It's About The Teeth

Love them choppers

I get many requests to donate my artwork and services for many shows and organizations. It is always difficult to turn people down as the causes always seem good and I completely understand how difficult it must be to solicit for an event or cause and get turned down. Heck, almost every two weeks I solicit you all to purchase something from my studio.

Choosing the cause or event that gets my services becomes difficult when they all need or want your services, but there is only one of me and not every event planner has class which is a personal annoyance to me. They forget to let you know they got the item, even after buggin you for weeks if the piece was done. They forget to send that all important thank you card after the fact. Then they forgot to tell the artist who attained the item and even more importantly how much the item sold for. And forget about trying to attain written proof of that sale for tax purposes! Trying to track this information down after all is said and done was and continues to be beyond frustrating. So, for the past two years I have been slowly whittling down my donation card and continually saying no.

Do you own me?

One show I try and support is my local regional show. Last year I went all out and donated a full stablemate sized drafter resin fully painted with all the dapply bells and whistles. I still have no idea what it went for or who owns it. After it left my studio I never heard another word till this year when donations were again needed.

As you could imagine, I was on the fence and seriously leaning toward "no" until I saw what they were asking me to paint as donation. I couldn't resist the urge to paint the "Ed" medallion and decided to close out my donation card for 07 with one more model horse-like donation as next year my services will go on to help other causes that are completely outside of the equine miniature industry. I am involved in formidable and helpful ministries (like feeding the homeless here in Brooklyn) and my heart has been leaning more and more toward helping these areas of need. But for now, I'll enjoy the final stages of production on "Ed" and hope the recipient who wins him enjoys him. Hay, I may even get an email from them telling me he is being enjoyed! I sure enjoyed having his happy mug here visiting the studio. There is something about those teeth!