by neo-pop artist Romero Britto for licensing allegedly plagiarised work and the Miami-based Brazilian is seeking unspecified damages. His lawsuit claims that when the Apple Start Something New campaign appeared, Romero (pictured) received messages congratulating him for what appeared to be a new business deal with tech giant while some of his existing business partners expressed “consternation” about the supposed deal. Romero’s lawsuit was filed during the week of April 6-10 in Miami Federal Court on behalf of his company Britto Central, reported the San Jose Mercury News, ABC News and www.cultofmac. com from Associated Press information. The lawsuit makes a number of claims, including copyright infringement and unfair competition and asks US District Judge Kathleen Williams to halt the alleged misuse of Romero’s images. Damages are being sought from Cupertinobased Apple and the design duo Craig Redman of New York and Karl Maier of London, whose company is called Craig & Karl. The Start Something New marketing campaign
was cited in the lawsuit as a recent example of misuse of his art, mentioning the image from the Apple website, pictured, that the tech firm had licensed from Craig & Karl. Romero, who has licensing deals for his art with numerous corporations and other entities including Coca-Cola, Mattel and FIFA, is known for combining pop art, cubism and graffiti art. His lawsuit states that, after investigating the source of the Apple image, his lawyers noticed apparent similarities between the hand design, other work by Craig & Karl and that of Romero. The claim is that Craig & Karl’s work taps into his artistic language by using “bright colours and repeating patterns” as his designs are so distinctive imitations are instantly viewed as his own work. Officials at Apple declined to comment while Craig & Karl spokesman Stevie King called the lawsuit “entirely without merit” and said the pair would respond more fully later.
Award goes outdoors ART licensing specialists Bridgeman Images have launched their second annual Bridgeman Studio Award to source new talent for their contemporary art platform. This year’s theme is The Great Outdoors with entrants asked to submit up to five digital images which sum up exploration, travel, freedom and wild nature. The brief is open to all artists and includes photography, illustration and graphic works with the competition running from April 15 to June 15 and the results will be announced by competition partners Creative Review in their August magazine/blog. The judging panel includes the awardwinning Wilderness Festival who are offering the grand prize of a £500 ($750) commission to the winner to create their map for the 10,000
visitors to the Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire, event from August 6-9. Three winners will also be showcased in Creative Review and receive their own product line through Bridgeman’s sister company CultureLabel, and they will be invited to join Bridgeman Studio for licensing and given one year’s free subscription. www.bridgemanimages.com
Show’s over
Family expands
AFTER two years and despite moving the date from October to June, the Evolution Fair in the Netherlands has been cancelled. The show ran in October 2013 and 2014 at the iconic Evoluon Centre in Eindhoven as part of Dutch Design Week, and had been arranged this year for June 17-18. However, Chris Verbeek, of organisers Verbeek Designs, announced the cancellation, saying: “At this point we have to be realistic. In two years we could not generate the number of visitors that were necessary to make all design studios happy. With Indigo that is now definitely back in Brussels in September, the urgency for an extra fair has no priority for many design studios.” www.evolutionfair.nl
ONLINE museum shop CultureLabel have been acquired by Bridgeman Images in an expansion to their growing family of art-related businesses. CultureLabel are an online shopping experience for art, curating well-designed, art-inspired products and affordable art from hundreds of respected partners including some of Bridgeman’s images supplied to outlets such as The Courtauld Gallery, The Wallace Collection and National Galleries Of Scotland. The acquisition of CultureLabel is an extension of Bridgeman Images’ continuous efforts to promote their collections of museums, galleries and artists. www.bridgemanimages.com www.culturelabel.com
world art group
™
OVER 28,000 IMAGES MOST AVAILABLE FOR LICENSING.
VISIT US AT SURTEX BOOTH 217
8080 Villa Park Drive • Richmond, Va 23228 • Phone: 804.213.0600 Fax: 804.213.0700 • orders@theworldartgroup.com • www.theworldartgroup.com
exhibition news
Putting on a show A dozen designers are aiming for a relaxed and fun event with the first Blueprint fair taking place in New York immediately before Surtex.
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Y DESIGNERS, for designers and their clients – that’s the aim of the new Blueprint show taking place in New York immediately before Surtex.
The collection of 12 innovative studios and designers are putting on their own show at the Affinia Manhattan Hotel, from May 14-16, aiming to appeal to clients from all the different industries that need great artwork for their future products. A spokesman said: “We’re all excited to be working on this, it’s going to be a show by designers for designers and their clients, located in a relaxed and fun atmosphere.” The 12 studios – Cinnamon Joe Studio, Creativo, Design & Cie, Gathernomoss, Grafiq Trafiq, LJ Woodhouse, Lucy Day, Pomelo, Rafale Design, Roy and Jane Evans, Tana Bana, Verbeekdesigns – have all been involved in putting together the various aspects of the show. The spokesman added: “Blueprint is a design-led print show put
together by design studios, and it’s something we wanted to do as a group to see what we could achieve. “Through our discussions together we realised we were all meeting our various clients in New York during this particular week, and in general it meant either we went to see our clients in their hotels, or they were coming to see us in our hotels. “We thought what a great idea it would be if we could find a great location in Manhattan, and as a group, put on our own print show so that our clients would only have one place to go to meet us. “This time we are 12 studios and, if we can make Blueprint a success, there is no reason why we can’t grow and accommodate more studios in the future. Opening times for the event are 10am-6pm on Thursday, 9.30am-6pm on Friday, and 9am-4pm on Saturday – then the following day Surtex opens at the Javits Center, running through from May 17-19. blueprintmay@gmail.com
EXHIBITIONS DIARY MAY 2015 Blueprint May 14-16, 2015 Manhattan Affinia Hotel New York, USA blueprintmay@gmail.com
Surtex May 17-19, 2015 Jacob K Javits Convention Center New York, USA www.surtex.com
Showtime Market May 31-June 3, 2015 ITMA Showtime High Point, North Carolina, USA www.showtime-market.com
JUNE 2015 Licensing Expo June 9-11, 2015 Mandalay Bay Convention Center Las Vegas, USA www.licensingexpo.com
Evolution Fair June 17-18, 2015 CANCELLED Evoluon Centre Eindhoven, The Netherlands www.evolutionfair.nl
JULY 2015 AmericasMart License & Design
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(part of the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market)
July 7-14, 2015 Atlanta Convention Center Atlanta, USA www.americasmart.com
November (dates tbc), 2015 Villa Erba Como, Italy www.comocrea.com
AUGUST 2015
JANUARY 2016
PrintSource
Heimtextil
August 11-12, 2015 Metropolitan Pavilion New York, USA www.printsourcenewyork.com
January 12-15, 2016 Frankfurt am Main Frankfurt, Germany www.heimtextil.messefrankfurt. com
SEPTEMBER 2015 Indigo September 8-10, 2015 Brussels Expo Brussels, Belgium
Expo Chicago September 17-20, 2015 Navy Pier, Chicago, USA www.expochicago.com
OCTOBER 2015 Brand Licensing Europe October 7-9, 2014 Olympia, London, UK www.brandlicensing.eu
Mega Show Part 2 October 27-29, 2015 Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre Hong Kong www.mega-show.com
NOVEMBER 2015 Comocrea Interni
AmericasMart License & Design (part of the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market) January 12-19, 2016 Atlanta Convention Center Atlanta, USA www.americasmart.com
PrintSource January (dates tbc), 2016 Metropolitan Pavilion New York, USA www.printsourcenewyork.com
West Coast Art And Frame Show January 25-27, 2016 Paris Hotel & Casino Las Vegas, USA www.wcafshow.com
Paperworld, Creativeworld, Christmasworld January 30-February 2, 2016 Frankfurt am Main Frankfurt, Germany
www.paperworld. messefrankfurt.com
FEBRUARY 2016 Spring Fair February 7-11, 2016 NEC Birmingham, UK www.springfair.com
MARCH 2016 MosBuild March (dates tbc) 2016 Expocentre Moscow, Russia www.mosbuild.com
APRIL 2016 Kazachok Licensing Forum April (dates tbc), 2016 Paris Event Centre Paris, France http://forumlicence.kazachok. com/?lang=EN
PrintSource April (dates tbc), 2016 Metropolitan Pavilion New York, USA www.printsourcenewyork.com
Comocrea Interni April 26-29, 2016 Cernobbio Sport Hall Cernobbio, Italy www.comocrea.com
dids macdonald
License it – don’t steal it Artwork is the intellectual property of the artist but it can be difficult to prove ownership. Here Dids Macdonald, CEO of Anti-Copying In Design (ACID) gives her five top tips for ensuring the artist benefits from their work.
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HE licensing of artwork is big business, transcending territoriality and opening up exciting opportunities for creator and buyer.
At exhibition venues all over the world – and online too these days – buyers converge to see the latest in art licensing, surface patterns and designs to source new work. Increasingly, it’s ever more important to create a proactive intellectual property (IP) strategy to ensure that original work is protected so that it can be fully exploited commercially for the creator. However, the challenge is working effectively in different countries which have different IP laws. For example, copyright in the UK cannot be registered whereas it can be in the United States so, in essence, registration offers more tangible protection because you have a piece of paper, a numbered certificate, which says you own the creative work. IP isn’t rocket science, it is the same as a property right so, in the same way your home can be bought, leased or shared so your artwork can be sold, licensed or used collaboratively. But do so with your permission so that you benefit financially through a fair licensing agreement. The bottom line is protect it, or forget it! So, what can you do to prevent someone ripping off your design – and what action can you take if you find out it’s already happened? 1. Cross all your Ts and dot every I If costs permit, make sure you register your designs as comprehensively as possible. UK and EU registration authorities do not examine your registrations so what you submit is what you have to rely on, which means that the more detail you include, the better. Alternatively, if you can’t afford registration, ACID membership will give you access to upload your designs to our Design Databank which holds over 300,000 member designs. This doesn’t add to your design rights but it does give independent evidence of
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ACID – Anti Copying In Design – are a not-for-profit membership organisation committed to supporting those working with intellectual property.
the designs’ existence on the date they are received by us. 2. Sign and date all your work Sounds simple but, when it comes to proving your design ownership, an audit trail of the detailed journey from idea to marketplace is compelling. The majority of cases for which ACID members have received settlements are based on strong evidence to support designs or artwork. If you don’t want people to copy you, say so. There is no better place than on your website or in your marketing material. 3. Become IP savvy Know the IP laws that protect you and watch the competition. What’s in a name? Trade mark your brand name if you can. The more you build up your reputation either under your own name or one that you trade under, the stronger protection you have. If you’re trading internationally, check out IP laws in that country and register where possible. 4. Trade more safely ACID started the UK’s first Designs Exchange ACID Marketplace, a safer online trading platform where designers can promote their work and create positive relationships with design buyers. Buyers can view your latest designs by registering on the ACID website and agreeing to the ACID Design Buyers’ Charter. The good news is that you can track who has viewed your designs. Think about IP Insurance. You insure you car and your home, why not your designs and future? ACID have launched their own IP insurance product for registered and unregistered designs and copyright. Although this only offers cover in the UK, copyists usually want to market knock-offs in British markets so it does make taking legal action easier. 5. Do you need an expert opinion? Often, it’s difficult to decide whether your case is strong enough to take legal action. Being a member of ACID offers you initial free legal advice and reduced legal fees plus the use of a powerful logo to show you are a member of Anti Copying In Design – copy us at your peril!
www.acid.uk.com info@acid.uk.com +44 (0)845 644 3617
surtex show preview
Worldly wise The global reach of Surtex is emphasised by the number of international exhibitors and visitors to the annual showcase for the selling and licensing of original art and design which has added value with the seminar programme.
