So I just got back from the North Central Timber Frame Conference that was hosted in Minneapolis by Clark Bremer at his Northern Lights Timber framing shops over the past two days and wanted to take a minute to report in on this weekends proceedings.
As I sit here and try to think about the words to describe this weekend, I am at a loss and can only say that I was absolutely blown away. Perhaps I am only now learning what most of you already know. You see I have been a guild member for the past several years, but this last weekend was my first chance to experience a guild sponsored event. Unlike many, I am not in the timber frame trade - I have an associate membership and I am an entusiast with genuine interest in learning the craft. I have been to many "trade conferences" for my regular job, but I have never seen anything like this...
Clark has an amazing shop, and on Saturday morning it was absolutely packed with timberframers, architects, engineers, contractors, and regular people interested in learning more about the history of our craft. It was literally a "sea of flannel" and although I knew only a handful of people, I left 12 hours later feeling like I new everyone in the room. We had great speakers, we met the TFG board, we had interactive seminars, top notch food and that wasn't even what made the event so significant. Some called it the XCF (exhuberent Comrade factor) but what is really was - was passion. People who are absolutely on fire for a building method and tradition that time has mostly forgot.
So I guess my take-away from all of this is really pretty simple. Amidst all these feelings of excitment, learning new methods and meeting new people, my thoughts were tempered by some stories this weekend from folks in the trade who are dealing with this terrible economy. Most have scaled back, some have endured where most sane people would have quit. Find a way to persevere, because what we have in this guild is amazing, is special, is unique and uncommon. If you have never been to something like this then GO to your guild events, meet these people who are just like you, I don't know how you would measure the passion in that room, but you can't help but leave inspired and regardless of what you give up to attend, your take away will be ten-fold.
I know I speak for anymore who was at the conference this weekend - a special Thank-you to Clark Bremer - a genuine person who hosted one heck of a conference!
