Total Art Licensing - Winter 2008 - (Page 3) TOTAL Art Licensing Winter 2008 Features and Profiles Alan Giana’s colorful world 4 Art Licensing News 6 Licensing Survival Guide 8 Origins of the Species 9 Surtex 09 update 12 Looking ahead with Haley Media 14 CHA Show preview 18 Total Art G allery 19 TOTAL Art Licensing LICENSING SURVIVAL GUIDE - A REALITY CHECK We all know what’s happening in the world, if we watch the news and keep up with industry newsletters. The words keep ringing in our ears “tougher economic downturn”, “recession looming”, “DOW Jones loses 500 points”, “Linen n Things” files for chapter 11”, “lay-offs”, “downsizing”. The problem with news is that it’s always bad – that’s the nature of the beast. Journalists and news clerks search out bad news because it makes ˜NEWS”. We love war, tragedies, political scandals, celebrity breakups and even murder. Don’t believe me? Then why does everyone watch the news and buy newspapers full of these things? The public has an insatiable thirst for bad news and the media continue to churn it out in ever increasing volumes. It’s no wonder the economy is in such a bad way. We all, in some way, “buy into” this myth. We create our own world. We are all responsible. We can make believe its all someone else’s fault by blaming it on politicians, corporate greed, or media hype, but in truth we play a part in our own demise. My point is if we accept some responsibility ourselves, admit that we help to perpetrate the problems in this mad world we live in, which is heading for self-destruction, we can then admit that we actually have a chance and that we can actually do something about it – starting today. We all need to take some radical steps and I’ve come up with a few ideas. Feel free to come up with some of your own. The idea is, if we want to enjoy a better life, make a good living, enjoy the fruits of our labor and above all make a better world for our children and grandchildren, then we need to make some serious changes in our behavior. Some of you may not like what you hear. However, if it disturbs you or you find yourself opposing the ideas presented, I ask you to look again and see just how much we like to justify our actions, as we don’t like to be wrong. SURVIVAL GUIDE – REALITY CHECK • As business people, are we providing a valuable service? • Are our products worthwhile and do they better the world we live in or is profit our only motive? • Do we create wholesome, beneficial products or themes which improve lives or are they self serving profit centers which By Michael Woodward tune into human emotions? • Do we market or create products that pander to consumers insecurities and fears? • Are our products ecologically sound or do they just create more and more waste? Just one more plastic figurine or toy – one more new and exciting media hyped character which drives mothers to distraction as little Tommy or Sarah discards the stuff they got last Christmas for new stuff that they don’t actually need. Is it any wonder parents these days are stressed out and neurotic, why Prozac and Zantac sell in the $ billions. Licensors and property owners simply want to license their goods – but how many of you actually seriously think about the consequences. Don’t like thinking 5 year contracts with substantial guarantees. that deep? I bet you don’t. Your bottom line is Now advances are disappearing and guarantees more important, your new BMW or Mercedes, are often a distant memory! your designer suits, shoes and handbags, and Where is all this going to end you may well don’t forget “we have to remodel the kitchen ask. I say it’s up to each of us to play our part. Change your thinking. Look seriously at what darling………..” Is it any wonder we are in a mess? We can we sell. We have inadvertently created our own blame everyone else if we like, you protest. “It demise but who has the guts to admit it. TOTAL Art Licensing was Fanny May and Freddie Mac which started I hope many of you will take heed and start this whole mess…” or “if it wasn’t for 9/11 and to think about the impact we have on society. that damn Saddam Hussein…” or “if we didn’t This question is significant and therefore worth have that idiot in the White House…”. Who considering. are we kidding – we are all responsible and I recently read a book called Anastasia by the sooner we get it through our heads that Vladimir Megret – it turns out a Russian recluse each one of us has to change then nothing will knows more about our demise than all the scientists, business moguls and economists in actually happen. To survive, we need to look at what we actively our so called modern society. Read it – it will sell and start producing ideas that resonate with help start the process and we may survive the public on a more human level. Entertainment Just! is important but lets use the media and the industry we all used to love to create something ©2008 Michael Woodward Michael has been in the industry for over thirty of REAL benefit. Start by looking at the kind of world you would years. He formed one of the first Art Licensing like to see for your grandchildren, particularly Companies in Europe in 1979 representing if you are involved with concepts, which are artists, illustrators and photographers working aimed at children. Let’s teach them something with national and international