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XHIBITORS from around the world emphasise the global reach of Surtex, the annual event for the selling and licensing of original art and design. The 2015 edition, which runs from May 17-19 at New York’s Jacob K Javits Convention Center, will host 325 exhibitors, including heavyweights from North America, Europe, Asia and Australia and more than 50 newcomers representing a mix of studios, agents, and US and international vendors. “We are delighted to welcome both returning
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and new exhibitors to what promises to be an outstanding edition of Surtex,” said Liz Crawford (pictured), vice-president of organisers Emerald Expo and group show director. The show attracts more than 5,500 manufacturers and brands that licence art for finished products in industries such as fashion, home goods, giftware, stationery and furniture, and Liz added: “Attendees can expect a unique and diverse collection of the industry’s best art and design for sale or licence.” There are three key sectors – Art + Brand Licensing is the largest with approximately 200 exhibitors offering creatives for licence; Atelier has designs exclusively for sale from roughly 80 exhibitors and for a multitude of product categories, and there’s ReSource HuB, with some 20 technology and business resource providers. This year there is an additional exhibit floor highlight in the shape of Crewest Studio’s Gallery Showcase, a curated installation of graffiti art, street art and live painting produced by the Los Angeles-based firm. Dynamic live work from renowned urban
surtex show preview
contemporary artists including Man One, e, Isaias Issaias Crow, Gustavo Alberto Garcia Vaca and Codak Cod dak will be juxtaposed with their gallery art, redefi efining ning preconceived ideas about the artistic and cultural significance of urban contemporary art and its appeal within the commercial art licensing trade.. Beyond exhibits, the Surtex Conference will feature three days of intense design intelligence, with programming that will be presented in three distinct educational tracks — Core, Advanced and Trend & Beyond – to complement the market experience. As part of the 10-part seminar series, design and licensing experts will address best business practices and a wide variety of categories, such as
ng g art arrt licensing, monetising and trend-spotting, will bee among topics covered for an audience of art buyers and licensees. The full conference programme information and registration is available on the website. The events will include the announcement of the grand prize winner of Designext, the annual international design contest judged by a panel of industry professionals, on Monday, May 18. The competition honours students for exceptional surface design work and four have already been chosen as the winners from the 76 submissions from 17 schools around the world. At the show, the judges will decide whether
(pictured d ffrom left) Lucy Harris, from the UK’s Winchester School of Art, University of Win nch Southampton; Hannah Wilkinson from Leeds Southamp College of Art in the UK; Daniela Ruiz from the Universidad Iberoamericana de Puebla in Puebla, Mexico, or America’s Lucas Woolley from the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design receive the grand prize of $1,000 (£670). Liz said: “Surtex is proud to recognise the creative concepts, as well as vast potential, of these talented young designers through our Designext awards. The competition’s exceptional global talent pool offers an exciting preview of the future of surface design.” www.surtex.com
Exhibitors’ list
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22 Print Studio – Booth 660 A+A Design Studio – 709 Advocate Art – 223 American Dream House – 247 Amy Bremner Design Studio – 256 Amy Lighthall Art & Design – 439 Ana Davis – 536 Ana Victoria Calderon Illustration – 534 Andie Hanna Designs – 461 The Ansada Group – 218 Antoinette Et Freddy – 646 Art 2 License – 347 Art Cottage – 626 Art In Motion – 306 Art Licensing.Com – 204 Art Makers International – 516 Artistic Designs Group – 337 Artwork Design – 604 Ashley Rodriguez Reed – 358 Astound – 250 Atelier Mineeda – 711 Banafshe Schippel – 619 Bentley Licensing Group – 323 Betsey Cavallo – 238 Bloom – 526 Bluebell Design Studios – 336 Bon Art – 220 The Brand Liaison – 207 Brenda Manley Designs – 235 Bridgewater + Moss Design – 605 Bruce N’ Rowley – 715 Caleb Gray Studio – 343 Carol Blakney Designs – 453 Carson Higham – 338 C Designs – 238 Cherry Design Partners – 608 Christiana Designs – 755 Clare Dean Design & Illustration – 565 Cloverly Art Collective – 355
Colwill & Waud – Coool Cats By John A Conroy – Courtney Davis – Creatif Licensing – Creativo Surface Design – Cultivate Art Collective – Debbie Taylor-Kerman – Denise Bosler – Design Direction – Design Works International – Diane Harrison Designs – Diane Kappa Designs – Dinah Western Illustration – Dot Dash Design Studio – Elisabeth Kelly Design – Elizabeth Stirling Designs – Ellabella Rose – Equinox Art & Design – Etching Art Design – Feng Liang Design – Fiona Howard – Foliage – Forest Foundry – Fortier Price Design Archive – Francois Bournaud – Galaxy Of Graphics Licensing – Gelsinger Licensing Group – Georgia Perry Studio – Gerry Murray Designs – Giacomo Barzaghi – Gina Linn Designs – Giordano Studios – Graphic 45 – Greenmarrow Studio – Group Four Design Studio – Hammond Gower– Happy Clowns Art – Happy Happy Art Collective – Helen Exley London –
632 542 509 207 627 222 265 351 704 622 609 361 346 455 751 510 227 561 252 329 650 633 554 729 639 551 432 558 210 618 528 436 460 354 623 338 245 532 433
Howard Robinson & Associates – Ingrid By Nutshell Designs – Inspire Art Licensing – Jane Dixon – Jane Mosse Designs Jason Laurits – Jelly Box Design – Jenny Foster – Jewel Branding & Licensing – Jill McDonald Design – Joan Chamberlain Designs – John Watson Studio – JQ Licensing – JWD Licensing – K&K Design Studio – Kate Austin Designs – Kate Mawdsley – Kate Nelligan – Kathy Davis Designs – Kathy Weller Art + Ideas – Katrien Soeffers – Katsu Creative Project – Kelly Ventura Design – Kitty Keller Designs – Kris Ruff – L’atelier Design Studio – Lauren Lowen – Lauren Wan – Laurie Jo Designs – Lemon Ribbon – Lemonni – Les Francaises – Licensing Liaison – Lilian Cohen Design – Lilla Rogers Studio – Lolu Design – London Portfolio – Looking Good Licensing – Lovegrass Studio –
333 243 515 739 723 233 750 547 417 610 552 746 446 360 242 359 214 566 427 450 651 614 458 353 564 606 559 607 443 717 344 726 442 364 517 246 705 328 535
Lovely Bird Designs – 744 Lucinda Wei – 761 Lucky Day Studio – 636 Lylove Studio – 722 M Design Studio – 326 Magnet Reps – 316 Marbleknot – 237 Marcie Designs – 615 Maret’s Art 251 Marian Nixon Painting – 452 Marta Berk – 260 Martha Harrison Print Studio – 660 Meehan Design Group – 533 MGL Licensing – 423 MHS Licensing – 424 Michael Searle – 332 Mitsushige Nishiwaki – 252 Mollie Plummer – 537 Moonlighting – 539 Nicole Tamarin – 434 Orange Blossom Studio – 725 Painted Planet Licensing Group – 322 Paper & Cloth – 743 Parcai Designs – 451 Patricia Nugent Textiles 647 Pattern Pod – 735 Paul Brent Designer – 505 Paula Lukey Design – 236 Penny Lane Fine Art & Licensing – 506 Phillip Allder – 335 Pi Creative Art – 459 Pink Light Design – 317 Pm Design Group – 334 Pointcarre – 764 Pomelo & Pomelo – 465 Portfolio Select – 212 Potterton Book – 747 Prints Of Orange – 638 Puddle Ink – 728
Pumpkin Tile – 553 Purplethum – 642 Rachel Gresham Design – 568 Retro Pets – 759 Roaring Brook Art – 523 Robin Z Studio – 560 Rosenthal Represents – 211 Roy & Jane Evans Designs – 719 Russna Kaur Fine Art & Design – 445 Ruth Levison Design – 325 Sandra Jacobs Design – 742 Sandy Clough Art – 543 Sarah Beise – 350 Sarah Frederking Design – 352 Showoffs 732 Sooshichacha – 708 Stephanie Chambers, Inc. 259 Studio 2 – 234 Studio Van Den Broek – 643 Studio Voltaire – 437 Sue Zipkin Studio – 411 Sundance Art Licensing – 342 Super Jane Smith – 343 Surface Pattern Design Guild – 766 Suzanne Cruise Creative Services – 407 Tana Bana Design Services – 655 Tara Reed Designs – 416 Tatyana Starikova – 544 Textile Creations By Lily – 714 Third & Wall Art Group – 254 V&A – 522 Very Sarie – 665 Victoria Johnson Design – 464 Wild Apple Licensing – 307 Wild Wings Licensing – 229 Working Girls Design – 216 World Art Group – 217 Wundergarden – 261 Zakiaz Designs – 555
cover story
VARIED versatility The high-definition 3D art of Michael Searle has captivated consumers all over the world with its application to a variety of products – and can be seen in all its glory on the front cover of this issue of Art Buyer. Surtex booth 332
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EARS as a commercial artist have given Michael Searle the versatility and adaptability necessary to establish his signature and highly recognisable brand of 3D art that’s great for the world of licensing.
Having designed and illustrated for some of the biggest names and licences out there, Michael has carefully and quietlyy cobranded his signature in the process. When he made the transition into art licensing from the commercial art world, lots of his images were already highly recognisable and well known – this was a carefully-planned approach which has made the often intimidating world of art licensing just a little less daunting. One of his great successes has come in collegiate e licensing where his art has become an integral part of the branding for major colleges like the Fighting d Irish of Notre Dame, the Alabama Crimson Tide, and the Gators of the University of Florida. The pinnacle of his achievements in collegiate 3 licensing came recently when all of hiss 3D research and experimentation culminated in the development of a line of 3D collegiate drinkware with the industry leader Tervis. From Bob Marley music to Corona beer, Michael’s co-branded art has adorned an array of products including beach towels, boogie boards, puzzles and posters, to name just a few.
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“As a commercial licensed artist I’m often asked to create different images to either complete a line or develop a new one,” Michael explained. “I feel the ability to adapt, to be versatile, is crucial to any artist’s success. “I see the commissions of illustrating different subject matter as a great challenge. To be able to put your own mark and style on something that has been recreated countless times before is t th th tha invigorating to me. iinv in nv “I work with a myriad of manufacturers that all have one thing in common – they all want to stand h out o from the rest of their competition. “It’s crucial that, as an artist, you research and qualify what products you’re designing for. It’s q great to come up with amazing imagery but it g needs to be in sync with the products that they will n be b affixed to.” Michael has also enjoyed great success over the past p few years in the area of lenticular art. Recognised as one of the top names in this art ar licensing niche, he has continued to develop ideas and subjects to push i id the t envelope of what can be achieved in this medium. a Living in the sunshine state of Florida has given Michael a great eye for striking images and a vivid colour palette which he brings to his work and he’s spent nearly the last decade creating and fine tuning this amazing formula to accentuate the lenticular process. The results speak for themselves as these images become applied to
a variety of products that practically leap off the shelves of retail shops around the world. His signature bright colours and often whimsical approach to subject matter invokes a sense of awe and pleasure when looking at the artwork and this unique combination of images designed specifically for lenticular application and Michael’s boundless imagination has resulted in an array of breathtaking products. Michael is always looking for a new challenge to expand his creative approach to this amazing medium, and one of his latest ventures is the Pocket Dazzlers range with Jason Jardine from Moodies Clothing Company. Giving the true meaning to the term “wearable art”, these Dazzlers feature Michael’s lenticular designs which children can use to customise their own clothing and share and trade. Deluxebase Ltd have been developing and networking a very large distribution base for Michael’s lenticular art from their English base to nearly all four corners of the planet. New products are being developed elop loped ed and d added added to the tthe range range g at warp p speed, and Michael said: “It’s nice c to have ce have a great team like Deluxebase out in thee trenches trench hes and creating all these opportunities..” Be sure to check the website regula regularly rly and see the ever-expanding library of Mi Mich Michael ch hael el Searle’s work.
