Perhaps NAMHSA can sell logo umbrellas?
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Kaffi update
13 hours ago
Friday, May 18, 2012
OH NOES
Facebook is being a pig about posting this photo, so here:
Perhaps NAMHSA can sell logo umbrellas?
Perhaps NAMHSA can sell logo umbrellas?
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Unpacking NAN 2013
We're adults. We should be able to have an intelligent and rational conversation. Especially when we are talking about a model horse show, which is about as much of a ridiculous display of extra time and money as you can get. I mean, we are not discussing how to divvy up the last case of Icehouse Light during the Zombie Apocalypse here. We're just discussing where the best spot for NAN 2013 should be.
Yeah, its that time of year. Full disclosure--I have been following the posts on NAMHSA-Discussion, though not in the last 24 hours. I do not read Blab. I have largely stayed OUT of the discussion, because I feel I can be polarizing, and frankly, its much better the meat of this on N-D comes from the people who are currently serving it. However, I got to the point where I was pissed about feeling unable to make my thoughts heard, and, well, I have a blog.
So how do you go about making a selection? Really? It should go to the location that makes the most sense, based upon things like what it will cost to run the show, and how many people can be expected to show up and cover its costs. NAN has not covered its own costs in over a decade. It loses money. On average, the Breyerfest NAN (which gets more entrants since Breyerfest is that weekend) looses less--between $2-5K, and the non Bryerfest one (which has been in Las Vegas, Dallas, Portland, and Tucson--prior to 2005, it was held in Pomona California in conjunction with another hobby event called Jamboree. Jam was a big draw for the hobby, but its organizer decided to move on) loses around 10K. Though apparently the Tucson NAN lost a lot more than that. You can make the argument that losing some money is OK, since NAN may have benefit for the hobby--its a big spectacle and you get to see all sorts of things you wouldn't otherwise. The competition can be fierce. But you can also decide that probably a 5 digit loss every other year isn't smart for the long term viability of the organization. After all, the often quoted "$80K in the bank" is now really, according to the latest NAMHSA News, in the $60K area.
And yes, there's been some discussion about how to cut costs, but no one wants to lose the trophies ($20 each, so $40 per class) or make the rosettes shorter (another $20 per class), or decreasing the judging staff from 3 per class to 1 (which would relieve issues with having the sheer volume of volunteers who can judge) No one wants to limit entry (like a show like Westminster does) and when you want to raise the entry fee, people don't like that (understandable) They also don't like it if the org wants to set a limit on how small classes can be (awards alone are $60 per class. It costs an entrant $3 to enter a horse in a class, so you need at least 20 in a class to break even. At the Tucson NAN, the entire OF performance division was sub-20 horse classes. Some were 3-5 horses. Entrants largely refused to allow the organization to combine classes. Some were offended by the very idea) No one wants to hold NAN with less frequency--say every other year, and people demand that it be held in a different location every other year, creating logistical problems that must be solved over and over again. So, the show is stuck because everyone wants what they want and are unwilling to compromise at all.
One way to get the non Breyerfest NAN to be less of a cash suck would be to try and get more entrants to it. This year, there are two bids in the northeast, east of Lexington KY, in the running. These are in areas that do support large, active, showing populations. While many of these showers do go to KY in Breyerfest NAN years, there are many who don't--the trip isn't feasible due to work, family obligations or finances. An event closer to these dense populations, might draw more entrants to a non Breyerfest NAN, and then have less of a loss. An event east of Lexinton could draw not only those who do make the trip to Breyerfest and NAN, but also those who stopped or never have been able to go.
For me, getting to the Breyerfest NAN is a 12 hour drive one way. The show is held the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday prior to Breyerfest. If I were ONLY to do NAN, that's a week I need to take off to do it. That's 1/3 of my vacation time. While this is do-able for me every other year, its impossible for some of my comrades who live even further east than I do.
