Lady Nin’s Art Festival, an online retailer of Northwest art and handcrafted items, celebrates its first anniversary with kudos to the vibrant group of artists who bring the site to life.
Seattle, WA (PRWEB) October 24, 2005 -- Lady Nin’s Art Festival celebrated their first anniversary on September 17. Founded in 2004 by Bonnie Taub and Kim Dubé, Lady Nin’s is an online retailer featuring the wares of Pacific Northwest artists and artisans. The site sells a wide range of handcrafted items - from jewelry and accessories, to pottery and original art. Lady Nin’s was launched with just a handful of artists and items; one year later, the site features more than 50 artists and 800 items.
“We credit our growth during our first year to the amazing group of artists who have joined the Lady Nin’s family,” says Bonnie Taub. “Our sales continue to grow because of the high quality items made by local artists that are available on our site.”
Many of the artists featured on the Lady Nin’s website do not have their own sites, so Lady Nin’s provides a way for them to bring their work to the online marketplace. “I do a lot of shows and markets, and customers always ask if I have a website,” says Kim Groff Harrington, a local artist who makes garden art and sculptures from recyclables. “It’s great to be able to send them to Lady Nin’s, where they can view and purchase my work and learn about other artists as well.”
Dubé and Taub are committed to helping increase exposure for their artists. “We recently discovered a talented artist with health problems and physical disabilities who did not have many avenues for bringing her work to the public,” says Dubé. “We were able to take this unknown artist from a hidden studio in her home to buyers who are moved by her work. It’s a wonderful feeling for everyone involved.”
Missy James, a local pottery and ceramics artist, had a similar experience. “Bonnie and Kim have been wonderful cheerleaders for me,” says James. “They are so supportive and I can’t say enough good things about their business sense and practices.”
Lady Nin’s goals for their second year include growing their family of artists and items, revamping their website, and building on the standard of customer service they established during their first year. Taub and Dubé hand pick each item on the site, personally respond to every phone call and email, and expedite each order themselves. “We never leave our customers in the dark, wondering about their orders,” says Taub. “Our customers can always reach us and we provide them with personalized service.”
Dubé and Taub are also firm believers in giving back to the community. They recently formed a partnernship with Noel House in Seattle, an organization that provides shelter and assistance for homeless women. In an effort to raise funds for this local non-profit, Dubé and Taub are featuring a CD created by local Seattle artists on the Lady Nin’s website. All proceeds from its sale will go to Noel House. As Lady Nin’s grows, they look forward to building relationships with more non-profit groups in their community.
As they look back on their first year, Taub and Dubé are pleased with how far they’ve come and proud of the relationships they’ve built with their artists and customers. The duo met in 2002 as students at Highline Community College in the Worker Retraining Program where they discovered a shared desire to start a business and a love for art festivals. They graduated in June 2004, and just a few months later they launched Lady Nin’s Art Festival.
For more information about Lady Nin’s Art Festival, visit www.Ladynin.com.
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