Searle-art.com Sea arle www.searle--art www.searle-art.com +1 954 663 9933 michaelsear michaels michaelsearle.art@gmail.com
Surtex booth 332
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surtex show preview
Howard Robinson & Associates Surtex booth 333 – Licensing Expo booth H26
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T HAS been a busy start to the year for Howard Robinson once again, from early January exhibiting with Prime 3D for the launch of his new range of children’s 3D puzzles at the Hong Kong Toy show and quickly after at the Nuremburg Toy show in Germany. “This was my first time at the Nuremburg show,” Howard said, “and it also proved to be a good opportunity to catch up and discuss new projects with many of my puzzle clients who were exhibiting. “It’s been good to have some time at home to produce new images but this was to be short lived as it was back to Hong Kong for the Gift Fair in April which will have seen the launch of a new and extensive lenticular 3D programme. “I’m so looking forward to it after the disappointment and very bad experience I’ve had with a licensor for my 3D brand. “This is still progressing through the legal channels as I write but I would just like to warn fellow artists that if you are approached by a company
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wanting to licence images for 3D and they use my name as a reference, they neither have my permission or recommendation! “While I deal with these unfortunate legal issues I thought I’d have some fun with a new set of images for showing at Surtex in May and Licensing Expo in June which will soon be upon us once again. “Taking the ever-growing trend of selfies as a theme, I though I’d try to bring a smile to people’s faces – well, at least it worked on me! “In between all this activity I’m working on a major project at the moment and hope to be able to announce some exiting news in the autumn. “I hope to meet up with fellow artists and clients, both new and old at the various exhibitions in the coming months and, if you get the chance, do call by my booth.” www.howardrobinson.info robinson.h@lineone.net +44 (0)1429 824021
I N S P I R E artlicensingltd DESIGN S TU DIO
AR TIS T AGENT S
0 4 4 ( 0 ) 115 9 7 0 4 8 8 0 info@inspireartlicensing.com www.inspireartlicensing.com
SURTEX 2 015 Booth 515 Flat fee license
Outright sale
Royalty licenses
GREETING CARDS•GIFT WRAP•TEXTILES•APPAREL•HOMEWARES
fashion home paper tabletop contract whatever
See what’s new: - Atelier / Surtex - booth 605 - Printsource NY in August
bridgewatermoss.com
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NSPIRED by everything – from the strange to the very ordinary – Donna Skupien’s work is a never-ending random mix of everyday geos, florals and textures, alongside seasonal motifs, and sprinkled with special occasion and conversational themes. How many new ways to do stripes and plaids, florals morphing into textures, and then, there are the endless colour combinations. Every day is a new opportunity to create. From baby bottles to cake stencils, wallpaper and wrapping paper, tabletop and carpets, active wear to bedding, it’s all in a day’s work – it’s true that if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life! Donna started as most kids do, with drawing and painting on anything she could find, followed by a BFA in comprehensive design, then the usual stint of working for someone before going out on her own. “I started a marketing communications design firm in Chicago,” she said, “with nothing but my passion for design. Our good reputation made us grow and we created brand identities, consumer packaging and annual reports for global giants as Allstate Insurance – yep, those hands – Kellogg’s and the William Wrigley Jr Company. “Our branding work expanded into product development and we really enjoyed working with entrepreneurial start-ups such as Crate & Barrel, and the Container Store. ”Good design is good business. It has the power to captivate, motivate and even just make us smile. “I’ve always been in the problem-solving business and believe this experience in
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Bridgewater + Moss Design marketing gives me greater insight and perspective understanding clients’ products, demographics, manufacturing, budget and price point, as well as trends.” Today, Donna’s business has grown into Bridgewater + Moss Design, a fullservice design firm with more than 20 years’ experience in creating exclusive trend-forward surface design solutions for manufacturers and retailers in the fashion, home, tabletop, contract, active sports and paper industries. They mostly sell their prints outright, but if a company prefers a licence, that works too, and they also do concept work based on client visual inspiration and color palettes. Bridgewater + Moss are returning to Atelier at Surtex for the 21st year, and Donna added: “We welcome the opportunity to earn your trust and deliver you the best designs, value and service.” Surtex booth 605 www.bridgewatermoss.com dskupien@bh2odesign.com +1 312 315 8505
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Joan Chamberlain Designs Surtex booth 552
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AKING her debut at Surtex 2015, Joan Chamberlain Designs showcases the vibrant art of Joan Chamberlain which features her love of food – growing it, cooking it, eating it – and the pleasures of the kitchen. One glance at her work and it’s clear she shares the passions of many a foodie and chef so has developed two lines for licensing, both designed to enhance products for the kitchen. Her Botanical line, inspired by the lovely paintings of Pierre-Joseph Redouté, features the beauty of fruits and vegetables, brought to life with intricate layers of colored pencil patiently blended for rich, saturated images. Combined with hand-lettered text and background pattern, Joan presents an elevated style for tabletop, kitchen textiles, and wall decor. Featured in the botanical line at Surtex this year are collections based on captivating colours from the garden – radishes, red onions, heirloom tomatoes, eggplant, bell peppers, tomatillo, and mango. Also available are the interesting shapes of pineapple, pomegranate and rubyred grapefruit. A highly detailed and vibrant piece titled Eat The Rainbow is the central image for a collection featuring succulent strawberries, juicy plums, cherries and a slice of watermelon among a rainbow of other colourful fruits and vegetables. Perfect as a standalone print in the kitchen, this piece may also be coordinated with a collection of stripes and patterns for many applications on kitchen products. In addition to her realistic botanical drawings, Joan offers fun, text-based images in her Culinary line that play with the names of foods and beverages and, occasionally, speak to the special language of chefs.
Clear, bright colours and hand-lettering lend a whimsical feel to products that will enliven conversation in the kitchen. Her Please Don’t Sous The Chef collection plays with the unique language of the classicallytrained chef. Don’t Be Mean To The Chef De Cuisine is another example of the colourful and fun artwork that pairs perfectly with big, bright plaids in modern colours – hot pinks and oranges, bright lime and aqua, jewel-toned purples and raspberry – great accents for the modern chef. Also in the Culinary line are pairings of red and white wine themes. Graphic clusters of big, juicy grapes in purples and greens, combined with interesting names such as Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio, featured against bold colours and a vineyard-inspired pattern. Speaking of adult beverages, a collection for coffee lovers offers exotic patterns in rich colors with equally interesting names. All images are processed in Photoshop and/ or Illustrator for ease of manipulation and
adaptation to various products. Previously represented by Webster Publishing and Studio Voltaire, Joan returns to licensing as an individual artist after taking time away to design and patent Recipe Nest, her answer to the universal problem of storing and organising recipes, which she continues to sell nationwide. Her foray into manufacturing and selling a product of her own creation has given her a deep appreciation for the many layers of communication and interactions required to bring a product to market. A practicing dentist for 34 years, Joan has a penchant for detail, both in her art and her business. Joan Chamberlain Designs are eager to work with you to deliver original, trendforward images and designs with an eye to open communication and effective time management. Be sure to stop by her booth for some delicious designs, served fresh daily! www.jchamberlaindesigns.com joanchamberlain11@gmail.com +1 214 755 1262
Surtex booth 533
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RIGHT are a boutique agency representing top artists, designers and styles for licence within the greetings, stationery, gift, home and print industries as well as bespoke projects for advertising, packaging and brands. They represent award-winning artists and work with worldwide clients on bespoke projects including both the largest publishing houses and boutique publishers. Bright will be exhibiting at Surtex in NYC and PG Live in London and will be launching beautiful new designs from their talented portfolio of artists. www.brightartlicensing.com Hannah@brightartlicensing.com +44 (0)20 7326 9140
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Bright Art Licensing
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surtex show preview Studio Voltaire Surtex booth 437
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EN years on and going strong – a decade ago Studio Voltaire was founded on the belief that good licensed art should be available, workable and in service to the customer. Founder Gwynn Goodner worked as an art director, art buyer and product developer for some of the larger players in the greetings card and wall décor industries before striking out on his own in 2005 with Studio Voltaire. The image library has now grown from a mere 60 images to an expansive library of more than 5,000 pieces of art. Gwynn comes from a product development background at Papyrus and Portal Publications so has a unique understanding and approach to creating and licensing art that is geared to suit the specific needs of his clientele. “I used to spend hours, well days really,” he said, “looking for art for a project and all the while thinking ‘I could have made this myself in the time it’s taking for me to find the right piece’. Then the files would arrive and they were too small to use.” He saw a niche in the licensing world – combining quality art, high technological standards and attention to customer care – and Studio Voltaire was born with the idea that finding trend-driven licensed work should be easy for art directors and product developers. Gwynn added: “The artists I represent, myself included, love working with a client to develop great product. I know that my clients are experts in their given fields, so I listen to them and work with them to perfect pieces so that they get exactly the right work for their customers. “I hope to make art-buying a pleasure for our clients – and we provide
full-size hi-res files that are print ready. I mean REAL hi-res!” Because of this, Studio Voltaire have gained momentum over the last 10 years and become a reliable resource for a wide array of products and manufacturers. The continued growth of the Studio has been enhanced by the addition of newcomer Farida Zaman whose work was premiered at Surtex 2014. This international artist has spent the last year refining and honing her offering to create an array of charming works that perfectly fit with today’s market. Additionally the Studio have increased their library with new works from Rennie Rau Marquez, Sharon Marston, Jocelyn Haybittel, Adam Guan, Terri Johnson, Tony Stuart and Deborah Mori who each offer a unique look and exciting new work for 2015. Going forward, Studio Voltaire want to continue to build their presence in the world of art licensing by offering great work and superior customer service. Their artists have garnered deals that have landed their works in nearly every major retailer and big box store in the US. Gwynn added: “I see our next horizon as being international expansion. We’ve done a good bit of work for companies in Germany, Italy and the UK, but I feel that our art is right for a greater European presence and in the growing markets in Asia.” As Studio Voltaire celebrate their first decade, look for more new art, photography and graphics from this solid player in the licensing market. www.studiovoltaire.com studiovoltaire@aol.com +1 619 825 6570
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Lilla Rogers Studio Surtex booth 517
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EGISTRATION is now open for Make Art That Sells: The Global Art Gathering, which will rock the creative city of Brighton in the UK on June 12, 2015. This exciting new one-day event will bring together leading experts from the art industry with artists from all over the world, to explore how to build a flourishing art/design career by making great art that is commercially viable. Led by host Lilla Rogers (pictured top right), one of the top art agents in the US who has sold art for products worth more than $100million (£68m), this event is not to be missed. It will be a special opportunity for artists to get an insight into what art sells and why, how to find more joy in their art and make a healthy living from their creativity – and is also a chance to connect with other artists, grow the artistic community and build creative confidence. The day will be packed with inspiring talks, panel discussions and Q&A sessions with top industry experts like art director Margo Tantau of Midwest-CBK (pictured bottom right). Artists will also get lots of networking opportunities, an insight into the Lilla Rogers Studio Global Talent Search, fun surprises and an amazing buzz! Plus Lilla herself will give a trend presentation and a live review of artwork featuring a handful of the attendees. Lilla is also working on a brand-new online course with Art Director Margo Tantau, which will provide an unprecedented understanding of the lucrative Home Décor market. Creating Collections For Home Decor will offer artists an insight into the production process which transforms their art into saleable products on the shop floor. This will enable artists to speak the language of art directors, present appealing commercially-viable collections, and ultimately help them sell more art. Make Art That Sells is a joint venture between Lilla Rogers Studio of Boston, USA, and Do What You Love of Brighton, UK. The site www.MakeArtThatSells.com offers e-courses and free resources that help artists create highly marketable art while staying true to themselves. Lilla Rogers Studio are exhibiting at Surtex and represent 34 artists internationally, and have sold art for products worth over $100m (£68m) for clients all over the globe including Usborne, Crate & Barrel, The Land Of Nod, Windham Fabrics, Workman Publishing, Publix, DDB, PetSmart, BBD Worldwide, Simon & Schuster, Disney, Fisher Price, Ritzenhoff, Editions Milan, Roger La Borde, and many others. www.lillarogers.com susan@lillarogers.com or joanneh@lillarogers.com +1 781 641 2787
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Wild Apple Licensing Surtex booth 307 – LicensingExpo booth E20
