The WCAF Expo Celebrates 20 Years

The WCAF Expo Celebrates 20 Years

An important milestone for the art and custom framing community

By Alexis Orlacchio

Designed to be a one-stop shop for all things art and custom framing, the very first West Coast Art & Frame Expo was held at the Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel & Casino. It’s been 20 years since the WCAF Expo debuted in Las Vegas, and even though the industry has changed dramatically over the last two decades, the need to bring the custom picture framing community together has not wavered.

Attendees, exhibitors, and instructors from over 44 countries traveled to Las Vegas to attend the West Coast Art & Frame Expo, which returned to the Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, January 28-30, 2019, with The National Conference beginning a day earlier. Impressive and diverse booth displays lined the show floor, which kept a steady flow of attendees shopping and meeting with exhibitors throughout the entire event. Among all the feedback from the show, the same themes kept presenting themselves: busy, high-energy, and successful.

The Expo

“The show was well-attended and upbeat and our team’s hard work in terms of new product design and merchandising really paid off,” said Josh Eichner, executive vice president of Framerica. “Supporting the show helps the overall industry by extension. We believe that there is an obligation among companies like ours to be at the show and we would encourage others to do the same.”

The Expo welcomed 26 new exhibiting companies and also hit a high number of buyers in attendance this year. “We received a lot of feedback saying how great the energy was at the show and a number of our exhibitors have told us it was their best show yet,” said Deborah Salmon, trade show director.

Jim McNickle, marketing director for the Fletcher Business Group, said the company had one of its busiest shows in years. “We were pleased with the interest we received for the company’s TA-350 Auto Saw, joining automation, and our saw blade technology offered through our Atlas Saw Group,” he said. This year, McNickle noticed a variety in attendance with many customers from the graphic and sign as well as woodworking industries purchasing equipment at the show. He said, “This is continuing proof of the market crossover that we have anticipated coming into framing. It’s a good sign for the industry and manufacturers supplying this market.”

Attendees and instructors alike stressed the importance of coming to the expo due to the drastically changing technological advancements and their impact on running a business. “The industry and technology is changing so quickly that if you miss a year, you miss a lot more than a year,” said Kent Untermann, president of Pictures Plus in Kapolei, HI. “The education at this show is amazing and you can find so many diversified products in regards to printing and all other aspects of your business.” As the owner and founder of his retail chain that offers prints, mats, frames, home décor furnishings, art on demand services, and more, Untermann said he finds coming to the show crucial to the success of a framing business.

Attendees are able to network with vendors and other framers.

Michael Keeling, sales representative at Universal Arquati Moulding, spoke about the convenience the WCAF Expo brings to his company. He said, “Universal comes to the West Coast Art & Frame Expo because it’s a fantastic venue to be able to showcase the full complement of our entire line: the Universal line, the Arquati line, the equipment line, and our value-core line. You need a good opportunity and a good venue to showcase all of those products. Also, the quality of the buyer here is very, very high.”

Exhibitors offer discounts, demonstrations, and more.

Melissa Sherman is a design consultant at Sherman McNutly in Los Angeles, CA, who said she enjoys coming to the show every year to stay up-to-date with the framing industry and get important face time with sales representatives. “I always try to offer my clients things other places wouldn’t offer and I have the ability to do that because I come to the show every year and see it before everybody else does,” she said. With the show being held in Las Vegas, Sherman said she feels like she’s getting a vacation on top of priceless networking opportunities.

Framerica showcases its new moulding lines.

Cocktail Parties and Special Events

At the sold-out 20th anniversary party, guests took photo-ops with Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley impersonators and lined up to get their pictures drawn by caricature artists, sponsored by Crescent. “We had a number of attendees and exhibitors tell us it was the most fun they’ve had at a business event!” said Salmon. Three lucky winners were chosen to receive raffle prizes including Caesars Entertainment show tickets, limo transportation, and a free suite for the 2020 WCAF Expo.

Salmon continued, “We feel honored to be able to bring the art and custom framing community together once a year, and it’s such an important milestone to be able to celebrate 20 years.” Guests snapped fun pictures with props in a blow-up photo booth sponsored by Larson-Juhl, treated themselves to a chocolate fondue fountain, and enjoyed networking with their colleagues.

Among many standout special events was a brandnew photo walk to The Neon Museum, one of Las Vegas’s top tourist attractions. During a private tour of the museum, attendees discovered the captivating history behind these iconic signs while learning how to take eye-catching photos. The following morning, they were able to print their photos at the Canon booth as a souvenir from the show.

Special events and parties make great networking opportunities.

John Ranes II demonstrates mat cutting techniques.

Hands-on workshops continue to gain popularity at The National Conference.

Jay Goltz presents one of his sold-out seminars at The Natonal Conference.

Attendees discover new business strategies.

Attendees enjoy PPFA’s “Welcome to Vegas” cocktail reception.

The National Conference

Running in conjunction with the Expo is The National Conference, the industry’s leading educational program, which offers innovative seminars and hands-on workshops every year. The conference featured over 30 new offerings this year, most of which were sold to capacity.

“The retailers who are taking these classes are the ones that are going to distinguish themselves in terms of growth and success,” said Daniel Beauchemin, CEO of Chelsea Frames in New York, NY. Beauchemin, a successful interior designer and instructor for The National Conference, is a master at building and maintaining connections with the attendees that take his seminars and is always willing to continue the discussion outside of the classroom. “There is a true thirst for knowledge in our industry. I constantly have people emailing me to talk about my classes, I even had someone from Chicago come and visit my shop to see the business first-hand.”

