Joining National Trade Organizations and Clubs

I'm presently a member of Society of Gilders and have only been a member of the group since July, 2013. I've been a professional artist for nearly 25 years and only recently decided to take the plunge and pay dues to be a member of a national club. Pretty soon I will be joining another group since I can see the benefits to membership more clearly.

Why in the heck did it take so long for me to join? I dunno? I've investigated membership in various clubs ever since the beginning, I just didn't see the benefits coinciding with the costs until recently. I started my art career as a photographer, and quickly gained a foot hold in the industry and got hired to do some really great editorial and PR jobs. I photographed artist's work, actors in plays, and musicians thrashing about on stages and back stage or in their buses. But I never could see the benefit of joining the national photography organizations like Nikon Pro. I just always felt it too costly since they required photogs to own specific pro level equipment in order to be a member. I owned enough pro gear according to their rules for a short time, but the changing times from manual focus to autofocus in the early 1990's threw me for a loop. I didn't want to crossover into autofocus gear, and thus, couldn't even be a member of Nikon Pro anymore, anyway. But I was also an artist with my camera moreover than a commercial or editorial shooter. I preferred doing my own thing. So joining that group might not have helped me very much.

Then I married a fine art painter and began making picture frames for her paintings. The door opened on a new avocation, one that has been barely tapped. I began studying frame history and discovered a new world for the taking. I began carving and gilding and creating designs based upon what my wife was painting so the frames relate to the paintings and could be considered inseparable. I began investigating the clubs she could join as a painter and as a woman and as a pastelist, but she doesn't join clubs. SO that's that for her. End of story.

Some time during 2006 I contacted Society of Gilders and asked about membership. They sent me material to review and I reviewed it, but didn't join. I couldn't see the benefit then. So during 2013 in Tallahassee while exhibiting in LeMoyne Chain of Parks, a woman walks into the booth and comments on the frames and then says, "You made these? You're a gilder!" Then she introduces herself as the incoming President of Society of Gilders and asks me personally to join. Then she says if I do join very soon I'd be able to participate in their upcoming museum exhibition in New Jersey.

So I joined! I participated in the exhibition and nearly sold something. And ever since then I've been networking with the top gilding professionals in the world. Some of them the top picture frame makers in the world. And some of the people are so much like me, too. I've really developed an incredible network and resource through group discussions and participation in their events. I have grown in leaps and bounds with my gilding, too. Some of these folks are those who teach in Smithsonian. Some are those who gild capitol domes and tall building all over the world, like NY Life builing. Wherever you see gold on a building, inside or out, a gilder did it. And most likely, he or she is member of SOG. And the group asked me to write an article for their magazine, the Gilder's Tip, which I did and which got published last summer. Part 2 is due out this winter. COOL!

As I said, I'm about to pay some monetary dues and join another national group. I already know there can be super benefits to membership. So I'm getting into one relating to wood working. I haven't decided which one yet, but I'll keep you posted.

What national groups do you all belong to and what are the benefits? I started a thread in the Woodworker's Wall forum recently and got a few responses there. I look forward to learning about other groups which other AFI'ers belong. WOOHOO!

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  • I stopped by the booth but he was away on a break. I did not (or forgot) get a chance to stop back by.
  • The national trade group PPFA joined in with WCAF around 2011-2012. It use to be with the PMA show. Thanks for the note to stop by their booth. I was not planing on it but now I know there is info to gather.
  • I sent Kevin an email regarding your visit to West Coast Art & Frame, Steve. Just got his reply, and here it is.

    Hi Barrie-
    I'm here in Vegas and will be at the booth, 1712.  

    Best Regards,
    Kevin Graham
    Sales Manager, Eastern U.S.A.

    Really, the clubs and organizations to which my Blog thread refers are different than West Coast Art & Frame, which is a trade show. You might see some of the national organizations to which I'm referring at the WCAFS, like Professional Picture Framers Association (PPFA), an organization offering testing and certification for framers in order to validate their knowledge of conservation practices. Pay your dues, take and pass the test, get awarded the title of Ceritified Picture Framer, post it on your door, your cards, and your website, since it proves you have knowledge. I think PPFA has partnered with the WCAFS these days, so the EXPO convention in Vegas this week is theirs as well.

    Besides those I've already named in my initial post, the groups I'm talking about are like these as follows:

    American Women Artists

    Women Artists of the West

    Pastel Society of America (and plenty of regional chapters to join)

    Plein Air Painters of America

    American Watercolor Society

    American Association of Woodturners

    National Arts Club (is it just me, or is this one hoity toity?)

    Silvermine Guild

    Gulf Breeze Arts Association (puts on Gulf Breeze Celebrates the Arts in spring)

    National Association of Independent Artists (NAIA)

    Association for Visual Artists (AVA in Chattanooga)

    ETC. ETC. ETC.

  • Yep. Will stop by. Have some questions about Ilford that he might be able to help with too (already use some hahnemuhle papers).

  • If that's in fact where you are, please go by and see my long time friend, Kevin Graham, with Hahnemuhle in Booth 1712. We go way back, nearly 25 years. He used to be with Ilford Photo. Tell Kevin HELLO FROM BARRIE IN WYOMING. Sorry I can't be there. I was there in 2005.

    They have fantastic paper, if you don't already know it and use it.

    I would have loved being there earlier today to have seen Suzanne Smeaton's talk on Stanford White and then her Opening Speach for the Convention. WOOHOO!

  • Are at West Coast Art & Frame in Vegas, Steve?

  • I am guessing 1 group you might be looking at is the trade show I am currently at. As to memberships it comes down to 1 simple question, if you pay them to join, what will it do for you? Since this is a business for me, it all comes down to money. Will it help you generate more in some way or help save you time (which is also money)?

    I have been part of groups in the past that have not been worth the money (and am no longer a member) while others are worth it many fold.

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