For the western half of the country, the trip is, obviously, even more arduous. Which is why, initially, that non Breyerfest NAN was started. The org wanted to include them. Great. Except its become an entitlement. Even suggesting that the show be outside of California is met with anger. I helped run the Las Vegas NAN--5 hours from Los Angeles! And people were angry about the 5-6 hour drive to that. Oh, the non Breyerfest NAN is also held on a weekend. I'd LOVE to have a NAN 5-6 hours away. I could do that taking only one day off, if I felt like jetting out right after work on Thursday. But, because I live in NJ, I won't have that chance. I'm already privileged, apparently, to have a 12 hour drive and a mid week show, and I should be happy with that.
I do feel for the west coast and the travel issue--last year at this time, I packed a bunch of china horses into a plastic tool box and flew cross country to attend BOYCC. It was not cheap for me--my roommate had to bail at the last minute (her job cancelled her vacation, there was nothing she could do about it) and I had to take on the entire cost of my (not cheap, but very nice) hotel room. I don't regret the trip, but I would love another BOYCC experience that was closer to home. However, unless I put it together, its not happening here, and I'm not going to pursue that right now. I suppose I could bitch and whine about how I deserve a BOYCC here, and how unfair it is that it will only be in CA...but, its not the responsibility of the person holding BOYCC to make sure I have a convenient experience. If I want it, I'll make it happen. If I can't, I can't.
NAMHSA decided to try and make it easier for all to come, at least once in a while. So why is the west coast "more deserving" than the east coast showers who have supported the show and the organization as much as the west coast (really? How are we measuring this and who cares?) Why is someone in Region 2's time and cash spent going to a NAN in their region worth more than my same amount of time and money getting to the Breyerfest NAN? If its going to be fair, you cannot allow one group to gripe about distance and then poo-poo the idea that this is an issue on the other end as well. If its a valid argument in one place, its valid everywhere. That doesn't mean the organization should try and hold NAN in all 50 states, or everyone's personal circle. But it does mean that if one group is allowed an opportunity, to truly be fair, it should be offered to all. After all, in 17 years of NAN, 8 have been west of Kentucky. None have been east. No one has even bothered to put up an east coast bid because no one thought it would be taken seriously. When discussion last turned to this, and the suggestion that the non Breyerfest NAN might stop, the west coast begged saying that all regions should be considered. Now that there are TWO eastern venues up for consideration, they are sounding a lot like a spoiled child screaming about a toy.
The western NAN is subsidized by those east coast showers. If the childish behavior continues, they may find that the east is a lot less supportive of the endeavor. After all, more people from the east have helped chair that NAN than the west has turned out to work Breyerfest--in 2011 the organization had to threaten to cancel the show unless a chair could be located. It took a threat to get someone to step up and run the show they wanted so badly. IF the west wants this to continue, they need to start taking a lot more responsibility, and offering more help than showing up and paying entry fees, or buying raffle tickets.
I know this will post to Twitter and Facebook shortly after I hit publish. I ask that if you read this, and you want to respond, PLEASE do so here. This page is public. Everyone can read it. The hobby does not (and will not) have broad access to my FB account. Any conversations need to happen where everyone can read them.
And you can post anonymously--but if you're going to be packing a flamethrower, its not showing up. Be forewarned :)
Yeah, its that time of year. Full disclosure--I have been following the posts on NAMHSA-Discussion, though not in the last 24 hours. I do not read Blab. I have largely stayed OUT of the discussion, because I feel I can be polarizing, and frankly, its much better the meat of this on N-D comes from the people who are currently serving it. However, I got to the point where I was pissed about feeling unable to make my thoughts heard, and, well, I have a blog.
