Oct 27, 2014

Dallas Market Center and ART Announce 26th Annual ARTS Awards Judges

ART and Dallas Market Center, co-founder and producer of the ARTS Awards, today announced the 26th annual ARTS Awards judges.

This distinguished judging panel will select winners in 24 different categories. The awards will be presented during a gala event on Friday, Jan. 16, 2015 at the Hilton Anatole Hotel. ARTS Awards is the premier international awards program dedicated to home industry excellence held each January during the Dallas Total Home & Gift Market. The judges are Patti Carpenter, Michael Di Paulo, Ann Fox, Snoa Garrigan, Moira Gavin and Susan Inglis.

Patti Carpenter

Carpenter is the award-winning creative director for Carpenter + Company and has extensive experience in product design and development, merchandising and color + trend forecasting. She is well known for successful international sourcing and for creating innovative products that add revenue and enhance the brand’s image. Carpenter works with companies where she designs, develops and sources several private label programs, from sketch to merchandise, for clients including Bloomingdale’s, Crate & Barrel, Neiman Marcus, Sferra and Ralph Lauren.

Michael Di Paulo

Di Paulo spent the first half of his professional career as partner and creative director for an internationally known apparel firm. In 1994, Di Paulo made a career change to the home décor industry and co-founded Rollo Inc., the umbrella corporation for four unique retail concepts aimed at the high-end retail market. Di Paulo utilizes his design and merchandising background to keep Homefest, along with its affiliates, Boxwood & Begonia and Matelassé at the forefront of the luxury home décor trade.

Ann Fox

Fox is a long time retailer, interior designer, store consultant and product designer. After working with Polo Ralph Lauren opening the first Ralph Lauren Home stores in the Southwest, Fox opened Room Service by Ann Fox in Dallas in 1987. The store was open for more than 20 years and received the 2003 ARTS Award in the specialty store category. Fox has served as editor at Country Home, Victoria, Better Homes and Southern Living. Fox now runs Ann Fox Design, a design and consulting firm.

Snoa Garrigan

Garrigan is the executive director of the Interior Design Society (IDS), a non-profit membership association, founded in 1973 that aims to strengthen the professionalism of the residential interior design industry by providing education, recognition and opportunities to members through its programs and services. In her six years at IDS, Garrigan has served as benefits coordinator, chapter coordinator, business/office manager and progressing to executive director in January 2012.

Moira Gavin

Gavin is the former CEO of Wedgwood Royal Doulton International. She was responsible for worldwide operations including sales, marketing, design and product development. During her tenure at Wedgwood, she oversaw partnerships with Vera Wang, Barbara Barry, Emeril, Gordon Ramsay and numerous other collaborations. Prior to joining the Waterford Wedgwood Group, Gavin held executive roles at Lenox and numerous other retailers in the home industry.

Susan Inglis

Inglis will continue as the judge of the Green Award which recognizes excellence in sustainable manufacturing practices and standards. She has served as executive director of Sustainable Furnishings Council since 2008 and also has a small business, From The Mountain, working with artisans around the world to introduce their skills and products to new markets. She has worked in 19 countries and on five continents providing services ranging from identifying procedures for ensuring the sustainability of a natural resource base to market-led product development.

The 26th annual ARTS Awards are sponsored by enLIGHTenment, FANDECK, Gifts & Decorative Accessories, Giftware News, HFN, Home Accents Today, Home Fashion Forecast, Home & Textiles Today, Residential Lighting and the Sustainable Furnishings Council.

About Dallas Market Center

Founded in 1957, Dallas Market Center is the world’s most complete wholesale marketplace. Within its marketplace of more than five million square feet, retailers from around the globe source products ranging from home furnishings, gifts, decorative accessories and lighting to textiles, fashion accessories and men’s, western, women’s and children’s apparel. With more than 50 markets each year attended by more than 200,000 retail buyers from all 50 states and 85 countries, Dallas Market Center offers hundreds of events and seminars geared toward helping retailers expand business and increase profits. The Dallas Market Center website is available at dallasmarketcenter.com.

About ART

ART is the creative home furnishings network representing manufacturers, retailers, representatives and other individuals and companies interested in promoting and enhancing the market position of the home furnishings industry. Each year ART sponsors programs such as the ART conference, regional educational seminars, the ART card and the ARTS Awards. The ART website is available at http://www.accessoriesresourceteam.org/.

About the ARTS Awards

The ARTS Awards is the premier international awards program dedicated to the home industry. Up to 27 categories exist under the headings Manufacturer, Retailer, Product Designer, Interior Designer, Sales Representative, Rising Star, Green and Academy of Achievement. Anyone in the industry can nominate including manufacturers, retailers, sales representatives, designers, suppliers, consultants and other industry officials. Academy of Achievement and Rising Star honorees are selected by an ARTS Awards committee each year. Companies that have won an ARTS Award five times are inducted into the Hall of Fame. Hall of Fame members are: BJ’s Home Accents, C.S. Wo & Sons, Distinctive Designs International Inc., Feizy Rugs, Fine Art Lamps, Global Views, Montaage, Natural Decorations Inc., Palecek, Paragon, Robb & Stucky and Schonbek Worldwide Lighting.