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VER the past quarter century, Wild Apple have published more than 20,000 art images, worked with hundreds of artists, licensed artwork for thousands of products for the home, seen products featuring their artwork sold into more than 50 countries, and eaten more than their share of chocolate. “We started Wild Apple in our Vermont farmhouse back in 1990,” said co-owner John Chester, “over the past 25 years we’ve been proud to work with manufacturers of beautiful decorative products for the home.” Today, Wild Apple are still driven by the same entrepreneurial spirit and desire to make beautiful things that formed the basis for the company when they began. John added: “We may have moved out of the farmhouse but the core of our business remains the same. “We do business by the golden rule – treat artists, customers, suppliers, and each other the way we want to be treated. We have a lot of
fun. We’re always learning and we’re very prochocolate!” Based in Vermont, Wild Apple works with artists from around the world bringing collections of top-selling art, patterns and designs to leading manufacturers of home décor, tabletop, textiles, stationery and giftware. Each artist has their own unique style, covering popular design themes from floral, coastal and seasonal to fashion, cuisine, pattern and more. Collaboration is key, Director Of Licensing Kat Gray said: “As an art licensing agent, our job is getting artists’ beautiful art and design placed on a wide variety of decorative products. A fullservice agency, we develop and customise collections of art, and often work in tandem with our customers to help design products for retail.” “Our customers look to us for fresh, marketable images. That’s why every month we release new artwork which you can find on our website,” said John. www.wildapple.com sales@wildapple.com +1 802 457 3003
ArtLicensingShow.com Surtex booth 204
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HE newly-launched ArtLicensingShow.com (ALSC) website is generating great industry buzz hosting well over 300 exclusive licensor artist/agent portfolios with thousands of images. Six years in the making, this new, one-stop shopping tool has no cost for over-inundated art directors, licensees and manufacturers looking to efficiently source art. The days of overflowing inboxes filled with endless art submission attachments are over – no more trying to remember hundreds of links and logins to review individual password-protected portfolios! With ALSC, art directors can easily use just one site and one password and the portfolios are designed to be searchable by subject matter, genre, occasion, and keyword. Licensors can be directly contacted to negotiate deals. ALSC is economical, saving members thousands in travel and show expenses, and it’s conveniently open 24/7 to all industry professionals, and it’s also a professional resource for artists and creatives to exchange information and news within a variety of group forums such as
greetings cards, textiles, trends, art marketing, art for kids and more. Members are already singing ASLC’s praises. Susan January, Vice-President of Leanin’ Tree and Immediate Past President of the US Greeting Card Association, said: “I truly believe this site has great potential to help make my work more streamlined and efficient. Coming to one site, as opposed to a hundred different artists’ sites, is a fantastic benefit for me. “We’re excited to be a part of this next evolution of the dynamic art licensing market!” said Ronnie Walter, President of Two Town Studios. Licensed artist Jill Meyer added: “The site features are well thought out and helpful for the purpose of easily showcasing and sharing art. ALSC is so user-friendly, and simple to master in just a few minutes, that I think everyone will be thrilled with it. “This idea is innovative and unprecedented, founder and CEO Cherish Flieder is really a pioneer in this state-of-the-art undertaking.” www.artlicensingshow.com redcarpet@artlicensingshow.com +1 720 372 3909
ALLISON COLE
F L O R A W AY C O T T
C A R O LY N G A V I N
T A R A L I L LY
HELEN DARDIK
MIKE LOWERY
MARCO MARELLA
SARAH WALSH
DANIEL ROODE
C L I E N T S I N C L U D E : T A R G E T, C R AT E & B A R R E L , N O R D S T R O M , M A C Y ’ S , A N D U R B A N O U T F I T T E R S C H E C K O U T O U R H U G E LY P O P U L A R E - C O U R S E S AT M A K E A R T T H AT S E L L S . C O M
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V&A – Victoria & Albert Museum Surtex booth 522
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ROM fashion to table top, the V&A collection is incredibly versatile and the diverse prints and patterns in the museum have long provided a source of rich inspiration for licensees. From William Kilburn’s textile designs to the muchloved patterns of William Morris, the wallpapers, fabrics and ceramics held in the V&A collection continue to inspire the world’s leading names in homewares, tabletop and interior decoration. While their
licensee partnerships with the likes of Wild & Wolf, Creative Tops (Lifetime Brands) and Lakeland continue to go from strength to strength, in the last year V&A Licensing have also fostered new partnerships with two of fashion’s leading UK High Street brands – footwear with Clarks (C&J Clark International Ltd) and clothing from Oasis. This spring will see the global launch of their respective footwear and clothing collections, bringing the V&A brand to the attention of a new High Streetoriented and fashion-savvy audience. With shared 19th century origins, Clarks – who are also lead sponsor of the V&A exhibition Shoes: Pleasure and Pain, June 13, 2015-January 31, 2016 – and the museum have united their passion for craftsmanship, design and an extraordinary legacy in British style and the first of three collections will include footwear for women, men and children inspired by the museum’s textiles and fashion archives. Lauren Sizeland, V&A Director of Business Development & Licensing, said: “We’re looking forward to the opportunities that our first footwear licence will bring. It’s truly fulfilling to work with a brand that also has a great British heritage and exciting that the range will reach an international market.” The Oasis and V&A collaboration brings a little piece of print history to High Street fashion, born out of a mutual love of print, pattern and colour, with the store hugely inspired by the stories behind the designs and worked closely with the museum to retain the authenticity of the original printed fabrics. The collection is based on the botanical prints of William Kilburn, Anna Maria Garthwaite and John James Audubon which have been artfully reimagined and styled into this season’s on-trend fashion pieces – kimono jackets, wide-leg trousers, culottes and A-line midi skirts. All profits from sales of licensed products are returned to the museum, helping to maintain its position as the world’s leading collection of art and design, funding exhibitions, research, conservation and collecting for the future. www.vandalicensing.com www.vandaimages.com vanda.images@vam.ac.uk +44 (0)20 7942 2000
ART AND DESIGN LICENSING www.mgllicensing.com Email: info@mgllicensing.com Tel: +44 (0) 2083928010 Surtex: Booth 423 Licensing Expo: Booth F024
Rachel Stribbling
Gary Redford Jody Bergsma Art Marketing
Dominic Davison
Haruyo Morita
Art Marketing
Alison Lee
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World Art Group Surtex booth 217
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ASED in Richmond, Virginia, World Art Group have been designing and publishing a broad range of decorative art prints for the home décor markets for nearly 40 years. The company’s collection of more than 28,000 images spans virtually every category and subject matter imaginable. In addition to collaborating with hundreds of artists from around the world, World Art Group have their own in-house design group, Vision Studio, a team of talented art directors, artists and graphic designers with advanced degrees in printmaking, illustration and textiles. The company work in every medium, from digital illustration to oil, encaustic, inks, watercolour, acrylic, collage and pencil. The company’s design team produces weekly
and monthly releases, outputting over 4,000 images per year. Lonnie Lemco, World Art Group’s VicePresident Sales, explained that the combination of Vision Studios and the sales and design consultants allows for the breadth and flexibility to fulfill the diverse needs of the company’s customers. The goals at World Art Group are not fulfilled by simply creating coveted art – only when their customers have exactly what is needed as fast as it can be sent to them are World Art Group happy. World Art Group are licensors to companies worldwide, across every industry and product category, including wall décor, housewares, floor and wall coverings, tabletop, giftware, furniture, textiles, paper products and stationery, clothing and much more. They also design proprietary lines for dozens of designers, wholesale manufacturers and retailers. The company’s licensed images can be seen in stores such as Target, Kohl’s, Bed Bath & Beyond, Homegoods, Cost Plus World Market and many more. World Art Group strive to be easy to do business with, therefore their sales and design team are happy to do the research on the
database and submit jpegs for consideration – all they need is a category, subject matter, colour palette, etc. www.theworldartgroup.com licensing@theworldartgroup.com +1 804 213 0600
PAINTEDplanet LICENSING GROUP
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Where art & industry leaders come together
www.paintedplanetlicensing.com • jan@paintedplanetlicensing.com • ph: 507-835-8009
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Inspire Art Licensing Surtex booth 515
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ASED in a converted Victorian mill in the historic city of Nottingham, England, Inspire Art Licensing have been supplying designs to manufacturers and retailers in the USA with great success for over 18 years. Their designs can be seen regularly on the shelves of Walmart, Target, Hobby Lobby and many more, and their considerable experience allows them to deliver a professional and personal service. Inspire believe direct communication is key, which is why they travel to and around the USA eight times a year with their new collections. They find this the very best way to understand your requirements, discuss trends and anticipate your ongoing design needs. They are unique in that not only do they represent artists around the world but they also have a tight knit group of artists working from their studio. This helps Inspire to react quickly to a specific brief or need and offer clients a breadth of design styles from traditional handpainted to more contemporary and trend-orientated designs. Inspire are constantly evolving to keep pace in a rapidly changing market, always with a firm sense of what makes a design commercially viable. www.inspireartlicensing.com info@inspireartlicensing.com +44 (0)115 970 4880
Lauren Wan Surtex booth 607
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ORN in Hong Kong and a graduate of the Royal College of Art in London with a Master of Arts, Lauren Wan has established a unique identity. With her creation of contemporary and sophisticated original artwork for today’s leading international brands, covering fashion, tabletop, home furnishing, stationery and fine art, Lauren continues her prolific output with exciting new collections for Surtex 2015. Her brilliant use of colour continues to excel and thrive across diverse product categories and industries. Lauren draws her inspiration from her bountiful collection of sketchbooks that spontaneously record her travels around the world and the subject matter she observes, capturing the joys and pleasures of life. Its been a very productive and diverse year for Lauren. Many products have been introduced by several different industries including fashion apparel with Macy’s and EP Pro, tabletop for World Kitchen and Tarhong, stationery with Barnes & Noble and Peter Pauper Press, and a brandnew quilting collection for Hoffman Fabrics will launch soon. For the dinnerware market Lauren’s Chirp pattern for Lenox, WWRD’s Vera Wang Simplicity and Villeroy & Boch’s French Garden continue to excel, there’s been a collaboration with Dillards, and at Surtex Lauren will show her own exclusive hand-painted line of mugs. Jaipur’s designer rugs from Lauren enter their third year after successful sales and her fine art is currently exhibiting in galleries and online stores. www.laurenwan.com lauren@laurenwan.com +1 201 564 7002
ORIGINAL DIGITAL ARTWORK IN REPEAT AND COLOR REDUCED FOR HOME AND LIFESTYLE PRODUCTS
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Jill McDonald Design Surtex booth 601 – LicensingExpo booth C019
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ILL McDonald Design are top collaborators in the baby and kids market offering the full design package with illustration, surface design, writing and product development. Over the past 10 years Jill herself has worked with many design leaders in the industry including Target’s Circo brand crib bedding, The Land Of Nod, Pottery Barn Kids, Papyrus, Company Kids, Little Brown, Scholastic, Oopsy Daisy and many more. With the help of Antonio, Jill’s husband and business partner, her studio continues to thrive and hree years ago they began a branded gift line with CR Gibson. Since then the Jill McDonald Baby & Kids line has grown to include more than 40 diverse, engaging and educational products for young minds. Jill has illustrated many children’s books for leading publishers and this year she is writing and illustrating a new series of board books for Random House Kids set for release in the autumn. Jill prides herself on creating art and products that strike an emotional chord with the customer. Her goal with each piece she creates is to provide a bright, colorful story that the viewer is excited to come back to again and again. If you are looking for fresh, fun designs with a lot of heart, they’ll be on show at Surtex in May, Jill and Antonio are excited to announce they will be at the Licensing Expo for the first time this June. www.jillmcdonalddesign. com jill@jillmcdonalddesign. com +1 816 914 2438
Bentley Licensing Group Surtex booth 323 – LicensingExpo booth D19
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EW imagery is being introduced by Bentley Licensing Group from their popular stable of artists at this year’s Surtex and Licensing Expo shows. The art licensing agency are dedicated to connecting artist’s imagery with worldwide manufacturers’ needs for creating top-selling products. President Mary Sher said: “In the past year, with our diverse portfolio of traditional to contemporary imagery, we’ve signed contracts with manufacturers in Poland, Mexico, China and the United Kingdom as well as in Canada and the United States. “We’re very excited to be working with our international, Canadian and US clients and are extremely happy to see our artwork enjoyed around the world.“ Bentley Licensing Group continue to be a leader in the art licensing industry, building brands in close cooperation with their licensees. “The possibilities with our talented artists’ libraries of images are endless,” Mary added. “We work closely with our clients, discussing their market needs and then supply them with the images required for successful product sales. Serving our Licensees with consistency, service and quality is Bentley Licensing Group’s top priority.” New images will debut at this year’s licensing shows from their creative team of artists including Janet Kruskamp, Sung Kim, Irene Suchocki, Robert Dawson, Jan McLaughlin, Bambi Papais and Shari Warren. www.bentleylicensinggroup.com mary@bentleylicensing.com +1 925 208 1302
Surtex booth 705
