MaryAnne LoVerme : Owner, Los Angeles County Store

Q: Tell us a little about yourself & your background in the arts & crafts world:
A. I moved to LA from Brooklyn in 2013 to open Los Angeles County Store. I was inspired by the makers I met in NYC while hawking my baubles under the Wabisabi Brooklyn brand. 

Q: What/who is your biggest inspiration?
A. I continue to be inspired by the creativity, hard work, and determination of the local artists and artisans whose work I represent in the shop.

Q: How did you get into your position in the arts & crafts world?
A. I performed a magic trick: I turned my Brooklyn house into a Los Angeles Shop. Also, equal parts hustle, chutzpah, and the encouragement and support of others.

Q: Tell us about a few favorites of yours: 
Weekend activity:  Napping. Food:  Bread. Color:  Periwinkle. Animal:  French Bulldog puppies make any day better. But any dog or kitty pretty much. 

Q: What do you love most about the handmade movement?
A. It restores my faith in humanity and connects me to some of the best people I’ve ever met.

Q: What is most important feature in an artist’s application for you?A. Nothing matters more than the work itself. Is it original? Is it well-made? Do I want it or know someone who wants it?

Q: What are you most looking forward to in being a part of the Jackalope Arts jury?
A. Seeing all the amazing stuff people make! 

Q: Where can we find out more about you? 
L.A. County Store on Instagram!
http://instagram.com/lacountystore/

Check out all of our Pasadena jurors here!

We've seen MANY, MANY talented artisans of all types since applications opened in October for our Spring Pasadena Fair, and we can't wait to narrow it down to the very best to join the Jackalope community.  

For those of you who've already applied --- February 15th is the date applications are sent off to our jury!  

We'll be making official selection notifications by March 1st, so keep a lookout for our email notifications!

Meet our jurors:

MaryAnne LoVerme

MaryAnne is the owner of the Los Angeles County Store in Silverlake, the only shop dedicated exclusively to fine goods made in Los Angeles.  From artisanal food, to small housewares, apothecary to prints & stationary, it's a thoughtfully curated collection of crafted wares. 

A view from outside MaryAnne's LA County Store

Brent Turner

Brent is an art-enthusiast, with a PR, marketing, and copywriting background.  Brent operates the Campbells PR, with clients all over the arts realm: from Palm Springs Fine Art Fair, to several local galleries in and around Los Angeles.

A shot from above the Palm Springs Fine Art Fair in February 2012

Christine Haynes

Christine is a Los Angeles-based sewing author, teacher, and pattern designer with her own line of sewing patterns, which are perfect for the vintage loving modern seamstress.  Find our more about Christine, here: www.christinehaynes.com

She has written four books: How to Speak Fluent Sewing, Skirts & Dresses for First Time Sewers, The Complete Photo Guide to Clothing Construction, and Chic & Simple Sewing.  She has also contributed to other books.  

We want take a moment and go more in depth to what exactly we are looking for at Jackalope Arts and how you can increase your chances on jury acceptance.  

Your application is your resume for us to view, so it's best to really put some thought into it. Please note our jury often changes so go into this with the expectation that they have not seen your work before. 

While the specific types of art and craft work that we are accepting is quite broad, there are definite quality features that our jury will keep in mind during review.  

Some of the key factors to keep in mind:

•  We're looking for trendsetting, indie goods - not just your run of the mill craft fair feature.  We want to see new and innovative ideas brought to the table that will captivate our patrons and provide a dynamic experience at the fair.  Use the space provided in your application and really describe what makes your work unique.

• Photos that show off your booth display (if you have participated in fairs before).   If our jurors can see an idea of your booth set up - it really helps give a concept of the professionalism that you put into your display.

• If you haven't participated in a fair before, it can be a good idea to create a mock set up.  This can not only help us, but help give you an idea of how you might be able to display your work in an attractive way to fair-goers.

• Photos detailing your strongest work.  Professional photos of your work and photos that are obviously well-crafted, show the jury that you put thought and time into your branding -- and will in turn be a great vendor for our fair.  We want to see close-up images of your best signatures item(s).  Our applications allow for 6 total images included - it's best to include as many as possible to really show the jury what you're all about.

