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Showing posts from 2021

The Other Side of Customizing - Selling Your Art

Cascade, a custom mini gelding that sold quickly. As the holidays come closer and the emails from Breyer fill my inbox, I've seen an uptick in artists asking the question: Why aren't my models selling? It might be timing. Or price. Or potential customers not seeing your advertising. Or potential customers not having money to spend. It might be the photography. Or the background. Or the angle. Or the lighting. Or the number of photos. Or the location/website hosting said photos. It might be the model. Gasp! I know. It sounds rude.  But not every model I sculpt is perfect. Not every paint job glows. Just like not every novel I write is a New York Times Bestseller. And not every meal I cook tastes great.  Peter Pan (and Shadow), a stallion I just finished for my collection As an artist, I choose to create models that I want to create. I don't take commissions, just ideas I love and that inspire me.  This can be a problem when it comes to selling my art. Maybe I have chosen a

Veterans' Day Live Show in Riga, MI

  The weather held out for Trina's Veterans' Day Live Show that raises money for HOOVES, “Healing Of Our Veterans Equine Services”  in Whitehouse, Ohio. The show was for classic size and smaller models with divisions for Stones, Breyers, Chinas, other plastic, and "mini minis"/Mini Whinnys.  In addition to the little guys was the 1978 show for vintage Breyers. These horses knocked our socks off with the variety and condition. I took pictures of customs and artist resins. I did not take notes on who owned each model. So if one of these belongs to you and you would like your name included or the photo removed, please let me know. A Breyer Stablemate Custom An Artist's Micro Mini Dapples in the Resin Class And tiny tiny dapples on this Micro   G1 Stablemate custom The perfect mold for this lively pinto pattern Documentation for this handsome custom The appy classes were wonderful! Working girl with a blanket Sweet classic British Spotted Pony Yummy color on this Stab

Back to Live Showing!

  This weekend I attended my first live show since the shutdown in March 2020. Melissa Hart hosted a Michigan Show Series show in Hastings, MI. This was the fifth Halloween Show. Showers and guests wore masks so it was tricky to blow dust off the models. The Holiday Inn Express was very annoying and canceled my reservation due to an IT problem on their end. (They "updated" my credit card expiration date, address and phone number to old ones. Therefore the credit card declined and they called me on an old landline in Idaho. When I didn't answer, they sold my room to someone else.) I ended up staying in Grand Rapids, where the hotel kindly held a room for me without a credit card. But never fear! I made it back to Hastings in time for the ponies to get unpacked. The judges had six rings going at one time, so the showers were busy. Some were new, others had come back to the hobby after many years, and everyone else was out of practice. Draft and pony breeds were a delight: A

Customizing Every Stablemate Mold

G1 Maureen Love's Swaps Custom to a Rose Gray   One of my personal goals is to customize one of every Breyer Stablemate mold. And lucky for me Breyer is helping me with this goal by making so many amazing mini molds! Unfortunately, I am always behind the times because I am still working on creating some of the G1 models like the Swaps Custom above. Here's a little gallery of the models so far (my resent creations have bold captions):   STOCK BREEDS Mini Fighting Stallion (M1) by Chris Hess, 2020 to a Sorrel Sabino Mustang Dungaree / Loping Quarter Horse (G4) by Jane Lunger, 2013 to a standing QH mare Rivet (G4) by Jane Lunger, 2013 to an Appaloosa American Quarter Horse (G4) aka Para Dressage by Jane Lunger, 2010 customized to a walking mule Mustang (G3) by Jane Lunger, 2006, simple custom to a dappled splash paint on a base Standing Stock Horse (G3) by Ja