So how do you go about making a selection? Really? It should go to the location that makes the most sense, based upon things like what it will cost to run the show, and how many people can be expected to show up and cover its costs. NAN has not covered its own costs in over a decade. It loses money. On average, the Breyerfest NAN (which gets more entrants since Breyerfest is that weekend) looses less--between $2-5K, and the non Bryerfest one (which has been in Las Vegas, Dallas, Portland, and Tucson--prior to 2005, it was held in Pomona California in conjunction with another hobby event called Jamboree. Jam was a big draw for the hobby, but its organizer decided to move on) loses around 10K. Though apparently the Tucson NAN lost a lot more than that. You can make the argument that losing some money is OK, since NAN may have benefit for the hobby--its a big spectacle and you get to see all sorts of things you wouldn't otherwise. The competition can be fierce. But you can also decide that probably a 5 digit loss every other year isn't smart for the long term viability of the organization. After all, the often quoted "$80K in the bank" is now really, according to the latest NAMHSA News, in the $60K area.
And yes, there's been some discussion about how to cut costs, but no one wants to lose the trophies ($20 each, so $40 per class) or make the rosettes shorter (another $20 per class), or decreasing the judging staff from 3 per class to 1 (which would relieve issues with having the sheer volume of volunteers who can judge) No one wants to limit entry (like a show like Westminster does) and when you want to raise the entry fee, people don't like that (understandable) They also don't like it if the org wants to set a limit on how small classes can be (awards alone are $60 per class. It costs an entrant $3 to enter a horse in a class, so you need at least 20 in a class to break even. At the Tucson NAN, the entire OF performance division was sub-20 horse classes. Some were 3-5 horses. Entrants largely refused to allow the organization to combine classes. Some were offended by the very idea) No one wants to hold NAN with less frequency--say every other year, and people demand that it be held in a different location every other year, creating logistical problems that must be solved over and over again. So, the show is stuck because everyone wants what they want and are unwilling to compromise at all.
One way to get the non Breyerfest NAN to be less of a cash suck would be to try and get more entrants to it. This year, there are two bids in the northeast, east of Lexington KY, in the running. These are in areas that do support large, active, showing populations. While many of these showers do go to KY in Breyerfest NAN years, there are many who don't--the trip isn't feasible due to work, family obligations or finances. An event closer to these dense populations, might draw more entrants to a non Breyerfest NAN, and then have less of a loss. An event east of Lexinton could draw not only those who do make the trip to Breyerfest and NAN, but also those who stopped or never have been able to go.
For me, getting to the Breyerfest NAN is a 12 hour drive one way. The show is held the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday prior to Breyerfest. If I were ONLY to do NAN, that's a week I need to take off to do it. That's 1/3 of my vacation time. While this is do-able for me every other year, its impossible for some of my comrades who live even further east than I do.
For the western half of the country, the trip is, obviously, even more arduous. Which is why, initially, that non Breyerfest NAN was started. The org wanted to include them. Great. Except its become an entitlement. Even suggesting that the show be outside of California is met with anger. I helped run the Las Vegas NAN--5 hours from Los Angeles! And people were angry about the 5-6 hour drive to that. Oh, the non Breyerfest NAN is also held on a weekend. I'd LOVE to have a NAN 5-6 hours away. I could do that taking only one day off, if I felt like jetting out right after work on Thursday. But, because I live in NJ, I won't have that chance. I'm already privileged, apparently, to have a 12 hour drive and a mid week show, and I should be happy with that.
I do feel for the west coast and the travel issue--last year at this time, I packed a bunch of china horses into a plastic tool box and flew cross country to attend BOYCC. It was not cheap for me--my roommate had to bail at the last minute (her job cancelled her vacation, there was nothing she could do about it) and I had to take on the entire cost of my (not cheap, but very nice) hotel room. I don't regret the trip, but I would love another BOYCC experience that was closer to home. However, unless I put it together, its not happening here, and I'm not going to pursue that right now. I suppose I could bitch and whine about how I deserve a BOYCC here, and how unfair it is that it will only be in CA...but, its not the responsibility of the person holding BOYCC to make sure I have a convenient experience. If I want it, I'll make it happen. If I can't, I can't.