• Web presence.  In addition to your application and images submitted, we will likely be poking around on your provided weblinks.  Make sure that the links you provide work, and that your website is current.  We love to see if you have work for sale online - and how you have that set up.  If you have a blog, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter - make sure they are updated so we can see current information and work when reviewing your application.  We love to see artisans who are active on their social media channels. 
   

• Really emphasize your brand.  Some artisans create items that aren't necessarily unique by trade - but everyone has a certain something that makes their work unique.  Highlight that for the jury.  We want to know what little sparkle you've added to really make your jewelry line -- your bath and body products -- stand out from the rest.  Some categories are very competitive - so it's really important that you show the jury why to choose YOU.  Think about your packaging, logo, product ingredients, presentation etc. these all reflect your brand. 

• We can't stress this enough: double check your application before you send it in.  
  • Make sure your email address is correct! 
  • Double check your website links.  
  • A link to generic sites like Etsy.com won't help us find YOU.  We need your unique URLs

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What we are NOT looking for:  

• Vintage resale items… or any resale items for that matter.  We are a handmade only fair and want the maker behind the one of a kind goods there.
   
• This event is all about the community getting a chance to meet local creators, so it's important that you're not selling someone else's work in your booth. 
   
• Artisans with no images of their work to be found.  Our jury can't make a decision on your work if they can't see it.  Please take the time to curate images that you want our jury to pay special attention to.  While they will likely spend time viewing your website, they can't go hunting for your best work - you need to make it obvious.  
   
• Commercial resellers and product consultants.  

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We are really looking forward to reviewing your application and giving our local community of artisans an opportunity to sell their wares at Jackalope Indie Artisan Fair.

We look forward to seeing your application soon!

Haven't gotten to it yet?  

Have specific questions about your application?  Email us: vendors@jackalopeartfair.com 

Not quite ready to apply yet but want to stay in the loop?!  Sign up for our Newsletter!

During our first few months of planning, we checked out many parks and facilities around the Los Angeles area.  Some awesome gems in the mix, others… not so much.  So many parks are residential --- or in downtown areas where they are characterized with the smell of pee.  With that being said, it took a lot of research to finally find the perfect fit. 

We landed at Central Park in Old Town Pasadena and knew right away that this was the place for us.  

After hitting so many fairs and markets around town with booths set up on hot hot pavement, we welcomed the grass and tree-lined environment providing shade and a sense of cool.

Going back to our mission of integrating the local community into our events, we especially love how centrally located in the heart of Old Town this park is. There is definitely a community vibe!  

After eating at the Luggage Room, with a view of the park right from their patio - we're pretty happy to be a neighbor of theirs.  That avocado, sun-dried tomato, lemon zest pizza was pretty unbeatable! 

The other thing that makes this location awesome?  Parking.  There are TONS of nearby lots for shoppers.  Even free 90 minute structures.  Check out this cool compilation of parking choices we found in google maps.  And for non-drivers: it's right across the street from the Del Mar stop on the gold line.  

We're super excited to make Central Park in Pasadena our home and can't wait to share all of the festivities with you this coming April!  

It was another beautiful day in the city of Los Angeles and Jackalope Arts took full advantage on our Saturday Art tour!  The day began in lovely Pasadena, the future home of our inaugural spring fair, with Dim Sum brunch at Equator where we plotted the day's adventures.  After an excellent meal, we were out on the streets in Old Town Pasadena heading to the Pasadena Art Walk!

Pasadena Art Walk

The Pasadena Art Walk filled one block through the Playhouse District with about 40 fine arts booths, live painting classes, and fun crafting stations for the kids!    While taking in the art, Jackalope Arts also won the Pasadena Art walk instagram scavenger hunt.  We followed the scavenger hunt clues to Monopole Wine Bar where we snapped a photo and won a pocket knife wine bottle opener!

The next adventure led us 40 minutes across town where we arrived at the Crafted at the Port of Los Angeles market ready to be impressed with what LA Weekly claims is the best craft fair in all of Los Angeles.  While the space itself (a giant warehouse) is pretty neat, a lot of the booths were empty and the crowd was sparse but we can imagine that in it's full glory, the fair is fabulous!    

