I.O. Metro Launches Call to ArtistsSTACEY WIEDOWER

As a regional chain store, Bentonville, Ark.-based I.O. Metro has characteristics typical ofmid-size mass retailers: 20 stores in 10 states, and low to moderate prices made possible bymass production and buying in bulk.

But the specialty furniture retailer built itself on a desire to be “different,” and a recentinitiative conceived by CEO Jay Howard blurs the line between mass produced and locallyproduced goods.

“We had a situation where somebody who worked in our office who was from the local areapainted a painting – as a hobby – and we ended up selling it in our stores,” said YvonneRubenstein, I.O. Metro executive VP of merchandising. “It did really well. And since that wassuccessful, that got us thinking there were probably more opportunities out there with ourcustomers.”

As a result, the company launched a call to artists in the communities around its stores –including Memphis, which has two area I.O. Metro locations. Through the competition, thecompany is seeking original works of art that will be reproduced by its suppliers and sold inall 20 I.O. Metro stores. To enter, artists must post photos of their entries on I.O. Metro’sFacebook wall.

The contest has received a strong response so far, said Amber Langston, I.O. Metromarketing director.

“I think this may be something that we look at doing on a periodic basis moving forward,”she said. “We’re very big on trying to help the community and becoming a part of thecommunities our stores are in. This is a really great way to take advantage of talent that’slocal.”

The company plans to select 25 pieces from the field of entries, which range from originalacrylic and oil paintings to mixed media works to photography. The contest closes Sunday,July 31, and I.O. Metro will notify winners Aug. 5.

I.O. Metro isn’t the first mass retailer to link its brand with the work of individual workingartists and designers. Famously, Target has partnered with designers ranging from AnyaHindmarch to Michael Graves, whose work has been produced en masse and sold atattainable price points nationwide.

The I.O. Metro contest is a similar concept on a smaller scale, with the added element that itoffers formerly unknown artists the chance to have their work distributed in marketsthroughout the Southeast and Midwest.

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Currently, the stores display full walls of hand-painted canvases, most of them contemporaryabstracts, said Rhonda Garvey, design consultant with I.O. Metro’s Collierville store.

“We’ve had a good response to it,” she said. “We provide a variety of colors, palettes to workwith, mixed media.”

The contest, though, represents a chance for I.O. Metro to branch out from its currentofferings, Rubenstein said.

“It’s not that we wouldn’t consider an abstract, but there’s so much more,” she said. “Wewould love to see something outside of what we’re currently offering. We’d love to see morefigures or landscapes or animals. If someone has a great picture of the Eiffel Tower they tookon vacation, even that would work.”

Entries range from abstract paintings to photographed images to cityscapes, florals, naturescenes and pop art. Lauren Donaldson, an amateur artist who lives near I.O. Metro’s KansasCity, Mo., store, submitted a stylized floral acrylic painting.

“I like to create simple designs of flowers and everyday items using interesting colorcombinations,” she said. “If my work is chosen, it would bring a level of exposure to mypainting that would have been difficult to achieve as an amateur artist just starting out.”

Once winners are chosen, the artists will be asked to ship their original works to thecompany and will receive a stipend to cover material costs. The works then will be convertedinto hand-painted or printed reproductions with the artists’ signatures on the front and artistphotos and bios on the back of each piece. Winning artists will receive 10 percent of salesfrom their items.

Turnaround time from when suppliers receive the works to when the pieces are available instores will be about 60 days.

Garvey said the contest has generated a lot of buzz in and around the stores.

“People are hearing about it,” she said. “Facebook is working; social networking is reallyworking for our company. I definitely think there is some great potential here. I’m reallyexcited, because there are people from all around our region that are excited about this.”

Added Donaldson: “I think it’s great that an established chain store like I.O. Metro is open toexploring local artists.”

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