NAMHSA decided to try and make it easier for all to come, at least once in a while. So why is the west coast "more deserving" than the east coast showers who have supported the show and the organization as much as the west coast (really? How are we measuring this and who cares?) Why is someone in Region 2's time and cash spent going to a NAN in their region worth more than my same amount of time and money getting to the Breyerfest NAN? If its going to be fair, you cannot allow one group to gripe about distance and then poo-poo the idea that this is an issue on the other end as well. If its a valid argument in one place, its valid everywhere. That doesn't mean the organization should try and hold NAN in all 50 states, or everyone's personal circle. But it does mean that if one group is allowed an opportunity, to truly be fair, it should be offered to all. After all, in 17 years of NAN, 8 have been west of Kentucky. None have been east. No one has even bothered to put up an east coast bid because no one thought it would be taken seriously. When discussion last turned to this, and the suggestion that the non Breyerfest NAN might stop, the west coast begged saying that all regions should be considered. Now that there are TWO eastern venues up for consideration, they are sounding a lot like a spoiled child screaming about a toy.
The western NAN is subsidized by those east coast showers. If the childish behavior continues, they may find that the east is a lot less supportive of the endeavor. After all, more people from the east have helped chair that NAN than the west has turned out to work Breyerfest--in 2011 the organization had to threaten to cancel the show unless a chair could be located. It took a threat to get someone to step up and run the show they wanted so badly. IF the west wants this to continue, they need to start taking a lot more responsibility, and offering more help than showing up and paying entry fees, or buying raffle tickets.
I know this will post to Twitter and Facebook shortly after I hit publish. I ask that if you read this, and you want to respond, PLEASE do so here. This page is public. Everyone can read it. The hobby does not (and will not) have broad access to my FB account. Any conversations need to happen where everyone can read them.
And you can post anonymously--but if you're going to be packing a flamethrower, its not showing up. Be forewarned :)
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Random Techy post
So, this is kinda geeky, and is going to appeal to the whole scientist/model horse crossover that exists, but its an article about preserving plastics--cellulose acetate, the building material of Breyer and Stone horses, among them:
Care of Plastics
I'm posting it here because there is ongoing discussion in the hobby about shrink models, and those that start smelling like vinegar and leak. As it turns out, once this starts to happen, it can cause damage to other models, so its best to isolate these examples from your main collection.
Here's another article on the same subject.
Food for thought for those of us with a lot of plastic ponies--looks like we do need to think a lot more about how we keep them.
Thanks to Kelly Korber Weimer for posting these on Facebook.
Care of Plastics
I'm posting it here because there is ongoing discussion in the hobby about shrink models, and those that start smelling like vinegar and leak. As it turns out, once this starts to happen, it can cause damage to other models, so its best to isolate these examples from your main collection.
Here's another article on the same subject.
Food for thought for those of us with a lot of plastic ponies--looks like we do need to think a lot more about how we keep them.
Thanks to Kelly Korber Weimer for posting these on Facebook.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Frustrations
I find myself terribly frustrated with some of my fellow hobbyists today. To the point where I question my continued involvement beyond just collecting. However, I have some new show stuff that just arrived, and the idea of selling it all really doesn't interest me, either. So that isn't going to happen either.
Yet, I find myself wanting to go spend some time in the horse room today. It certainly NEEDS it. I need to catalog some new (and gorgeous) tack, and it needs cleaning, and its about time to inventory and photograph all those props (which can happily now be done in categories. And how did I end up with 4 vehicles?) so I suppose there is an excuse to go reconnect with it.
This is just not a good day for me. I can and do derive enjoyment from my collection, and there certainly are people who collect the level of stuff I do who feel no need to compete with it. Maybe that is where I need to travel next.
Yet, I find myself wanting to go spend some time in the horse room today. It certainly NEEDS it. I need to catalog some new (and gorgeous) tack, and it needs cleaning, and its about time to inventory and photograph all those props (which can happily now be done in categories. And how did I end up with 4 vehicles?) so I suppose there is an excuse to go reconnect with it.
