Bridging Community Connections: Exploring Trends in Art and Craft Festivals

Emily Edelstein – Moderator
Executive Director, CraftNOW Philadelphia
https://www.craftnowphila.org/ 

Emily Edelstein is a lifelong student of craft.  She has varied hands-on experience, including boatbuilding and blacksmithing, but her personal focus is fiber arts.  Emily studied at the John C. Campbell Folk School and the Penland School of Crafts.  She holds a BA in Global Studies from Penn State University, and a MS in Arts Administration from Drexel University, where her thesis explored the role of craftspeople within the modern American art world.  Emily previously served as the Interim Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Brissa Chilton-Garcia – Panelist
Program Coordinator, Spanish Market, Atrisco Heritage Foundation
https://www.atriscoheritagefoundation.org/

Brissa Chilton-Garcia serves as the Traditional Spanish Market Program Coordinator for the Atrisco Heritage Foundation. In this role, she oversees one of the nation’s oldest and largest juried art shows, which has been a cornerstone of Santa Fe, New Mexico’s cultural landscape since 1926. The Traditional Spanish Market, an annual heritage event, showcases the rich artistic traditions of the region.

Brissa holds a BA in Political Science and Communications from the University of New Mexico and is currently pursuing a Masters in Public Administration. Her academic background, combined with her hands-on experience in event coordination, provides her with a unique perspective on the intersection of community, art, and public service.

Clifton Henri – Panelist
Artist, Photography
https://www.cliftonhenri.com/

Clifton Henri (American, b. 1979) is a Nationally Acclaimed, Award-Winning Photographer from Chicago, IL. Henri received his Bachelors Degree in Mass Communication from Clarke University in Dubuque, Iowa and a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Graphic Design from The Savannah College of Art & Design in Savannah, Georgia. Henri began his professional career as an Art Director for a boutique advertising agency and transitioned to becoming a full-time independent artist. Henri now exhibits across the country with galleries and in juried art festivals. Henri’s work has been added to many public & private collections and recently got his first museum acquisition.

Katie Johnson – Panelist
Director of Programs and Marketplaces, American Craft Council
https://www.craftcouncil.org/

Katie has 20 years of experience in diverse creative business and non-profit leadership roles. As the American Craft Council’s Director of Programs and Marketplaces, Katie leads their flagship Baltimore show, now in its 48th year, which includes 350+ exhibitors, hands-on activities, and over 10,000 visitors. Katie also leads ACC’s American Craft Fest in St.Paul, along with online e-commerce pop-ups, other events, and markets throughout the year. 

Before coming to ACC, Katie was the Director of Bridgeway Capital’s Creative Business Accelerator, a program that provides business and financial support for thousands of artists and makers in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio. She also has a variety of experiences as a curator, teacher, manager of a community ceramics studio, owning and operating a pottery business in Asheville, NC, and serving as the Director of Braddock Tiles, a non-profit workforce development project that produced small-batch architectural tiles with youth to teach job readiness skills. She holds a B.F.A in Studio Art (Sculpture), a B.A. in Art History from the University of North Carolina, and a Master of Arts Administration (MAA) from the University of Kentucky. With her extensive experience in the arts and non-profit sector, Katie works to support artists, makers, and designers to sustain creative fulfillment while growing resilient businesses.

Karina Llergo – Panelist
Artist, Painting
https://karinallergoart.com/

Karina Llergo was born and raised in Mexico City, where her roots intertwine with Mexican, Armenian, and Spanish heritage. Armed with a Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design and postgraduate diplomas in Multimedia, Animation, Abstract Art, and Portraiture, she embarked on a successful corporate journey. Notably, she served as the art director for Mexico City’s premier newspaper “Reforma”, winning several international awards and contributing to global campaigns for brands like Coca-Cola and Revlon at the McCann Erickson advertising agency.

In 2007, Karina transitioned to a full-time art career, relocating to Chicago. Since then, her work has earned widespread acclaim, with numerous awards at prestigious art shows across the United States. Her paintings reflect her intense study and passionate interest in human figures. As a lifelong dancer, competitive swimmer, and yoga practitioner, she found herself drawn to depicting the energy of the human body in motion and the inner soul, interweaving elements of air, water, and dance. Karina’s talent for figurative painting and creative imagination translates into thought-provoking art of breathtaking beauty and inspirational emotions.