Ginger Hartford, founder of EurDesign Studio in Dacula, GA, reaffirmed the notion that retailers are eager to learn, stay current, and evolve. She said, “Retailers are hungry for education to better understand marketplace trends as well as digital marketing and ways to streamline and scale their businesses.” An instructor for The National Conference, Hartford strives to share her experience and perspectives to help others in the industry. She teaches seminars on topics like social media, marketing, and targeting millennial customers. “Community is a powerful thing. I’ve always been passionate about mentoring and coaching retailers to win. Embracing resource partners with tools and expertise to share not only empowers your growth, it’s the best investment you can make in your own personal development and the future success of your team and business.” Hartford said attendees were eager to adopt new marketing strategies and she noted a high level of engagement and appreciation from the attendees in her seminars.

Hartford joined Jay Goltz, Meg Glasgow, Jim McNickle, and Kevin Meath as a panel expert at the Picture Framing Magazine industry breakfast. This year, the discussion focused on the changing landscape of the art and framing industry and included insight from these experts on how to best adapt to the new climate. Hartford described feeling a new energy during this year’s breakfast panel and was pleased to receive positive direct feedback from national and international attendees. She said, “A marketing director for a European glass production company messaged me saying, ‘The panel was such an inspiration,’ and it was refreshing to see my persona as exactly what she needed to see. And (my) insight? Worth a million!”

It can be difficult for retailers to have access or devote time to continuing education, and long-time attendee L.B. Brown emphasized the impact that attending the conference has on her business. As the owner of Clinton Hill Simply Art & Framing Gallery in Brooklyn, NY, Brown said she closes her shop every year to attend the expo and that her clients always notice a difference in her energy and inspiration when she returns home. She said, “Whenever I come to the show, I always take classes. I want to be ahead of the curve and the instructors here are specialized in certain areas. And if products are recommended in any specific class, then I can stop by the booth and take a sample.”

The National Conference is constantly evolving to offer framing retailers the highest quality and most up-do-date education to facilitate their growing businesses. General interest courses also draw a huge audience for the conference. This year, the conference added brand-new seminars, luncheon sessions, and a cocktail reception that focused on the great frames of Europe led by the industry’s best frame historians. These offerings gave attendees a glimpse into the fascinating insights of these iconic period styles.

Ginger Hartford uses her branding and marketing expertise to show attendees how to target millennial customers.

Attendees shop for new moulding samples at the Omega booth.

In her keynote seminar, “Recharge Your Business: Take Your Business from Ignored to Adored,” Meg Glasgow, owner of Finer Frames in Eagle, ID, demonstrated how to use the Internet to reach new customers and shared some of her fasttrack success secrets.

Jay Goltz, president and owner of Artists Frame Service in Chicago, IL, outlined the key aspects of creating and building a brand as well as how these tools can transform your business and your bottom line. Goltz opened his business shortly after graduating from college, and it has grown to become the world’s largest custom picture frame shop. After a successful run in its first year, his keynote titled “Creating Your Brand: A More Deliberate Approach to Building Your Business,” was brought back to The National Conference lineup by popular demand.

“I’ve seen a tremendous positive change in our industry,” said Goltz, who has been teaching for The National Conference for the past 20 years. “The types of questions I’m asked are more advanced, the level of engagement is higher, there is generous sharing in the classroom from other attendees.” Goltz recalled reconnecting with a retailer who, within the past year, has been able to pull himself out of debt and start building a savings after implementing Goltz’s pricing strategies. “More and more people have come back and said they took what they learned at the show and told me it has transformed their business,” he said.

PPFA Annual Convention

The WCAF Expo hosted the Professional Picture Framers Association in Las Vegas. Returning special events such as the Framers Breakfast, Welcome to Las Vegas Cocktail Party, and the International Framing Competition cocktail reception sold out quickly. William Adair presented his keynote seminar, “The Frame in America: A 35-Year Retrospective,” which detailed the style and origin of American frames and why they’re more than just a magnificent border.

“The competition was a blast this year! We had several first-time entrants with some beautiful designs,” said Robin Gentry, Outgoing Chairperson of the International Framing Competition Board.

The winners of the International Framing Competition, both PRINT and OPEN editions, were announced at the PPFA Competition Reception. Contestants in the PRINT competition were tasked with framing a digital print canvas titled “Waterfront I,” created by James Burghardt. Joseph Boutell of The Source on Lake in Pasadena, CA, took home first place for his piece. Sarah Beckett of SB Framing Gallery in Milwaukee, WI, was awarded gold in the OPEN competition for her celestial piece showcasing phases of the moon.“We know how passionate framers are about their framing because it shows in the high caliber of entries we get in the annual digital and international competition,” said Valerie Becker, Incoming Chairperson of the International Framing Competition Board.

What's Next?

“Attendees and exhibitors are excited to see what’s in store at the new venue,” said Salmon. Next year, the WCAF Expo will be switching hotels to the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino Las Vegas. “We look forward to upgrading experiences for both our attendees as well as exhibitors and found the following reasons beneficial to both parties,” said Salmon. A few key highlights of the move to the Rio include flexible classroom spaces located adjacent to the trade show floor, an all-suite hotel that provides multiple price points for attendees, larger convention facility, and more.

Mark your calendars for the 2020 West Coast Art & Frame Expo and The National Conference, which will be held January 26 - 29, 2020, with The National Conference beginning January 25.