Here is a tribute to Beth Bergman from The Grand Avenue web site, in celebration of her induction into the Art Materials Hall of fame at the NAMTA Convention next week in Minneapolis:
Beth Bergman will be recognized for her leadership in business, arts advocacy, and the art materials industry when the International Art Materials Association inducts her into its Hall of Fame. The honor takes place at the association’s annual conference and trade show, Art Materials World, which is held this year in Minneapolis, May 1–3.
Bergman owns and operates Wet Paint artists’ supplies on St. Paul’s Grand Avenue. She has grown the business over 29 years to become one of the most known and respected independent art supply retailers in North America. An artist herself, Bergman was a founding member of the WARM Gallery. She actively supports other artists and arts organizations, including the Minnesota Museum of American Art, where she has served on the board.
She is also a long-time champion of independent businesses through her work in the Grand Avenue Business Association and MetroIBA, the Twin Cities’ Independent Business Alliance.
“It’s easy for all of us to look at small businesses and think of them as ‘just local,’” Bergman says. “In reality, small business owners sometimes have the most direct relationships with a global network of suppliers and customers, which is one reason they can do so much to enrich their neighborhoods and communities.”
Wet Paint stocks 35,000 creative products and is a regular stop for manufacturers from around the world, who come to discuss new products and trends in art making with Bergman and her staff. The store has become a hub for the Twin Cities arts community, but also for visiting artists and, through online sales, for artists across the country and abroad.
“This Hall of Fame induction is Beth’s peers in the industry saying, ‘This woman has done an outstanding job,’” says Reggie Hall, executive director of the North Carolina-based International Art Materials Association. The organization is known as “NAMTA“, the initials taken from its earlier identity as a national trade group. “Beth is highly regarded across the industry,” Hall says. “She’s very knowledgeable and more than happy to share that knowledge with anyone.”
Bergman served on the NAMTA board of directors from 2006 through 2012. She’s led the creation of a showcase at the annual conference for new products and concepts to support diverse artists.
“Wet Paint is an internationally recognized art supply store, thanks in large part to education and connections gained through NAMTA,” Bergman says. “Those things that you gain from, you give back to.” Here is the link to the article: Grand Avenue Blog