About Lady Nin's Art Festival

Lady Nin's (a woman owned business) is an online art festival devoted to artists and their wares. Founded in 2004 by Bonnie Taub and former partner Kim Dube'.

Lady Nin's is honored to represent artists from the Pacific Northwest and across the country. They are also pleased to bring you the products they create.

Lady Nin's believe in top rate service, and offering their customers the easiest and most enjoyable way to shop with Lady Nin's Art Festival.

How Lady Nin's began

What do you do if you are a middle-aged woman displaced from your job? Go to college and then go shopping.

That is the Cliff Notes version of Bonnie Taub’s and Kim Dube' road to Lady Nin’s Art Festival, a new Web-based business they launched online in September 2004 at www.ladynin.com.

The unabridged version of their story begins in 2002 when Taub, an office manager for a nonprofit organization, and Dube', an assembler at Boeing, were laid off. The two, who did not know each other at the time, took advantage of the Worker Retraining program, which provides financial assistance to attend college and support services to those looking to acquire new workplace skills or upgrade existing ones. Taub, a resident of Burien, and Dube', of Federal Way, enrolled at Highline Community College and met while taking a finance class. They soon found they had much in common. “Since we were both middle-aged, returning students, we found we could commiserate together,” says Taub. “Through many coffee and lunch breaks, the idea of partnering a business was born. We were both in the business program at Highline and enrolled in the new capstone course in marketing communication.” The course gives students real-life experience by having them assist actual clients in achieving their mission objectives.

“We knew we could work well together, but we were unsure of what business we should create,” says Taub. “In getting to know each other, we discovered our mutual love of art shows, craft fairs and street festivals. We both had stories of great items we saw and didn’t buy at the time and couldn’t find again.”

Taub is a longtime pro of online marketing, having created a store on eBay to sell a variety of items, beginning with her husband’s vast music collection on compact discs. “I kept telling Kim that I knew how to sell online, so that should be our focus,” says Taub. “When we came up with the idea of creating a virtual arts and crafts fair, we had realized a market niche. We both graduated from Highline as Phi Theta Kappa honor society members in June of 2004 and with degrees in hand, we set out to do something about our passion.”

That is when they went shopping.

The two attended many festivals, from Seattle to Anacortes, to find the artists and products to feature on their Web site. “We have the blisters to prove it,” says Dube'. “Some artists were very happy to accommodate, while others were very skeptical.” The site currently features over 65 artists representing a broad range of work including ceramics and pottery, fused and recycled glass, garden and yard art, jewelry, wearable art and wall art from many of Seattle's beloved artists.

The two-person team behind Lady Nin’s Art Festival apparently gained extensive expertise while business school students at Highline,” says Zev Siegl, the Business Development Specialist at the Des Moines office of the statewide Small Business Development Centers. “At their first meeting with me, Bonnie and Kim demonstrated a high degree of proficiency with financial statements, forecasting and financing alternatives. I was particularly impressed with their business model and the founder’s passion.”

“Because of the quality of the artists’ wares on our Web site, we are realizing our dreams of not only having our own business, but a business that we are very proud of,” says Taub. “We are always out there shopping and looking for more artists who wish to join us.”

Today, Bonnie Taub continues the Lady Nin tradition as the sole owner, with advice from Kim, help from family, friends and of course her greatest asset, the artists who preside on the website.

Why the name Lady Nin?

The names Ninian or Niniane are found in the legends of King Arthur.

Ninian was known as an apprentice to Merlin. Ninian eventually became Merlin’s confidant, companion and lover. When Merlin’s powers began to fade, Ninian took on the role as guardian of Arthur's realm.

S.E. Holbrook writes “The Lady of the Lake” is the name used for several related characters, playing parts in the Arthurian legend. These characters' roles include giving King Arthur his sword Excalibur, enchanting Merlin, and raising Lancelot after the death of his father. Different writers and copyists use variations of her name, including Niniane, Nimue, Viviane, Elaine, Nivian and Nyneve.

We at Lady Nin’s believe when you purchase a piece from one of our artists, you are bringing a little magic into yours or someone else’s life.

Thank you for visiting our website.

Bonnie Taub

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