This is just not a good day for me. I can and do derive enjoyment from my collection, and there certainly are people who collect the level of stuff I do who feel no need to compete with it. Maybe that is where I need to travel next.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Breyerfest, here we come!
My Facebook feed is full of people wrapping up packing details and hitting the road for Lexington. Breyerfest gets underway this week. I'm traveling Wednesday with my bestie, Heather Malone, and my plan is to live blog the trip since the whole cell phone experiment worked. Plus, we will have an internet connection in the car, so there may be actual posting as we travel from NJ to KY over 12 hours.
I am showing at Breyerfest Live for the very first time this year, and find myself inexplicably nervous. I don't know why. I am showing a handful of CM Breyers, but maybe 2 have a real chance of doing much. I also discovered that I do not own a single Traditional CM Breyer that is suitable for performance. I was shocked. So I am showing OF performance. That was where I earned my performance chops in the first place, and this year OF and CM performance are split for the first time ever (typically, they run together) and most of the people I think would give me a run for my money are showing CM. I am debuting a few-several-new set ups, but this isn't unusual for me. I've pulled that stunt at NAN before. With good results.
It would seem Breyerfest Live is the last super prestige show I have yet to conquer. I've judged it before, so I know what it can be like. And about the only reason I am showing this year is that it is no longer held in the horrible tent, but in a nice, truly air conditioned hall.
But why the butterflies?
I am showing at Breyerfest Live for the very first time this year, and find myself inexplicably nervous. I don't know why. I am showing a handful of CM Breyers, but maybe 2 have a real chance of doing much. I also discovered that I do not own a single Traditional CM Breyer that is suitable for performance. I was shocked. So I am showing OF performance. That was where I earned my performance chops in the first place, and this year OF and CM performance are split for the first time ever (typically, they run together) and most of the people I think would give me a run for my money are showing CM. I am debuting a few-several-new set ups, but this isn't unusual for me. I've pulled that stunt at NAN before. With good results.
It would seem Breyerfest Live is the last super prestige show I have yet to conquer. I've judged it before, so I know what it can be like. And about the only reason I am showing this year is that it is no longer held in the horrible tent, but in a nice, truly air conditioned hall.
But why the butterflies?
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Digesting BOYCC 6 weeks later
BOYCC ended up being an inadvertent test for using my cell to make posts. Looks like it worked!
In the 6 or so weeks since BOYCC, I've had a lot of time to think on my experiences there. Yeah, there was the show, with all its attendant ooooh and aaaaah photos. I brought my very best across the country in a plastic tool box, and got my butt kicked hard (I am so glad I did not risk my Hagens. Even I would have pointed and laughed at them on the table) but it was a deserved kicking. I could look at the table and pretty much predict where I was going to place, and I was right about 90% of the time. There was just amazing, crazy rare things there.
However, it is NOT the show I keep coming back to.
The entire weekend was structured to be the very best of what my friends and I used to call a Hack Session, where we would meet up for a weekend afternoon and work on customs and props over snacks and maybe dinner. Lots of socializing and brainstorming. BOYCC had a ton of social time built right in, and lots of food. This helped me meet folks I hadn't known before, and to rekindle friendships outside of the typical hustle and bustle of Breyerfest.
I also got to exercise my creative mojo in ways I have not in a very very long time. My first workshop was overglaze painting with Karen Gerhardt. I haven't painted in about forever, so that was fun, and while overglaze is a bit finicky, I had good results without too much frustration. Next up was a medallion sculpting class. This was more intimidating to me, as I had rarely worked in 3D when I was doing a lot of artsy stuff, and I had NO IDEA what to do. Everyone was doing horses, so I decided to NOT do a horse head, and instead, sculpted a reclining cat from behind. I've been drawing a lot of cats looking over their shoulders of late. I was very pleased with how this medallion came out, so when it came time to create a 2 part plaster mold for it, I was scared. The medallion was done in a non hardening wax clay, and I know it could be destroyed in the casting process. And I know that it wasn't "precious" it was still hard to let it go enough to create that mold.
