NEW YORK, July 15, 2019 – The last week in June, the IFDA NY Chapter in conjunction with Chelsea Frames and iMAgen Projects in the Chelsea area of Manhattan hosted an event about art – how to collect it, curate it and frame it. The spacious Chelsea Frames framing studio and downstairs gallery provided the ideal venue for the speakers, who included art consultant Elizabeth Sadoff, Daniel Beauchemin, CEO of Chelsea Frames, and artists Sara Meghdari and Daréece Walker.

The first speaker, Elizabeth Sadoff, made some important points for interior designers, among them:

• Bring art up at the beginning of the project so the client can budget and has time to gradually explore his or her preferences.
• Try to cultivate an understanding in your clients regarding collecting – point out what is already the beginning of a collection (even if they don’t see it as such) in their home and encourage expansion.
• Jpgs alone do not sell artwork; art needs its story conveyed and it is best seen in person. Sadoff often brings her clients to artist’s studios.

Artists Sara Meghdari and Daréece Walker each gave their perspective on their works. Walker stressed that artwork should not be merely decorative but have meaning. He noted that the elaborate frame his used for his piece helped elevate it and that the contrast between the cardboard material used and the formality of the frame was thought-provoking.

Meghdari talked about how her photo expressed her multicultural background. She has placed saffron, the world’s most expensive spice – more valuable than gold and for which her native Iran is currently the top producer – on her tongue in an arresting image further highlighted by the simplicity of the black frame. By cutting off her eyes, she explained that she really focused the viewer on her point of view, whereas if she had shown her eyes, the art would have become more representational and sexualized.

Beauchemin concluded with the idea that art should resonate with the client, that it is not merely decorative and that proper framing was essential to the preservation of artwork. Chelsea Frames is one of the most renowned framing studios in the U.S. with customers that span the globe.

Attendees left the event with plenty of good advice. We hope you think so too.

About IFDA
The International Furnishings and Design Association (IFDA), founded in New York City in 1947 and now with 11 chapters worldwide, provides a professional forum for communication and interaction among its high-profile members. The IFDA, a not-for-profit volunteer-run association, also promotes career advancement and educational opportunities and is structured to increase public awareness of the furnishings and design industry through specialized programming, networking and service to the community.

IFDA NY thanks its INTERNATIONAL Platinum Sponsor: The Shade Store INTERNATIONAL Gold Sponsor: Natuzzi Italia and Chapter GOLD Sponsors: Benjamin Moore & Co. | Hunter Douglas | Kravet Inc. | New York Design Center | Resource Furniture | Stacy Garcia New York.

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