We are always looking for and exploring new business opportunities while still purposely staying well within our defined core business strategy. One of those new venues is children's museums. Our business plan is simple. While everyone else is going slick and high tech we strongly believe children learn best when they are allowed to play and use their imagination. We also believe that a well designed and built play environment will have a much longer shelf life with much less maintenance which provides great value for our potential customers. We want to provide kids with something they can't find anywhere else.
We are currently working through the design process with a regional maritime museum. The digital and paper plans are now done on a very exciting project. We are on to the scale models at this point. I'm having a blast doing up the concepts which are to be presented at a massive gala event this coming Saturday. It's a pretty posh event with me having to wear a brand new suit and everything!
Here's the models we are working on...
[ October 22, 2015, 10:37 PM: Message edited by: Dan Sawatzky ]
Posted by Raymond Chapman (Member # 361) on :
Grandpa never rests. I get tired just listening to him. Keep it up, Dan. You inspire all of us.
Posted by James Donahue (Member # 3624) on :
Nice work. Let me see if I have this right...these are scale models of pieces which will be big enough to climb on? Do you have a hard time getting to sleep on nights when you come up with these ideas? I'd be so jazzed that it would be 4 am for me.
Posted by Rusty Bradley (Member # 6938) on :
As always...wonderful creativity and fun ideas.
Posted by Dan Sawatzky (Member # 88) on :
These are indeed small scale models of full size pieces we are to build. The space we are doing measures 25' x 60' and will feature the sunken ship, the crab submarine (which kids can climb inside) an antique diving suit (front half) a cargo ship (25' long) wharf/ performance stage, tug boat, submarine periscope (unlike anything you've ever seen)and 'underwater' caves with the walls painted with appropriate murals. Plus there would be sound effects and dramatic lighting.
I just returned from the gala... And am sold on the effectiveness and value of models! We are going to be doing a lot more to sell and promote future projects!
Posted by Ian Stewart-Koster (Member # 3500) on :
Too cool! Posted by Kathy Weeks (Member # 10828) on :
These bring out the kid in me!
Posted by bill riedel (Member # 607) on :
How wonderful to be living a beautiful dream. This sounds like my idea of what heaven must be like.
Posted by Dan Sawatzky (Member # 88) on :
These are similar to the size we sculpt in during the Sculpting Magic Workshops and it gives me so much pleasure watching each participant create something awesome with their hands. Amazingly most have always wanted to do something similar but never actually tried it. All do fantastic! We give them permission, insist they throw themselves wholeheartedly into their projects. Once started they need little encouragement.
I believe this is in almost all of us, begging to come out. We just have to purposely allow it and make a little time. Believe me it is a whole lot more fun than actually working. So few do it that once we figure out how to market this stuff there is good money to be made.
The world needs a whole lot more of this.
Thanks for everyone's encouragement. Now get busy doing your style for yourself!
Posted by Dave Draper (Member # 102) on :
After all the years of seeing your work, I am still amazed at what goes on in your head! And...I like it!
I couldn't make a project of any kind for myself. But if a customer asked for it (like those things in the pictures you posted), I could do it for them.
I have always been envious of those, like you, who can do both, make something for yourself for no apparent reason other than to keep busy and entertain yourself in the process. It inspires us too! Posted by Dan Sawatzky (Member # 88) on :
Dave
Thanks for your comments and kind words.
I have to comment on your statement above "I couldn't make a project of any kind for myself. But if a customer asked for it (like those things in the pictures you posted), I could do it for them. "
In order for us to have a business where we do this full time it is imperative we do models and sample pieces on a regular basis to show future customers what we can do. Most customers can't possibly imagine the things we can do. We have to SHOW them.
While I thoroughly enjoy making models it is not merely entertainment. Not nearly. It is premeditated success. We absolutely wouldn't be where we are without these samples.
In fact, you may remember the mechanical fish challenge we did about two years ago. That piece won us this half million dollar project. A fellow was driving by our place and stopped in on a whim. I gave him a tour of our studio and when he saw this sample piece he told me he had a project for us. After that brief tour he offered us a $200,000 contract to do a children's play facility at the museum. I told him we needed half a million dollars to do the job right. They accepted our offer and gave us carte blanche in the space. This model is the piece that clinched the deal. Samples are critical in our business model. We have three more models in progress right now. They are a sound investment!
[ October 27, 2015, 12:27 PM: Message edited by: Dan Sawatzky ]
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