Somewhat belatedly here is a small discussion of the Centerfold Convention this August.
This year Centerfold benefited from a move to a different hotel. Those without cars could walk to a supermarket, a convenience store and a shopping mall. Besides the restaurant in the hotel, it was easy walking distance to Panera Bread, Cosi, McDonald's, Jimmy Johns, an Italian restaurant, and two Asian restaurants of different types. There may have been more restaurants I didn't spot. The guests, Michael LaFosse, Richard Alexander, and Bernie Peyton, were wonderful, and all great teachers. I walked by the first beginner's class and spotted Michael LaFosse teaching. I looked around the main folding room one night and there was Bernie Peyton teaching at a table, and I spotted Richard Alexander teaching at a table one afternoon. Each of the guests taught at least 3 classes a day on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. For some reason I hadn't been aware of Bernie Peyton's work before this convention, but his designs are wonderfully life like and folded in unusual ways, and his teaching style is in some ways an entertaining performance. As a smaller convention Centerfold is somewhat more relaxed. Classes still ran one after another and, as always, classes you wanted would sometimes be scheduled at the same time, but the overall feel was more relaxed and it was easier to find teachers for those models after class. Centerfold put great emphasis on bringing the convention experience to beginners and reaching out to those who cannot attend conventions on either coast. I think they did a great job doing that. If you are hoping for photographs from me, with one errant push of a button I managed to erase all my photographs of the convention from my camera memory card and computer today. It's really no great loss except for the photos from my class of the Sweet Spring Kusudama since I had promised the creator, Natalia Romanenko, photos of her model at the convention. As a final note, I need to thank Kathy Stevick and Adam Brusik for stringing the origami stars I made so they could be donated to the local children's hospital, all while while I went and ate lunch. Carol Martinson
