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Trade Show Convention RECAP: What were the highlights for you?

Carol Graham

Frequent Poster
Messages
164
Location
Ontario, CANADA
Company
Adatasol, Inc.
Please share your input on this event. Would love to hear about classes, networking, tradeshow, etc.

I thoroughly enjoyed Suzanne Smeaton's keynote presentation. The show has been busy and I've had several chances to make new network connections and meet up with friends.

A great event so far!
 
What did you think of the show that just ended in Las Vegas? What were your favorite classes, products, or events? What stood out? Did you attend any of the social gatherings or PPFA Chapter Leaders Conference? Did you see the competition pieces, or compete this year?

Discussion welcome!
 
I loved the speaker at the annual luncheon, telling us all about framing Washington Crossing the Delaware. Thank you Rob Markoff for arranging it, and Larson Juhl for footing the bill.

I loved the breakfast at Denny's. That should definitely become a new show tradition.

I loved Jim Miller's Glass Enclosures class. That is a real step forward, and we are so lucky to have a mind as fine as Jim's in our industry.

I loved the framing competition. So many ways to frame a rock... And hurray for our own chapter's Sara Applegate for taking first place in the open competition.

I thought that the plexiglass standoff frames with the rare earth magnets were cool. Wexford? There was a W and an X in the name, but the exact info is at work.

I was inspired by John Ranes' class 21 Tips for Survival. It has got us all thinking, and we are redoing our Example Wall, which had gotten tired.

Start filling those pickle jars with $3 per framing job, and you too, can benefit from the most inspiring week of the year.
 
I just can't imagine not attending.

Seeing everyone and talking shop for five days is just unbelievably invigorating.
If I can get half of what I want to do done it will be another great year.

I love getting in front of the chapter leaders. Talking to that group of people is a real ego boost!

I am definitely "upgrading" my "default" canvas stretching technique after Rob Markoff's stretching class. nothing I didn't already know, but I was reminded that I was taking some shortcuts I need to avoid.

Bought a lot of moulding. John Fournier from Framingham dragged me to some table with "close outs" and I bought moulding and don't even remember exactly who the guy was or who the vendor was (LOL) guess I'll find out when it arrives.

Hugh's class was best described by one framer as trying to drink from a fire hose. WOW, the information just soaks you and you hope some of it sinks in. - Methyl Cellulose may be a better hinging adhesive than Starch!! I need to understand this better!

Upgraded my framing library so my employee can study for the CPF exam. Hope to bring her to next years event.

I know there is a lot more, but I have to get to the shop and see if I can get caught back up again! Lol
 
I thoroughly enjoyed this years convention. Took something like 8 actual classes (last year I took 7), and that's not counting all the extra events mixed in between. I took French Matting with Paul MacFarland, and rediscovered a skill that I thought I had lost. It's been many years since I had done any type of French line matting, so that was a lot of fun. Learning water gilding from Marty Horowitz and Yozo Suzuki was amazing, and really gives you an appreciation for the amount of skill that goes into those amazing frames. It also led to my most expensive purchase of the show, but ahem... we won't talk about that for now. :) Guidelines for Great Frame Design with Greg Perkins was very informative, as well. I think everyone, no matter how good a designer we think we are, can benefit from a reminder of why we do what we do. I took the 21 Tips for Survival class from John Ranes, and walked away with a few good ideas to implement in this coming year.

I also sat in on the Chapter Leader's Conference, even though I am not currently serving on the New England Chapter's board. I had nothing scheduled for that day, and my friends weren't showing up until the day after, so I was invited by Cliff Wilson and John Gaston to attend the conference. Ended up taking the judging class, which was a lot of fun, and very informative. I missed the last bit of the conference when I left with Mike to help set up the LifeSaver booth. Also getting to see all the print competition entries was a treat. I had an entry in the competiton, and though it didn't place this year, it was an honor be included among some amazing designs. My frame got dinged up a bit in shipping or handling, but I should be able to patch it up well enough.

I also took Jim Miller's class on the 3D Enclosures, and was really impressed with what Jim was describing and showing in class. However, I did leave the class early extremely frustrated and annoyed. Not with Jim, of course, who put on a great class. Unfortunately, I had two people sitting behind me who talked pretty much the entire time. The woman beside me was also extremely annoyed, and even asked them to be quiet, which they were... for about 15 minutes. By the time they started up again, I had had it, and I left the class. It would behoove anyone taking these classes to remember that their classmates paid to hear the instructor speak, not to listen to their classmates chatting with their neighbors. I will get in touch with Jim at some point to get some of the information I may have missed.

By far the best part was reconnecting with some old friends and meeting some wonderful new ones. It is always a pleasure to see Ellen, who's enthusiasm is infectious. Hit it off well with Mary Fender, and got to meet and chat with Sarah Adams at the Chinese dinner. Also finally got to meet Sarah Beckett, Randy Parrish, Nicole Ohme, and Mikki Kavich, all who I have been chatting with online for quite a long time, and also was introduced to Erin McBride, who's voice I will hear in the back of my head anytime I say "Awesome!" It was really hard to say goodbye this year, but I look forward to seeing and any every one of them again next year. WCAF 2013... the best EVER!
 
