Jackson Hole, Wyoming – April 26, 2021 – Over 100 artists have been accepted to showcase and sell their work at the 2021 Western Design Conference Exhibit + Sale (WDC) in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, September 9 – 12 at the Snow King Events Center. New and returning artists from across the country will exhibit and sell one-of-a-kind pieces ranging from furniture to fashion to home décor and much more at the four-day event celebrating a shared love of the West and finely crafted functional art. WDC Executive Director Allison Merritt is thrilled to bring the live in-person event back to Jackson this fall with a spectacular collection of artisans ready to share their museum-quality work with the public.
“We are excited to welcome artists from nearly every part of the country to showcase their extraordinary work in Jackson this September,” says Merritt. “Each artist has a special story, a unique process, and remarkable pieces to sell that spark conversation and offer our guests a meaningful and memorable shopping experience. It’s always rewarding to connect our visitors to these hardworking and talented craftspeople whose art brings so much joy.”
Making his way to the Western Design Exhibit + Sale from Dublin, Texas, Wayne Wise brings his beautiful hand-carved leather Bull Skullz. While his voice is recognized from his 30 years as a professional rodeo announcer, his hands are making noise these days as he takes his self-taught meticulously detailed carving skills to bull skulls using the finest Herman Oak leather. Montana metal craftsman Andrew Parent shares his custom designs, including one of his extraordinary new Yellowstone Grills called “The Peacemaker.” Not your average backyard grill, Parent’s pieces are highly functioning, heat-efficient, handmade works of art that add the “wow” factor to outdoor entertaining. Parent plans to do some grilling at the WDC, giving guests a delicious demonstration of how art and function combine.
Furniture fans will find no shortage of work at the 2021 Western Design Conference Exhibit + Sale as they explore a showroom packed with remarkable handmade pieces crafted from wood, metal, glass, leather, ceramics, and more. Colorado artist Laurie Roddick of Deer and the Antelope presents ceramic art tabletops, many featuring stunning wildlife and nature scenes inspired by Telluride’s high peaks and her own meaningful encounters with wildlife. Roddick uses a painstaking process to glaze designs from her personal photographs and drawings onto the tiles. Bringing his Terroir Wood Studio pieces from Michigan, woodworker Jason Sharp combines heirloom woodworking skills with advanced modern techniques, fabricating his custom furniture from domestic and exotic woods, each piece hand-selected for grain, color, and figure.
It’s always a fashionable fall at the WDC as designers in jewelry, clothing, hats, and boots abound with a variety of styles to suit everyone. Returning this year is the Brooklyn-based Shompole Collection with the popular 18-karat gold Elephant Collection of pendants and cuffs. Dedicated to Africa’s vanishing elephants, the collection tells the story of their rescue, and ultimately their survival. Meanwhile, urban cowgirls can get their kicks in a feminine flattering fit with a new pair of fabulous City Boots by Lizzie Chestnut. The Texas designer’s journey of following her passion to create a line of designer cowboy boots for women was recently featured in the Wall Street Journal.
Home décor also comes in all shapes and forms at the WDC, offering guests spectacular pieces for purchase that will stand out in their own homes or as a special gift. Based in Colorado, Brian Crandall Art transforms horseshoes into unique functional pieces such as wine holders, candelabras, sculptures, and hors d’oeuvre bowls. Crandall turned his passion for horses into work as a farrier for more than 15 years, finding inspiration and material in recycling shoes that have participated in shows and walked Colorado’s historical trails into beautifully artful pieces for the home. Also bringing a distinctive presence to this year’s Exhibit + Sale, Albrea throws, crafted by a Utah mother-and-daughter team, offer a stylish way to find cozy comfort. Their blankets use a proprietary technique to create the irresistible texture that “hugs back” – and doubles as standout décor in any home was recently featured in Mountain Living Magazine.
WDC Tickets are $20 for an Exhibit + Sale day pass September 10-12, 2021, and include daily Artitude Adjustment Happy Hours at 2 p.m. VIP early entry and reserved seating at the Opening Preview Party + Fashion Show on Thursday, September 9, 2021, is available for $125 per person, $50 general admission; both include open bars.
About the Western Design Conference Exhibit + Sale: The annual Western Design Exhibit + Sale is a four-day, multimillion-dollar event that brings together craftspeople, collectors, interior designers, architects, and fashion designers with a love of the West. The Western Design Conference was founded 29 years ago in Cody, Wyoming, to promote contemporary artists working in historical American craft methods. The Western Design Exhibit + Sale moved to Jackson Hole in 2007, where Executive Director Allison Merritt continues the strong commitment to Western arts in Wyoming while expanding the reach of the show. Additional information, including schedules and tickets, is available at westerndesignconference.com and on Facebook and Instagram.
Media Contacts: Allison Merritt, [email protected], 307.690.9719; Amy Stark, Word PR + Marketing, [email protected].
