Dear Attendees,

We lit the fuse.

Fireworks cannot occur until someone lights the first fuse, leading to a colorful array of explosions that can be seen from miles around.

Together, we have set the spark for a movement. Together we are planting our flag in the ground and declaring that we will no longer allow others to consider what we do passé, old school, outdated, or old news.

Those who judge what we do do not know us, do not understand us, and have not taken the time to be curious about what is bubbling under the surface of the art world.

I truly believe that in my lifetime, we will see the embrace of contemporary realists, whether they work in a tightly rendered or academic style, or choose loose and brushy impressionism. We will see the icons of the art world come to the realization that this volcano is about to explode and cover the world with realism — and that will place your work, and that of those around you, in high demand.

FACE was a dream for me. I am driven to see this movement embraced and I will work till my dying breath to help you realize your dreams.

To say that Peter Trippi and I were pleased with your response to our FACE experiment is an understatement. We were doing high fives backstage because we understood that had you not embraced FACE, it would be much more difficult to see this movement gain the momentum needed to reach critical mass.

I truly believe your embrace of this convention is the beginning of our collective dream of seeing this movement take its next step toward world dominance.

Though education, building on our skills, and deepening our understanding of our true meaning and purpose are critical to our growth as individuals and as a whole, this gathering feeds us the nutrients we need to continue to build and grow. Our time together with our tribe, our time at the dinner tables and bars and in breaks, learning from one another and discovering our shared angst and shared goals, and just realizing we’re not alone on this planet, are critical to the body of realist artists.

It is my intention to build this movement, starting by building this convention.

As indicated, the investment is steep, and previous events for artists presented by others have gone away due to excessive losses. We have committed to bringing FACE back, and making it bigger and better. But we need you to return, and to encourage others to come.

I want to thank you for making a dream come true. A dream to build on the shoulders of the giants who came before us. A dream to create a world that no longer disregards the lifelong toil of artists but instead embraces it.

I left FACE on a high unlike any I can remember. I made many new friends and felt so encouraged by your expressions of joy and elation about the convention.

And I’m truly honored to have served you, and to continue to build on this dream by building a 2018 event, one we hope will exceed what we just experienced together.

I’d like to again thank you for coming to FACE and taking steps to be a part of the community, and also for raising the bar in your own career.

We owe a great debt of gratitude to the faculty, who graciously gave of their time because of their devotion to this movement, and, of course, thank you to all the volunteers and team members who have worked on this event for the past 18 months.

In case you missed the closing, we announced that FACE will return to Miami and the Biltmore for 2018. However, we need your support in helping us spread the word to those who are unaware or who were reluctant to be a part of a first event.

We also need you to try your best to get one person committed to come for next year. (They need to get in early because space limitations won’t allow much growth and sellout will happen quickly, so start talking to them today, please.) Though I am passionate about making this happen, this event cannot move forward if it’s losing money, so we need to grow it as much as possible.

Those who attended the closing know we announced a few preliminary names as 2018 faculty.

The event will take place November 7 to 10 in Miami at the Biltmore Hotel.*

Though the full faculty is yet to be determined, we have already confirmed the following legendary artists to be part of the faculty for next year.

More faculty to be announced throughout the year.

Casey Baugh Pre-Convention Workshop

Casey Baugh recently announced he is taking a break from teaching workshops but has agreed to do both a pre-convention workshop and be on stage at FACE. (This workshop includes demos and instruction, but NOT hands-on painting by attendees.)

In Case You Missed It…

During the closing ceremony, we offered a special discount to those in the room if they filled out their forms on the spot. This helps us to start next year with the confidence that people are coming back.

Unfortunately, about 30 percent of the room had already left to catch planes, and I feel as though the right thing for me to do is to offer those people that same opportunity. We want to honor you for being there and give you this discount, but we need you to make a decision quickly because word about FACE is spreading and if you don’t lock in your special rate by the date below, we will not be able to extend that rate.

This discount expires at 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, November 15.

Here is the offer:

• We will offer you FACE for a price that is slightly lower than anyone paid for this year.
• The price of FACE is increasing by $100 for 2018; you will not pay that increase if you sign up now.
• You will have until August 6, 2018 to cancel and get 100 percent of your money back (less a $50 cancellation fee so we don’t have to eat credit card fees)
• We will offer you video** of all the sessions in FACE and TRAC (The Representational Art Conference). See details below. That is a $500 value, and these videos will not be sold to the general public.
• You can take advantage of a full year of payments, giving you the lowest possible monthly investment in your career.

This offer expires Wednesday, November 15 at 5 p.m. Eastern Time.

We are already 25 percent sold out for next year.

Please know that we want to thank you by rewarding you with this price, but we cannot provide it to you after the deadline. If you decide to return after that, you will be paying a higher price.

I am thankful that you honored us with your presence. I do hope you’ll stay in touch, and share your feedback and ideas. (Look for another e-mail about feedback.)

YES, ERIC, please sign me up for this discounted price

Please do not share this link with others. We will extend this only to those who attended. We are already offering FACE at the new price, which is $125 more than you will pay.

Thank you.

Eric Rhoads, Pulisher
Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine

PS: Please set up your e-mail so my e-mails to you are marked important. We will communicate from time to time and are working on some things that will help keep us together as a community through the year.

Also, please expect a feedback form by e-mail. Share your ideas to make FACE better for next year.

I am greatly honored that you attended and that the event was well received.

*Hotel, dates, and city subject to change. Please do not book air or hotel until after February 15, 2018. Faculty also subject to change.

**A camera is recording in each room, following the speaker. This does not include pre-convention workshops, which are not recorded. Video is unedited and provided as a private online link that is for your personal use only; it may not be shared. Video does not, in most cases, show any slides provided by presenters. Some speakers and instructors have not provided permission to share their sessions.