Did the CPF test ever include hands-on?

[Andrew Lenz Jr.]

I was talking to a rep and she worked as a framer for 6 years on the East Coast about 20 years ago. She said that around 1990 (maybe as late as 1992), she took what she claims is the CPF test at a frame/art show in New York and that it included a written test as well as hands-on (mat cutting) and she got a certificate at the end.

As far as I remember—I cut my first mat in 1979—the CPF test has never included any hands on. (MCPF, yes, CPF no.)

Anyone know if this test really would have been a CPF test and, if not, what it might have been?

Thanks,
Andrew

 

[Jim Miller MCPF GCF]

There are only three credentials in our industry: CPF, MCPF, and GCF.

To my knowledge, the CPF exam has never included a hands-on segment. That has long been a criticism of the program from framers, which is one of the reasons the MCPF program was developed.

Maybe she took the GCF exam sponsored by the Fine Art Trade Guild (FATG), which includes written and hands-on segments. Vivian Kistler proctored that exam for a number of years at the ABC and DecorExpo shows in New York, Atlanta, and possibly other cities.

I took that exam under Vivian's supervision in Atlanta. It was quite an easy test, compared to the PPFA exams. The written segment took about half an hour, and for the hands-on segment I was asked to cut a mat and draw pen lies on it using a straightedge and ruling pen. Then Vivian graded my work and said my certificate would come in the mail. The whole thing took about an hour.

 

[Kai Vanuffelen]

Just to reply to Jim's comments. These are the internationally recognized framing qualifications. There are countries with state-run qualifications or set up by local framing associations.

The GCF exam has been made more difficult with one of the three pieces to be brought along to the exam being a needlework. Furthermore, there are three advanced accreditations, namely conservation framing, fabric arts and mount design and function.

The FATG has plans to expand the advanced accreditations to more than three, but in the current economic climate this project has been placed on the backburner. One of the options being discussed was focusing on the financial side of running a pictureframing shop.

 

[Jim Miller MCPF GCF]

There are countries with state-run qualifications or set up by local framing associations.

What are these credentials and local framing associations, and where can we get more information about them?

 

[Kai Vanuffelen]

There are local framing organizations all over the world, but the language-barrier is often a problem.
In Australia there a Certificate III in Picture Framing run by the Box Hill Institute in Victoria. Jared Davis holds this certificate and may be able to tell us more about this qualification.
Then there is the Picture Framers Guild of Australia.

I have heard, there is a pictureframers association covering the New England states. Not that I am much interested in them, but they exist. If someone passes a qualification run by the PPFA or FATG and moves to another country, then the CPF and GCF designations stand for something - they are internationally recognized.

Whereas a qualification in pictureframing passed in Sweden or Austria from a local framing ordganization does not mean much in other countries. France has a state-run qualification in pictureframing that includes working for a pictureframing business for two years. So after working for someone as a framing employee and passing a written and practical exam, the candidate receives a certificate in pictureframing. The certificate being written entirely in French.

There are many well-known framers in English speaking countries that run private courses and upon completion of this week long course a candidate may or may not receive a certificate. Whatever this certificate stands for. I can name a few example if anyone is interested. I cannot see the point of someone holding an Advanced GCF or an MCPF qualification to sit yet another local exam in pictureframing.

After sitting so many exams in pictureframing, I wonder, what more is there these courses and qualifications can offer me. Instead I can run my own framing school and so can others.

With regard to the GCF examiner, this person is not a proctor. To me a proctor is a superviser who oversees an exam, but does not decide upon the outcome of the exam. The certificate I got from the FATG upon becoming a GCF examiner, states the word examiner.

A candidate for the GCF exam sits a written test. This is not seen by the examiner and gets sent in a sealed envelope to the FATG headquarters in london for assessment by an official there.

Then there are the three previously framed pictures by the candidate. They get opened, assessed and scored by the examiner. An examiner can be tough or easy going. There are some practical taks, the candidate has to perform. These tasks get picked from a list by the examiner. Some tasks on the list are easy to do, while others are difficult. It all depends upon the examiner, which tasks the candidate has to perform. Then these tasks get scored by the single examiner. Again, the examiner can have high standards or not.

These two scoresheets get sent to London with the sealed envelope for the written part for final assessment.
The MCPF test works differently. There are two examiners, who both decide on the same day, whether a candidate has passed or failed. Scores are not sent to Jackson for the final decision-making.

The CPF exam is entirely written and candidates tick boxes and I believe this is placed into a slot-machine in Jackson for assessment.

 

[Mike Labbe]

I have heard, there is a pictureframers association covering the New England states. Not that I am much interested in them, but they exist.

New England Professional Picture Framer's Association (NEPPFA) is just our local chapter of PPFA. It's an active chapter and covers a large area.

I believe there are 25 chapters in USA, one in Canada, and one for Australia and New Zealand. Each chapter has its own meetings, competitions, website, facebook page, etc.

 

[Kai Vanuffelen]

Thanks for clarifying that Mike. Now I know a bit more and so do some others.

 

[Jim Miller MCPF GCF]

There are many well-known framers in English speaking countries that run private courses and upon completion of this week long course a candidate may or may not receive a certificate.

