Why should artists judge at live shows and collect the work of other artists?

Any artist who aims to produce champion quality work, must go out and see the competition so they can then push their own artistic development where they need it the most.  

These days, it is true that we can see thousands upon thousands of models online, but many of the most important, yet also most subtle qualities, can only be discerned in person.  

It is nearly impossible to properly assess the vibrance, level of detail, extraordinary number of color hues and tones that are present in the finest work, smoothness of surface, life-like luster, and overall cohesive quality of a piece in online photos. This is why, all too often, pieces appear better in photos than in life. The ultimate goal is the opposite, however, which is for the piece to appear better in life than on the screen.  Live shows provide the perfect opportunity to study these qualities and make comparisons with one’s own work. 

Therefore, I am a firm believer that every artist who expects their work to win at the shows should be playing an extremely active role in live showing, and ideally as a judge, so you can see every model up close and personal.  

Those artists with a true passion for the hobby usually collect too.  Every artist can find another artist who executes a color, pattern, or quality more realistically than they can themselves. Owning this type of work for detailed study is the ideal way to push your own limits and develop your own skills in that area. Owning the work of other artists is key in developing that highly selective eye, which is critical in deciding which pieces are ready for you to put out in the world, and which pieces require further work prior receiving your final signature. 

"Chester," shown below, is a 1995 piece by Sarah Minkiewicz-Breunig. Commissioning this piece from Sarah and adding him to my collection, along with others of this quality, allowed me to study the intricacies of the finest finishwork that was out there at the time.  To this day, Sarah's cold painted finishwork dating back more than two decades (to distinguish from her equally extraordinary contemporary kiln fired work) still ranks among the most realistic and most sought-after pieces within the hobby. Chester has taught me a great deal about what constitutes the best of the best. 

"Chester"
North Light brand Cob sculpture customized and painted by Sarah Minkiewicz-Breunig.  1995.
Owned by Karen Beeson.