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HE London Portfolio collection is the creative effort of 25 artists worldwide. They are designing for the stationery and paper products industries – greetings cards, wrapping paper, journals, albums, scrapbooking, posters, shopping bags – as well as home furnishings – kitchen, tabletop, bedding, bath, juvenile, novelty – along with giftware and tabletop ceramics. London Portfolio are one of America’s best-known and innovative design collections and have an extensive collection of Christmas and everyday designs. All of their artwork is original and copyrights are available for licence or sale and customers are encouraged to visit their website frequently because they are always adding new designs. They also welcome submissions from new artists. www.londonportfolio.com sales@londonportfolio.com +1 973-683-0004
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London Portfolio
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MGL Licensing Surtex booth 423 – LicensingExpo F024
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S ONE of the UK’s most successful art licensing companies, MGL are the creative force behind some of the world’s most exciting and popular character concepts and graphic imagery. Representing more than 100 artists and with an archive of thousands of existing images, MGL offer a broad range of art to suit a large variety of licensed products. The art portfolio incorporates very diverse styles and themes that range from fantasy to animals and vintage to contemporary graphics. Many of the designs are created in close cooperation with clients and a selection of commissioned artists to suit specific demands and needs. This year MGL will be exhibiting at Surtex and LicensingExpo where they will be showcasing a selection of their most talented artists working across a large range of styles and product categories, including stationery, gifts and textiles. MGL recently launched pop artist Dan Fenelon’s Wavedog brand, featuring an eclectic combination of street art, tribal motifs and vibrant colours for which partners in stationery, apparel, sporting and gift are now being sought. They have also gone into partnership with Art Marketing Ltd to promote their in-house artists in a new and exclusive deal, and MGL recently signed Chilean stationery manufacturer Libesa as the first Latin American licensee for the Tan-Tan brand with a range of notebooks and diaries. www.mgllicensing.com info@mgllicensing.com +44 (0)20 8392 8010
Painted Planet Licensing Group Surtex booth 322
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ACKIE Decker has been busy designing several new collections that will be introduced at Surtex by Painted Planet. The colourful Big Top Friends collection features playful animals celebrating a special someone’s birthday and the Gypsy collection includes elephants with lively paisley and floral designs that are great for home décor, fabrics and dinnerware. Also for the home, Jackie’s unique Wellfleet coastal collection highlights intricate lobster and crab designs. It’s been an exciting year for Jackie with a number of products arriving in stores – her Lodge Life collection has been licensed by Manual Woodworkers & Weavers, Cape Shore and Creative Converting, in January Raz introduced her Merry Merry nutcracker collection and Burton + Burton her Peppermint Pets, and she has also been working with Oklahoma Embroidery, Red Rooster, Thirstystone, along with flag and greetings card companies. There are two new additions to the Painted Planet family in the shape of Heatherlee Chan and Jennifer Wambach. Heatherlee’s delicate watercolour paintings are inspired by her love of colour, nature, books and femininity. Cheerful, uplifting and delightful, Jennifer’s characters and florals are a blend of traditional and modern art for all ages. You can see artwork from Jackie, Heatherlee and Jennifer, along with new artwork from all their artists at Surtex – Painted Planet Licensing Group are where art and industry leaders come together. www.paintedplanetlicensing.com jan@paintedplanetlicensing.com +1 507 835 8009
mary@bentleylicensing.com • www.bentleylicensinggroup.com • 925 208 1302 Surtex Booth # 323 • Licensing Expo 2015 Booth # D19
SURTEX Booth #307 Las Vegas Licensing Expo Booth #E-20 800 756 8359 (North America) licensing@wildapple.com
802 457 3003 (International) www.wildapple.com
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Tana Bana
Blueprint – Surtex booth 655 Showtime Market booth 1-732
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ANA Bana means warp and weft in the Indian language Hindi. These are the threads that make up fabric, and the two principals, Susan Ritchie and Shreenie Vasan, chose the name to communicate their love of textiles. Both have a background in wovens, designing interior textiles for many years before founding Tana Bana seven years ago to create original digital artwork for interior, lifestyle, fashion and stationary markets. Their dedicated team of skilled artists from all over the world enable Tana Bana to introduce over 100 quality, trend-forward designs each month from their studio in the suburbs of NYC. Customers can see their artwork at their own offices, at one of the numerous trade shows, or now through their all-new web gallery where thousands of artworks are easily accessible from anywhere in the world. They are able to deliver most purchases from their secure server within 24 hours of sale. Tana Bana participate in many key trade shows worldwide including Printsource, the new Blueprint event, Surtex and Showtime Market in the US, as well as Heimtextil in Frankfurt, Indigo Home in Brussels, and Comocrea in Como, Italy. Their exhibition schedule is always available on their website. Tana Bana’s designs are also available through representatives in many Asian markets including China, India and in Japan. www.tana-bana.com info@tana-bana.com +1 973 538 3707
Pink Light Studio Surtex booth 317 – LicensingExpo booth C43
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HE team at Pink Light Studio are all excited for another amazing trade show season – they’ve been gearing up for Surtex and the LicensingExpo and are looking forward to connecting with current and new clients. Pink Light artists have been busy this year with custom projects and many licensing deals with clients such as Robert Kaufman, Class Act Stationery And Accessories, Moda, Andrews
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McMeel, Ravensburger, Evergreen, Mohawk Rugs, Groupe Editor, Design Design, and Roommates Peel And Stick. Agent and Creative Director Mary Beth Freet said: “We are honoured to work with such amazing companies. We’re constantly learning and developing our artwork to work on a variety of products to meet our client’s needs. We accomplish this through trend research and development and by taking cues from the
marketplace and fashion.” Make sure to check out Pink Light’s online gallery for their latest designs and their artists are available for custom projects, licensing, and some artwork is available for outright purchase. Everyone at Pink Light looks forward to helping you make your products shine! www.pinklightstudio.com Marybeth@pinklightdesign.com +1 206 200 8324
Surtex booth 212
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OR beautiful new artwork that is sure to make your product stand out this year, look no further than Portfolio Select whose booth will be easy to find on your way in. This well-established art licensing company based in the UK are dedicated to excellent customer service, and to providing fast, friendly assistance to their clients. Their select range of artists offer designs for all occasions, driven by creativity and changing trends, and are available for bespoke commissions. Expertly handled – and on time! Portfolio Select are proud to now be representing two new artists at the show this year - Emma Leach, and Delphine Cubbit. Both have strong portfolios with designs for all products. Emma paints fun festive icons with a traditional feel, featuring cheery Santas and Snowmen with a soft juvenile look. Delphine has a vibrant, bold style, with plenty of everyday and Christmas to choose from. Her art is especially suited to the American market, with eye catching designs in bright colours – great for houseware product – along with illustrative Christmas scenes and jolly characters. Pippa Elison has been busy working on
her latest Henna range. This series comprises intricate lacy patterns and details in typical feminine subjects, giving an on-trend style, with bright coordinating colours that are sure to grab your attention. The range is already successful on greetings cards and would be perfect for adaptation on to many other products. Ella Rose has also been working on her hugely popular Art Deco and Nouveau ranges with designs featuring elegant ladies in beautiful vintage wear, in stylish retro settings, for all occasions. This timeless style is a proven hit, and Ella’s
eye for detail and fashion has made this a very successful collection. These designs are also perfect for embellishment, so that the finished product really stands out. Portfolio Select are taking bookings for appointments, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you are making plans to visit the show, and all their artist portfolios can be viewed online where you will find selecting images and making enquiries to be simple and fast. www.portfolioselect.co.uk jessica@portfolioselect.co.uk +44 (0)1442 833458
surtex show preview
Portfolio Select
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surtex show preview
Rosenthal Represents Surtex booth 211 – LicensingExpo booth F25
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PECIALISING in artists and designers who create products for the home and the heart, Rosenthal Represents strive to make appealing designs that will make your products sell. Rosenthal Represents are proud to work with a variety of talented, professional artists. Their team consists of The Coolidge Dogs, Charmbiance, Jim Hansel, Beth Hoselton, MaryJane Mitchell, Debby Carman, Sharie Hatchett Bohlmann, Todd Curtis, John O’Brien, Mimi Powers, Amy Rauer, Judy Reed Silver, Jason Yenter, Ron Tanovitz, Nina Edwards, Classic Collections Fine Art, The Bridgeman Studio and Art Licensing. These artists are responsible for creating a myriad of products including storage, rugs, mats, gift bags, stationery, tabletop, flags, gifts, jigsaw puzzles and textiles for the kitchen, bed and bath and the quilting industry. Their 25 years of successful licensing partnerships marry innovative, imaginative art with eye catching products that sell.
For 2015, Rosenthal Represents are introducing the Recovery Product Line, entitled Time Matters, which was created lovingly by artist Debby Carman with addtional design work by fellow artist Nadene Naude. Time Matters is a memorable collection of cherishables that mark lifestyle milestones of change and choice. When significant transformations take place in people’s lives, they wish to celebrate and acknowledge achievements. This beautiful collection reminds people that these times are not only special but sacred and should be celebrated and remembered as times when folk accomplished goals that they set for themselves. There are two more Recovery Product Lines that these artists have created called Hope Heals and Hope Notes – you’re welcome to view all of the collections by appointment or by stopping by the booths at both Surtex and LicensingExpo. www.rosenthalrepresents.com eliselicenses@earthlink.com +1 818 222 5445
Sandy Clough Studio Surtex booth 543
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ANDY Clough’s art has been successfully licensed for more than 25 years and she has earned a solid reputation in a wide range of product categories – tabletop, home décor, textiles, quilt fabric, stationery, calendars, garden flags, wall paper and much more. Currently licensing with over 50 companies, this provides a business landscape for her that utilises her fresh ideas and creative skills. Sandy’s ability to paint anything she sees has been the foundation of her ability to successfully transition with changing styles and trends in the marketplace. Her licensing art is a unique blend of realistic painting and hand-drawn design elements which results in layered designs that resonate with creative life in a both fresh and traditional way that she calls “fresh-ditional”. She uses her intuitive sense of colour and design with a gifted hand to provide manufacturers with layered files that are easy to work and translate to products well. Her portfolio includes nature, floral, coastal, holiday, harvest, farm, and rustic themes. The Sandy Clough Studio team are the artist and her husband Rick, who is both her agent and president of the business. They are known for being easy to work with and serving the needs of their licensees promptly. You can meet them both at Surtex and see Sandy’s latest designs. www.sandyclough.com rickclough@sandyclough.com
Surtex booth 416
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RTIST Tara Reed has had an affinity for printers’ blocks since she was eight – she fondly remembers everyone huddled over the worn and inked blocks in Selfridge’s department store in London in 1976. Working together they created what would become their family coffee table – the assorted sized blocks came together and incorporated each of their names and ages at the time. She loved the puzzle of it all as well as the varied typefaces, block sizes and rich woods. Imagining the books, pamphlets or flyers they had been used to print before they became decorative leftovers of a past era fed her imagination.
Taking these vintage blocks, Tara has created a fresh and unique series of art collections with timeless sentiments and fun sayings mix with vibrant colours, replicating the look of ink and paint on the letterpress woodcut blocks. With the popularity of vintage and early 19th century design elements in home decor, the timing is ideal. New collections will debut at Surtex for Christmas, Harvest, Lodge, Lake, Americana and more. Make an appointment to meet with the artist at the show and discuss your licensing needs. www.TaraReedDesigns.com licensing@TaraReedDesigns.com +1 503 841 5715
surtex show preview
Tara Reed Designs
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surtex show preview Dinah Designs Studio Surtex booth 346 – LicensingExpo booth F21
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HE decision to licence western art is a smart business move – people who live the western lifestyle are loyal to that lifestyle and incorporate such images into every aspect of their lives. This makes western art highly marketable in many different product categories and, as a western illustrator, Dinah Brothers paints western images that sell your products. People who live the western lifestyle are bold and independent, and Dinah’s illustrations reflect this confident attitude. One of the ranges Dinah is introducing this summer is her Need New Boots? Collection as cowgirls love their boots and her brightly-coloured boot imagery appeals to a large market in various product categories. In addition to normal wholesale and retail avenues, the western world offers additional venues in which to market your products. Twice a year, western wholesale markets are held at the Dallas Market Center and the Denver Mart and both attract buyers wanting to purchase products bearing western images. The demand for western products can best be illustrated by looking at the numbers. Each December the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo is held in Las Vegas, Nevada. Daily, during the Rodeo, shopping markets are held at the Las Vegas Convention Center and various hotels throughout the city.
