Circle C Model Horse Artist Challenge 2020

Circle C Model Horse Artist Challenge - Here  

The new contests are here! There are THREE separate contests. 

#1 is for kids, skill level below age 10. Use a model horse of any size or type and make it look like your favorite food!

#2 is pick one of your favorite vinyl albums or CDs and use your model(s) to illustrate YOUR interpretation of both the musician or group and the cover. This one is open to Youth (skill level 10 and above) and Adults and brings us our lovely illustration. Yes, I owned one of what is commonly agreed to be one of the WORST album covers of all time!

#3 is just like #2 except you pick one of your favorite books and illustrate your interpretation of the cover and the author

RULES:

1. Entry is $10, enter as many times as you like, even in the same contest
2. At least one grand prize Venti Fidget, the more entries, the more prizes!
3. Contest period is from now until 12/31/20. ALL entries must be in by midnight EST on that day. We will be asking for photos of your entry from several angles and you will be able to email them at any time but no later than the deadline above. That should leave you all of January to prep for NAMOPAIMO!
4. List your 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice of book and/or album on the form. I am going to limit how many people can do any particular one. You will be notified asap of which of your choices you need to use.
5. Cooperation with other entrants is encouraged! Talk among your friends about who you pick, how you are conveying them and give them advice... and most of all HAVE FUN WITH THIS.
6. If you have any confusion at all, PM me or put it in the comments! I am more than happy to answer questions, clarify rules or just listen while you talk out your ideas.
7. You have to put your book or album choice(s) on the entry form but you do NOT have to specify your model. The final entry may (or might not) be customized and the judges don't have to be able to tell what it started as. You can cut up several models and piece them together if you want to... even different sizes.
8. This year there is no limit to brand or size of model for you to use.
9. We do NOT want you to simply copy a book cover, album cover art, etc. You need to find a way to use a model to illustrate your choice without a straight copy. Last year we had folks melt models, piece together bits of multiple models, cut models into tiles and make a mosaic; let your imagination run free! You can put your entry ON a model, IN a model, make it OUT OF a model... and again feel free to ask if you have questions.

My choice was a Classic 1:12 Scale Breyer Wahoo King and the Book collection - The Dragonriders of Pern. These were the first "adult" books I read at the age of seven and I loved them. I loved the dragons and the way that the story seemed to come right out of the pages of the book. That struck an idea - that when we read, the characters come out of the book at us and seem to come to life. This inspired my use of the model, wing frame and paper mache book. 

I am not a great customizer in sculpting - I am better at painting so this was a huge task for me - terrifying and electrifying at the same time. I knew this would not be perfect in the way of the talented sculpting artists, but as an amateur and my first time doing a major resculpt if there are a few rough edges I am just pleased I was able to get it done in time because of all the hours I was working at the hospital. 

Entry paid on September 25,2020 and now to work!! 

The Stablemate model is for a different project. And I have been actually terrified of working on this project because I am afraid it won't come out to my vision. 

On October 22, 2020 my town was evacuated from a flare up fire due to the East Troublesome Fire on the OTHER side of the Divide in Grand County. The fire came down into Rocky Mountain National Park and the entire town of Estes Park was evacuated. At this time (Sunday 10/25/20) - all of my models are still in my cabin in Estes Park. 

So, finally on November 10, 2020, I was able to work some more on my project around working multiple shifts at my work - doing ER Admitting registration.  

And today, December 28, 2020 I completed my project - this is IMAGE heavy but I am so pleased with the outcome. 

Bury your Poverty, Dig up your Wealth 2020-2021

It's New Year's Eve 2020!! It's time to Bury your Poverty and Dig up your wealth! 

I stole this concept from Chris Wallbruch and I tried it in 2013 and it was an OK year overall.

I tried it again in 2014 and while it was a rough year - this DID work for me. 

I did this in 2015 and while the end of the year was not what I expected - it was a very good year overall. 

2016 was just a bitch and while I had no great windfall I have always had the funds to pay what needed to be paid. 

