Spring Fair?

[Keith Hewitt]

One day down - 4 to go

Views and opinions?

[Graysalchemy]

I had great day, well I say a day I was out in 4 hours. Nothing really new but definately a buzz. It's not the show it once was and I doubt it ever will be again but still worth the visit.

Cheers AG

[misterdiy]

We went this morning and was surprised how little there was to do with fine art and framing. Noticable that the people like Washington Green and DeMontfort were not there but I believe DeMontfort were having their own show today as well.

The stands were quite busy as usual, but nothing like they used to be. I remember the days when it was rammed, which as AG says, are long gone.

It was also in the middle of loads of stands with greeting cards and the like so seemed very confusing to find the specific bits to do with framing.

We were saying that perhaps its time to pull away from the Spring Fair and have an exhibition of its own - bit like Framers Forum Live???

Steve

[stevebowen]

Yes, totally agree with the comments above
The framing section keeps getting smaller but in my view is still well worth the visit.

As a D&J Simons customer its great to see their full range of mouldings and also spent time looking at packaging software for the Valiani CMC. Arquadia, Mainline, Lion, Wessex and others also there.

I was planning on spending 2 days at the show to look at gifts as well as framing but managed it all in a day with time to spare.

[Trinity]

Thoroughly enjoyable day yesterday but not the venue for a serious discussion on cmc purchase - my over expectation / fault really as the various stands were always going to be busy. I got through Gunnar and Valiani, already understand the Wizard offer but Trucut always seemed to be busy. I'll see what happens at FFL, but I think I'll be investing more time at a 1 to 1 over the next few months.
I was really impressed with the Mainline Polcor stand, very helpful - although I'm aware that others do the plastic. On the one hand I'd be saying it doesn't look different to wood, but then as it's a product in it's own right, is the comparison necessary. There were some cracking mouldings, and with a Polcore thread elswhere discussing methods of joining, I'm going to see if I can get some samples. Looks aside, stability and consistency seemed to be distinct advantages for me with unheated storage for mouldings.
120 miles both ways. Worth it:8/10. Pleased to have made the effort:10/10

[DEEPJOY]

Had a good day yesterday at the fair and thought it was worthwhile.

I feel part of the motley crew now after meeting up with so many from the forum,. Thank you all for the chat and your supportive words of wisbom.

keep the framing faith

Deepjoy & Excitement

[YPF]

Spent about 5 hours at the Fair yesterday and I think it was worthwhile. Learnt a lot more about CMCs (need to save lots of pennies now!), attended a couple of the seminars and, for the first time, I had a serious look at some of the art suppliers/publishers.

As the NEC is less than an hour away I think it was well worth my time.

Steve

[Mark James]

Spent best part of sunday trolling around. Nice to see the CMCs in demonstration looked very contract but great bits of kit.

Good handout from wessex, A guide to specialist glass really educational good reference point.

Thought the talks on conservation framing where good also.Worth a sunday out for free!

[David]

Met some of you from the forum, we really should get some badges made, must have walked past a lot of you. I wasn't sure about going but had to take some bits to the Gunnar stand and am glad I made the effort. Couldn't get over how small it was though.

[CanvasChris]

Went on Sunday... first timer so had a lot to look at as not been before. Plus had the wife in tow so couldn't really miss bits.

One observation was that there was a lot of stationery... how do they manage to sell it all? big business obviously.

only managed Hall 3, 4 and a bit of 8. Feet and hip had had enough. I can see why some people spread it over a couple of days. Not like Focus when you're in and out in a couple of hours... specially if you've been for the last 4 years!

One thing that blew my whole business concept was a framing stand offering complete/finished 50mm deep 10" x 10" box frames with laminated images for £2.10 each!!!! it was a stock image and you had to take 10 but really, where is the profit in it for us microbes? that has to be less than cost!!! never mind the outlay for machinery.

@Trinity Never heard of Mainline before and yes, the Polcore frames really took my interest as they seemed 'different' to what others are offering. Not as cheap as some others but if the quality is there it's worth it. It's amazing how small a world it is that the Midlands rep lives in my village.... he'd never heard of us. Blame my marketing obviously... note to self, get marketing!!!

Also they have a great sample offer too.... if you bought a length they would give you a length so you can really have a play with it and not be too worried about messing it up and you can have as many different 'samples' as you want. For me trying to choose a small selection of mouldings that would be good as I am offering finished frames with mounts to suit each frame. A finished product rather than " you can have this with this and then theres that.... etc." ... I don't want to be a 'framer' so to speak.

Main goal was to secure some show prices on equipment but they weren't very forthcoming, well not what I wanted.

Glad I went but not sure if i'd go again.

[Steve Goodall]

2 down - 3 to go....

From a suppliers point of view it's going very well. We have taken plenty of orders - shipped out loads of info packs / DVD's etc. Plenty of interest in the demonstations & a special mention to Sharon on the D&J Simons stand for her demos of the 12" mini manual laminator - I am going to have to watch my back - she is VERY GOOD!!!