In 2014, the attendance at this 10-day event reached record numbers – according to the ABC News Affiliate in Las Vegas, more than 200,000 people entered the convention center to shop for western products. This illustrates the strong demand for products bearing western images and Dinah has the art needed to attract these buyers to your products. Manufacturers looking to increase their product demand should consider western images. Licensing western art will create successful licensing programmes – talk to Dinah about partnering with her to sell your products to this large market. www.dinahdesignstudio.com dinahbrothers@aol.com +1 512 965 1985
surtex show preview
Tatyana Starikova Surtex booth 544
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ORN in Ukraine, Tatyana holds a degree in fine arts. She works from her busy design studio, in a variety of styles – from whimsical art for children to sophisticated florals – bringing her passion for illustration and surface pattern to products for everyday, holidays and special
occasions. Her joyful art is well suited for tabletop, home décor, partyware, juvenile apparel, gifts, wall coverings, stationery and more. “Product art is not just for decoration,” said Tatyana, “it’s for celebrating the little and big moments in our lives, for making memories, expressing our taste, making statements about who we are. “When creating a new design, I love to imagine what it might become – the face of someone’s favourite coffee mug, a pattern on a tablecloth at a family gathering, or an image on a nurse’s scrub that could make a child smile.” Skilled in both traditional and digital media, she can deliver her work in Photoshop and Illustrator formats, Tatyana is thrilled to be returning to Surtex for the second year, her first time exhibiting solo. She has several deals with crafts, partyware, linens and giftwrap companies, since she started creating art for licensing two years ago. Tatyana looks forward to meeting with manufacturers and retailers, learning about their needs and creating products that will excite and inspire their customers. www.tatyana-starikova.com info@tatyana-starikova.com +1 845 464 2256
Brenda Manley Designs Surtex booth 235
Mitsushige Nishiwaki Surtex booth 252
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TCHING artist Mitsushige Nishiwaki is looking to expand the possibilities for his work by coming over from Japan to exhibit at Surtex for the first time. “I do etchings,” Mitsushige said, “I put some humorous stories in my works so that people can enjoy them. “Restaurants in the UK and France use my works as decoration and customers enjoy them – and they can buy them if they want.” Mitsushige is happy to send etchings to restaurants and shops to decorate them to bring his work to a wider audience and is particularly interested in licensing his art. http://homepage3.nifty.com/mits/ mitsushige.nishiwaki@nifty.com +81 3 3817 7275
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RENDA Manley’s niche is that she knows both sides of the industry – with 16 years of tabletop manufacturing experience as a buyer, art director and designer combined with being a successful published artist whose top five selling designs generated $6million (£4m) in revenue. Brenda is passionate about trends, colour and art, continually researching emerging looks and how they relate to specific product categories. She then shares her findings with her team of talented designers – Alyssa Kays, Andrea Strongwater, Anjl Rodee of Lucky Dime Design, Angela Kilpatrick of Willow Berry Studio, Emma Schonenberg, Larisa Hernandez and Ohn Mar Win. One can find everything from seasonal/everyday art for paper goods to home décor and apparel surface pattern designs in a variety of styles. brenda@brendamanleydesigns.com brendamanleydesigns.com +1 317 696 5703
Surtex booth 343
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T’S BEEN a busy year at Caleb Gray Studio with new licences, new product categories, and new designs – and he’s preparing to roll out several new collections at Surtex, the sunny Beachy Keen, Let Me Entertain You and the tasty Season’s Eatings. One of Caleb’s newest licences is Primitives By Kathy, who have paired his designs with sweet sentiments and sassy sayings on their entire line of baby box signs and frames. Design Design are building on the success of their light-up birthday and graduation cards with Caleb’s retro marquee art, adding a new light-up design for Christmas with additional sympathy and holiday cards due soon. Other current debuts include his new Super Speedway and Spaced Out fabrics with Robert Kaufman, new Little Stinker kids’ gifts with Frecklebox, as well as the Robot Factory partyware collection, with all artwork available for licensing in other product categories. www.calebgraystudio.com caleb@calebgraystudio.com +1 813 221 5282
Dot Dash Design Studio Surtex booth 455
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AKING their debut at Surtex, Dot Dash Design Studio will showcase more than 30 brand-new surface pattern design collections. Dot Dash Design are an established UK-based studio who have traditionally worked with brand owners on some of the biggest licensed properties such as Thomas The Tank Engine, Sonic and Peppa Pig. This year marks the launch of their Studio Collection, an eclectic mix of print and pattern for children, home, gifting and stationery, including the Colorwash soft watercolour floral story for homewares, and quirky Cats Inc for stationery and gifting. Tel: +44 01509 412114 Email: paula@dotdashdesign.uk.com Website: www.dotdashdesign.co.uk
surtex show preview
Caleb Gray Studio
Representing top artists and illustrators globally for the Stationery and Design Industry
www.brightartlicensing.com hannah@brightartlicensing.com +44 (0) 207 326 9140
Exhibiting at: Surtex Stand #533 PG Live Stand #148
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surtex show preview
Kate Austin Designs Surtex booth 359
Jewel Branding & Licensing Surtex booth 417 LicensingExpo booth J24
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HIS has been a busy year already with the launch of new licensing partnerships for Jewel Branding & Licensing’s existing designers and the addition of new designers and design-based brands to their portfolio. Their current crop working with clients such as Caspari, Enesco and Guildery, include renowned chalk art designer Valerie McKeehan, Robert Pickens, Dominique Vari, Robbin Rawlings, Heather Rosas, Nel Whatmore, Richard Noldin, Lezlee Elliott, Simon+Kabuki, Corinna Buchholz, Aunty Acid and Bee Sturgis. The new designers and brands, each with a unique point of view and design aesthetic, are Bouffants & Broken Hearts from Kendra Dandy, Pen & Paint by Lindsay Hopkins, Valerie Valerie from Valerie Carr, the Lost & Found rich archive of one-of-akind artifacts, curiosities and vernacular landscapes, Ronnie Gold and Catalina Estrada. www.jewelbranding.com katie@jewelbranding.com +1 404 537 3816
Roaring Brook Art Company Surtex booth 523
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OARING Brook are pleased and excited to be exhibiting again at Surtex, showcasing a wide range of art and imagery in the latest colours and trends and highlighting a successful year for their artists. Fabrice de Villeneuve Studio’s Haute Couture makes a striking bath ensemble from Avanti Linens, who have also developed their Foliage Garden collection. Cynthia Coulter launched new designs with Prima Design and Bacova Guild, continuing their long-standing relationship, and Tre Sorelle Studios continues their successful partnership with Certified International, who placed several new dinnerware collections this year. Roaring Brook continue to be a leading source for art to the manufacturers of home décor and decorative accessories. www.roaringbrookart.com becca@roaringbrookart.com +1 888 779 9055 or +1 914 478 4206
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HEER and colour are being brought to Surtex by Kate Austin Designs with her new collection of surface patterns and illustrations. Drawing on her background in textile design and printmaking, Kate’s designs stand out for their boldness, striking colour stories and strong graphic quality, and range from whimsical yet elegant florals, through bright and fun everyday designs, to bright, hand-drawn geometrics. Surtex 2015 will be the debut of Kate’s illustration portfolio, she paints with watercolour inks, using saturated, vibrant colours to light up her illustrations of animals, flowers, cityscapes and abstract designs. Kate Austin Designs shine on paper and fabric, and it is her dream to work with a fabric manufacturer to create bolt fabric, and to illustrate a children’s book. www.kateaustindesigns.com kate@kateaustindesigns.com +1 647 808 2247
Zakiaz Designs Surtex booth 555
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EXTILE and surface pattern designer Zakia specialises in gorgeous handpainted original art that is Photoshopped for sizing, repeats and colour reduction. Zakia’s organic and vibrant art is inspired by the magic and beauty of the earth and all its amazing creatures. Her love of colour and pattern is apparent in her designs and collections available for bedding, bath, home decor, paper goods and much more. Zakia’s new romantic florals and symmetrical geometrics radiate a combination of femininity and masculinity creating an aura of balance and harmony. www.zakiazdesigns.com zakiazdesigns@aol.com +1 732 567 1125
Miriam Bos Surtex booth 554
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UBLISHED illustrator and surface pattern designer Miriam Bos is preparing to show her new collections at Surtex where she is bringing her work over from the Netherlands for the second time. Miriam is one of eight illustrators and designers from around the world to join the art collective Forest Foundry and she specialises in both traditional and digital techniques. “I am passionate about my artwork. Seeing it featured in magazines and blogs is motivating,” explained Miriam. “Even more, it’s a chance to inspire others, and that’s what touches me the most and drives me in my work.” In 2014 Miriam launched her debut collection, Wildland, with California-based Birch Fabrics, who provide an environmentally-friendly cotton alternative to the quilting and crafting community. www.bosplaatjes.nl hello@miriambos.com +31 630 375 636
Find New Creative Designs to License or Buy
If you are a manufacturer or licensee looking for new and creative designs for your products, you will find them at SURTEX. SURTEX is the only show of its kind where artists and designers license and sell their original designs for the products you make. Some 1,000 artists represented by artist, agent and licensor exhibitors will be there to show you thousands of unique and cutting-edge designs for a range of products categories including: APPAREL • BEAUTY/PERSONAL CARE DECORATIVE ACCESSORIES • GIFTS PAPER PRODUCTS • HOME GOODS HOME TEXTILES • INTERIOR FABRICS STATIONERY • TABLETOP • TECH PRODUCTS WALL COVERINGS AND MORE! Take advantage of the variety on display and find cutting edge prints, patterns, designs and more. Register today at surtex.com
Registration is FREE for qualified buyers/licensees: Register today at surtex.com
surtex.com | #surtex
joan beiriger
How do artists create art for products? The changes in technology over the past few years mean even traditional artists have to know about computers because that’s how the the majority of licensees want to receive it. Joan Beiriger explains how this works in practice for those wanting to get their work licensed on to products.
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HERE are several ways to create art to be licensed for products – some artists use the traditional method of painting, some work digitally with computer software, and some combine paint, digital text, and digitally-created backgrounds.
No matter what method is used, the art needs to end up in a digital format because that’s what is required by the majority of manufacturers that licence art these days.
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It’s imperative, therefore, that artists either know how to use a computer – the most common computer software in the art licensing industry is Adobe Photoshop for painterly-looking images and Adobe Illustrator for patterns and illustrative-looking images – or hire someone that does. The art licensing industry is very commercial with manufacturers licensing art showing popular images or patterns so their products will sell well. For the artist this means that simply painting images in the art style, format
and themes they like is not always licensable or suitable to be put on products that will sell. Until artists know what is popular and the way the art should be formatted for each type of manufacturer they could be wasting their time trying to licence it, so they need to constantly look at images on products in retail stores, on manufacturers’ websites, and in trade magazines to find out what is licensable.
