Dear Craftsperson:

We would like to start this newsletter with a big thanks to those who responded to our request for “seasonal” and “Valentine’s Day” items. It was great to have such a varied selection of craft by several different craftsmen. We really appreciate the follow-through.

News from the Retail Gallery Sustainability Committee

As you may know, the League's Trustees have established a Retail Gallery Sustainability Committee to help enhance the marketing and sales in the galleries and communication between the craftsmen and the galleries. In fact this newsletter was one of the initial action items from this committee. The committee includes craftsmen, retail gallery managers, and League staff. Please check the Members Section of the League’s website

Please help us help you: We need your story!

If you have already entered your bio in the Members Only section of the League website, THANK YOU!

Now, for the rest of you: Your bio is a valuable tool for selling your fine craft. It gives the buyer a sense of who you are and the inspiration behind your work. It helps the buyer connect with you and establish a relationship. That buyer may then continue to seek out and purchase your pieces in the future. That’s why it is so important to do one.

A good bio should communicate your passion and personality, and what makes your craft special. Here is an example of a good bio:

Adele Sanborn is a freelance calligrapher and mixed media artist who studied fine arts at Rochester Institute of Technology with a major in photography. With a desire to explore and push the boundaries of traditional techniques, Adele is always looking for ways to combine the technical sides of calligraphy with the freedom of mixed media. She draws her inspiration from the natural world that surrounds her studio in the very rural area of Webster, New Hampshire.

Adele’s work may be purchased at any of the seven League of NH Craftsmen’s Retail Galleries, the East Colony Gallery in Manchester, and numerous other galleries in the New England area. In addition to making art, Adele teaches a variety of workshops at her Paint Box studio, as well as craft and art venues in her area.

Please take a few minutes to go to our website to complete your bio. If you don’t have your user name and password, please email Sharon Lindstrom at slindstrom@nhcrafts.org or call Joyce Andrews at 603-224-3375.

Instructions for entering your bio online

Type www.nhcrafts.org into your browser. Click on the Juried Members button on left of home page, enter your user name and password in Login for Members on right side of juried members page. Once you are on the Welcome Juried Members page: click on “Update Your Member Profile” button at the very top of the page. You’ll have to enter your user name and password again. Once they are validated, click “click here to continue”. Fill out the online form as instructed.

If you are not able to submit your bio online or if need help writing your piece, please call or email Terri Wiltse at 603-224-3375 or twiltse@nhcrafts.org.

Once your bio is entered, the Retail Gallery Managers can then download them and use them to sell your work! Our goal is to have bios for 100% of our juried members!

Center Sandwich Retail Gallery is opening on May 8

Center Sandwich is opening for the season, just in time for Mother’s Day. As a founding member of the League of NH Craftsmen, Sandwich Home Industries has been supporting artisans for 83 years. It’s a destination for locals and vacationers who return year after year to this quintessential New England village. Although the Center Sandwich Gallery is only open from mid-May thru mid-October, our total sales for 6 months rival the annual sales of the year-round galleries. Our shop space is one of the largest, so there is plenty of room to show your work to its best advantage.

We are accepting consignment deliveries at the gallery, Monday through Friday, April 19-30, and at headquarters in Concord starting April 6. If you haven’t shown your work here, please consider doing so this year. And if you haven’t seen the Center Sandwich Gallery, we’d love to have you visit. For more information, please contact gallery manager Julie Deak, sandwich_homeindustries@yahoo.com, or 603-707-0140.

And don’t forget your photos!

Example of a well photographed piece

We highlighted this in the last newsletter and it bears repeating: One of the best things you can do to help sell your fine craft is to have it professionally photographed. Images are vital components in the League's and the retail galleries' marketing efforts. We use photos of your work in advertisements, web sites, posters, postcards, and press releases. A good photo shows off your piece, capturing its distinctive beauty and detail. It should be in focus, evenly lit, on a neutral background (gray or black) and free of any clutter that will distract from your craft. Remember, this is your chance to make an impression on the viewer – so you want it to be an excellent one!

Once you have images, here are some guidelines for how to share them with us, the League's marketing consultant, Sullivan Creative, and others.

1. Save your image files in .jpg or .tif format.
2. For print purposes, the file resolution should be 300 dpi (dpi = dots per inch). In addition to the resolution, the images must be at least 4” x 6” in dimension.
3. For web use, file resolution should be 72 dpi and must be at least 4” x 6” in dimension. Please note that web files cannot be used for print, as web quality files reproduce poorly when printed. Images should not be pulled from a website, if they are being used for print.
4. Send a CD of your images to Pam Sullivan, Marketing Consultant in care of the League of NH Craftsmen, 205 North Main Street, Concord, NH 03301.