Display Set-Up Experience at CHA - Jan 22-24, 2009

Last September (2008) in South San Francisco, the imported paper distributor, Mountain Valley Paper Company, asked me if I would be interested in doing the displays for their trade show booth at Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) Convention in Anaheim, California last January. I agreed to do them, and they sent me two sets of sample paper.


One of the owners came up with an idea for the art displays, and she told me through emails what she was thinking. I saw the photos, and then I went through the stack of samples. Many of them were selected and cut into 5 inches square so that I could fold them. It took me two days to fold all of what I have selected from the 300 paper samples.


I made the pre-creases first, and then opened each one of them. I then had to do several "reverse" folds on each sample to make the interesting pattern of alternating mountain and valley folds.


After I completed a whole stack of folded samples, I came up with several arrangements, and sent the photos to the company for their consideration.


The day before I left NJ for Santa Ana, I carefully packed the folded samples in my luggage. My clients and I went to Anaheim Convention Center on January 22nd to pick up our ID badges.


While we were waiting to pick up our badges, I noticed the interesting architectural features in the lobby of the convention center which is right across the street from the well-known theme parks in Anaheim.

After we got our badges, we went to the spot where the company's booth is located.


All four of us set up the whole thing, and I got myself ready to do the display of the paper.


For three days, I worked on one corner of the booth - selecting and displaying sheets of paper from Thailand.


After the sheets were hung, I created two panels of folded paper "sculpture". Each piece was glued to the foam core.


After I completed the work on the corner, the company owners asked me to do more display work. I created several more displays of TOYO's orgami paper. TOYO is Japan's number one distributor of origami paper.


The other side (left) of the booth contained more of TOYO's origami paper and kits, make-it/take-it table, and video.


It took a long time (three days) to set up the whole booth, but it took less than a day to take the whole thing down. I will be working on Mountain Valley Paper Company's booth design for the National Stationery Show to be held at Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City this May. (Author's note: books of Mountain Valley Paper Company's paper samples are available to the trade/retailers/store-owners only.)