2014 jury: how it works and who's behind it

Artist Showcase, Behind The ScenesElizabeth Ramos

We're so pleased to announce this year's jury who will be responsible for choosing the 2014 exhibitors for Indie Craft Parade. These people have shaped their artists' communities both at home and abroad, and we know they're going to help us put on a magnificent show. Before presenting the jury, here’s a little insight into the process of how they will choose the participants in our show.

When all of the applications are collected, jury members review them by viewing the submitted photos as well as a brief description of the artist's work. This information is presented anonymously to the jury to level the playing field as much as possible. Each category is juried separately, so although applicants may apply in multiple categories (example: a ceramic artist that also makes screen printed tea towels). Artist's work may be accepted in some categories and declined in others. After reviewing the application, each jury member casts a vote for or against, and the application is accepted, declined, or put on a waiting list.

In previous years, our jury has met together as a group here in Greenville and curated the show in a single (very long) day. To better accommodate these generous folks and allow for a wider variety of jury members, we are moving our entire jurying process online. Our jury will now be able to review applications and cast their votes electronically. This allows us to select future jury members from a much broader area and ensures that Indie Craft Parade will continue to be fresh every year.

So without further ado, here's our jury:

Barb Blair: Owner of Knack Studios

Jon Andrews: Assemblage sculptor and professor

Katie Coston: Native Greenvillian now running a ceramics studio and shop in Oxford, England

Jude Landry: Professor and graphic designer, we love his Makers Gonna Make design

And new to the jury...The Indie Craft Parade team.

To make sure our vision for Indie Craft Parade never wavers, we've decided to claim a single jury vote for ourselves. Until this year, our main role in curating the festival has been to select the jury and facilitate the jurying day. Five years later, we'd like to weigh in. Of course, our collective vote will not count any more than other jury members. (Sorry to disappoint all of you who applicants who were ready to send bribes.) We still want the choosing of exhibitors to be guided by a panel of artists who we trust. But we do want to make sure our voice is represented as well.

So that's how it works. We're so thankful to the jury who takes the time to do a difficult job. All of our amazing applicants don't make their job easy!