I've been a collector of all things model horses since 1974. My first models were the #4 Breyer FAS in Palomino (of course!) and a Hartland pinto pony. I own a model horse company, EquinArt Creations, and am the author of the book "Tiny Treasures: Micro Mini Model Horses." I hope you enjoy my blog, devoted to all things model horses...collecting, showing, customizing, you name it!
Two emails came to Tabatha Pack on the same day from happy owners of Aiyana Salome, her classic scale Arabian resin sculpture. I'm reprinting the emails here word for word. The photo is the Aiyana Salome painted by Penn Youngman, now in Sweden with her happy owner Marie Baath.
Hi Tabatha!
I just wanted you to know that my Aiyana Salome painted by Penn Youngman became Arabian champion on her first live show here in Sweden! Actually, it was my first live show too. so she also became best horse owned by a novice! It´s such a beautiful little mare. I had my eyes on Elnathan too, but I guess I was too late... Congrats on that beautiful horse!
Sincerly,
Marie from Sweden
The second note came from Heather Gill, a longtime customer and friend. She's from America.
I would like to boast about my Aiyana Salome, happily named Aiyana C+ just got back from the AMAHA (American Model Arabian Horse Association) 2008 Nationals show and she took many top placings along with
CM Pure Gender Champion
CM Pure Type Champion
CM Finish Reserve Champion
CM Presentation Champion
With all these placing helping her get the 2008 AMAHA National CM Halter Grand Champion!
She racked up enough points in one year to get her Legion of Merit in Halter which gives her the + behind her name =)
Thanks TAB for allowing me brag about my beautiful girl!
Heather
Congratulations to all of our customers on their beautiful painted Artist Resins!
Just heard from Sheri Rhodes that Bravio's waste mold is completed and has been sent back to Cat for touch ups. For Cathy's sculptures, we actually have to make two molds to get it perfect. The first mold, the waste mold, is cast and captures the original clay work that Cathy sculpted. The problem though is that during shipping there's always a ding or two in the clay, no matter how carefully Cat packs the work. So we have a mold created and one resin cast made and shipped back to Cathy. She then touches up the resin cast - sanding, sculpting, whatever she needs to do to get it just right. Cat's a perfectionist and she'll work on these sculptures until in her opinion they are just right, and believe me with her experience - working for the USET, owning and showing horses her whole life, fox hunter and just an all around expert on horses - I trust her judgment completely. Bravio's waste cast, as it is called, is then shipped back to Sheri at Mountain View Studios for the final production mold. At that point, we order copies for the customers who ordered early. It's a long process, but we are always trying to get it just right, and make sure that EquinArt's works remain the best available to model horse and horse art collectors worldwide.
What a wonderful weekend for us out here in the country. My neighbor, Patty, took me to visit her friends Donna and Donna's sister, Judy. Judy owns four horses and I had a wonderful time petting fuzzy noses and running my hands through thick furry winter coats as I helped Judy unblanket and blanket her trail horse, Tar, so we could give him a bit of a brushing. It was a beautiful clear winter's day and I came home with my spirit refreshed and replenished by spending time with horses and good friends.
Kollean Gouyton, one of our favorite painting artists, just finished three new horses for us. I have two posted to our website but the third is just on MHSP right now. She painted Maggie Bennett's micro mini mare and foal set into a nice chestnut pinto. The shading is beautiful and they're matched but not 'matchy-matchy' as they would say in the fashion world! There's also the jumping mule painted Appaloosa, and my favorite - Tibbi Searcher's Stablemate sized bucking Mustang, painted into the best bay pinto I've ever seen. I just love this one. John was working with his dad in the workshop they're building and when I opened the box from Kollean I ran out to the workshop to show it to him. I don't usually get this excited when new resins come in but this one just HAD to be shown off right away! They're all here, in the stockroom waiting for homes. Just gorgeous! I'll put his picture here on the blog for you to enjoy. Kollean named him KG's Sky Rocket and that's the name he'll go with unless someone who buys him wants to change it.
FROM EquinArt Creations Artist Tabatha Pack, today's guest blog post:
Thank you ALL for the tremendous response to Elnathan! I am planning on doing a second version in resin and maybe one of the original version in ceramic if there is enough interest. Please contact Jeanne if you would be interested in a clinky version of the original release.
