“That’s right, I’m the Head Operations Coordinator…”

The crew at my local Hobby Lobby do an excellent job of framing my photos and my artworks.  The framing is done on-site and, in most cases, can be completed while I wait.

And sometimes… the people at Hobby Lobby have a sense of humor.  Yes they do.

Here’s the deal.  I’m currently framing up my works for the upcoming Thacher Park art show.   After each artwork is printed, I schlep the pictures over to Hobby Lobby, pick out an appropriate frame and matte, and the team assembles the artwork for me.

As my picture Solitary was the first one printed and ready for framing, I stuck up a conversation with a couple of the Hobby Lobby employees in the framing department.  They were trying to design a series of engraved nameplates, as a demonstration for people who want metal nameplates on their artworks.

“We want to come up with names that make sense for the nameplates,” Laura, one of the framers, said.  “Not silly names or inappropriate names.”

Well, there goes any ideas of using old Car Talk end-name credits.  “Our Russian taxi driver is Pikov Andropov….”

“What kind of tags are you designing?”  I asked.

“Well, we need a name that would be appropriate for a boss, a leader, an executive.”

And, just for a joke, I said, “Well, you could use my name if you wanted to.”

We all had a good laugh.  A few minutes later, my picture was finished, and I was on my way home to the Town and Village.

It’s Saturday morning.  I just received my metallic print of The Agfa Bridge Over Ansco Lake, my award-winning splitfilm picture of Washington Park, in the mail.  Ooo, shiny.  Okay, off to Hobby Lobby.

And when I arrived, the framer on duty, Thom – he’s the one that can cut detailed mattes that trace around the outline of the artwork – showed me something on the framing display counter.

“These new display nameplates came in,” he said.

So I looked at the nameplates…

Wow.

Well, I guess considering that I’m practically showing up at Hobby Lobby every week with an artwork or a mat-cutting request…

That was worth a smile.

Thom framed up my Agfa-Ansco artwork, and I took the piece home to the Town and Village.

And I gotta tell you, Hobby Lobby really does a good job in terms of framing. In fact, take a look at this artwork, as it is displayed on the lucky DeWolfe Commemorative Afghan.

Nice.  This will look fantastic at the Art Center…

Hey, wait, what’s this on the side of the artwork’s protective baggie?

Oh yeah, this is the sticker that Hobby Lobby puts on all its custom-framed artworks…

Except mine now says…

Well, I guess a little nameplate goes a long way these days.  Ha ha ha ha ha…

This definitely put a big smile on my face.  And it shows that the staff at Hobby Lobby have a great sense of humor.

They also have a great sense of professionalism.  Which is why, when they frame up my photos, the finished products always look great.

And now that I’m the Head Operations Coordinator… 🙂