East Coast Convention
I have been attending this convention for the past few years now. Ran by Kim Hatch in Hartford, Connecticut. This is one of those conventions that is smaller than the bigger ones like St. Louis, Kidvention and FABAIC. The location is nestled inside the Baymont Hotel in Hartford. The look and feel of this hotel is what sets it apart from the others. For instance the breakfast area looks like a 50's diner with a quaint feel to the establishment. The attendees are very close knit and have known each other for years which makes for a great experience if you are a new painter as they will welcome you with open arms.
There are options to do pre and post convention workshops, but what sets this apart from the others is the evening classes which you can pay a nomimal fee to get hands on instruction from one of the amazing instructors. Having the ability get specific on a certain technique or style is priceless.
The biggest highlight of the group is the auction. This is where hilarity ensues and all proceeds go to a family in need, I usually bring something from overseas to auction off. There was that one time where I auctioned myself...
If you are looking for a convention which has a more relaxed feel, this is the one.