Four Reasons Licensed Artists Should Attend Atlanta’s AmericasMart

I recently returned from Atlanta’s AmericasMart which is one of the world’s largest permanent wholesale trade centers. The market consists of four buildings totaling seven million square feet….no wonder my feet hurt!

The product range is wide: from home decor & furniture to clothing & Christmas trees…..and anything in between! It is the perfect playground for licensed artists.

I have a plan before I go. I arrange meetings with my current licensees approximately a month prior to attending the market. I also have a list of companies/manufacturers that I’d like to work with to make sure to visit their showrooms.

I’ve been going to this market for over a decade although I couldn’t attend the last few years. After being away for a while, I realize even more now how important it is for my career.

In the video, I tell you the top four reasons licensed artists should attend Atlanta’s AmericasMart and I also tell you the trends I noticed going into 2016.

__________________________________

Now on a more personal note….the highlight of my trip was sharing a room with artist, Deb Strain. She and I started are businesses the same year at the same show, Pennsylvania’s Market Square back in 1994. We’ve been friends ever since! The more we get to know each other, the more we discover how alike we are. Several glasses of Pinot Grigio were enjoyed over the weekend with hours and hours of great conversation.

Another highlight was dinner with friend and artist Beth Yarbrough and her wonderfully sweet husband, Joe. The four of us shared stories about how we got started in the business. It’s interesting because the three of us started our careers as manufacturers: Beth with her figurines, Deb with her greeting card line and me with framed prints. Wow! We shared some crazy stories!!

Here are a few photos from our fun trip.