The mold making process was more technical, and sort of suited to how I generally do stuff-- methodical, making sure measurements are accurate. Very conducive to how this vet sees the world and work. My mold was a success, and my sculpture survived the process to go home with me.
Yesterday, the dry plaster mold arrived from Southern California, and with it, a pair of bisques of the medallion and a finished art glazed version. I am amazed that I made this thing. Joan Berkwitz, who organized and ran BOYCC with Adalee Hude, posted her part of the process on her blog so I will direct you there for photos of the finished work.
I do think I will pursue slip casting more of these, and firing them in such a way I could china paint them and use them as gifts. The power behind just this idea is staggering to me. This is why I do this. It is not about NAN trophies, or cards, or arguing about what the ultimate goal of NAMHSA should be. It is this being able to spend time with like minded women in creative pursuits that are related but not necessarily the same (my friend Liz La Rose once described performance showing as collaborative work, and she's right). The other stuff is just small and not truly that important--this stuff will go on even when NAMHSA fails.
In the 6 or so weeks since BOYCC, I've had a lot of time to think on my experiences there. Yeah, there was the show, with all its attendant ooooh and aaaaah photos. I brought my very best across the country in a plastic tool box, and got my butt kicked hard (I am so glad I did not risk my Hagens. Even I would have pointed and laughed at them on the table) but it was a deserved kicking. I could look at the table and pretty much predict where I was going to place, and I was right about 90% of the time. There was just amazing, crazy rare things there.
However, it is NOT the show I keep coming back to.
The entire weekend was structured to be the very best of what my friends and I used to call a Hack Session, where we would meet up for a weekend afternoon and work on customs and props over snacks and maybe dinner. Lots of socializing and brainstorming. BOYCC had a ton of social time built right in, and lots of food. This helped me meet folks I hadn't known before, and to rekindle friendships outside of the typical hustle and bustle of Breyerfest.
I also got to exercise my creative mojo in ways I have not in a very very long time. My first workshop was overglaze painting with Karen Gerhardt. I haven't painted in about forever, so that was fun, and while overglaze is a bit finicky, I had good results without too much frustration. Next up was a medallion sculpting class. This was more intimidating to me, as I had rarely worked in 3D when I was doing a lot of artsy stuff, and I had NO IDEA what to do. Everyone was doing horses, so I decided to NOT do a horse head, and instead, sculpted a reclining cat from behind. I've been drawing a lot of cats looking over their shoulders of late. I was very pleased with how this medallion came out, so when it came time to create a 2 part plaster mold for it, I was scared. The medallion was done in a non hardening wax clay, and I know it could be destroyed in the casting process. And I know that it wasn't "precious" it was still hard to let it go enough to create that mold.
The mold making process was more technical, and sort of suited to how I generally do stuff-- methodical, making sure measurements are accurate. Very conducive to how this vet sees the world and work. My mold was a success, and my sculpture survived the process to go home with me.
Yesterday, the dry plaster mold arrived from Southern California, and with it, a pair of bisques of the medallion and a finished art glazed version. I am amazed that I made this thing. Joan Berkwitz, who organized and ran BOYCC with Adalee Hude, posted her part of the process on her blog so I will direct you there for photos of the finished work.
I do think I will pursue slip casting more of these, and firing them in such a way I could china paint them and use them as gifts. The power behind just this idea is staggering to me. This is why I do this. It is not about NAN trophies, or cards, or arguing about what the ultimate goal of NAMHSA should be. It is this being able to spend time with like minded women in creative pursuits that are related but not necessarily the same (my friend Liz La Rose once described performance showing as collaborative work, and she's right). The other stuff is just small and not truly that important--this stuff will go on even when NAMHSA fails.
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