2017 I managed to get a little more than I needed, but again no windfall. 

2018 I have had a very good year - no windfall- but all the bills paid and I actually have $10 in my savings account (This is saying something considering I have had a $0 balance for a while). 

2019 brought a lot of change in aspects of my life and while again no windfall, I have managed to pay my bills (a little late sometimes) but again I have money in savings and a money market now! 

2020 was a suck year with the Coronavirus, the East Troublesome Fire Thompson zone, Cameron Peak Fire and so much more - but I was given a gift of money to get a new rental home, pay my bills - all on time, help with my evacuation and pay for the things that I wanted and needed and overtime at work. I have to say that I have been helped this year more than any other and I am so very grateful. 

It is time to bury your money!

For those of you who are unfamiliar with this tradition, what you do is bury a dollar (or any amount above a dollar that you want) in the soil on New Year's Eve. This can be in a houseplant if the ground is frozen or inaccessible, but I like to go outside, dig a hole, and drop my dollar in. (I put it in a plastic bag). As you bury said dollar, say out loud, "I am burying my poverty!" TIP - if you do this outside, make sure you place some sort of marker where you bury your buck so that you can find it again!

On New Year's Day, dig UP the dollar, and as you do so, say out loud, "I am unburying my wealth!"

You can't spend the money- you can either keep it or give it away to charity. Giving it away is the best so you are less likely to spend it. For me, each year I have given the $1 to a local Estes Park charity. 

This tradition is supposed to give you an unexpected windfall of money during the year.

I have had money come to me the 8 years I have done this - while not what I would call a windfall it helped me out of tough times so I am NOT complaining.

It is a tradition I plan on keeping every year and I thank Chris for pointing me to it!! Go bury that poverty and dig up your wealth! 

Dig up your wealth!

Bridle Tree Barn Raising Challenge

 

I wasn't going to participate in this challenge, because I was working a lot of hours in December and because I was trying to finish my Circle C Challenge horse. 

My friend Kay Lonning sent me a stable and I thought well, I will have it for 2021. I managed to complete my Circle C Challenge horse on December 28th. I had the day off on December 29th and I spent five hours working on this barn! 

My Barn started out like this picture above. I took it apart, put some blue painters tape over the pictures already in the original barn and primered it. 

I used red primer so that I didn't have to do as many layers of painting on the barn. Then I used stir sticks heisted from a local coffee shop to make two stalls. 

I then installed the stall walls along with a "rubber" floor mat for the stalls (it's black so not easy to see). 

I spent a whole afternoon just trying to complete this barn so that I could participate in this challenge and I was so surprised it came together SO quickly and just worked!! 

This was a fun and amazing afternoon of barn raising. I have a Stablemate scale barn coming that I hope to update and then do the decorating competition next year! I also want to create an indoor arena wall! This was a fun challenge. And I am so happy I was able to compete! 

Favorite Artist Series - Model Horse Artist Sara Gifford

Sara and her dog Garrus 

Sara Gifford is one of my favorite fantasy model horse artists. I have known her since roughly 2005-2007 but we have NEVER met in person! We chat online almost daily, but we've never managed to make it to the same model horse event!  

I started following her because of my love of fantasy horses. I had done several before I saw Sara's work online, but I have to say I felt like my work was inferior to hers. 

Finishwork by Sara

Finishwork by Sara

Finishwork by Sara

Finishwork by Sara

Finishwork by Sara

Finishwork by Sara

Finishwork by Sara

Finishwork by Sara

Finishwork by Sara

Finishwork by Sara

The wonderful thing about Sara, is she is a positive force and she doesn't let you talk negatively about yourself for long. She is a cheerleader to her friends and hobbyists and she is always pushing the envelope of her abilities. 

Her commission books pop open every now and then or a sales piece comes to light. Her work is always so detailed and life like. 

I have a few of her wonderful pieces and am always trying to get more. 

Pip - Pipsqueak resin finishwork by Sara

Blackledge Bluehawk - blue roan Morgan - Magnificence Resin - finishwork by Sara

Hearts Filthy Lesson - TWH mare - custom work by N. Byler, Paintwork by Sara

Check out her studio page - Friesian Fury Studios and enjoy!