As the afternoon came to a close, the Jackalope Art Fair team made one last stop in the DTLA arts district.  The team was re-inspired by some really great art exhibits where we sipped on refreshing craft beer!   Officially, the best way to end a day of art adventures. 

DTLA Arts District

Check out some photos from our adventure on our instagram page @jackalopeartfair!  On your own art adventure?  Share your photos with us by tagging #jackalopeartadventure!

As we gain momentum I am sure the question has come up of what exactly is Jackalope Arts?  The Jackalope is a mysterious and mythical creature, but lets take a second and shed some light on our Jackalope.

Let us be the first to tell you that the mission of Jackalope Arts is to create a 2 day shopping destination bringing the community together and featuring 200+ local artisans, crafters, and DIY enthusiasts, with an emphasis on quality artistry.  

Our tagline? A Community meets Artisan Event

The Jackalope Arts Experience: We want you to meet the maker behind the one of a kind indie goods that you will find at the Jackalope Art & Craft Fair. Our first round of Jackalopes will feature at our inaugural event on April 25th and 26th at Central Park within Old Town Pasadena

Who are the Jackalope Artists? They are the artisans and crafters who think out of the box and provide trendsetting handmade quality goods that you can’t find anywhere else. Things you will find at the Jackalope Art & Craft Fair may include:

• Clothing- for adults, kids and maybe even your dog!

• Accessories-Jewelry, handbags and backpacks, leather goods, wallets, shoes, aprons, hair accessories, eyewear, scarf’s and other cozy accents, neckties, cuff links and more

• Art-Ceramics and Pottery, Woodworking, Illustration, Mixed Media, Photography, Fiber Art, Drawing, Painting, Sculpture and other Paper Goods including bookmarks, calendars, cards, gift wrap, journals, stationary and beyond

• Home Goods- Home décor and house wares such as unique furniture, lighting, terrariums, candles, blankets, vases, clocks, coasters, frames, & rugs

• Bath and Beauty-Bath and Shower products, Lip Balm, Lotion, Skin Care etc.

Please bear in mind that this is not a comprehensive list and we are open to other handmade creations!

Does this intrigue you? There are several different options for booth rentals at our fairs, please visit the Vendor Info Page for details. We encourage everyone to submit and we look forward to hearing from you!

XOXO The Jackalope Team :)

At Jackalope Arts, our mission is to bring community together and support local artistry and that doesn’t stop with the Jackalope Art Fair!  In between our events, we love going out and supporting all the other local markets and artists.   Plus, we love to shop and local markets provide a relaxed and creative place to do this with unique artists you can’t find anywhere else!

Last weekend, Jackalope staff spent Saturday afternoon shopping  & networking at the Artists & Fleas market in Downtown L.A.!  Artists & Fleas happens once a month in a small open warehouse space right in the arts district of DTLA.  It’s a chill, indie atmosphere with only about 32 vendors, a few food trucks, and plenty of shade under the open warehouse roof. 

In addition to shopping, guests could enter their dogs in a contest to see who was the cutest in a kids blow up pool, partake in a game of corn hole, or buy a beer from Angel City Brewery’s pop up tent.   All the while, a local DJ made sure we had beats to inspire creative shopping. 

One of our favorite vendors was Teysha, a company whose shoes and boots are crafted from traditional fabrics by artisans in under privileged countries.  Teysha provides income and pays for the studies of these crafters to provide better lives for them and their families!  Learn more at http://www.teysha.is

Teysha's shoe on display!

Haus & Home and Fox Boxes

Other vendors that ranked high on our favorites list were Fox Boxes, custom map flasks, Haus & Home, hand sewn decorative pillows made from silk scarves, and Brown Bag Books with their journals crafted from old book covers!   Check out this “A Family of Foxes” journal we purchased to write down all of our Jackalope Art Fair ideas!

Brown Bag Books repurposed journals!

Artists & Fleas has markets in NY, Brooklyn & L.A. but even if you aren’t close to a market, you can explore the Artists & Fleas vendors on their website at http://www.artistsandfleas.com/vendors

Want to recommend a vendor you’d like to see at the Jackalope Art Fair in Spring 2015?  Write us at info@jackalopeartfair.com !!