These accomplished product managers and artists are united to create the unique ArtBizJam 2018!
Karen Capp – Co-Founder of GreenBox Art + Culture which is the parent company for Oopsy Daisy, Fine Art for Kids and Wheatpaste Art Collective which focuses on teen products. All three brands operate in the home decor space with wall art being their primary product category.
Karen and her husband Tom began their adventure in art twenty years ago with the birth of their first child, which produced a need for great art for his nursery. Not finding anything that satisfied, they set out to create their own business focusing first on wholesale opportunities and later branching into direct-to-consumer sales. Oopsy Daisy has a distinguished history of accomplishments, from winning Best of Show in the children’s category at the company’s first Atlanta trade show to launching the first national program of personalized canvas wall art for kids in partnership with Pottery Barn Kids. Since those beginnings, the company led by Tom and Karen has expanded into decor for adult and young adult spaces including lamps, textiles and serve ware all with artful origins. While not an artist herself, Karen is the company’s Creative Director driving the three brands 4 times per year collection launches and product development. Her passion for the decorative arts is inspired by lifelong travel, as Karen was born and raised overseas in Southeast Asia and Europe before returning to the US for college.
Her work experience prior to launching her own company included 5 years with management training at Marshall Field’s flagship Chicago store, 3 years in commission only sales and 7 years in television reporting and anchoring in the Tampa Bay and Dallas markets. She and her husband reside in San Diego with their teen daughter and golden doodle. Their first born who inspired it all, is now 20 (how times flies) and in college at UC Santa Cruz with Wheatpaste art on his walls!
Ingrid Liss – Vice President for Product Design and Innovation for Midwest-CBK, one of the largest wholesale gift, holiday and home decor companies in the US. With over 25 years in the industry, (Including 7 years at Demdaco/Silvestri and 20 at Midwest)), Ingrid has extensive experience in product design and sourcing and has honed her creative talents as an inspiring leader and mentor. Her career has taken her all over the world to work with artisans and partner suppliers to bring innovative and unique products to market. She works with independent artists, illustrators and graphic designers as well as her experienced team of product designers at Midwest and delights in the joy of fostering creative spirits and dynamic partnerships.
Ingrid’s background includes a degree in Theater, including Set Design, Costume and Prop Making, Further training in Graphic Design and Packaging and ultimately Product Design has given her the opportunity to use a variety of skills to imagine and create products across a wide range of styles and materials. Over the years the opportunity to develop strong business acumen has been an additional asset she values and leverages every day, as production, pricing and marketing considerations influence the final product.
Ingrid is the proud mother of two college age daughters who keep her young at heart and laughing.
Betsy Cordes, founder February 13 Creative, has over 22 years of experience in the field of commercial art including product design, art direction, management of creative teams and loads of licensing deals – including negotiations from both sides of the table. As an art director, she has helped companies like Cardstore.com, Papyrus and Madison Park Greetings find and license the work of scores of talented artists. As an artist, she licenses her own work for stationery and gift products.
Now, as the principal advisor of February 13 Creative, she shares her experience, ideas, branding and business savvy, licensing expertise and enthusiasm with both emerging and established artists, including visionary creative entrepreneurs like Katie Daisy, Kelly Rae Roberts and Elspeth McLean.
Betsy is pleased and proud to be able to help by doing what comes naturally to her: supporting and empowering creative entrepreneurs so they can make a living making their art. She lives and works in San Francisco with her husband Chuck, who is also presenting (see below).
Chuck Cordes is an Intellectual property attorney and artist’s “general counsel” serving clients who need a lawyer well-versed on the full range of issues that a visual artist-entrepreneur meets in running a business. He works primarily in the area of intellectual property rights – things like copyright and trademark applications, agreements, and disputes. He covers other bases, too. He helps artists form LLCs, advises them on issuing shares in a corporation, reviews leases for commercial shop space, helps engage independent contractors, explains how to comply with government regulations, and much more.
