I just got the 2009 RESS Finishwork Exhibition CD off to the juror! PHEW. Thank you to all who entered and a big thank you to Stephanie Michaud for being the juror for this year! Lots of nice entries and a good healthy turn-out -- Yay! This year's Advanced division "canvas" is the wonderful Okie Rio sculpted by Carol Williams and the canvas for the Intermediate and Novice divisions is the Breyer® American Quarter Horse Mare.
I'm actually most tickled to have some Intermediate and Novice entries into this show. It's been my long-standing belief that Novice and AO divisions are essential for the future of model horse showing. This dominance of Open divisions, of throwing everyone in with the pros, is disenfranchising the vast majority of participants who participate as a hobby. IMO, this paradigm is based on exclusion rather than inclusion. I find it ironic that this competitive game overlooks the most important aspect of itself -- the experience of the participants. How I long for the day when this game re-models itself after something like, say....the shows of the Quarter Horse industry. Now there's an activity that fully understands the intrinsic value of its beginners and AOs!
Anyhoo, if you'd like to peruse the entries into the 2008 RESS Finishwork Show, check 'em out here. To see lots more show results, like those for the sculpture shows, bas-relief shows and such, go here. I really appreciate the RESS paradigm of inclusion, education, promotion of the art form and as a community of like-minded colleagues. And I'm much more drawn towards self-competition anyway. Hey -- I'm my own worst critic! Speaking of which, that dang little voice is buzzin' in my ear with this sooty paint job...so back to the palette!
"The essence of competitiveness is liberated when we make people believe that what they think and do is important -- and then get out of their way while they do it." ~ Jack Welch