Schedule subject to change
Seminar Schedule: Friday April 13
9:30 AM 10:30 AM JIM MURPHY
“Holley Ballroom Left” “Stairs and Switchbacks”
Ever notice how so many of the best displays happen on two or more levels? With multiple levels, vignettes are enlivened by extra dimensions and added depth. In many cases, the clever way contrived to connect those levels gives the discerning eye a kick. For example, the unusual construction of staircases leading from street level to a church door, or zigzagging roads rising from one elevation to another presents a real challenge. Jim has studied this challenge and developed remarkable techniques that he is happy to share with you. Using Styrofoam, hot wires and hot knives, Jim will demonstrate how to create these special conditions for your village display.
9:30 AM 10:30 AM ART BROWNELL AND PEER VENDORS
“Holley Ballroom Right” “The Secondary Market / Panel Discussion”
Come join Art and other secondary market vendors discuss how the secondary market functions. If you have or ever had a question about this key part of our D56 gatherings, this is an opportune time to find the answer. Art and the panel will talk about the issues and take questions from the audience. It could be a very informative seminar, especially for those who are relatively new to attending gatherings.
10:00 AM 11:00 AM J. D. ROBB
“Holley Ballroom Center” “Trains in your Display”
Everyone loves trains! “A lonely freight train slowly chugging its way across a spindly trestle over a deep gorge heading into one of your village towns”? JD’s seminar will show you how to add trains to your display. Topics include selecting the right scale model, proper track layout, adding railroad structures, adding sound inexpensively and railroad scenery techniques. The seminar will include a video of one of the Robb’s large permanent displays with three trains and a trolley! ALL ABOARD!
11:00 AM 12:00 PM ESME GIBSON
“Holley Ballroom Left” “Tips and Tricks for Improved Photography”
If you take pictures of your displays, this seminar is for you. Learn from a professional who has been published in magazines and newspapers and has permanent exhibits on display in several public and private galleries in California. Invaluable tips will be provided to aid you when photographing your displays, your friends, families, everything worth photographing. This seminar is for anyone who even thinks about taking pictures as Esme provides her invaluable tips and a few tricks for improving your photography.
11:00 AM 12:00 PM BILL SHADID
“Holley Ballroom Right” “Department 56 Technology”
Did you ever wonder how technology applies to your village houses and accessories? Come listen to Bill as he talks about the technology of producing and marketing Department 56 products. He just might address some of the latest technological changes being applied in current production and what could be being looked at for future considerations.
12:00 PM 1:00 PM BOB OBENLAND
“Holley Ballroom Center” “Creative Club Meeting Ideas from the NCC”
This National Council of Clubs seminar is a little different from your typical gathering seminar. The seminar will present activities that the NCC has gathered over time and are offering as suggestions to be considered for use at local club meetings. There will be games, display tips and quizzes during the seminar. Prizes will be awarded to all winners of the games and quizzes. This is not a one man presenting a seminar, several NCC officers will participate in the fun and games. Come learn a little about the NCC, have fun with the games and quizzes and maybe win a prize.
1:00 PM 2:00 PM VERN SCHWIETERMAN
“Holley Ballroom Left” “Hotwire Carving Wizardry”
If you have not seen any of Vern’s seminars before, you are in for a treat. Come see the Wizard in action. You will probably see hotwire applications that you haven’t even envisioned before. Vern is truly a wizard when it comes to hotwire carvings. In this seminar he will be cutting out mountain and North Pole back drops.
1:00 PM 2:00 PM JILL RINDFUSS
“Holley Ballroom Right” “Inventorying and Insuring Your Collection”
We all think about insuring our village collections but, how many of us do? Jill’s seminar will address how to inventory and insure collectibles, offering everything from useful tips to solid industry information on how to better understand the secondary market and apply values to their collection. She will mix fun stories with good practical examples to offer everyone a less-overwhelming, more fun approach to tracking and insuring your collectibles. Come prepared with your own questions and go home empowered and ready to get organized.
2:00 PM 3:00 PM MELINDA SEEGERS of “Department 56”
“Holley Ballroom Center” “The Future for D56 Collectibles”
Come listen to one of our favorite seminar speakers. Melinda will present to us what Department 56 anticipates in its future as a producer and marketer of collectibles. Her seminar will include D56 Giftware, Villages and Snowbabies collectibles. She might even talk about Krinkles. She, as always, has a keen sense for the state of the business. She will present an informative and beneficial seminar for D56 collectors.
3:00 PM 4:30 PM VINCE AIELLO
“Holley Ballroom Left” “Village Infrastructure”
Vince is a professional architect, applying his trade at the scale of Department 56 villages. A lot of thought and effort is put into preparing Vince’s seminars, which will be presented as simple and easy. Vince will show you methods how to create your own retaining walls, fences, platforms, table borders, etc., in the style of your village. Vince’s seminars are a combination lecture and demonstration with a question and answer period. Vince is an entertaining presenter, so mark your program for one of his seminars.
Seminar Schedule: Saturday April 14
9:00 AM 10:00 AM JIM MURPHY
“Holley Ballroom Center” “Stairs and Switchbacks”
If you didn’t get to attend Jim’s seminar yesterday here is another opportunity to see how he approaches two or more level displays. With multiple levels, vignettes are enlivened by extra dimensions and added depth. In many cases, the clever way contrived to connect those levels gives the discerning eye a kick. For example, the unusual construction of staircases leading from street level to a church door, or zigzagging roads rising from one elevation to another presents a real challenge. Jim has studied this challenge and developed remarkable techniques that he is happy to share with you. Using Styrofoam, hot wires and hot knives, Jim will demonstrate how to create these special conditions for your village display.