The picture above is my idea for the second version in resin. It is a digitally edited pic of the original version. It shows a ROUGH idea of what version 2 in resin might be like. PLMK if you like it!! He would not be available for several months.
Nothing makes me happier than when customers tell me, "That horse model looks JUST like my mare/stallion/gelding!" We hear it all the time, but it never ceases to thrill me. It means that our artists have managed to capture the living, breathing image of the horse in sculpture.
Here are some of our models that people note looks like "their" horse:
Wyakin - several people bought her because she reminded them of their own favorite Appaloosa mare.
Festus - a mule breeder in Florida called me to tell me how much he looked like her own two year old!
Miz Charisma - a Lakeshore Collection original porcelain horse. An eBay purchases wrote me a long letter after receiving his Lakeshore bay horse to say how much he loved it, how Miz Charisma reminded him of his very own beloved mare.
Of all the horses we've produced, With A Twist conjured up my very favorite mount - the real 'Twist' after whom I named the model. The real Twist was an off the track Thoroughbred that was a dream to ride. Intelligent, gentle, sweet and athletic, Twist went on to become a nice hunter and eventually made her way from New York to Maryland. Last I heard, she was owned by a young girl and she was packing her around the shows.
Which horse model do you own that reminds you of your favorite "real" horse?
Sometimes people unfamiliar with the hobby ask me, "What do you DO with model horses?" They understand collecting, and may themselves collect something - decorative plates, Hummel figures, rare coins, something like that. But toy horses? What do you DO with them?
Show them - you can show model horses. People take pictures of their horses, create elaborate scenes, make miniature tack and rider dolls, and send the pictures off to be judged by 'real' horse show rules. This is called Photo Showing. Collectors also bring their horse models and accessories to "Live Shows" where they meet other collectors and also judge one anothers' horses and accessories by how realistic and accurate they are. It can be a lot of fun!
Painting - some people with a flair for art enjoy customizing and painting their models. Our unpainted Artist Resins are ideally suited for this since they're a blank canvas.
Tack making - people make miniature tack for their models.
Research - many 4H clubs, Girl Scouts groups and adult groups enjoy the research part of the hobby. Finding breed information, learning about various horse breeds, and assigning pedigrees is addicting!
As you can see, there's plenty to do - in addition to collecting!
Elnathan by Tabatha Pack is sold out! Tabatha accepted preorders, and then we opened up orders on Saturday. By Sunday night, all reservation slots were full, plus I have a waiting list of folks who contacted me before I had to cut off the orders. I'm thrilled for Tabatha. We helped launch her model horse career. One of the most rewarding parts of my job as president of EquinArt is helping new artists launch their careers. So far, we have launched Cathy Choyce, Michelle Platt, and Tabatha Pack. Each has had a sold out resin so far. Congrats to Tabatha. What a wonderful Arabian stallion resin. I hope everyone enjoys Elnathan.
If you missed Elnathan, Tab's other works - Saoirse, Aiyana Salome, Rena and Passion & Fire. All Arabians, all availabe, and all in stock!
Welcome to the EquinArt Creations company! I started collecting model horses in 1974, when my sister gave me a palomino Breyer Family Arabian stallion. Flash forward thirty years, and I'm at New York University getting ready to finish my Master of Science degree in Direct and Interactive Marketing. I needed a project, something that could be sold through direct marketing. What to pick? Model horses of course! And so I wrote the business plan, and rediscovered how much I LOVE model horses! Today, I run EquinArt Creations with my husband, John. We live on a 17 acre farm in rural Virginia and run EquinArt as well as my consulting business, Seven Oaks, and the farm.
We are now in our 5th year of business. I'm proud to say that EquinArt Creations won the Startup Nation 2008 Honorable Mention for Most Innovative Home Business. What a leap forward from my little tack making business in 1980 to winning a national contest!
In this blog, I'm going to share with you frequent updates on EquinArt...our artists, their art, the horse shows we go to, our animals and most of all - HORSE MODELS and beautiful, gorgeous equine art. Get all the latest and be sure to check back frequently. Don't forget, you can COMMENT on the blog too! Welcome to a new world of model horses. Welcome to EquinArt Creations!
Model horse collector since 1974, owner of EquinArt Creations model horse company, author of "Tiny Treasures: World of Micro Mini Model Horses." I love all things model horses. My collection is eclectic and consists of mostly vintage OF & customized Breyers, Josef china models, micro minis and Artist Resins.
