UTA bird seminar in Pasco

[Leaf-art]

Jim Kimball & Tony Finazzo!

Thanks so much for the informative seminar. These seminars at the shows are, pretty much, my only training opportunities. Self taught can be interesting, but sometimes there are easier ways of doing things that I keep struggling with! It seems that each time I get a chance to attend another seminar, my birds go up another notch. Thanks again for all your expertise, handy tips and patience!!

[finazducks]

Judy, thanks for your comments.  Jim and I appreciate them.  I think I can speak for both of us when I say, the class did some extraordinary work.  Some of them mounted their first birds ever they turned out great.  I wish there were more pics of the students work to post here.

[Gus308]

I would like to thank you and Jim also!  It was a great seminar and you two did a great job with everybody doing something different (Flying birds, standing birds, artificial heads, original heads, etc.)  Like Judy mentioned, being self-taught is very interesting and pretty pain-staking at times.  These seminars are worth months or years of improvement when you have to rely on trial and error.


Now I just have to find the time and money to build a base.


Thank you again to everyone who made the UTA show possible this year.  I am very grateful to have had that opportunity.

~Gus

[Gus308]

Sorry for the large images, I forgot to down-size them before I posted them.

~Gus

[finazducks]

Gus you and the other students were a pleasure to teach.  Having been a high school teacher for thirty six years I have learned to spot talent and I must say there was a lot of raw talent in that class.  That is what the UTA is all about.  It provides a learning environment for it's members and for the state associations that don't need to do anything to be associated with the UTA.  I see a brilliant future for the UTA and for people like those in our Pheasant mounting class. congratulations to all and I wish more would post their Pheasants from the class.  They were amazing.  I just want to add one more thing.  That class was for life.  Anytime one of you reaches a road block you can call and get help.  For those that don't know the UTA provided that class at no cost to the students.  Suppliers donated the materials  Dan Rinehart donated my pheasant bodies,  McKenzie donated eyes and other materials.  Research donated supplies.  Craig Lewis donated materials from his personal stash,  The UTA even provided the birds. All at no cost to the students.

[Bob Mead]

As I stated in another post, I learned a ton at the seminar.  Jim and Tony are truly great teachers, and I believe everyone came away with a lot of new techniques that can be applied to all bird taxidermy...I certainly did.  Here is a rough phone pic taken after the seminar.  I did not have any tools other than a scalpal and a pair of tweezers (brought to tweak my javelina entry), but the other students and instructors loaned me whatever tool I needed to complete my mount.  Great group!!  Craig Lewis was kind enough to offer to ship the bird to my studio in Yuma (as we flew to Pasco), another great example of the good will and camaraderie shown during this convention.  When the pheasant gets here, I'll post a better pic.

BTW, I hope everyone's gasoline headache has cleared up by now...     

[RICK P]

Here's a couple of shots. (sorry, cell phone)

[Leaf-art]

Hey Rick, that looks like 'the late night'! I think half the folks had gone off to poker.   I came back after dinner, but finally had to quit about 10pm.

[RICK P]

yeah, it was a late night.