It had been three years since I attended the American Handcrafted Show in Philadelphia. Actually there has been a wholesale craft show there for about 30 years under various names. Originally, and running for about 25 years, was the "Buyers Market of American Craft". That show eventually moved on to Washington, D.C., and ACRE(American Craft Retailers Expo) took advantage of the opportunity and moved into the available dates. Just a few years laterr, the show was sold and became the American Handcrafted Show.
The show takes place every year for 3-4 days around Valentines day. Not the most favorable time of year to be in Philadelphia. However, Philadelphia is a wonderful city with great museums, entertainment, sports, and especially food. In the past when the economy was booming, and the arts were very popular there were about 1600 artists of all crafts in attendance. The show has dwindled since those days, but has a had a slight resurgence in the past couple of years. This year 2019 there were nearly 500 artists, with many of the older established arts returning, and 30 new emerging arts joining them.
I am always on the lookout for new artists for the gallery, and artists that are already in the gallery with new work. I had heard from a number of my regular artists that they would be returning. Most of the artists I represent have been in the gallery 20-nearly 40 years, and we are good friends. I love seeing them, going out to dinner, and catching up on their lives. We all have gone through many changes over the past 40 years. Of course my main objective is to bring in work for the gallery, and I was not disappointed in that regard.
There were many artists to catch up with but I will start with David Lotton.
Large Clematis mixed flower paperweight vase Free form pulled vase freeform heart and Vine Vase
Leaf and Vine Sunset Bowl Clematis and Hollyhock Paperweight Vase Organic Sculpture
David wasn't at the show, but his wife Kimberly was, and it was wonderful catching up with the family goings on. David is the son of Charles Lotton a very famous self taught glass blower, and one the the gallery favorites. His brother John was an exceptional glass blower, but decided to retire from glass and now is a home developer. David in addition to being a glass blower is also a farmer and rancher raising Black Angus cows, and growing all kinds of grain. Much of David's work is the same or similar to what he has been producing for many years, and it i still beautiful. I did pick up many of that style, and some new interesting, and more playful art.
I'll be covering more of the artists and work arriving in the gallery in future blogs.
I hope you enjoy this one.
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