Any Scale Model Expo & Competition in Canada ?

[Rompy]

Benjamin - lets us know where you will be in the country. We have enough Canadian members here on PF that I am sure we can guide you to some interesting historical and non-historical sights in pretty much every province. If you are inbound from Singapore, I would hazard a guess that you will be in the western part of our rather large country but if you get to Ontario we will be more than happy to weigh in with some ideas.

Colin

Thanks Colin,

Very likely I will be in Toronto, have relatives there. I am sure we can arrange a meetup

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Looking forward to it. Enjoy Niagara Falls.....everyone goes to Niagara Falls

Colin

 

[theBaron]

Strange how two so closely related sides of what is essentially the same hobby can't gel. Everybody loses.

Colin

Colin

Hugh McLachlan tried to resurrect the club a number of years ago (10+). He contacted the figure painters he knew, asking us to come to the meetings. Respectful of Hugh, I attended a couple..........chilly reception from a cliquey crowd I guess it takes a lot of concentration and skill to line up those pieces of tin

Colin, I agree 100%. And Paul, that last crack doesn't help build a bridge between the two groups of collectors.

Let's remember that connoisseur figures owe their origin to toy soldiers. Let's also note that there are many collectors of "toy soldiers", which in 2014 are more than glossy-painted toys with red dots on their cheeks, but are much better detailed figures, eg, King & Country, Frontline, John Jenkins, First Legion, among other makers. Go to a forum like the Treefrog Toy Soldier forum (http://www.treefrogtreasures.com/forum/), of which I and other Planeteers are members, and you will see various levels of skill in kit conversions and dioramas, some of which is as good as many things you'll see at our show (MFCA) and other connoisseur shows.

There are people who collect and paint in either genre, who at best, aren't interested, and at worst, look down at and belittle, what the others do, and I've never understood that. It's akin to the divides in scale modeling--"armor guys" hate the "plane guys", "plane guys" hate the "car guys", and they all hate fantasy and figure painters. But the skills you need in any of these genres are the same, and if you don't like the subject, you can at least appreciate the work, skill and talent that goes into some of the pieces. In fact, before we pee on the tree of those who just collect, I hear far more positive comments from guys who only collect "pieces of tin" about connoisseur pieces, about the skill and talent that it takes to produce a Russian-painted figure, say, and those comments invariably include the words, "I wish I were that talented."

So yes, try to bridge the gap and reach out to the others, when you can. It is a hobby, after all, not a contest, and we can all appreciate every piece in its own right, even if it's not our particular cup of tea.

I'll come down off the soap box now.

Prost!
Brad

Oh, and a PS--

I applaud Walt Damon and Pat Deluhery for their toy soldier displays at our show this year. Besides some very beautiful entries in the painters' categories, they also submitted displays in the toy soldier categories, to help encourage others and drive up interest in those areas. The divide goes both ways, but we can bridge it, if we follow their example.

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Brad - I think the frustration is that our local Society never learned how to co-exist while MFCA (is that still a club?) maybe has. Ours essentially couldn't get along to the extent that almost all the connoisseur painters and sculptors left and would rather meet locally in each others' homes than go back. This is very sad as we both have such similar interests. I recall writing a letter to the society journal editor in the 80's likening the club to a microcosm of Canada, with separate English and French cliques who couldn't get along. I forecast separation would occur and sadly I was right. So the dwindling toy soldier collectors are left with the club and the connoisseur crowd go to US shows and meet up informally in hobby shops and each others' homes. Everyone seems relatively happy with the status quo but I think most look back on when we all got along with some nostalgia. Maybe we need counselling

We are soooo far a off topic now I think this has to be a new string. So I will open one in the general area.

Colin