2001
NIADA Conference
Video
clip promotion for 2001 Atlanta
conference that was distributed to local TV stations.
It was produced by Don Cely. It is a large file so be patient.
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2000
NIADA Conference
 by
Lillian Hopkins
Chicago's beautiful and historic Hotel Inter-Continental was the
site for the 2000 NIADA conference, held July 12-16, and doll
artists and enthusiasts from around the world came together to
share their love of dolls and to take part in the many activities
and events planned for the five-day conference.
The various exhibits of doll art, amazing as always, were the
main attraction of the conference. The spectacular Artist's Gallery,
a one-of-a-kind exhibit and sale open to the public, was a breathtaking
showcase of the incredible range of creative technique and innovation
displayed the artists of NIADA. The Show and Sale, held on the
last day and also open to the general public, was an additional
opportunity to view and purchase the works of these amazing artists.
The Artist Retrospective highlighted the career of June Goodnow
and displayed an outstanding body of work featuring Native Americans
in authentic costume.
Other exhibits included the Dolls
of Color exhibit and presentation which showcased the members
of Millennium Doll Artistry and their work, and
Transformed Tonners was a special exhibit of dolls by Robert Tonner
that had been "transformed" - sometimes beyond all recognition
- by member artists. The
dolls were subsequently auctioned on Ebay
to raise funds for charity.
 Presentations
by member artists
were also very popular and served to highlight the vision, ingenuity
and effort that goes into making one-of-a-kind art dolls. Chomick
and Meder presented
a fascinating look into the inner workings of their moveable and
mechanical dolls, and Jodi and Richard Creager shared the joys
and challenges of working as a creative team. Connie Smith related
the history of the use of anthropomorphic figures to explain and
frame human behavior.
Additional programs
included a wonderful video on the life of pioneer doll artist
Helen Bullard, founder of NIADA, which highlighted her unique
vision and entrepreneurial spirit. And Guest Speaker Van Craig,
an artist and designer from New York, shared the story of how
diversifying his doll-making talents allowed him to achieve the
exciting designing career he now has.
The conference
also offered several unique opportunities for non-member artists
of all levels seeking to improve their doll-making skills. The
Visiting Artist Critique allowed those who wished to receive direct
feedback on their work to bring a doll and have it reviewed by
member artists. These pieces were then displayed following the
Critique, allowing all conference attendees to see the exciting
work of these up-and-coming artists.
Additional instruction in various aspects of doll-making was provided
by member artists in five all-day Master Classes, and demonstrations
of various studio techniques took place during Professional Day.
New at this conference, Professional Day was a full day devoted
to the
business of doll art and included panel discussions regarding
marketing and the collectorÕs perspective, as well as a Q&A
session for doll-making
tips and general discussion on business issues.
Following
the formal Dinner
Banquet, the President of NIADA, Akira Blount, welcomed NIADA's
newest artist, Marilyn Radzat. All those who had contributed their
time and effort to NIADA's ongoing projects were acknowledged,
with special recognition going to the conference
co-chairs and their group of volunteers who had worked so hard
to make the conference a success.
The high
point of the evening was the fund-raising raffle of "helpers"
-dolls and other items donated by member Artists and Patrons -which
generated much
excitement, especially
on the part of the winners.
The evening
then closed with the distribution of the highly anticipated
Conference
Souvenir Doll by Chomick
and Meder, who originally
met in Chicago just blocks from the conference
hotel.
The Windy City itself had proved a congenial host, offering much
to do and see outside the conference, as well as surprisingly
mild weather for July. And as the conference wound down and people
said their good-byes to friends old and new, the same phrase could
be overheard in the lobby: "Can't wait for next year! See
you in Atlanta!"
For information
on the next NIADA Conference visit the Conference
Info Page of this site.
More
Conference Highlights
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