Original Art & Design for Every Surface
Artists and designers from around the world will converge on the Jacob J. Javits Convention Center in New York City from May 21-23, filling the SURTEX showplace with color, pattern, and their unique points of view. Manufacturers, retailers and licensees attending the show will turn to these artists to source surface art and textile designs for products in virtually every category.
“SURTEX helps hundreds of artists see their images become objects of beauty to wear, display and decorate living spaces,” said Jill Campbell, vice president of marketing, Emerald Expositions. “This type of exposure opens doors and a new world of licensing opportunities, which can put an artist on the retail map.”
“Any product with a surface or textile design of any kind – including home décor and furnishings, apparel, automotive accessories, beauty, bed and bath, fabric prints, floor coverings, juvenile, giftware and novelties, stationery, tabletop, wall treatments, private label and so much more – may well have originated at SURTEX,” Campbell said.
Creative decision makers representing key manufacturers and retailers have a myriad of opportunities to connect with independent artists, global design studios and licensing agents at this year’s show:
Check out the Digital Press Room
Visit the digital press room for a sneak preview of exhibitors’ announcements, photos and information about their work and the latest surface and textile design trends at SURTEX.
Connect through the Show Planner
Attendees can maximize their show experience through Connect™, the new planner platform. Once registered, view exhibitor profiles, preview art, save favorite designs, identify exhibitors that match categories of interest, set up meetings and view show specials.
Shop Licensing Art & Brands
The Art & Brand Licensing section meets product development needs, featuring original artwork, prints and patterns – a one-stop shop for everyone in the industry. Companies with private label needs, manufacturers and retailers can visit the Atelier section to buy licenses from global art agencies and design studios. The Design District, introduced in 2016, features first-time exhibiting artists with designs that cannot be sourced elsewhere.
Attend a presentation at the Trend Theatre
Industry experts, thought leaders and trend-spotters will deliver insight on the latest design, style and buying trends in a variety of product categories – from textiles and tabletop to stationery and fashion – in the 2017 Trend Theatre. Located on the exhibit floor within the ReSource Hub, the Trend Theatre features 30-minute presentations, held daily at 10:30 am a.m., 12:45 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Attendees will hear from design-led companies such as Stacy Garcia, Inc., Design Works International, Milou Ket, First2Print and more. A complete listing will be available soon.
Get inspired at designext
View displays from the designext international student competition sponsored by SURTEX to showcase the work of young artists and designers on a world stage. This year’s theme is GEO – a combination of natural geode stones and modern geometric shapes. The challenge was to create six original designs to be applied to the surface of products and presented as a collection from one of the following categories: Wear, Work, Live or Play. Nearly200 entries – the greatest number of entries in the competition’s history – were submitted from colleges and universities all over the world. A grand prize winner will be chosen at the show from these four finalists:
Louise Towers, a third-year student majoring in printed textiles and surface pattern design at Leeds College of Art in the U.K, has an innate love for drawing and is incredibly passionate about innovative digital craft designing. Her style is constantly evolving as she strives to push new techniques and materials throughout her work.
Jiran Xia, born and raised in Jin Jiang, China, has a background in Chinese painting and calligraphy. She is currently a senior pursuing a BFA in fashion and textile design at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.
Meredith West is a graduate student in the fibers and surface design program at North Carolina State University, College of Design. Her research focuses on pattern design and the design process for translating handmade marks through digital technologies.
Cassie Suche, a junior attending Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario, previously pursued a fine arts degree at Mount Allison University before moving into graphic design at the Rhode Island School of Design as a trustee merit scholar. She enjoys working with abstract subject matter using a combination of traditional and digital mediums, and has a keen interest in new technology.
SURTEX is the annual tradeshow for the surface design industry, bringing together owners and creators of surface design (artists/designers/studios/agents/brands/licensors) with manufacturers, retailers, licensees and marketers utilizing surface design for product development needs. Since 1986, SURTEX has been the single event and global resource offering the full scope of art selling and licensing under one roof. The show, slated for May 21-23, 2017, will connect nearly 200 exhibitors featuring thousands of creative works by artists and designers from around the world, with more than 4,500 total attendees, including crossover attendance from the co-located National Stationery Show and ICFF. To register for SURTEX, learn more, or view a list of exhibitors, visit www.surtex.com.
