Artisan House Names Manager of Operations for Europe

Furniture World Magazine

Artisan House®, designers and crafters of unique, fine-quality metal sculptures for wall, floor and tabletop, announded that it has named John Breckman as its new Manager of Operations to help assess, develop and implement the company's presence in the European market. Breckman has served as a fashion agent in the United Kingdom for over 40 years. "John is well known for his work in men's and women's wear," says John Shilling, president of Artisan House. "He has a keen eye for great clothing design, as well as a lifelong interest in interior design." During his career as a fashion agent, Breckman frequently participated in designers' "pre-selection meetings." At these meetings, Breckman and other experts were involved in selecting colors and fabric designs, and keeping collections up to date with current and future trends. Breckman sees Europe as a "largely untapped market" for fine metal art sculptures. "I'm hoping Artisan House will become the 'Biros ballpoint pen of home décor accessories' - where the Artisan House name becomes synonymous with the type of product we offer," he adds. Breckman's employment with Artisan House commenced on October 1, 2008. His offices are based in Edgware in northwestern London. As Manager of Operations, Breckman says he is committed to building the structure that is needed to successfully introduce Artisan House designs in Europe. This involves an ongoing dedication to building a network of sales agents and warehousing and distribution capabilities, he adds. "I also want to give retailers confidence that we at Artisan House are here to stay - and that we'll deliver on what we promise to deliver." Artisan House pieces are sold in home furnishing stores, art stores, outdoor furniture stores, and at billiards, pool and spa retailers. Commercial customers include major department stores like Nordstrom, restaurants, bars, hotels and casinos. The firm's permanent showrooms are located in High Point (IHFC Design Center, Space D208) and Las Vegas (World Market Center, Space A-300). Artisan House has also exhibited at the Tokyo Furniture Market; Interiors Birmingham; Atlanta Gift Market; New York Art Expo Show; Maison et Objet; ASEAN Furniture Show (Singapore); Ambiente Frankfurt; Furnitex, Melbourne; and Index UAE (Dubai).