Two high school artists traveled to Santa Monica, CA, in late June to be recognized as national winners in the Creative Self-Expression contest sponsored by The Great Frame Up. A $2,000 scholarship was presented to each winner by actress and artist Jane Seymour, spokeswoman for the Creative Self-Expression Foundation, during an awards presentation. The national competition, sponsored annually by The Great Frame Up, is designed to cultivate and promote the arts and creative thought among teenagers.
     “The Creative Self-Expression Foundation’s goal is to provide high school artists with an opportunity to showcase their talent and express themselves through various mediums,” said Rebecca Hunsel, marketing manager for Franchise Concepts, the national franchisor for The Great Frame Up stores. “The response from students and the talent displayed was extraordinary. We are excited to present these awards.”
     The 2012 winners of the Creative Self Expression contest were Brendan Byrne, a recent graduate of Minnetonka High School in Minnetonka, MN, and Joann Kim, a junior at Valley Academy of Arts and Sciences in Northridge, CA. Byrne plans to participate in a student exchange to Japan through a local Rotary Club then attend an art college and pursue studies in animation. After high school, Kim hopes to attend California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) and study character animation.

Gemini Moulding Announces Open House
Gemini’s Fall Festival of Framing, September 20-21, will feature lectures and hands-on seminars as well as manufacturers’ trade show booths with new product demonstrations and samples. There will also be a warehouse sale featuring the lowest prices of the year on all frames and supplies. Seminar instructors include John Ranes II, CPF, GCF, and Donald Berg, vice president of Gemini Moulding.

Plaskolite Acquires Vivak Line
Plaskolite, the largest U.S. manufacturer of continuously processed thermoplastic sheet products, has announced the acquisition of VIVAK® PETG sheet U.S. business from Bayer MaterialScience LLC. The purchase enhances the company’s product offering to its distribution base. “Our leadership team continuously searches for opportunities to strengthen our position as an innovative leader in the industry,” said James R. Dunn, president of Plaskolite.

Wizard Announces PathTrace Webinar
Wizard University has expanded its online offerings with Advanced PathTrace: From Drawing Images to Completed Designs webinar. The new two-part course shows how to bring drawings and logos to life in your designs to make your business stand out from the competitors.
     Students follow live instruction from renowned design artist and PFM columnist Brian Wolf, CPF, GCF, and follow step-by-step instruction to create original mat designs to be cut on a Wizard CMC. Wolf shows how to overcome design challenges to ensure a perfect final cut. The advanced webinar includes handouts showcasing how to test designs and software tools to help you immediately begin creating your own custom mats.
     The Designing with PathTrace webinar series, which has been offered for several years, is a pre-requisite. This course is the next step in becoming a proficient PathTrace user and mat designer.
      Limited space is available. The next class is slated for October. Contact Wizard for pricing and to preregister. For more information, visit www.wizardint.com or call 888-855-3335.

Picture Framing Magazine Relocates
Hobby Publications, parent company of Picture Framing Magazine, has moved to new offices as of August, a short distance from its previous location. The new address is 83 South Street, Unit 307, Freehold, NJ 07728-2317. All telephone and fax numbers remain the same.

Voskamp Joins Max
Max Moulding has announced that Tanner Voskamp is the newest member of its sales team. Voskamp will service Riverside, Imperial, and San Bernardino counties and Palm Springs in California, as well as Arizona, the Las Vegas area of Nevada, and El Paso, Texas. A long time framing industry veteran, Voskamp brings an expansive knowledge of the industry and years of field sales experience. Voskamp, who resides in Palm Springs, can be reached directly at 918-629-2427, by email at sales@maxmoulding.com, or through Max Moulding at 800-282-9966.

Framerica Welcomes Filan
Mike Filan has joined Framerica as its new controller, bringing a wealth of accounting and finance experience to the moulding manufacturer. Filan, a MENSA member, is a Long Island, NY, native and father of one. “We are pleased to have Mike as part of the Framerica family,” notes Josh Eichner. “He has already made an impact in terms of how we analyze our business to make it more efficient and value-added for our customers.” For more information, contact Framerica at 800-372-6422 or visit www.framerica.com.