WCAF 2013... the best EVER!
From a vendors standpoint I will say that it was the best ever. We had a great show. The best in the 12 year history of our company. PPFA really out did themselves with the lunch on Sunday and the vendor showcase that same evening was really well done and attended. Unfortunatly I was too busy to attend anything else, but from the feedback I got from those who came to my booth, it was a great success for everyone. Thank you PPFA and WCAF for a job well done. And a big thank you goes out to the organizers and to all those volunteers who put in so many hours to make it all happen.
 
I'm glad to hear that everyone had as good a show as I did. This was my forth show and was the best.
I agree with Ellen, the luncheon with (I forget her name from Eli Wilner) was really great.
Jim's glass enclosure's class was also great. I can'y wait to get one of those in my shop!!
Another really good class I took was John Ranes, "gift items and more". As some of you know I recently moved from an obscure location to a very visible main st. so I really got allot out of that one.
History of frames was also extremely informative. As well as the class given by the Chicago conservation center. Gotta love history and science!!!
On the floor I, like Ellen, grabbed the Wexel art displays information (the wicked hot redhead had nothing to with my stopping by the booth). I think that is certainly a great idea for my shop.
Also, I cant remember their name, but I have their info, was the company that was doing custom iphone and android covers with famous works of art.
I spoke with 3 different closed corner frame companies. I liked the guy out of Santa Fe the best. I got his info and will be getting in touch.
As for this coming year, I really want to add vis software and buy a printer. Aside for that, it's just putting everything I learned to good use.
Again, great show. I met more people this year than I have in the previous 3 shows combined. Long live the chinese dinner and see ya next year!!!
 
this was my first time, and it was amazing.

The most important for me was meeting my dear framing friends that I have been conversing with for YEARS via the internet as well as the phone. There is something even more... loving meeting in person.

I took a ton of classes. I fell in love with Hugh Phibbs and I would follow him to the ends of the earth. He is so informative. I hope the notes I took are legible and understandable! On the opposite end, I am sorry but Ken Baur rubs me the wrong way. I think his classes will help some who are just beginning in the framing industry; but for seasoned veterans his information might not be the right fit. Next year I hope to try some more hands on classes with Yozo and Marty. And thank you to John Ranes for helping with decisions on how to diversify my business in this economy.

I also got to speak with PPFA members about the state of the association at Chapter and National levels and also get reinvigorated for the coming year.

Of course, passing the MCPF also was a crowning achievement.

Thank you to all of you I was able to say hi to and spend time with. You are all a wealth of information and friendship.

I already look forward to next year.
 
I just wrote two articles about thid for the LA Chapter's newsletter. Here's the first:

I just returned from the big annual national framing events in Las Vegas, which for the past two years has been a merger of the two biggest names in framing education and promotion, PFM (Picture Framing Magazine) and the PPFA (Professional Picture Framers Association). PFM organized the West Coast Art & Frame Expo, a combination trade show and events & seminars grouped into what is called the National Conference. On the PPFA side, there was a full schedule of activities, including the Chapter Leaders Conference, the annual luncheon, the International PRINT and OPEN Framing Competitions (see Page 4), and certification exams.
The Greater Los Angeles Chapter was well represented in Las Vegas, and I snapped photos of some of the attendees I met (though unfortunately not all). Below are the Holritz’s from Creative Frames 4 U at Sunday’s vendor reception, and across the room I found Ria Richey, CPF, from Creative Framing (with me in the photo at lower right). At the top of the page is Roy Hermann, CPF, with PPFA Executive Elaine Truman. Chapter President Chris Paschke, CPF, GCF, and Vice President Ron Stark both taught classes and conducted workshops, Chris in mounting and Ron in animation cels. I also spoke at length with Bert Bogash and Judy Crown. On the vendor side, GLAC members Frank Chavez of Frank’s Fabrics and Ron Paller from Valley Moulding and Frame were kept busy at their well-attended booths.
The Chapter Leaders Conference on Saturday was a long day of lectures, discussions, and announcements that provided valuable information to all attendees. Sunday was for me a day of classes before and after the annual PPFA luncheon, where new national officers were installed, awards were presented, and everyone was superbly informed and entertained by a lecture on the creation of a massive new frame for the iconic painting Washington Crossing the Delaware in New York (see photo on previous page— this thing is BIG!).
For me, the highlight of the week was on Monday, when I tackled the stressful hands-on portion of the MCPF exam, then underwent an uncompromising evaluation of the on-site frame and four previously submitted items by two MCPF examiners. I had been working on the MCPF requirements for months, and it was a great relief to be deemed qualified to receive this certification.

