TCR: How did you first become interested in working
with garden sculpture?
GD: We moved to Hillsborough, N.C., in 1987, where
we purchased and restored a run down property and built a studio. We're both
accomplished gardeners
and share a love of nature and the outdoors. Each year we host an annual "Art
in The Garden" Sculpture Invitational on the grounds we have created
at our home and studio. It was through this that we recognized the public's
desire for well-crafted garden accessories.
TCR: How has your career evolved?
GD: Gardendance began as Jordy Pottery
in 1977. Tinka studied at both the Kansas City Art Institute and the Cleveland
Institute of Art. Having worked
as a professional artist, sculptor and designer for over 27 years, her
sculptures are exhibited and collected internationally. Mark brought his
business and
design skills to Gardendance in 1997. Together, we have been working to
meld the inspiration of the artist with the practical production ideals of
industrial
design.
TCR: Where does your business come from? How do you
make your living from this art?
GD: We are dedicated to the independent retailer and
we market only through wholesale shows. We also have a wholesale-only Web
site. Through
it, our
wholesale customers can order from us. But they have to give us a resale
number, and tax ID number, and then they'll receive a user ID and password.
We do not compete with the retailers who sell our work. We take this very
seriously.
TCR: Have there been major turning points in your career
as garden artists/businesspeople?
GD:
Tinka's father was able to see long before us that we should combine our
talents and work together. He was truly a mentor and an inspiration to
both of us. His life was that of an entrepreneur and he taught us not to
fear taking risks to pursue a goal you believe in. His death was a major
turning point for us. It's said that "they are not dead who live in
lives they leave behind … in those whom they have blessed they live
a life again." We feel that his entrepreneurial drive lives on in our
company.
TCR: Do you see any business challenges specific to
artists who craft garden sculpture?
GD: It's imperative that outdoor works not only be excellent
in design but that they perform outdoors. They must be durable and weather
resistant.
We
offer a lifetime warranty on our copper garden torches.
TCR: What has been
the most difficult thing you have encountered in your work?
GD: Pursuing knockoffs. Our work has been copied, and
we have fought the copyright infringers. Right now, we're involved in two
$20 million lawsuits
with large companies who have copied our work. Both would like to settle
out of court, and we're hopeful that will happen. We copyright every design,
and apply for a design patent. We don't want to be litigious; we just want
to run our business. We enjoy what we do, and we want to be able to make
our living doing it.
It's disheartening when our work is copied. It's time
consuming to fight it and it takes a lot of negative energy, but we do
it because it's important
that these companies know that we're not going to just sit down and take
it. It's endemic in this industry, and there are many people in this business
who accept blatant copying of their designs as inevitable, and that's wrong.
Copyright violation is a federal offense, and we'll go after anyone who
copies our designs.
TCR: What kinds of preventative measures do you suggest
people use to prevent having their designs stolen?
GD: We keep really good records. We don't give
out any catalogs unless we have the person's business card and learn something
about their business.
We know everyone who takes a catalog from our booth. Not only is this good
for follow-up marketing, we have a record of anyone who requests our catalog
at a show. When we were copied, we were able to go back over our records
and prove that the copyright infringer saw our work in our booth. Mark
even chased a suspicious-looking catalog collector at a major gift show and
got
him to empty his bag. If someone really wants your catalog, they'll find
a way to get it. But we don't have to make it easy for them.
TCR: What, in
terms of business insight, have you learned to do or not to do over the
years?
GD: We have learned not to chase trends. We are committed
to creating well-crafted, imaginative designs. Good design is not a trend.
Quality is not a trend.
Elegant, imaginative designs never go out of style.
TCR: What is the next
step for you?
GD: To more fully support our retail
partners by creating the Gardendance name as a nationally recognized and
respected brand.
TCR: Where can your work
be seen?
GD: We exhibit at Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago,
New York, San Francisco, and Philadelphia. We have permanent showrooms
in the Gardens in Atlanta and Dallas.
They will have shows in July. We will also be at the New York Gift Show
in August. Our work is available at retail stores throughout the country.
