Art-Centric Booths at NWTF Convention and Sport Show
Artistic talent radiated through the halls on the NWTF’s sport show floor. The NWTF show brings a variety of artists from functional art, like fly-fishing ties and box calls, to fine arts like paintings and ceramics. While we couldn’t get to every booth, we stopped by many art-themed booths. Don’t miss out on supporting these artists on the final day of the sport show tomorrow!
Paderewski Fine Art & Sportsmen Gallery: Booth 3307
The Paderewski Fine Art & Sportsmen Gallery is attending the NWTF Convention and Sport Show for its first year. They have locations in Nashville, South Carolina and Colorado and they currently represent about 70 different artists.
“People are responding really well to our art,” Annie Vangilder, Paderewski Gallery director said. “It’s a pretty cool break from a lot of the other things being offered at other booths. Sporting art is a very niche subject, but outdoorsmen appreciate it because it's a physical memory that they can relate to, so we often say that we sell memories.”
Snood Ceramic Mugs: Booth 3303
Joe King, a high school art teacher and dedicated turkey hunter from Michigan, has been selling his Stealth Shades at convention for several years. But this year, King unveiled his wheel-thrown ceramic mugs and steins.
King created Snood as a parody at first, but it has since become his iconic brand.
When King’s high school asked him to teach ceramics to his students, he took some classes to teach himself first, and he fell in love with it.
King’s mugs can be purchased from his booth, or you might be able to catch him as he walks to the show floor with them in hand.
Melissa Ball Feather Painting: Booth 1532
Melissa Ball is a Pennsylvania artist known for her unique and highly detailed paintings on turkey tail feathers.
“I started painting feathers in the early ‘90s,” Ball said. “It’s been a learning curve painting on turkey feathers, but the medium is more forgiving than you would think.”
In 2001, she won the NWTF’s Grand National Art Contest and has since had a painting featured in the NWTF’s national Core Package 12 times. Ball has also been named the NWTF’s featured artist of the year and the stamp print artist.
Wildflowers and Barley DIY Cowboy Hats: Booth number 3108
Wildflowers and Barley, from Springfield, Illinois, offers custom hand-burned cowboy hats at its booth with two different options.
“We have our quick burns hat bar, where we burn something for the customer, and then we also have our DIY hat burning, where customers do it on their own,” the business owners said.
The booth offers several options of stencils, feathers and other accessories for hat personalization options.
“This is our first time at the NWTF Convention and Sport Show, we had a client suggest we come. So far, this has been one of the best events that we’ve come to, in terms of both sales and customer interaction. We’ve never received the same level of excitement that we’re receiving here.”
Macy Watkins Wildlife Art: Booth 3400
Watkins is a digital artist who has been turkey hunting since a very young age.
“I am so happy to have been afforded the opportunity to make art that is printed on merchandise and brought into people’s homes,” Watkins said. “It has been such an amazing experience to create beautiful things that resonate with a lot of people.”
This is her first year having an NWTF booth.
“I want to thank NWTF for allowing me this opportunity to connect with my fans and sell my art.”
Watkins has already sold out of her custom-made pot calls.
Smoky Mountain Coin & Jewelry: Booth 617
Ashley and Chris Blankenship of Maryville, Tennessee, join NWTF’s Convention and Sport Show with their Smoky Mountain Coin & Jewelry Booth. The couple is returning for their 15th year as a booth.
“We try to create stuff that’s not in the big box stores,” Chris said. “We use more unique gemstones, and we’ve brought some unique designs for this show. The people who come to this show are the best people, and so we try to tie our jewelry into some of our customers’ hobbies.”
Chris showed a pair of earrings he made for someone who was a beekeeper.
The Greenbrier Fly-Fishing Ties: Booth 539
Based out of West Virginia, Greenbrier Resort is showcasing and selling handmade ties.
“We mainly target trout,” one of the tiers said. “In the summer, we transition into small mouth bass, and during the winter we transition into muskie season and start tying bigger flys. Anything in the West Virginia mountains that you’d want to flyfish for is what we do.
This is the resort’s first year selling at the NWTF’s show.
“The environment has been great, and being surrounded by this many people who like to celebrate the wild turkey has been amazing.”
Gooserbat Game Calls: Booth 235
Gooserbat Game Calls has been selling handmade box calls at the NWTF show since 2014.
Talking about all independent handmade calls, they said they handle their calls with extra effort and care.
“These calls are like Grandma’s Blackberry pie: it’s made with love one at a time.”
The Finishing Touch Publishing: Booth 544
This family-run wholesale art, publishing and framing booth has been creating officially licensed NWTF pieces. They offer engraved bar sets, tumblers, bags, dog bowls and more.
They also offer wildlife and outdoor posters and canvas paintings by various different artists.
Elkhorn Coffee Co.: Booth 307
Elkhorn Coffee Co., based in Nebraska, features logo merchandise designed by a local artist. The booth is also having a limited-edition art giveaway of a hand-drawn wild turkey poster. Be sure to stop by to enter to win!