Traditionally created art As mentioned above, manufacturers want a digital file of each image licensed so artists who
Licensed artist Joan Beiriger is widely regarded as an expert in art licensing. Her popular blog (http://joanbeiriger.blogspot.com/) features informative articles designed to educate those interested in the art licensing industry and attracts hundreds of readers each week. Her robust body of work can be found on many products.
create their art with paint need to either scan the image into the computer or photograph it but there can be complications with either method. If the painting is too large for the scanner, you have to scan the work in sections then combine the sections into one image within Photoshop. if the painting is photographed, it may look skewed if the camera lens isn’t perfectly parallel to the surface of the painting when you take the picture. You can use Photoshop to correct skewed images but it can be time-intensive and not perfect so it’s better to get the photo right. Some manufacturers prefer the art to have been created with paint instead of digitally, but they then expect either the artist or their in-house staff to do more altering of the image than just cropping parts of it. Using software like Photoshop allows you to manipulate parts of the image in an amazing number of ways, sections can be isolated and then moved, removed, and the colours changed. Many traditional artists save themselves work by painting individual icons such as flowers, birds, butterflies and sea shells separately on a white background instead of
sketching and painting the image as a finished composition. They scan the icons and a background separately then in Photoshop these are placed on individual layers and the white area around the icons removed. The icons then can be arranged into different compositions on the background without having to redraw the whole thing – and the background colour can easily be changed to give different versions of the same artwork. An additional advantage is that the icons can be kept as stock and easily used in different combinations and with other backgrounds and images.
mailbox wraps, and doormats. As an alternative to using a mouse, many digital artists use a graphics tablet and pressure-sensitive stylus (pen) to create art. With the stylus, they can easily draw freehand and control the line thickness, transparency and colour by exerting pressure on the tablet with it. Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Corel Painter and many other art creation software support pressure-sensitive styluses with tablets. Some manufacturers still resist licensing digital art in the mistaken belief it will look computer-generated on products, but advances in technology mean that’s no longer true – unless, of course, it’s the required effect!
Digitally created art
Some artists use a combination of painted icons and digital backgrounds, digital text and copyright free digital clip art to embellish the art. Hint: Whenever possible, always place individual icons, and backgrounds on layers. Some manufacturers request layered Photoshop files so that their in-house staff can alter the art. Remember, after the art is created, the real work begins by submitting it to manufacturers!
Once the technique of creating art digitally is mastered, it’s faster than the traditional method. Digital art can be created on the fly and altered with ease and images on separate layers within the software can be easily moved so the art is not locked into a single composition or format. This is especially useful when licensing art to a manufacturer who has multiple-formatted products such as decorative flags, decorative
www.joanbeiriger.com
joan@joanbeiriger.com
Combination of traditionally and digitally created art
+1 925 443 5769
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licensingexpo show preview
Everywhere and everything Art & Design is just one of the zones at the annual LicensingExpo as the Las Vegas event covers the whole world of brands, licensing, and illustration with plenty of educational content too.
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ROM food to fashion, music to movies, stationery to sports, Beijng to Brazil and everything and everywhere in between – that’s what to expect as the licensors, licensing agents, licensees, artists and illustrators all descending on Las Vegas for the annual LicensingExpo. More than 15,000 visitors attended last year, and organisers UBM Advanstar have expanded the offering at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center with the new Digital Media Licensing Summit. This new programme is aimed at bridging the gap between manufacturers and retailers of licensed products and the world’s most popular media stars. The summit includes a full day of conferences that are free to all registered attendees and is part of the international Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association annual educational conference that runs from June 8-11 with the Expo itself starting a day later.
Sponsored by LIMA, the LicensingExpo trade show is now in its 35th year and connects the world’s most influential brand owners and agents with consumer goods manufacturers, licensees and retailers. Right before the show proper begins, there’s the free-to-attend opening keynote panel on June 9 from 8am-9am on The Future Of Retail where attendees can gain insights from a panel of top merchants and brand experts to set them up for the Expo. With a specialist Art & Design zone featuring more than 50 exhibitors, and a further 60-plus throughout the show – including agents, contemporary collection,
fine art, illustration, tattoo and graffiti, surface design and phtography – there is plenty for potential licensors to see. LIMA are again running the Licensing University with more than 30 sessions on topics ranging from kids’ branding and sports to art licensing and Hispanic consumer trends – all-access passes cost $170 (£114) or $150 (£101) for LIMA members. A new series of 16 short, interactive roundtable discussions on hot topics in business has been added to the Licensing University 2015 schedule. These 30-minute meetings will feature three rounds of eight separate discussion groups, giving attendees the opportunity to connect closely with industry experts as well as their licensing peers. To ensure you can find your way around the event, the organisers have a My Show Planner available on their website, with versions for attendees and exhibitors, and the full seminar and summit schedules are also available along with a complete exhibitor list. www.licensingexpo.com
Art & Design Exhibitors’ List
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Alchemy Licensing Stand D22 Alchemy Media Group H24 All Art Licensing C13 All-American Licensing & Management Group F37 American Posterity E14 American Rebel B53 Anne Was Here E13 Art & Design Resource Center C13 Art Ask Agency B59 Art In Effect G19 Art-Licensing.com C25 Art Makers International G24 Artestar F46 ArtMoose B21 Bavaria Media A23 Bentley Licensing Group D19 Benton Arts H38 Blaylock Originals G25 Blizzard Entertainment J177 Brand Liaison, The H29 Bravado International Group P197 British Heritage C54 Butterfly Stroke E165 C3 Entertainment, Inc D177 Capcom X199 Cisco Sales Corp G29 CopCorp Licensing F69 Corday Photography H24 Curtis Licensing L165 Debra Valencia H22
D Parks and Associates Dimensional Branding Dinah Designs Studio Dr Krinkles Drizzle Studios! Emily Elizabeth’s Designs Enitsua Fine Art Korea Epic Rights Evolution Firefly Brand Management Foamation Frida Kahlo Frombie Geeh The Band Get Down Art Giordano Studios Green Kids Club Grumpy Cat Haley Art & Design Hallmark Cards HCA Howard Robinson & Associates Imperial War Museums iQ License Jenny Foster Jewel Branding & Licensing Jill McDonald Design Joan Marie J Pierce Judith Lynn Art
C25 E49 F21 K193 G13 F16 F33 B121 F155 F177 B39 M194 U190 U197 D11 D26 A33 A159 E19 J43 D20 H26 C54 F53 D28 J24 C19 F22 B17 H16
Kasmanas F165 Kathy Davis Studios G34 Kathy Ireland Worldwide J57 Kayomi Harai D24 King Features D89 Knockout Licensing F69 Laura Seeley Studio G20 The Licensing Group B46 Licensing Liaison E29 Licensing Works! C147 LoCoco Licensing L149 LoveThisLife A45 The Magic Poof F15 Make Peace Movement F29 Manu D41 MGL Licensing F24 MHS Licensing C20 Mind Yard E23 Moxie & Company D49 MyMediabox A81 Nanaritos W179 National Museum Of The Royal Navy C54 National Wildlife Federation B155 Nitro Circus Live A58 Old Guys Rule D43 Patterson International E25 Pink Light Studio C43 Pixels.com A82 Pop The Balloon F42 Rachael Hale H23
Rebel Girl B53 Redrover J143 Rosenthal Represents F25 Santa Mania V189 Sara Berrenson D15 Sean Danconia V200 The Sharpe Co E32 Sharper E32 Striker Entertainment C159 Suzanne Cruise Creative Services G22 Synchronicity F38 Tails Of Whimsy G21 Team Image M195 The Thomas Kinkade Company D59 Tipsy Artist E12 Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products O153, Q144 UDC Licensing Agency B33 Vidorra Group B49 Virtual Images H34 Vistex, Inc M149 Visual Icon V197 Vooz J143 Wild Apple Licensing E20 Wild Wings Licensing D23 WWE J165 Xpelli B38 Zolan Company E26
licensingexpo show preview
Blaylock Originals
LicensingExpo booth G25
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ED Blayock is recognised as the foremost painter of eagles and train art of this day, with his art licensed to The Bradford Exchange, Masterpiece Puzzles, The Mountain, Leanin’ Tree Cards, Desperate Signs, and more. Ted will next be demonstrating his art at the 2015 LicensingExpo in Las Vegas and said: “I have always enjoyed the history of our western expansion, and the story of the rails is a centrepiece to that history and a powder keg of subject matter of the artist. “I try to study my subject and setting so as to relay that personal moment of creating to the viewer. “I thank the Lord for the talent He has given me – and have yet to wake up thinking of my art as a job.” www.blaylockoriginals.com info@blaylockoriginals.com +1 480 834 5092
Debra Valencia
Surtex booth 207 – LicensingExpo Booth H22 ESIGNER Debra Valencia is debuting her concept store for a shop-inshop or standalone boutique at Licensing Expo. The visionary artist, surface and product designer and entrepreneur with a passion for world travel, artisan traditions and popular genres, has branded a California look uniquely her own. Her colourful and chic products are found in the licensed lifestyle market, appealing to women who love style, fashion and femininity. Represented by The Brand Liaison, Debra Valencia and her team will be entertaining meetings for licensing across all categories, having earlier exhibited for the seventh consecutive year at Surtex in New York. www.debravalencia.com dv@debravalencia.com +1 310 266 1577
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Anne Was Here LicensingExpo booth E13
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NNE Bollman is debuting her fun and energetic brand, Anne Was Here, at the Licensing Expo in Las Vegas this June! Anne Was Here offers art and illustration for products and publications, designed with humour and style that’s meant to make you smile – she is especially known for her widely-popular peeking dog series which went viral shorty after their publication in 2014. With her corporate experience as both an interior designer and product designer for 10 years, Anne brings a superb level of professionalism, expertise and understanding to making art that sells products. In less than a year since she started her licensing business, Anne has already created more than 100 collections of designs varying from cute animals through lettering to handpainted florals. In this short time she has also secured a wide range of licences including wall art, stationery, accessories, apparel, decor, gifts, bath, storage, publishing and also has a fabric line. Anne is driven to be a reliable and exceptional resource for her clients and is interested in creating long-term successful business partnerships. Being particularly adept at social media and regularly featured on popular design blogs, including Print & Pattern, Design Milk and HGTV’s Made + Remade, a partnership with Anne Was Here can bring additional marketing exposure to products. www.annewashereandthere.com anne@annewashereandthere.com
Sara Berrenson LicensingExpo booth D15
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HE ANNUAL LicensingExpo in Las Vegas sees Sara Berrenson exhibiting for the first time and showcasing her innovative and distinctive designs for both products and spaces. With more than 1,000 images avallable, specialising in everyday and holidays themes, Sara’s collections include vibrant florals, playful novelty prints, and geometrics. She also has a large selection of both sweet and sophisticated holiday and special occasion art. Working primarily in watercolor and gouache, her style is cheerful and fresh with a feminine flair, taking inspiration from plants, flowers and the wonderful colour combinations found in nature. Her work can be seen on products in home decor, gift and tableware, stationery, greetings cards and apparel, and Sara plans to continue building her brand with a focus on home décor, stationery, paper products, and gifts. www.saraberrenson.com sara@saraberrenson.com +1 818 370 1229
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agency spotlights 56
Interlitho Licensing
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ERMAN-based art licensing agency Interlitho Licensing have been established since 1955 and are run by Anke and Andreas Klein who sell to customers worldwide. They have a library containing more than 75.000 images – a number that grows from the constant additions made by their freelance designers and suppliers. The large Interlitho portfolio is easily available to see and select from the categorised website which can be searched by keywords, artists and numbers, then you can create a lightbox and save your selection, which can be downloaded and shared with the agency for availability checking or with others. The globally-licensed painted designs cover all styles and mediums for products including greetings cards, stationery, craft, puzzles, calendars, giftware and tableware. They cover the whole range of traditional, contemporary, cute, whimsical, seasonal and everyday in both American and European styles and also hold a large collection of photographic images which is constantly being extended. The designs from Interlitho Licensing are developed in cooperation with their customers to suit specific demands and needs. New designs and photographic images are immediately available as high resolution data so permit fast and inexpensive adaptation to particular products, sizes and specific products requirements. The designs and images are created in close cooperation with designers and artists worldwide. Interlitho work together with them from the concept through the sketch and colour composition up to the finished commercial design. Thus, a continuous flow of traditional as well as eye-catching modern and advanced designs can be assured. Anke and Andreas will  be attending Surtex and the Las Vegas Licensing Expo and will exhibit at Paperworld in Frankfurt in January 2016. www.interlitho.com designs@interlitho.com +49 221 9405830
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LTHOUGH the Kathleen Francour Art & Licensing Design Group works much like an art licensing agency, Kathleen likes to think of it as a “cooperative effort”. The group consists of a handful of artists who pool their resources to strengthen each one’s opportunities and chances for success. A 25-year veteran of art licensing, Kathleen herself acts as agent in that she does the marketing and advertising, initiates and negotiates new client relationships and prepares contracts. She also assists and advises the group on portfolio and file preparation and mentors them in all other areas as needed. As Kathleen put it: “After 25 years in this business I find this arrangement offers me a way to share my experience and to mentor other artists emerging into the field. “We share a positive group mentality and support system to the benefit of all. The real key to our success is that we are a group of artists/ designers whose styles complement each other but do not directly compete. This way there is freedom to give and share freely, as well as cheer each other on.” You can visit their website to meet all the group’s artists in addition to the three featured here, and they can also be found at the ArtLicensingShow.com website
agency spotlights
Kathleen Francour Art & Licensing Design Group
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WENDY CSOKA is the newest member of the group and she is as lovely as her artwork. Powerful yet tender and drenched in all the colours of a rainbow, Wendy is a free spirit and it shows in her work. Elements from her paintings are combined into a wide variety of surface design now available for licensing. From the nursery to table top, wall art, puzzles, bath, bedding and more, Wendy has a style that is uniquely her own. Wendy may be new to art licensing but she is not new to the art world. An accomplished painter, Wendy has enjoyed broad recognition for her work. www.wendycsoka.com
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JESSICA MUNDO has enjoyed a banner year with several new licences. Jessica debuted fabric collections with Timeless Treasures, Robert Kaufman and Spectrix as well as a greeting card line with Leanin’ Tree and music boxes with Carson Home Accents. Combined with paper crafting, stationery, and table top accounts in England, Scandinavia and Israel, Jessica has been a busy girl.
