1. From: Joyce Donaldson <joycedsunnyca@yahoo.com>
Subject: Melding Culture and Commerce at the 2013 Southwest Arts
Festival. | Indio Chamber of Commerce
Date: January 26, 2015 at 9:47:26 PM PST
To: "Joyce E. Donaldson" <joycedsunnyca@yahoo.com>
Joyce E. Donaldson
joycedsunnyca@yahoo.com
760.808.0823
http://indiochamber.org/melding-culture-and-commerce-at-the-2013-
southwest-arts-festival/
Melding Culture and Commerce at the
2013 Southwest Arts Festival.
Joyce Donaldson, President/CEO of the Indio Chamber of
Commerce knows first-hand art is a serious business!” The
Southwest Arts Festival® is the Chamber’s largest annual
fundraiser and as a non-profit organization, the funds garnered
from the festival allow the chamber to continue to provide
valuable business, visitor and residential resources” Donaldson
explains. “Promoting community and job creation are two of our
top priorities.”Blending Culture and Commerce is strongly
evident as the Chamber contracts with twenty three companies
throughout the Coachella Valley. Most are chamber members
and have multiple employees- keeping our local workforce
employed. Service industries utilized include; Electric Car

2. Distributors, Kiner Communications, Tops and Barricades,
Burrtec Waste and Recycling Services, CDS Office Products,
Signature Party Rental and VIP Promotions. Food, beverages
and supplies are purchased locally for 299 artists, their 241
assistants and over 200 volunteers.
Costco, McDonalds, Sizzlers, Shields Date Gardens and Subway
are a few of the businesses that benefit from increased sales.
Hotels such as Indio Super 8 & Suites, Royal Plaza Inn, Indian
Palms Country Club and Indian Palms Vacation Club are home
to the artists during the Festival as they travel across the country,
from as far away as the east coast.
“The artists and visitors that emerge on the Empire Polo Club
Festival directly stimulate the local economy. They shop, eat,
sleep and contribute thousands of dollars to the valley” says
Donaldson. “Sales topped $ 794,695 during the three day
festival in 2012, with the Chamber earning 15% of the art sales. A
majority of those dollars are filtered back into the community as
it costs a hefty sum to produce an Art Festival of this caliber.”
The internationally renowned Empire Polo Club has added a
certain cache as the world is familiar with the picturesque venue
as being host of two internationally renowned events, the
Coachella Festival and Stagecoach Country Music Festival.
Guaranteeing a profitable bottom line, Donaldson and Shawnna
Trombetta, Festival Assistant Manager realize the quality of

3. accepted artwork must remain superior. All artist work is juried
by a committee of art professionals possessing a critical eye
which ensures a consistent level of superb fine art. “We have
learned many valuable lessons over the past four years we have
managed the festival” Trombetta explains. “We are constantly
evaluating what works and further tweaking the Festival to keep
our artists and patrons satisfied and to increase revenue for the
Chamber”.
The Coachella Valley has a prominent population of artists
making a living from their art. They approach it as any small
business owner does, applying the same principals necessary for
a successful enterprise with staying power.
Take Diane McClary, the 2013 Southwest Arts Festival poster
artist. McClary is both an artist and a business owner. “This is a
very serious profession for me. I spent 32 years developing my
art and came to the Desert 12 years ago from Washington
because there was demand here for my paintings,” explains
McClary who paints plein air style desert landscapes. To create a
following, McClary started participating in a number of area art
festivals and sold her paintings at an El Paseo gallery.
To grow her business in a challenging economy, she hired a

4. professional manager three years ago. Dominic Piperata of
Paradigm Arts Group handles McClary’s promotional materials,
technology needs and placed McClary’s work on Fine Art
America, an online marketplace for fine art prints.
Richard Curtner, the Festival’s 2011 Poster Artist, is a self-taught
collage artist. “My art is my sole income and I work at it full-
time.” About 80% of his business comes from festival sales and
20% from his online art gallery and store. Curtner shows and
sells at about 25 festivals a year, adding new clients and
collectors. To save money, Curtner does everything himself, from
e-mail blasts to public relations. He’s looking at potential
licensing arrangements in the print market from cards and
calendars to increase his income.
To expand his one-thousand plus customer base, Curtner offers
his art at a variety of price points from $40 for small limited
edition prints to $2500 for a large (20”X24”) original. “When I
am at a festival there is something affordable for everyone who
likes my work to buy.” Curtner says.”
Jewelry maker, Gunn Trigere, was a successful Beverly Hills
retailer who owned and operated the Gunn Trigere Boutique on
Rodeo Drive. For the past 22 years, the Swedish-born Trigere has
focused totally on designing and making exclusive one-of-a-kind
and limited edition silver jewelry. She presents in fine art shows
throughout the country. Her years in retail in addition to her

5. talent have clearly contributed to her success as an artist. Trigere
combines, glass and semi-precious stones into pieces ranging
from $125 to $1500. Trigere runs her jewelry business as she did
her prestigious boutique. “I’ve never made jewelry for fun. It
always has to be a business.” Because of her unique work, Trigere
prefers personal contact with her customers and doesn’t sell
online or have a website.
Make no mistake, all these artists love what they do and that they
make a living with their art is an art in itself.
# # #

6. talent have clearly contributed to her success as an artist. Trigere
combines, glass and semi-precious stones into pieces ranging
from $125 to $1500. Trigere runs her jewelry business as she did
her prestigious boutique. “I’ve never made jewelry for fun. It
always has to be a business.” Because of her unique work, Trigere
prefers personal contact with her customers and doesn’t sell
online or have a website.
Make no mistake, all these artists love what they do and that they
make a living with their art is an art in itself.
# # #