Surtex review from designer Amanda Caronia from Bella Caronia

Many of our alumni and students exhibited at the recent Surtex show in New York City. Amanda Caronia from Bella Caronia sent us a review from her experience as a first timer. Amanda is a graduate from Modules 1, 2, and 3 of our Design School.

We also showcased Amanda’s work in our recent Tradeshow previews. See Amanda’s preview here.

After a couple days of rest and decompression following my first trade show I can now reflect on the experience. Everyone had warned me exhibiting at a trade show takes a lot of energy. And boy is that true.

After almost a full year of preparation which began slowly last July and built up to non stop preparation in April and May I found myself at the Art Licensing LA booth on the first day of Surtex. Exhibiting with a group of six artists made the environment very supportive for a first time exhibitor. As a group we helped promote each other’s work and offered a wide range of styles to a variety of different clients. Art Licensing LA was founded by Debra Valencia who generously shares her years of experience with less experienced artists who want to break into licensing. I was lucky to exhibit with Art Licensing LA for my first trade show experience, as there were so many things to learn.

For me the best part about the show was meeting so many artist and creative professionals that I admire and I enjoyed the camaraderie between exhibitors.

Many are predicting that trade shows may become less important with the online business booming, however I found it enriching as a solo artist to be a part of a larger community and meet face to face with clients and other artists. It was inspirational to be in the middle of it all.

When the dust settled the day after the show I realized how much energy had gone into it. What makes it worthwhile is meeting interesting clients to follow up with and hopefully some of these contacts will result in exciting collaborations. My dream as an artist.

***

Bella caronia is a surface design brand created for those who love nature and color. Artist Amanda Caronia specializes in hand paintings and drawings. “I love to experiment with color and new drawing styles to get unexpected results,” Amanda says. In fact she likes to mix traditional textile design principals with her bold modern style. Her signature look is layers of saturated color and organic motifs. Amanda is also a graduate from Modules 1, 2, and 3