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KATHLEEN FRANCOUR has been busy with a major manufacturer in the development of a figurine collectables line for her Frou Frou Girls collection. Frou Frou also continues to be a top seller for Leanin’ Tree greetings cards. Crafter’s Companion will be debuting Kathleen’s Passport Destinations as a huge new paper crafting and digital line in May 2015. www.artlicensingshow.com www.kfrancour.com Kathleen@kfrancour.com +1 999 497 0152
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The Ansada Group
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HE Ansada Group are thrilled to announce their new relationship with artist Catherine Simpson. A storyteller placing children in the lead roles, Catherine’s Forever Young collection is comprehensive, covering various subjects and seasons. Sweet children tell a story in detailed images that evoke cherished memories for those young and old, and an appreciation for life’s lighter side is can be seen when viewing her artwork. It is with true feeling that Catherine portrays the simple message of the children that are depicted in each composition, and she said: “I continue to try to capture those special memories of childhood that we can all share. “Hopefully the stories I tell will trigger at least one personal memory for you, of your family or your own childhood days. Rediscovering those special
times in our lives should help to brighten up each and every day ahead – and remind us to let our hearts be forever young! “In the attic of every grown-ups head joyful memories of youth are safely tucked away waiting to be rediscovered. My art attempts to light the way.” The Ansada Group are honoured to represent more than 50 amazing, talented artists in its repertoire with a track record of many successful licensing programmes and traditional artwork that has stood the test of time. With 18 years of experience at the helm of The Ansada Group, you can be assured of great service and attention to your projects. www.ansadagroup.com angela@ansadagroup.com +1 941 758 0924
artists’ spotlight
Clare Jordan
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LARE Jordan’s collections are a fabulous anthology of creative, unique and mood-lifting designs that are perfect for high-quality products aimed toward the female market. Her designs are colourful, whimsical and relatable and all are united by a common goal in that they are smile inducing, mood lifting and fun, and Clare’s work is currently selling with John Lewis and high-end gift stores throughout Europe. Clare has large collections of vintage-inspired designs with themes ranging from her best-selling Divas, to bold pattern, botanical, animal, holidays and quirky hand-drawn art. Clare’s unique style and bold colour sense has secured contracts with a wide variety of manufacturers across the greetings, stationery and home accessories sector. If you feel that the world is better with a little more sparkle, that’s just what Clare thinks. www.ClareJordan.com info@clarejordan.com +353 (0)85 1273819
Joan Beiriger
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ICENSED artist Joan Beiriger has joined the ArtLicensingShow. com (ALSC) website – it’s a protected art portfolio hosting website that art directors interested in licensing art can join at no cost. With one password, they can view thousands of images created by hundreds of artists. “I’m really excited that I joined ALSC because I can place my art into collections arranged the way I want,” said Joan, “and most importantly, I can put all my art on the site because the only persons that can view them are the art directors that I give permission.” ALSC is not just a place to show art for licensing consideration but a community of artists and art directors that correspond with each other. Members can ask questions and share information on the numerous ALSC special interest groups. ALSC also has a blog to promote artist
members’ work. Art directors value the ALSC site because it has a huge variety of art created by hundreds of artists. Beside seeing new art from artists they already deal with, they appreciate discovering fresh new work of artists unfamiliar to them. It’s easy for art directors to search for art by using key words, look at artist profiles for examples of their work, ask the artist’s permission to view their art. And then, any time they wish, they can flip through the collections and select the art they are interested in. www.joanbeiriger.com joan@joanbeiriger.com +1 925 443 5769
artists’ spotlight
Rose Mary Berlin
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FTER a long, cold snowy winter in New York, Rose Mary Berlin is welcoming spring with a crop of fresh ideas. She’s developing a series of gift books for men, based on her observations while snowbound. Rose Mary laughed: “My husband, with the best of intentions, went out to chop wood, plough, shovel, clear ice, but, let’s just say, the mind is willing, but the flesh is weak.” She figures there must be a market for gifts based on these weekend (weakened) warrior types, and the women who love them so hopes to provide some comic relief through the books, and companion greeting cards, hats, t-shirts, etc. While Rose Mary will not be exhibiting at Surtex this May, she has joined the new ArtLicensingShow.com website, developed by Cherish Flieder, as a way to find artists and images for art licensees, publishers and anyone who needs art for their products. Rose Mary added: “I’m so excited to be a part of this, it’s easy for me to post new collections, and they remain private until I give someone permission to view. I think it will be a great tool for those who cannot attend Surtex, as well as the exhibitors.” Rose Mary has also been steadily taking on the role of illustrator, with on-going projects in publishing including the repeating character Little Bunny in High 5 magazine, a Highlights publication for younger readers. She has completed her third chapter book for the Magical Mystery Series, and continuing the Itty & Bitty miniature horse books, with fun activity and colouring books. She has more licences with Vermont Christmas Company where advent calendars and puzzles featuring her art have consistently been among the best sellers for the company. “I really love painting Santa, snowmen and holiday scenes. It’s happy and nostalgic, many of these designs would also work on tins, cards and gift bags.” www.rosemaryberlin.com rose@berlinprod.com +1 914 962 0526
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image libraries
Image Source MARY EVANS PICTURE LIBRARY vintage inspiration from every era
www.maryevans.com +44 (0)20 8318 0034
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HE team at Image Source never cease to be amazed by the creative genius of their talented family of artists. At this time of year, with those long winter nights behind us, there is a renewed sense of creativity that lifts the portfolios with colour and innovative ideas for almost every product or occasion. Having always been known for their impeccable traditional artwork, UK-based Image Source have seen their contemporary design side flourish over the last few years, offering a unique and varied collection of artworks with their established artists continuing to lead the way with superb quality art. Claire Coxon’s Art Deco collection goes from strength to strength and Image Source are delighted that they have been selected as the design branding for the 2015 Henries Awards in London. Simon Treadwell is famed for his traditional Christmas imagery and high quality classical Santas. Ruth
Williamson has
perfectly captured recent wildlife trends with a series of beautiful paintings. Image Source will be introducing new artists into the mix, with portfolios being launched during Surtex week, so be sure to check the website where categories are regularly updated. The creative in-house team at Image Source is renowned worldwide for a professional and personal service and they are happy to undertake commissions and develop bespoke range ideas. www.image-source.co.uk emma@image-source.co.uk +44 (0)1442 834464
Mary Evans Picture Library
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UNIQUE archive of 1930s fashion images by the artist Dora Sprinzel is now available from Mary Evans Picture Library, and the designs have great potential for use on stationery, giftwrap or fashion accessories. Dora and her film director husband Paul arrived in London as refugees from Berlin in the 1930s, and she took inspiration from the glamour of the silver screen to forge a career as a fashion illustrator. Dora translated descriptions sent by her sister from the Paris catwalks into elegant images recording the latest styles from such visionaries as Lucien Lelong, Jeanne Lanvin, Robert Piguet and Elsa Schiaparelli. Dora’s pictures were licensed to clothing manufacturers and retailers in London and around the world, who made up copies at an affordable price tag. Mary Evans have also added over 2,000 more Medici Society images to their website from still lives and Victorian genre painting, Christmas and animals to florals,
needlework patterns, maritime and landscapes. There’s also more pulp sci-fi cover artwork becoming available as the library are now embarking on a scanning project to digitise the whole collection of retro comic artwork collected by co-founder Hilary Evans. Bored with robins and Nativity scenes? So over snowmen and angels? If you’re looking for seriously alternative Christmas imagery, the answer may be the David Pearson collection, an archive of almost 2,000 Christmas cards mainly from the Victorian and Edwardian eras that offers an unusual take on the festive season. www.maryevans.com luci.gosling@maryevans.com +44 (0)20 8318 0034
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last word
Innovate to Bridgeman Artists’ Manager Lucy Innes Williams discusses how to present the best contemporary imagery for clients utilising the example of Bridgeman Studio, their bespoke online platform for artists with digital innovation at its heart.
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ONTINUING changes both within publishing and the global art market have necessitated innovation in terms of how visual information is used and
researchers time and allows us to be proactive about any image trends and forthcoming events where we see a fit for contemporary imagery.
displayed.
Context
Here at Bridgeman Images we’ve taken this to heart so in 2014 developed and launched Bridgeman Studio, a pioneering online platform for contemporary artists. For the first time, we can curate our content as well as allowing our artists the freedom to upload their own content and catalogue images directly on our site. We moderate content, theme it and are careful to place minimum image requirements across the board to ensure a high level of image quality.
Let your clients know why they should work with your artists. Every Bridgeman Studio artist has a fully-accessible profile page, biography, award list and clear links to all their available images. We like to promote our artists at every opportunity and understanding their licensing experience gives the client confidence that our artists can deliver images to brief and within budget.
Alternative revenue streams With Bridgeman Studio, we firmly believe in offering artists every possible opportunity to see their work used in new and interesting ways. We offer fully rights-managed licensing to more than 150 artists. We also offer a high-quality print-on-demand opportunity through our print-on-demand partner www.art.com giving our artists the chance to sell their images to an entirely different audience in tandem with licensing, and this proves a steady stream of income too. Most recently we’ve offered our clients the chance to commission our Bridgeman Studio artists. By broadening how clients can work with our artists we are building an portfolio of exciting and totally unique new works which help build our artists’ portfolios. Other art licensing agencies can find their own ways of engaging clients with their content, here’s a few ideas:
Theme your content On our Bridgeman Studio site we create lightboxes of seasonal, topical and popular content filled purely with contemporary content. Displayed by medium or even a conceptual search term, this work really saves picture
Studio visits and artists of the month Every month we highlight a new artist. Whether it’s an interview, photography from inside the studio, or a showcase of new content, we will continually refresh the perspective of our content so that clients see the appeal from a new perspective. Our artists’ imagery never gathers dust in the archive! We are particularly vocal on social media and trade shows – and welcome the opportunity such as writing this piece for Art Buyer where we’ve featured the work of Anne Smith. On a weekly basis, the Bridgeman Studio circulate new imagery and information about new artists internally. It is our job to enthuse the sales team when we have new content to licence, particularly when there’s so much good competition from other archive material! The sales team are so busy that it is our job to catch their eye and inspire their clients.
Showcase your image uses One of our most popular Studio pages is Images In Action. When we’re allowed to, we love showing how our clients have used our images. It gives a tangible and immediately visual sense of the sheer range of licensing possibilities available for a potential artist – it’s also a real boost for an artist’s licensing portfolio.
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booth G25 blaylockoriginals.com haroldb@blaylockoriginals.com