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I know there are a few folks out there who might be a little offended by the 'WARS' I engage in on occasion and my 'competitiveness in general.'
To those folks I say "I'm truly sorry - but I'll do it again."
For me competition is a wonderful thing. I thrive on it and have all my life. The 'WARS' I choose to fight are not in hate or malace - quite the opposite! Most of the folks I 'do battle with' are the very best of friends and I hope they remain so for a very, very long time.
The purpose of these 'competitions' is not to put down anyone... but rather quite the opposite. Take ROUTER WARS for instance. It started between Steve Greer and myself, both aquiring CNC routers about the same time. Pictures of our projects and routing adventures were posted here. Many others, like Raymond, to my great delight joined in. The projects started small and simple, but as our skills and abilities grew (and powered by the 'competition and rivalry') the projects grew more complex and elaborate as time went on. What folks didn't see here were the many emails and phone calls, and visits 'off air' where we shared knowlege, ideas and files.
The winners were everyone who reads the posts, especially those who take up the challenge and learn. The winners are those who seek to raise the bar in their own work on a continuing basis. The 'competition' merely provides the vehicle to make it happen faster.
I enter sign and design competitions each year. I'll readily admit to going further on certain projects to make them 'more worthy' for these competitions. I'll also admit making special projects in my shop for our own displays with certain competitions in mind. I know others do the same. I tend to pull out the stops and go all out on these projects - a privilege I am not always afforded on my customer's work.
But I also phone up my very good friends and encourage them to enter their best work in these same competitions. At the Sign Magic Workshop back in October when we had quite a number of great artists in attendance I encouraged each of them to enter some upcoming contests. I knew doing so would lessen my own chances but I also knew it would make me go all out to 'beat' them.
Some of my friends took me up on the challenge. And these same folks won some of the 'gold' in the process. When the contest results were sent out there was a flurry of phone calls on all sides to sincerely congratulate the winners... and to those who would simply raise the bar.
All of it is done with a sense of fun... with bold challenges and much bravado. Winning a challenge is always cool, but more importantly much enjoyment and learning is achieved along the way. I'll be the first to acknowlege when someone does some great and imaginative work... and then immediately throw out a new challenge to raise the bar even higher.
When I throw out a challenge and someone answers the call it makes my heart sing. As the battle gets 'serious' (and the rhetoric sometimes thick) I know the very best work is being produced. Others who read the posts and see the pictures get caught up in the 'magic', some entering the 'fray' with work of their own. Folks pick their 'favorites' and sometimes even cheer them on.
These 'WARS' draw attention to new techniques and discoveries. They bring out the best in those who would seek to 'come out ahead'. The 'games' are entertaining and fun. Each time its my sincere hope no blood is drawn and no feelings bruised. It's sort of like professional wrestling... but with some great artwork when we are done.
Hopefully, when the dust settles we all win. And hopefully the 'competitions' and 'WARS' never end.
Ready to rumble in Yarrow...
-grampa dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8738 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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"...there are no limits when you aim for perfection..." Jonathan Livingston Seagull Posts: 7014 | From: Highgrove via Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Dec 2002
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I enjoy reading your posts and the "competitions" also. After seeing many of the projects you've completed, it's helped me to try new things. It's also helped me to look at things in more creative ways.
Thanks again an keep on postin' in Yarrow
-------------------- John Duckett Strike Creative Greenwood, South Carolina Posts: 277 | From: Greenwood, SC | Registered: Feb 2004
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I have never met Dan, and own a CNC myself, and A year or so back I e-mailed him with a few questions. Dan took time out of his schedule to answer them in detail. I admire your work, passion, and willingness to share your knowledge Dan.
Thanks
Maybe one day I can make one of your router magic weekends
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I know that grampa Dan is very passionate in his many crafts and has always been available to help those in need unlike many of those icons who only show up to promote their meets or whatever they are selling that day.
Though I've never met grampa Dan, he is one of my hero's and I'll always feel that way
-------------------- HotLines Joey Madden - pinstriping since 1952 'Perfection, its what I look for and what I live for'
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Dan...You da man! I heard about Dan from a totally different realm than the sign industry...It was from a guy named Karl Schutz. Karl knew Dan in Chemainus, BC and he got Dan to paint a mural in their dying town and it started a flurry of artists painting murals and eventually reviving that town. I started (or tried to start)a similar mural organization in our small Gold Rush town in northern CA and heard about what Karl did and hired him to come and help us do the same here. I never knew Dan (at the begining of all this)in the sign industry, of which I have been in for 28 years. I knew him as "Mural Dan". A side note...We couldn't get a mural organization started here because our local historian beleives that "history belongs in books and museums"...We are the only failed community in Karl's repertoire. What a terribly defeating thing that was....Anyway...about Da Man...
Dan, you are the King of Marketing. It is in your blood and it's all play and that what makes you so great at what you do. Your wars are playful and enjoyable, your artwork is wonderful, your spirit is contagious, your generosity in sharing your knowledge is rewarding to all who dare to ask for it and pay it forward. Thanks for all you give to the art and sign world and to the general public. Your energy is truly contagious and amazing. And thanks for my Grampa Dan Squiggly Line Brush that I got in Lodi...I still use it!
-------------------- Judy Grossman JG Signs & Designs 226 W. Jackson St. Sonora, CA 95370 Posts: 207 | From: Sonora, CA, USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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Back in the Chemainus days there were plenty of competitions too. We owned an art gallery in a new part of the commercial district... I designed a number of buildings all close to ours which looked 'victorian' - bright and colorful and appealing. The commercial area was unofficially divided into three sections... the "new guys" of which we were a part... the main commercial block (these were the old guard who had been there forever) and old town who were a few blocks away down by the harbor. The rivalry was fierce by any account. Some of us were having fun - others took it very seriously.
Although we serviced the same customers the 'fight' was continually on to make our sections of town the most attractive and appealing to the hundreds of thousands of visitors who came each year. I remember creating planters to grow flower displays... all trying to out do each other... the results were spectacular. At Christmas time I started the rumor that we were putting a thousand Christmas lights on our building... knowing 'my competition' would double that... but I lied and we put many more on our building of course... it was great!
Signs, displays, parade entries all were spectacular as we tried our very best to outdo the other sections of town... and they did their best to humble us... the town thrived and everyone was the winner as people came from around the world to see the result of our unofficial competition.
Other towns in the region were also caught up in the fray and did their best to compete with us... it was great and the results still shine decades later.
I'm always up for a 'fight'in Yarrow...
-grampa dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8738 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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I really enjoy all your posts, you've been a great help over the years, given tons of help and inspiration, having becóme a good friend, I know how excited and passionate you get about just everything you lay your hands on.
Keep it going, it always brightens the day to see what you have posted
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