Fine Art Trade Guild

[markw]

The reply from Rosie Sumner seems to typify the guild - my impression - and I am sure that it will be shot down - is of a managment who like to keep their business in house. They dont want to face any real critisism from the members. You can see by the flurry of polls recently that they are under pressure from within - probably a new comittee asking for facts - dont worry chaps we will diffuse this one with a opinion poll.

Perhaps Square frames can explain the managment structure within the guild as i am always a little suspicous of bodies that have a influential full time management advising an elected committee. The managments role can so often be to look after the managment. I read the following in the reply from Rosie Sumner - we wouldnt like to see critisism that we couldnt handle. This forum proves that open debate is healthy and I for one will be pushing hard for framers to join this forum.

Interestingly the Cotswold branch of FATG wanted to start up its own website - after the branch master contacted the guild he was told to hold fire - similar sort of response as Merlins. As i was going to build the site I would have certainly added a link to this one - I know that this site is discussed as i have had feedback on comments made. months have passed since asking for the guild blessing and I have heard nothing. i must admit I thought the guild would be enthusiastic to support a branch master who was showing real commitment to the guild - the response was basically " get on with the stuff your good at, we will handle all PR".

[SquareFrames]

Hi John GCF (UK)

When did you email Rosie and when was her reply? Can you email me privately about this? I would like to talk to you on this and explain what Rosie actually said to me in London in March.

It could (should) be in the ABT, but knowing Rosie as I do, I dont think she can do anything without first discussing it with the 2 committees, the last ABT was devoted to the awards evening, as it always is and rightly so, and the 2 winning frames, and all the award winners, etc. so space would have been at a premium. (Least I got my letter in about framing the run of 10 LE prints, so I was happy enough....hehe, although no printer or publisher has replied as yet...disappointed here)

I have the same problem over here, no one seems to have heard of the Guild, but those that have been made aware by my wife and I are quite impressed by the standards it sets, etc.
I would like to have a locally based advertsing campaigns, where ALL the area's members get together and take out a full page in their local paper. It doesnt cost that much, in fact one our local papers here, 'The Belfast Telegraph' which covers all of Northern Ireland and a lot of the South of Ireland (on a daily basis), charges approx. £1600.00 + VAT for a full page with advetorial free, so it works out approx. £98 for each member, and with this paper being a broadsheet, I think well worth it, BUT and theres always a BUT, only a fraction of the members are willing to pay it and they would be getting a rather large advert for their business and the write up by the Guild would go along way to adressing the problem of not knowing what or who the Guild is.
What I find here, and I think its the same with every Branch Master, is the members what this, want that, etc. but when they are offered a gilt edged opportunity like this, they sneer at it. I am a firm believer (in this country anyhow) that people are scared to advertise together incase a customer goes to another framer other than themselves, in my opinion it would only serve to increase our flow of customers, but, hey, what do you do but carry on trying to get the word out, which I do in my own area with small ads (not really worth the money we pay) and mail shots. A very small ad in our local town's paper costs upwards of £70 + VAT with a small circulation, an extra 20 quid or so (as a collective bunch) and we could reach literally 1000's

In My Own Defence of the Guild
As you probably know I am a big supporter of the Guild and will carry on the fight (if thats the correct term) to get the word onto the streets and into the homes, this I do on my own, with regular mail shots, its amazing how may leaflets you can get through letter boxes for the cost of a few beef burgers and a coke, and those dropping the leaflets have never let me down. I do these mail shots about 3 times a year, and it always brings results and a few more customers. I always put the usual stuff on the front, busines address, phone number, etc. what we frame, the GCF logo, the Guild logo but on the back I put the Guild's code of ethics and the 5 framing levels that we adhere to, it seems to be working, so far. We all do things our own way to promote our business and if a member of the Guild I would always tell people, it reassures them that we belong to something.

Hope you talk to you soon John GCF (UK)

Steven
SquareFrames

[John]

I have been asked by Maxwell Roberts to post this message on his behalf. He offers great advice about changing things from the inside instead of sniping from the sidelines. Of course this applies equally to the forum, where it is so easy to join in and make a positive contribution.

Out of interest I have done some checking. Of the 455 articles posted on the forum to date, 53 have been about the FATG. The overwhelming majority of these 53 have been positive and on the side of the FATG.

Dear John.
I have been reading through the FATG topic on your framers forum. Whilst I Am all for business forums, I can see the down side of them also. I fully understand the guild keeping out of this one Steve in N. Ireland, by joining in, seems to be digging himself deeper into the proverbial shit. I am a FATG Branch master. I was coopted on to the executive as the Branch Master's representative. The level of uninformed rubbish spoken about the guild, makes me sad. I have come to the conclusion, that there are the people who run there businesses as businesses and there are many more who are basically cottage industry. If the only question people can ask, is "what is the guild going to do for me?", then I have to say, there are a lot of folk out there who can't see further then the end of their noses. From my own point of view, all this elitist talk about the exec., is a big load of tosh. I am not elitist and I don't know any of the exec who are either. I also don't know any of the Branch masters who are. I represent the N. E England branch. I am always asking for feedback from the membership and I can guarantee, it's always the same very few who volunteer. That is repeated around the country. I have said it before. If your Forum members feel so strongly and want a strong trade representation, then join the guild and change it if you feel it's no good. I participate, not because I Think the Fine Art Trade Guild, is the bees knees, but because I am passionate about the industry I work in. I want to influence and therefore I participate. If You are not prepared to fork out £175 (£3 a week) to be a part of your representative trade association and participate, then you've no right to critisize those who are at least trying to in good faith. You can post this on the forum if you want. I'm sure it wont change anything, but I will continue to at least try to influence and lead from the front rather than moan from the back of the room.
Best wishes. Maxwell Roberts

[SquareFrames]

Hi All,

I am extremely happy that Maxwell has decided to post this message. Like Maxwell I am passionate about this business, and like Maxwell I am trying to make things better from the inside. I was a Branch Master for my 3 year term, and in that 3 years I seen the Guild do may great things, i.e. setting the framing standards, mountboard and print standards, etc. Far from digging myself in deeper into the 'proverbial shit' as Maxwell puts it, I was and still am prepared to defend the Guild to the hilt, as like Maxwell I think its the best thing for this industry than sliced bread!

I agree totally with what he stated in his posting, and hope that this will put an end to the sniping. In my business I am well prepared to put the work in to reap the rewards, and putting that into the Guild context, if your not in and are not prepared to join, and be part of a wonderful organisation doing great things for this industry, and not just the large businesses, ALL of us, then, stop whinging about it.

Steven
SquareFrames