HTA December Newsletter

Publisher: Josh Blanc     Volume No.6   
Issue No.6                    Date 11/30/05

Proof the 2006 Directory and next meeting
The HTA is completing the 2006 directory advertisers will be receiving e-mail proofs or paper prints shortly.  There is a proofing party set for December 7th at Clay Squared running all day 11 - 6pm. This years directory is looking very good with many new members and advertisers.  We are very excited to get this to the printer and out on the street! We need as many people to proof the directory in person as possible so please come to the proofing party at your convince on Wednesday 11-6pm!!
Address 34 13th Ave NE
Minneapolis, MN 55413
612-781-6409
www.claysquared.com for directions

“Tiles of the Northern Plains: Building on Tradition" - September 13th to the 17th 2006.
A national tile conference is being organized and we need your help. The Tile Heritage Foundation and the Handmade Tile Association have been gathering resources and information, and we are well on our way! We have been setting up relationships with Minneapolis Institute of Arts, MN Historical Society, Northern Clay Center, Edina Art Center, American Swedish Institute, The Observer, as well as tile historians, galleries, and artists. The conference will focus on educating contemporary tile artisans with workshops and lectures as well as exploring our MN tile history. The headquarters will be at the Holiday Inn Minneapolis Metrodome. Our goal is to create a program that will compel people nationally and internationally to come to MN to share information and learn about our history and our accomplishments as a tile community. If you would like to help organize or volunteer some time, please contact the HTA. Email josh@claysquared.com or call 612-781-6409.

Participate and get National Exposure!
MN tiles will be the central focus of this conference. We are asking HTA members who are studio artists to assist directly in creating a high caliber and unique program.We'd like for you to consider offering a tour of your studio with demos and/or workshops on Thursday, Sept. 14th, either in the morning, the afternoon or both. This would not be an "open house." You can decide how many people you can accommodate and the duration of your tour; people will then sign up ahead of time to visit specific studios. We will need a brief prospectus of what you are planning to do and a list of materials needed. Fees will be charged as a benefit to both organizations; your (pre-approved) material costs will be reimbursed. What better way to welcome our guests than to invite them into our studios and show them what we do! We will do our best to promote both you and your studio tour or workshop! And if you are chosen to participate, the base conference registration fee will be waived!

Home and Garden show February 2006
We have had some response for the H&G show but we are looking for more participants.  Roger Mayland of NPT has said he will donate a trade show display.   This is a beautiful and very professional display that will allow us to have different levels of participation and price points for individuals.  We will be charging $100 for a small panel and $130 for a large panel.  Artists can make a display of there products or art in these panels to show at the convention. The display information is on the website please click the display image and it will take you to all the information.  The concept is to make the H&G show affordable for our members to show there work out to a large audience.  The show if you were to do it yourself would be $1300 plus a display and you would have to staff it for four days usually around a $2000 investment.  We hope to get this to be an annual opportunity for our members to showcase new work to the public and to designers.  The H&G show is mainly a general public attended show but many professional attend as well.  If you think this would be a good opportunity for your business please contact Josh Blanc and he will get you on the list.  Here is the list committed so far, NPT, CSI, Tiernies Tile, Thomas Kent Collection, Mercury Mosaics, Deb LeAir, and SoMi Tileworks LeAnn Johnson.

2006 MN Tile Festival
Unfortunately we have had no one inquire about the MN Tile Festival coordinator position.  At this point Josh Blanc will do the main coordination of the event of signing up participants but we must have a coordinator for the day of the show or we will need to consider canceling the show.  That can not happen!  So please consider the position the HTA needs you! That position will pay $500 plus expenses. The position does allow if you are an artist to still have a booth but needs to be staffed by another person.  It is not a difficult job and is in general fun and rewarding.  The position will need to help design the layout of the tables, talk with the ASI and HTA to order tables, get table cloths, set up the tables the day of the show, get bagels and juice for the vendors, manage the volunteers to run the silent auction, the gate, and workshops.  If you are interested please contact Josh Blanc ASAP. 612-781-6409. josh@claysquared.com Thank you.

Become a Member of the Handmade Tile Association.LLC
10% discounts for all members for advertising and events
Members receive 10% off once a year at Continental Clay and Clay Squared

Recent press of the HTA

Article written by Star Tribune in Dollars and Sense by John Ewoldt.
This article quoted Cathy Bryson and the photo is Felica Amato of Bucaro Tiles for the Children's Museum project. Article was written on November 8th 2005

Opportunities

March 15-18, 2006. The 2006 SAMA Conference