Chattting to all my long time buddies on the various manufacturers stands there is a good feeling for the market at present & going forward too.

Let's see how I feel by the end of a long week...

[stephen34]

First Spring Fair for the wife and I. She is just opening a Framing shop/Gallery with the idea of running most of the framing construction via my workshop, so was looking forward to attending.
The size is certainly impressive as was organization. Really good displays. I will be getting more samples from Simons, having seen the actual mouldings. Dissapointed that Neilsen-Bainbridge not there.
Liked the talks and came away with some good tips.
Petrol cost about £50 but got a nice pen and some chocolat.

[Graysalchemy]

One thing that blew my whole business concept was a framing stand offering complete/finished 50mm deep 10" x 10" box frames with laminated images for £2.10 each!!!! it was a stock image and you had to take 10 but really, where is the profit in it for us microbes? that has to be less than cost!!! never mind the outlay for machinery.

The thing is Chris you don't compete you offer something which is unique and exclusive and set out your stall accordingly. I wouldn't even attempt to go into that market. When you are a small business you have to find your own niche and forte and then market that. If you are unique and exclusive then there are plenty of independent galleries looking for the something different. As long as you have that then you are going to be fine. Having said that it has taken myself and my partner 3 years of trial and error to put together a range of limited edition prints and originals which we are beginning to have success with. Luckily I haven't had to rely on this sector of my business.

Good Luck

Alistair

[Grahame Case]

Dissapointed that Neilsen-Bainbridge not there.

no but they will be at the Framers' Forum Live

Free Entry!

[markw]

I wasn't going to go this year - The Framers Forum is going to be the place where the people I want to talk to are going to be. But at the last minute I decided to go and take my youngest daughter with me - she is at art school and I wanted her to see the commercial side of selling art. She loved it and managed to give me some fresh perspective on the images on offer. So lots of money spent on prints.

The framing side was better then its been for a while - few new things to see. John Cooper (Merlin) working hard on the Valiani - giving cut out hearts - he is such a charmer. Bumped into a lot of forum friends. It must have been fairly busy because I failed miserably to talk to a few exhibitors as they were so busy. I thought the venue was much brighter and cheerier than past shows - There was a buzz and I came away feeling very positive.

Loved the burred woods on Aqadias stand - Collier Dobson and Aquarelle's stands had some fantastic new images. Simons seemed to be really buzzing. Whatever happened to Washington Green and DeMontfort - They seemed to have withdrawn into some exclusive place - never see their reps either.

[Graysalchemy]

Whatever happened to Washington Green and DeMontfort - They seemed to have withdrawn into some exclusive place - never see their reps either.

They have their own shows now on the same weekend and it evidently it has saved them hundreds of thousands of pounds in doing so. I also believe that they have no reps and mainly only partnership galleries which by all accounts have to spend a certain amount with them to maintain their status. So yes they have withdrawn to some exclusive place. However it does mean that the independent publishers can have a look in. Feel free to take a look here, all these artists have been chased by DeMontfort and Washington Green, but have wished to stay independent.

Glad to see so many positive vibes coming out of the the NEC.

Cheers

Alistair

[JamesC]

One thing that blew my whole business concept was a framing stand offering complete/finished 50mm deep 10" x 10" box frames with laminated images for £2.10 each!!!! it was a stock image and you had to take 10 but really, where is the profit in it for us microbes? that has to be less than cost!!! never mind the outlay for machinery.

The frames are small enough to be done by an automated machine in maybe a few hundred per hour. The laminated print takes out a lot of the cost - no glass or removing dust or risk of breaking. These may also as they are so small be produced from the waste in the length of another large framing job = free moulding in the mind of the company whose already charged someone else for it. If it's the right type of print in the right quantity it costs less than 30p - and may have been laminated by the printer on the end of their machine.

Then bear in mind they might be attention grabbing (almost) loss leaders and ways of starting a relationship with a customer (more marketing tool than product). Then they may even be redundant stock they didn't sell at last year's fair.

Don't let it blow you off course or demoralise but it does make it tough because it affects what customers think they should be paying for large bespoke stuff! Alistair is right though carve successful niches until you can afford the machines!

I'm thinking of going to the fair tomorrow if I can tear away from catching up preparing for it. I have supplied one of the stands but for client confidentiality cannot reveal.

I was there on saturday and it seemed a good buzz was building.

[Smudges dad]

We were there for 2 1/2 days. Spent the first 2 hours in the framing part and were especially taken with the colour core mount board at one of the stands (it may have been Wessex). We went back first thing on Tuesday to buy a cold mount thingy (smudges Mum is the full time framer) at a pretty good price.

The rest of the 2 remaining days was going up and down every aisle in the place looking for penguins for our other business www.penguincorner.co.uk, which is as niche a market as you can get!

Maybe one of the stands next year could have a small sign saying "free tea and coffee for framers forum members" so we could meet up?