Many of you who are interested in Arts and Crafts might be quite familiar with the 74-year-old Art Materials Conference located in suburban Charlotte, North Carolina. With much excitement and anticipation KraftGeek embarks on our first journey to an art supply trade show with our breakthrough product ––The KraftGeek Easel Stand.
Breaking into the Art World
Earlier in the year we introduced our first music category product at NAMM, which defied expectations, winning the "Best in Show" award. And since then our motivation to create has not ceased. We found the traditional art space to be a thrilling next stop!
Using our camera tripod technologies we fashioned an ultralightweight compact easel stand that is super sleek without compromising sturdiness. Perfect for plein-air painting, and worthy of being in any artist's toolbag.
An Artistic Display for an Artist's Easel
To match the creative energy of the show, we created an interactive booth that gives the visual illusion of a space within a space. Our in-house designer illustrated a backdrop inspired by the historical architectural richness of New Orleans. We maintained the hand-drawn quality of the background so that those who visit can feel as if they are walking into a piece of artwork.
We also inserted many easter eggs into the backdrop paying homage to Henri Matisse the influential French artist and featuring other products in the KraftGeek product line.
Our Experience
Being first-timers at this trade show we were overwhelmed by the kindness and enthusiasm of everyone who visited our booth! We got to spend much of our time learning from our amazing neighbors Ampersand Art and Viarco Art Company. Their passion for their craft and hospitality was infectious.
We've made many friends within the industry from BLICK, Opus, Holbein, BearlyArts, and the list goes on and on.
What is NAMTA?
Being a part of NAMTA (the International Art Materials Association) is a big deal for anyone in the art supply world. The National Art Materials Trade Association was established on January 4, 1950, in Chicago, Illinois. It's a place where art supply companies, manufacturers and buyers learn and grow together, acquaint themselves with like-minded friends, form partnerships, and ultimately discover new ways to create!
The goal of NAMTA is to ensure a thriving existence of the art industry through the facilitation of business development and improvement. We especially enjoyed the fun events NAMTA provided to help promote relationships!
We're looking forward to continuing our innovative journey and breaking barriers with our products. Follow our Instagram or subscribe to our email list to be notified of our official Easel stand launch!