manufactures of benefit instead of mindless concepts, which and publishers. He now lives and works in Florida simply excite. Keep violence and aggression where his company Out of the Blue represents out of the market place. Create intelligent a diverse assortment of talented artists, and As anybody involved in this business knows, whilst some artists products that stimulate children’s minds instead photographers. He is a Licensing Consultant and the author of what has become the art licensing of polluting them with nonsense and trivia. are born to paint, others come to their art via diverse routes. In industry bible “Licensing Art101” which has I’ve been in this industry for 34 years and seen this artist, we’ve chosen three individuals – Pamela Bishop, many changes. It is always growing and changing become an essential tool for creative people Andy Mathis and Lillian Yao. but now it’s reached its peak and is contracting. entering the industry.a successful art and design licensing business Each of them runs We’ve created so many brands, and characters, You can reach Michael at: and each has come from very different disciplines. Andy Mathis is so much art, that manufacturers have so much Out of the Blue, 711 S Osprey Ave, Ste 1 to choose from they can replace licenses bya veterinarian; Pamela Bishop is a former Benny Hill dancer and the Sarasota, FL 34236,Tel: 941 966 4042 Lillian Yao is a phamacist. season, when in the “old days” we were signing www.out-of-the-blue.us • www.licensingcourse.com We asked each of them to tell us the story of what lead them into the art business. Festival Poster, and earning signature status in the Georgia Watercolor Society in 2001. He began reproducing paintings as giclees about that same time. Between 1999- 2004, Andy exhibited the originals and reproductions in Atlanta at the DecorExpo Shows,Atlanta ArtExpo, and AmericasMart Gift Shows. It was at the 2004 Atlanta ArtExpo, that he came across a few artists from ArtCafe. net. They began to discuss art licensing, and that continued onto the online forums. From these discussions, Andy realized that licensing artwork for product design could pro- The Veterinarian ANDY MATHIS When Andy Mathis is exhibiting at an art licensing show, and people find out he is a veterinarian, they often have a slightly puzzled or intrigued look on their face. Two career choices that you don’t find together too often. And this is how it began.Andy grew up on a farm with dogs, cats, cows, and horses. He was always quite crafty, you might say, with 4-H or FFA posters, but never had time to take art classes. That would come later. A year or two after finishing veterinary school, he signed up for a watercolor class. It was a weekly class through the recreation department taught by a local artist. According to Andy, he was the worst in the class. But being the ‘type A’, over-achieving personality that he is, he was determined to persevere. Andy began exhibiting at some local arts and craft fairs around 1996. He entered a few watercolor society shows and had a dogwood painting selected for the 1999 Atlanta Dogwood Welcome to the Winter/Spring 2009 edition of Total Art Licensing. Many of you reading this issue will have picked up your copy at either the CHA Show in Anaheim or, new for this year, at the Atlanta Gift Fair’s Licensing section. In addition, the magazine will be found at the Spring Fair in the UK and via a number of other events around the world. Of course, this issue will go out to its usual subscribers in 50 countries and our digital issue will also reach over 20,000 retailers and licensees interested in art and design licensing. If you haven’t already signed up to receive Total Art Licensing, free of charge and directly to your inbox, make sure you visit www.totallicensing.com. We live in troubled times and we would like to thank all our advertisers for their continued support. From a licensing perspective, the potential for art and design to survive and grow during the current economic problems are significant. Retailers are shying away from one-hit-wonders and looking to long-term, stable brands that they can rely on. This is where art can succeed while other properties may fail. What it needs is careful planning and a marketing strategy that will help retailers and manufacturers maximise the opportunities. We wish you the best for the coming round of Fairs and for your businesses in general. Do keep us up to date with your news and do stop and say hello if you see at at any of the upcoming events. Francesca Ash Publisher/Editor Jerry Wooldridge Sales Director 14 -1 Winter 2009 Publisher Francesca Ash francesca@totallicens http://www.totallicensing.com http://www.out-of-the-blue.us http://www.licensingcourse.com http://www.totallicensing.com/regart.htm http://www.totallicensing.com Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Total Art Licensing - Winter 2008 Total Art Licensing - Winter 2008 Contents Alan Giana's Colorful World Art Licensing News Licensing Survival Guide Origins of the Species Surtex 09 Update Looking Ahead with Haley Media CHA Show Preview Total Art Gallery Total Art Licensing - Winter 2008 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxteu/totallicensing/totalartlicensing_2008winter http://www.nxtbookMEDIA.com
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