Kentucky.gov

Arts Council
Kentucky Arts Council Selects Artisans to Participate in Kentucky Crafted® Program

Press Release Date:	Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Contact Information:	Ed Lawrence Communications Director 502-564-3757 ext. 473 Ed.Lawrence@ky.gov

FRANKFORT, Ky. – The Kentucky Arts Council has accepted the craft products of 14 artists into the Kentucky Crafted® program. Additionally, two artists have been selected to receive mentoring from established Kentucky Crafted® artists to gain full eligibility status in the program by 2009.

The Kentucky Crafted® program enables Kentucky craft artists to reach regional, national and international markets through state-sponsored wholesale and retail promotional venues.

The new craft business selected for the program are: May Tagher, MAYcreations,Walton; Igor Mintch, IMDceramics, Danville; Kristi Shapla, Nettles Jewelry,Murray; Lori Kelley, Alexandria; Cynthia Roberts, a small extravagance, Lexington; Lucia Felty, LuciaSoapsEtc, Henderson; Traci Cassilly, Knitting Divas, Louisville; Laura Lynch, Louisville; Marlon Solano,

Naturaleza al Descubierto, Louisville; Pamela Cveticanin, FishWisdom Beads & Pamela Cveticanin Design Studios, Berea; Angela Jones,Breezy Ridge Rugs, Raywick; Morgan Stapp, K&M Crafts of Kentucky, Campbellsville; Artha Horine, Bedford; and Dwayne Cobb, Dancin Dog Designs, Versailles.

Artists accepted with mentoring are Michael Shambro, ShambroLa Wood Art,

Lexington and Scot Kellersberger, Phoenix Creative Metal Works, Salvisa.

Acceptance into the program is based on artistic excellence in design and technique, originality or authenticity (for traditional work), and marketability, as judged by an independent panel of craft industry professionals. There are currently 428 juried artists in the Kentucky Crafted® program.

Benefits of the program include the privilege of marketing under the Kentucky Crafted® brand; specialized business and marketing training for wholesale markets; eligibility to participate in cooperative advertising and promotional opportunities; a Web presence in the Kentucky Arts Council's artist directories; and the opportunity to exhibit at the Governor's Derby Breakfast Celebration, the Philadelphia Buyers Market of American Craft and Kentucky Crafted: The Market.

Kentucky Crafted: The Market, is an annual wholesale/retail marketplace, produced by the Kentucky Arts Council, that features approximately 300 exhibitors of fine traditional and contemporary craft and art along with authentic folk art, Kentucky related books, musical recordings and specialty food products. The next market will be held at South Wing B of the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville. Public days will be February 21-22, 2009.

The Kentucky Arts Council is a state agency in the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet that creates opportunities for Kentuckians to value, participate in and benefit from the arts. Kentucky Arts Council funding is provided by the Kentucky General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Contact information and craft media for new Kentucky Crafted® artists are listed below, by county.

For application guidelines for the Kentucky Crafted® program, go to: http://artscouncil.ky.gov/guide/prog9/kcmp_gdl.htm

For a searchable database of Kentucky Crafted® artists, go to:

http://www.kycraft.ky.gov/craftcgi-bin/index.cgi

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Boone

May Tagher

MAYcreations

Medium: Mixed Media

859-485-6763

may@maycreations.com

www.maycreations.com