Hi friends!
I just returned from a whirlwind week instructing and attending ACE Convention ( Austin Convention for Entertainers) as well as Prismatica Convention held in Mexico City. Sadly, these two conventions overlap some years, so I am usually only able to teach at one and not the other. This year, I was able to catch a super early flight to surprise the Bond family ( the organizers) of Prismatica and attend the Gala and awards party for the final night.
As tired as I was, 25 hours in CDMX was worth it! There is something about Mexico that is chicken soup for my soul and I am always inspired and grateful.
For 15 years I helped Co produce FABAIC, which served as the worlds largest face painting and Body art convention. We planned and organized our convention soup to nuts. From the pipe and drape to the carpet covering, it was a labor of love. We have taken a little hiatus but do not fret we have FABAIC future plans. In the meantime I am enjoying visiting and soaking in the joys of being a convention attendee vs. planner.
I want to share all the reasons why attending conventions are something to add to your vision board and some upcoming conventions in your area.
- Community– YES we attend conventions to; learn and take classes. To elevate our skills and challenge our crafts. But nothing beats being in the company of like minded community. Nothing is more rewarding than building a community of creative entrepreneurs that transform friendship into family within a weekend. As adults it gets harder to make friendships. Life is busy, we all have different priorities and interests and truth be told , not everyone can understand the brain of an artist. When you attend a convention you find low maintenance, high vibrational, motivational community. You make friends from around the globe, you find your tribe and you leave better than you came. I can’t tell you how tired my arms are from giving so many hugs. But I can also tell you that hugs are so good for the nervous system, so I am filled!
2. Education– During COVID I decided to start taking dance lessons. Specifically Bachata ( I LOVE Romeo Santos). Dancing opened my heart and mind to so many things. I have always been a teacher, and producer, and never attended a convention as just a student. Attending my first dance congress was scary, and I was so shy. But once class started and I practiced learning patterns and dancing, I quickly started floating on cloud 9. There were several classes where I got lost in the pattern and felt so embarrassed. Then, the next week when I would attend class or go social dancing I was so amazed at what I thought I didn’t learn, translated to real life. Same thing happens when we attend painting conferences. We sit and learn, we are over stimulated but colors, and strokes and information. But once the dust settles, you can see and IMMEDIATE improvement in your skills. Its like our brains absorb little by little and then BAM it shows up in our art and it feels like a we want to give ourselves a trophy for seeing the fruits of of labor come to life. As entrepreneurs, we have to be our own cheerleaders, and sometimes it hard to stay motivated when we feel stuck. After leaving a convention, you feel motivated and ready to take your business to a new level.
3.Growth– rarely do we grow in our comfort zones. Its amazing how many painters and artists that I meet who tell me they have social anxiety or are nervous to take the next step. When you invest in yourself, by attending these events you force yourself into spaces of growth. Whether its meeting strangers, trying new skills or just interacting in large groups, these are the moments we transform. 
4. Meet the manufacturers and try products in person– Not everyone has the luxury of having a Silly Farm in their back yard. So, when you get the opportunity to meet the makers of your supplies, when you can test products and see them in person, you should! As a manufacturer, we want feedback, we want you to test swatch, talk to us, tell us your success stories and turn a customer into a friend. The internet is an interesting place, and with Amazon taking over, the B2C experience is becoming extinct. Conventions are crucial to the survival of small business because they allow business owners like myself to meet customers, make improvements, and educate our customers.
If you missed Prismatica and ACE, the good news is you have a couple more conventions coming up soon
I have had the pleasure of teaching and vending at Kapital Kidvention for over 10 years. It is held in Washington DC area and its an incredible event. Its a BIG convention with a robust line up of classes so I encourage you to eat your Wheaties before you go.
MAX is a convention held in St Louis in March and also features amazing instructors and lots of dynamic classes. Check out their site for the line up and event info.
If you are into art on the seas here’s a unique event coming your way:
Every year I create a vision board and I make sure there is a trip on it. I think everyone should take an ART venture once a year to fill up your cup and invest in yourself. I know sometimes financially, it isn’t always possible to attend, but I can almost guarantee you , the investment pays for itself! Make plans to attend one or more of the conventions in 2025. I promise you, you wont regret it and you will be so happy you did!
Can’t wait to see everyone next year!
LOVE you all and please tag me in any pics we took together 
Click here to see sooooooooooooo many amazing ACE pics
Click here to see so many amazing Prismatica pictures