- - - Updated - - -

And here's the second:

I’ll put in more information about the competitions in next month’s newsletter, but here are a few fresh comments about the entries I saw in Las Vegas. The OPEN and PRINT entries were in a great display across the aisle from the PPFA booth on the main floor of the trade show, and was a great draw for all attendees, surely contributing to the new members the PPFA enlisted at the show. I don’t know who the winners were (I will by next month) but the innovation and craftsmanship evident in all entries was astounding. I felt that my tiny entry (the red arrow) was quite inadequate among the great pieces that surrounded it. Nancy Norcross-White’s OPEN and PRINT entries (the green arrows), both of which took first place in the chapter competition, looked great. Unfortunately, many pieces in both categories were damaged, mostly by items falling out of their mounts. My advice for all future competitors is BUILD IT TOUGH. Actually bang around your piece a few times to see how it holds up, and even drop it (no, not onto concrete, but at least onto a bed from a height of a few feet). Better to catch potential damage at home rather than see it on the trade show floor.

Thses are unedited, straight from the newsletter. If you want the complete thing, just e-mail me at blanor@aol.com
 
It was great to see everyone in Las Vegas. Hopefully those that didn't get there this year will be there next year.

Our Metro Atlantic PPFA newsletter editor requested Competition winners and photos for our upcoming edition. Does anyone have a list of winners and photos? I looked the PPFA website, but they still have last year's info. I'm sure that will change in the near future, but if anyone has info, let me know.
Susan
 
They are usually put on the PMA newsfeed which automatically gets routed to the Framer's Corner.
I don't know about an email, but I would guess one would go out.
 
So here are all the comments about Las Vegas. I put mine in the thread in "Announcements & Special Events." I had a great time; best ever of any of the PPFA Conventions and/or WCAF shows I have attended over the years.
 
Waiting for official list from Comp Board, then will put press release on PMA Newsline which feeds to Framers Corner and PPFA.com headlines - also in FMO, Grumble, PFM, Art World News, etc.

Have posted new Board info, will probably go live Monday. Will also post new MCPFs, Service Award winners etc.

Will get photos from Fran Gray who took PPFA photos onsite. Fran - and Linda Pujo from Comp Board - also traveling back and catching up on the home front, etc.

Lots to do/write etc. post-show in last couple of days as well as traveling back etc.

Website will be updated as soon as possible!
 
Thank you Sheila and Cliff.

It was good to see you both in Las Vegas.

My personal PPFA Convention experience this year began Friday afternoon with the call to put on my "Judge" hat. I was already in Vegas and prepared to secretary the International OPEN Framing Competition, unfortunately one chosen OPEN judge was travel delayed due to an ice storm. So my Saturday began at 8A.M. in a small room with the Competition Board and in the company of other Accredited Judges looking over the humbling task of scoring competition entries. Are you aware that our Competition Board allows observers during this judging process? My Sunday was primarily spent with Hugh Phibbs in his lectures on Preservation Chemestry and Preservation Physics, punctured by our PPFA All Members luncheon. My chosen class time during the rest of the convention was spent in Ron Stark's lectures focusing on animation cells, Jim Miller's glass box construction and finally Rob Markoff's lectures on the effects of UV light and his popular strip lining canvas art. When I was not in class I was on the WCAF Expo trade show floor. Inspired, motivated, educated, humbled.

Jini Lumsden, MCPF
 
Official press release is posted on PMA Newsline, should go live later this morning - will feed into Announcements here at the Framers Corner.

But for a sneak peek, here are the winners: and we'll post photos at ppfa.com as soon as possible - I'll get them from Fran Gray, MCPF, who was our PPFA photographer onsite.

In the OPEN category Sara Applegate, owner of Applegate Gallery & Custom Framing in Vienna, Va., took First Place as well as High Point First Time Entry.

Second place went to Donna Erwin, Columbia River Gallery, Troutdale, Ore.; and third place went to Deborah Hill, MCPF, Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art, San Antonio, Texas.

Mikki Kavich, MCPF, Mikki’s Frame Shop, Crossville, Tenn., won a Judges Award for Conceptual Design, sponsored by SoftTouch Solutions; as well as a Popular Choice award sponsored by Picture Framing Magazine. Myrna Dow, High Desert Frameworks, Bend, Ore., won a Judges Award for Best Use of Fabric, sponsored by Frank’s Fabrics. Trevor Yates, CPF, and Jenny Yates, owners of Just Frame It, Gladstone, Australia, won an Honorable Mention.

In the PRINT category, all participants framed “Petroglyph/Rock Art,” a hand-carved native American design on slate or shale by artist Ron York. Trevor and Jenny Yates, Just Frame It, Gladstone, Australia, took First Place and won the Popular Choice Award sponsored by Picture Framing Magazine. Glenn Renick, FastFrame of Lakeville, Lakeville, Minn; won Second Place and a Judges Award for Creative Use of Wood, sponsored by Vermont Hardwoods; and John Barlowe, The Frame Shop Art Gallery & Gifts, Holland, Ohio, came in Third Place.

Mikki Kavich, MCPF, Mikki’s Frame Shop, Crossville, Tenn., won a Judges Award for Creativity, sponsored by PPFA. Cathy Webster, CPF, and Jo Shore, CPF, from Framing Matters, Canberra, Australia, won First Honorable Mention and High Point First Time Entry; Deborah Hill, MCPF, Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art, San Antonio, Texas, took Second Honorable Mention; and Donna Erwin, Columbia River Gallery, Troutdale, Ore., won Third Honorable Mention.
 
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