"Shopportunity" of a lifttime with designer decor, fashion, jewelry, spirits and more
Top to bottom: The showroom at the Western Design Conference features functional art from nearly 100 artists; runway design from Gossamer Wings of Santa Fe; and elk artwork available at the live auction by Faraway Lovely of Coeur d’Alene.
Jackson Hole, Wyoming – August 25, 2022 – In just two weeks the streets of Jackson, Wyoming, will be bustling with art, food, design and Western culture enthusiasts – making their way to the charming mountain town from near and far for events including the 30th annual Western Design Exhibit + Sale (WDC), a wildly popular portion of the Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival. Over the course of four days, from September 8 – 11, 2022, the WDC offers visitors a superb opportunity to mingle and shop the finest Western contemporary functional art directly from the talented makers at the Snow King Events Center showroom, boasting 28,000 square feet of space to explore.
Kicking off the 30th annual WDC on Thursday, September 8, is the Opening Preview Party, an always memorable evening with a live auction and exciting runway fashion show sponsored by Jackson boutique Belle Cose and featuring 15 inventive lines from a juried collection of fashion designers whose creations are donned by models strutting the catwalk to mood-matching music. From custom designer hats and cowboy boots to leather accessories and suede fringed jackets to cashmere wraps and full-length gowns, there is something fashionable for everyone at the WDC.
L to R: A live auction offers the chance to benefit awards for top WDC artisans and purchase some of their best work, rug by American Dakota; a daily “Artitude Adjustment” happy hour offers complimentary cocktails.
Partygoing guys and gals can gussy up in their Western finest, channeling an inner John or Beth Dutton, as hats, boots and flair is welcome and encouraged. WDC party guests enjoy mixing, mingling and shopping, all while sampling local dishes from Cooking with Music and sipping signature cocktails at the five open bars within the showroom.
WDC guests can also tour the Designer Show House, showcasing five full-size spaces created by six professional designers. Sponsored by handmade textile and rug purveyor Integral Thread of Denver and California outdoor-furniture company Outer, the Show House, constructed in the center of the showroom, offers a spectacular peek at what the participating designers can create in the home, bringing pride of place and handcrafted pieces to the forefront of each space.
Visitors can get inspired home ideas at the life-size Designer Show House, by B & B Builders and Old Hickory Furniture; and purchase such custom functional art as this Cowboy Rocker by Henneford Fine Furniture.
From Friday, September 9, through Sunday, September 11, WDC guests can wander the showroom from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., getting an up-close hands-on look at exquisitely handcrafted furnishings and more – and imbibing in style with complimentary cocktails at the daily 2 p.m. “Artitude Adjustment Hour.” Meanwhile, winners of the Design Excellence Awards will be announced on Friday with more than a dozen artists receiving nearly $20,000 in total cash prizes to honor their outstanding concepts and craftsmanship.
Though offering some 28,000 square feet of showroom, the WDC offers opportunities to chat one-on-one with artisans; A. Tsagas Furs, the Peacemaker Grill Cabinet Smoker by Montana metal artist Andrew Parent.
Also on Friday, September 9, guests can enjoy book signings 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., with JLF Architects, headquartered in Bozeman, Montana, presenting its new coffee-table book Foundations: Houses by JLF Architects (Rizzoli), featuring dramatic photos of 16 stunning houses created in collaboration with Big-D Signature, many of which are located around the picturesque Jackson Hole area. Also selling and signing a new book will be author Chase Reynolds Ewald, for her latest, Rancho Sisquoc, about the enduring legacy of one of California’s last intact Mexican land grant ranches.
WDC guests can relax in the new Harker-designed lounge sponsored by Mountain Living magazine and the Jackson Hole Scout Guide; author-signed copies of the beautiful new books “Rancho Sisquoc” by Chase Reynolds Ewald and “Foundations” by JLF Architects will be on sale.
Tickets for the 30th annual WDC can be purchased in advance at westerndesignconference.com or at the door at the Snow King Events Center, 100 E Snow King Ave, Jackson, Wyoming. A WDC Exhibit + Sale day pass is $30 and good for one entire day of entry, including a free happy hour. Opening Preview Party + Fashion Show tickets for the Thursday evening event, which includes a live auction, runway fashion show, open bars and hors d’oeuvres, are $75/person; VIP reserved seating and 5:30 p.m. early entry for the Opening Preview Party + Fashion Show is $150/person.
About the Western Design Conference Exhibit + Sale:
Celebrating 30 years in 2022, the annual Western Design Conference 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 30 years ago in Cody, Wyoming, to promote contemporary artists working in historical American craft methods. The Western Design Conference 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].
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