MY Fave Figs

This year, I celebrated my 41st year of being a "serious" miniaturist. I painted my first figure over 55 years ago (Aurora's Frankenstein), but it would be another 14 years before any concept of "artistry" would be an element of my "strategy".

In that time, I have painted over 200 figures. This is by no means an extraordinary amount; in fact, that would be considered a rather modest output. But it's not about the numbers. Never has been. It's about the experience--in every sense of the word. And about making the next figure bet- ter than the last!

I know my years at the bench are coming to a close; though this year I am on track to complete more figures than I have since 2002! In any case, after a long week at work, I was reflecting on what are my favourite figures of all time. My initial list numbered close to 40 pieces. I then nar- rowed the scope to my Top 20 of all time--and things got tough. Quite a few of my faves didn't make the cut simply because they were not up to snuff: fun, enjoyable, even groundbreaking;
but in the end, critically "short". So after sleeping on it, and reassessing as a "Judge", I came
up with the following: 

A fun--and enlightening!--exercise. . .

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003