Yes, there are many training courses available, and some of them come with certificates of completion. For example, I offer a one-on-one Weekend Mentoring program, which is customized to cover specific topics selected by the framer, who receives a certificate of completion afterward. There are at least a dozen privately-owned framing schools in the USA offering training on specific topics, mostly in the fundamentals of framing. National and regional trade shows and local PPFA chapters offer training classes on all aspects of framing.

I would not consider any of these to be credential programs. Credentials come from carefully developed, comprehensive programs involving a broad consensus of opinion. There may be many training courses involved, or perhaps none at all. In any case, the methods/materials promoted by the program have clear justification and provenance. Also, credential programs require candidates to pass a test, and may require ongoing education to maintain the qualification.

As far as I know, only the CPF, GCF, and MCPF programs fit this description. If there are similar programs in other parts of the world, which could have international importance, it would be interesting to know more about them.

 

[Kai Vanuffelen]

I agree with you Jim, that the qualifications or certifications run by the PPFA and FATG have the best credentials and provenance unless proven otherwise. Yes we can learn from what other framing organizations do around the world with regard to qualifications, but I do not think there is much more to add than what the odd 3000 members of the PPFA have not already come up with.

A separate certificate for working as an apprentice pictureframer under an MCPF seems like a good idea. This will only work for school-leavers, not for framers in their thirties and over who already work for themselves and their family.

There are a number of framing organizations around the world, most without their own qualification(s). I can gather some addresses from them and post them under a separate post for anyone interested. Someone in the PPFA hierarchy can contact them if they so wish for sharing of information.

 

[Ormond Williams MCPF]

A separate certificate for working as an apprentice pictureframer under an MCPF seems like a good idea. This will only work for school-leavers, not for framers in their thirties and over who already work for themselves and their family.

Where did this idea come from?

 

[Kai Vanuffelen]

This is part of the official pictureframing course run in France. I will gather some more information and then post it.
I like the idea, because that is what the guilds were based upon during the Middle Ages in Europe. There were guilds for all types of trades and one was not allowed to set up business in a certain trade unless having been an apprentice for a number of years under a master.

For a budding young pictureframer, working under an experienced (MCPF) framer can be beneficial, especially when this apprentice looks for a real job as pictureframer. Some countries have government-subsidized apprenticeships so that the employer does not have to pay full wage, since there is a lot of time involved in training an apprentice. Basically unproductive time. Getting a certificate for having completed such an apprenticeship seems to me a good idea.

So if you like, the idea comes from me. It is only an idea - nothing more than that.

 

[Jim Miller MCPF GCF]

In the USA before PPFA and before serious development of educational opportunities for framers (probably initiated by Paul Frederick) the only avenue of learning the craft was to work under a veteran framer. Whether considered as an official apprentice, an assistant, or just a rookie employee, the process of learning was limited to whatever facts and opinions were held by the veteran mentor. In that scenario, many mistaken beliefs and falsehoods have been passed from one generation of framers to the next, and that path of progress is haphazard, at best.

But as development of educational courses began to take hold a few decades ago, consensus opinions became an essential part of framing education. That is, instead of learning the ways of one framer, novices were exposed to the ways of many framers, who gathered together and argued the benefits and consequences of all the methods/materials available. Framing education evolved from individual efforts to collaborative efforts, which bring much more valuable knowledge to the forefront. Framing processes have been refined in the course of this educational process, and it has led to many advances in materials, methods, business practices and profitability.

Mentoring still has a place in the educational scheme of framing, but these days the body of knowledge extends far past the experimentation and personal experiences of one or a few associated framers. If Europe and other parts of the world still educate their framers by mentoring and apprenticing programs, then it is no wonder why PPFA members, and others who follow the PPFA educational model, are so much better-informed.

 

[David Waldmann]

A separate certificate for working as an apprentice pictureframer under an MCPF seems like a good idea.

Agreed. 100%.

But I don't think it will take hold in the USA. AFAIK there are no real apprenticeship programs here and I don't see the small/struggling/shrinking framing industry being the one to stake a pilot on. Now maybe if you suggested an apprenticeship for pencil pushing you'd get somewhere...

It takes a lot of resources to put together an apprenticeship program and the rewards are long term. I just don't see the mentality for it here in the land of outsource-or-die.

 

[Gregory K. Norris CPF]

I don't think the classic model of apprenticeship will catch on here any time soon, for all the reasons above. But it does bring to mind a question I have been wondering about. Picture Framing doesn't have a clear career path or even an organized curriculum for those choosing to enter the business. There are probably a lot of reasons for this, not least of which is that it is not perceived as a path to a prosperous career and there aren't thousands of young people wanting to learn it at any given moment.

But still, there are a few that want to learn it. Right now, the best advice I can give someone is to find a job in a frame shop, join PPFA and read the CPF curriculum, go to the workshops and piece together an education. While I think this is good advice, it is unlike many other professions where there is a clear progression, i.e. take these classes in this order, get this degree, take this test, etc.

If there is anything I would like to see in a long-term plan for PPFA, it would be the gradual development of the many core classes into a cohesive curriculum. Something on the order of a survey class would make a good start. It is not something practical right now, and PPFA's resources are limited, but I hope it is on somebody's wish list.

I am basing this mostly on my difficulty in training employees to be framers. Some have a natural aptitude for it, but I think anyone could at least learn the basics if I were a better teacher. I am a small player, and most move on before they can reach a level of proficiency to allow them the income they would like to have.