Craft Fair Displays Part III

Displays from the Lyndhurst Craft Fair

The Fall Crafts at Lyndhurst, Tarrytown, New York, is a well organized and well publicized high end craft fair put on by Artrider.  They have one in the spring as well, which is one of best selling fairs in the country, with entry fees to match.  I've been going to these fairs off and on, for over twenty years, and they really are top of the line and well worth attending as a buyer or spectator.  

I've only chosen a few displays from the hundreds there because I'm focusing on the unusual and the practical with regard to our readers and members.  There were many professional and elegant displays by full time craftspeople and artists that most of us could neither afford nor build ourselves.  The following displays show what some artists with a wonderful imagination can do with a modest budget and simple carpentry skills.

 Jessica Weiss Jewelry Studio

Jessica's clean modern jewelry is set off by her gleaming silver booth.  Sheets of metal give her booth the clean lines of industrial chic, echoed by etched grey plexiglass shelves and boards.  I forgot to ask where her metal sheets come from, but I know I picked up one for my lampworking table from the local Home Depot, and any drill with the proper bit can drill through the soft aluminum.  They're thin, light, and easy to clean, which make them great for the traveling craftsperson.  Bravo!

 The clever use of a perforated panel for her beautiful earrings, with even a mirror attached!   Jessica Weiss Jewelry Studio

Seeka

Stavit and Nachshon are Israeli artists working in Brooklyn combining painting, resin, and crystals on laser cut stainless steel to make their one of kind judaica and jewelry.  I was entranced by their beautiful and delicately detailed work, but their display is very interesting as well.  Matching frames display their work but they are held in place by sturdy metal piping attached to the tables.  As our weather gets windier and more unpredictable, this looks like a splendid answer to that problem.

The white and pink was unusual and fun!  Seeka

Hoist Away Bags

Laura Cleminson of Hoist Away Bags, comes from Maine and makes some of the nicest recycled sail bags I've seen, adding more color and lively design than other makers.  A sailor herself, she knows how the sails were used, and how the bags will be used - they look really tough and well made.  She's also taken her sailing experience into her display, all of which easily fits into her car.  Everything is hung from ropes and wooden boards.

I completely love her tote bag display, which idea came from the cabin of a big boat she was sailing on.  The totes are right at the level for customers to look at, and with one hand you can pull the left knot up and out of the slot, freeing the bag for trying on or closer inspection.

And here is a rope and dowel ladder for her beautiful bookbags.  Her display is everything a craftsperson could want: windproof, rainproof, light, easy to transport, easy to set up, charming and clever.  Hoist Away Bags


I find the ingenuity of others inspiring, and I hope others can discover ways to improve their displays through these posts.

Jody Lee

a Studio by the Sea