IN ADDITION:
Two product developers with years of experience with major gift companies will be attending and will be joining with the portfolio reviews.
Anne Brown, Director of Product Innovation for Williamson Home. Anne has over 20 years experience in working with product development. She began her career with Seabrook Wallcoverings where she began a career of working with licensed artists.
Anne was then hired to be the Creative Product Manager of a new Home division for Demdaco, with an emphasis in tabletop. She applied her surface design experience to ceramics and continued to develop relationships with licensed artists as well as discovering artists, designers and craftspeople who had not been previously exposed to the world of licensing.
A few years later, Anne joined Magnet Works as the Director of Product Development to expand their current line of products. She was instrumental in beginning a new division, Studio M, now the company name.
Anne is exceptional in her ability to know trends and in how trends are determined, which greatly enhances her ability to work with product development.
Linda Simpson, Owner of Imagination Network for product development and design. After many years of developing product lines for the gift industry, Linda Simpson began building Imagination Network in 2009 to design and develop products, packaging and brands for companies worldwide. Linda’s areas of expertise include Home Furnishings, Decorative Accessories, Holiday Trim, Tabletop and Fashion Accessories with worldwide exposure to retail and wholesale innovators.
Linda’s career includes leadership roles at Bloomingdales, Syratech Corporation (Wallace International, Towle Silversmiths), SILVESTRI, DEMDACO, and Enesco/Department 56 where she identified and secured licensed properties and developed innovative multi-million dollar programs.
With Imagination Network, Linda has created products for Bloomingdales, Macys, Target, Harrods, Asia Society and the the Care Foundation, just to name a few.
Founders:
Lori Siebert, Licensed artist and product designer – Lori had a turning point in her life at the age of 6 when she won a ribbon at a local art competition for her painting of “JoJo” the clown. She began taking private art classes at the age of 7 and with no slowing down, went on to graduate with a degree in Graphic Design from the University of Cincinnati, one of the top ten design schools in the nation.
Just 3 years after graduating, she started her own design firm as a graphic designer, creating branding and print collateral and working on projects for local arts organizations that allowed her a bit more creative freedom. Lori’s talent led her to having a client list that included Nickelodeon, Universal Studios, Bath & Body Works, and Target. The work for Target introduced Lori to the business of art licensing.
She is represented by Courtney Davis, a top licensing agency. Her steadily growing client list includes Creative Co-Op, Demdaco, Natural Life, Evergreen, Certified International, CR Gibson, Lang and many others. Her designs are featured on tabletop, gift, fabric, paper, home decor and women’s accessories. Lori’s studio creates everything from illustrated collections to spec renderings and 3-D prototypes to make top selling products. Licensing creates the circle back to Lori’s childhood love of making something creative. She can’t get enough of turning an idea into something real and beautiful and considers herself blessed and so very lucky every day to make a living this way. To learn more about Lori, please visit her website.
Phyllis Dobbs, Licensed artist and product designer – Passions for color and creating joined together to keep Phyllis focused on art and design throughout her life. Phyllis learned all forms of needle art at a very early age and continued to learn through the years with numerous classes on craft techniques, art and painting as well as a degree in Interior Design from the University of Alabama. The love of needlework led Phyllis to form her own business, Lucky Duck Designs, to design and publish cross stitch books based on her art. She expanded to include quilt patterns and has authored several quilt books.
When a lifelong love of fabrics created a desire to design fabrics, Phyllis turned to her painting skills to create art for fabrics and licensing. She loves to create art patterns which she has used in designing fabrics for 15 years. Her first fabric collection was featured in Hancock Fabrics “Designer Series” that led to a job with a manufacturer to design ribbons and textile home decor products during many trips to China. Phyllis then began designing for a major fabric company, creating fabric designs in her whimsical style.
Phyllis focuses her art and designs on licensing while continuing to design quilts. Her art has been featured on bedding, fabrics, and textile products as well as products for gift, rugs, garden and stationery. She is represented by a top agency, Jewel Branding & Licensing. You can find more about Phyllis on her website.