NICHE Nominations !

Best American Arts is honored to be nominated by America's artisans for Best Web Site, Best New Store, and Top Retailer for 2008 through NICHE Magazine, the leading trade publication for fine American craft. NICHE polled more than 10,000 professional craft artists throughout the U.S. and Canada, seeking craft retailers who are committed to fair business practices and to growing and strengthening the American craft community.


Learn more about American Artists and Artisans at American Craft and Best American Arts.

Best American Arts Redesign

As busy as Jacob was trying to get Callahan McVay's site up and running (see previous post), we still managed to do a some redesign and organization on BestAmericanArts.com. We launched a more structured "Shop" navigation menu, updated our 'Gifts' category, and introduced some new products and imagery.

Check it out. Browse around. Let us know what we can improve.

Let us know if you have any questions regarding our art, artists, or fundraising opportunities. We'd love to hear feedback and welcome suggestions or comments.

Contact us with a comments on this blog or email us at : CustomerCare@BestAmericanArts.com
or Matt@BestAmericanArts.com

Callahan Mcvay... New Portfolio Site

In addition to his existing gallery on at Best American Arts, glass artist Callahan McVay launched a new portfolio website today. Jacob, our Webmaster and Operations Manager, was the driving force behind it's redesign and completion. Check out Callahan's portfolio and our gallery of his work below.

Callahan McVay - Callahan Glass Web Portfolio

Best American Arts - Callahan McVay Online Gallery

Where every design has a story... Callahan McVay

When talking with artists we often get to hear the back story or creative theory behind their creations. The following is the inspiration for a pair of Callahan McVay's vases. The "Elements of Gemini" as Callahan likes to refer to them.




The Elements of Gemini
"The inspiration for the Fire(Inferno) and Rain(Wave) came during a rough night aboard a fishing boat in the Bering Sea. I was on watch in the pilothouse, staring out into the blackness, when a rouge wave brought the boat up sharply and kept it rising, until we perched nose high on the very crest. In that brief moment, the rain clouds parted and the globules of water oozing across the windows caught the light of a million stars, burning like fierce diamonds in the dark universe. Orbs and vases flowed before me. Fire, Rain. Fire, Rain. I knew what to do when, or if, I ever got back to my studio. Then the bow dropped, the hull slammed into the water and the boat fell into the void. I did not see another star that night."