9:00 AM 10:00 AM ART BROWNELL AND PEER VENDORS
“Holley Ballroom Right” “The Secondary Market, Panel Discussion”
This is another opportunity to join Art and other secondary market vendors discuss how the secondary market functions. If you have or ever had a question about this key part of our D56 gatherings, this is an opportune time to find the answers. Art and the panel will talk about the issues and take questions from the audience. It could be a very informative seminar, especially for those who are relatively new to attending gatherings.
10:00 AM 11:30 AM VINCE AIELLO
“Holley Ballroom Left” “Village Bridges and Viaducts”
If you missed him yesterday, you should try to attend his seminar today. Again today Vince will present simple and easy methodology. Today’s seminar will be how to create bridges and viaducts to complement your particular village and to enhance the flow of your village circulation. Today as yesterday will be an entertaining and informative lecture and demonstration with a question and answer period to follow.
10:30 AM 11:30 AM JILL RINDFUSS
“Holley Ballroom Right” “Inventorying and Insuring Your Collection”
Didn’t get to attend Jill’s seminar yesterday, here’s another chance. Learn about maintaining your village collection. Jill’s seminar will address how to inventory and insure collectibles, offering everything from useful tips to solid industry information on how to better understand the secondary market and apply values to their collection. She will mix fun stories with good practical examples to offer everyone a less-overwhelming, more fun approach to tracking and insuring your collectibles. Come prepared with your own questions and go home empowered and ready to get organized.
11:00 AM 12:00 PM BOB OBENLAND
“Holley Ballroom Center” “Creative Club Meeting Ideas from the NCC”
As was yesterday’s seminar, today’s National Council of Clubs seminar is a little different from your typical gathering seminar. The seminar will present activities that the NCC has gathered over time and are offering as suggestions to be considered for use at local club meetings. There will be games, display tips and quizzes during the seminar. Prizes will be awarded to all winners of the games and quizzes. This is not just one man presenting a seminar, several NCC officers will participate in the fun and games. Come learn a little about the NCC, have fun with the games and quizzes and maybe win a prize.
12:00 PM 1:00 PM J. D. ROBB
“Holley Ballroom Left” “Making Your Own Structures from Scratch”
This seminar will appeal to the Dept 56 collector that has a bit of a “modelers bent”. This seminar is for you if you enjoy working with hobby materials to build what you want or need in your displays. Items that will be addressed include small wooden buildings, bridges, trestles, fencing etc. Scratch building is an outgrowth of model railroaders that work in the “S” scale size. Historically there has been very few kits available to an “S” modeler to buy, consequently they evolved into building their own structures. The seminar will address; tools, what to use and where to get them; materials, where to purchase; how to design a structure; construction techniques and finishing techniques.
12:00 AM 1:00 PM BILL SHADID of “Department 56”
“Holley Ballroom Right” “Department 56 Technology”
Here is another opportunity to catch Bill’s seminar. Did you ever wonder how technology applies to your village houses and accessories? Come listen to Bill as he talks about the technology of producing and marketing Department 56 products. He just might address some of the latest technological changes being applied in current production and what could be being looked at for future considerations.
2:00 PM 3:00 PM ESME GIBSON
“Holley Ballroom Left” “Tips and tricks for Improved Photography”
The second time around, if you take pictures of your
displays, this seminar is for you. Another chance to learn
from a professional who has been published in magazines and
newspapers and has permanent exhibits on display in several public and private galleries in California. Invaluable tips
will be provided to aid you when photographing your displays
your friends, families, everything worth photographing. This
seminar is for anyone who even thinks about taking pictures
as Esme provides her invaluable tips and a few tricks for improving your photography.
2:00 PM 3:00 PM VERN SCHWIETERMAN
“Holley Ballroom Center” “Hotwire Carving Wizardry”
If you attended Vern’s seminar yesterday you think you know what to expect today. Before you go elsewhere think about this; yesterday mountains, today a pumpkin. Vern will be cutting out a pumpkin and drift with hot wire. Come see the Wizard in action and again you will probably see hotwire applications that you haven’t even envisioned before. Vern is truly a wizard when it comes to hotwire carvings. If you’ve never seen someone cut out one of those large apples or a pumpkin this is the seminar to attend.
3:30 PM 5:00 PM MELINDA SEEGERS of “Department 56”
“Holley Ballroom Center” “The Future for D56 Collectibles”
This is your last opportunity to see and hear Melinda at a Mid Atlantic villagers Gathering, so don’t miss it. Come listen to one of our favorite seminar speakers. Melinda will present to us what Department 56 anticipates in its future as a producer and marketer of collectibles. Her seminar will include D56 Giftware, Villages and Snowbabies collectibles. She might even talk about Krinkles. She, as always, has a keen sense for the state of the business. She will present an informative and beneficial seminar for D56 collectors.
We have allocated more time than normal for this final seminar at our last planned gathering. There will be no other seminars in session and Melinda will have as much time as she likes to communicate with the audience.
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Questions? 
