North Texas PPFA Chapter

October Chapter Meeting

Wednesday, October 13th, 2010

Canyoncreekart.com ~ 972-690-6216

2051 North Central Expressway Suite 101
Richardson, TX 75080
Between Half Price Books and Taco Cabana facing North Central Expressway

Social time: 6:30 pm ~ we will have refreshments
Meeting time: 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Integrating Large Format Digital Printing into your Frame Shop

Are you interested in introducing photo restoration?
Photo print to canvas? or fine art giclee printing?

Please join us to hear about the many options available with:
Jerry Cornelius, Canyon Creek Art in Richardson
Michael Kennedy, Orisons Art & Framing in McKinney
Troy Veluz, ArtHaus Custom Picture Framing in Plano

Each of these individuals have been successful in integrating digital printing into their shop using different approaches in marketing, printing styles and finishing techniques. We will discuss the pros & cons of your shop doing photo restoration; using programs such as PhotoShop or hiring a service do this work for you. We will demonstrate by printing a giclee on a large format Epson 9900 discussing various papers and canvases and how each image lends itself to a particular substrate.

We will also discuss different techniques in finishing and include a demonstration in varnishing techniques on giclee canvas. We will continue with a discussion on different marketing techniques…. whether you are offering the service for you customer’s image or looking for a way to produce and sell your own artwork in your store or on the internet.

And YES! … we are even going to discuss pricing.

National Print Competition

2010-2011 International PRINT and OPEN Framing Competition

will be held during the PPFA Annual Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, Sept. 8-10, 2011.
First, second, third, and honorable mention winners from each of the chapters’ competitions are eligible to advance to the International Competition.

“Fall Leaf/Blue Sky” by artist Linda Sutton – is a digital photograph reproduction using Epson Ultrachrome inks on Epson
Premium Luster “E” Surface paper, sized 8″ X 6-1/2″.

July 18th, 9 am to 4 pm

with James Miller, CPF, GCF

Preservation Mounting With Mylar
And
Beyond Fit and Finish

Jim Miller is a popular speaker and author. His lectures and workshops are well attended. His innovative mounting methods are easily implemented in any frame shop.

Cost will be $20.00 for members and $30.00 for non-members.

For more information please contact:
Jerry Cornelius of  Canyon Creek Art & Frame /  (972) 690-6216 / jerry@canyoncreekart.com

Bobbie Florida of Red Cayuse Framing /  (817) 595-4846 / red_cayuse@yahoo.com

The workshop will be at Vinyard Frame Designs on Dragon St. In the Dallas Design District.
Click here for directions.

Certified Picture Framer Test

We will also be conducting a CPF test the same day, if you wish to take the test and be recognized as one of the best call PPFA national to register.

Open Print Competition

Just for fun!

A lot of you were disappointed that we did not have an open competition at our Christmas party this year so we are having our own chapter competition on the day of the workshop on July 18th. Bring your best framed piece, the most popular choice entry will win $100.00!

So get creative and start framing! Remember only one vote per shop will be allowed.

Note: Framed pieces entered in this competition are not eligible for entry in the National Competition.

2010-2011 International PRINT and OPEN Framing Competition

The PPFA International PRINT and OPEN Framing Competition will be held during the PPFA Annual Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, September, 2011. First, second, third, and honorable mention winners from each of the chapters’ competitions are eligible to advance to the International Competition.

2010-2011 PRINT Competition Piece

“Fall Leaf/Blue Sky” by artist Linda Sutton – is a digital photograph reproduction using Epson Ultrachrome inks on Epson Premium Luster “E” Surface paper, sized 8″ X 6-1/2″.

To purchase your copy (only $30.00) contact Jerry, Michael, Bobbie or Marianne.

The North Texas Chapter of PPFA met at Frame Destination, owned and operated by Mark Rogers, on May 18^th.  The chapter would like to thank Mark for the excellent program on his internet based framing business. After a short social time,  which always includes food, Mark walked us through his business from inception to present with a slide show and then completed the program with a tour of his plant. Mark told us about a few humorous  things that happened in the course of building the business,  like the home owners association meeting that turned out to be about him, the saw that was way too big to fit through the existing doors and the mat cutter that caused  major electrical problems.

Mark’s background is in electrical engineering. As an ammeter photographer he found that he could not find an inexpensive mat and frame source for his photographs.  About the time that he was looking for frames for his work, he began to be interested in starting a business of his own. Being an engineer and detail oriented kind of guy, Mark began to do some research on how to open and operate a business. He continued working as an engineer while he did his research and planned how he would go about  opening his own business. Mark set up his website and Frame Destination was born.  The actual framing operation began in Mark’s garage in 2003.  Mark told us that he showed Debbie Leus, who at the time was with Nielsen Baninbridge, his business plan. She liked the plan and talked with her company about allowing Mark to order materials in less than minimum required quantities. He continued working as an engineer in the early stages of his business.  After work he would go home, check his website and start the process of putting together the frame orders that he had received from the website that day and shipped them  out as quickly as he could possibly manage. Mark was able to keep the turnaround time short by offering only a few choices in the frame styles and mat colors. This allowed him to keep enough stock on hand to complete the orders. As his business has grown he has increased choices of frame styles, mat colors  and designs.

The goals for Frame Destination include:

1.       Help the customer – including sending them to a competitor if it is not profitable to meet the customers need.

2.       Help his employees

3.     Maintain cash flow

4         Efficiency –

A.  he does not want to pay people to wait, walk, set up, or redo.
B.   continually improve his equipment.
C.  decrease scrap

5.  Improve margins – figure out where he is losing money and stop the loss

6.  Reduce cost of goods sold.

To keep his business growing Mark says that he is always looking for a new product and new marketing  avenues ; i.e. face book, photo contest, etc.  He feels that it is important to know your market, keep your focus and do only what you do best.