Wednesday 10 April 2013

Double Celebrations




On Monday morning, just as the Saintly Mrs. Awdry and I were about to head out on our mini break to the Norfolk Broads, I decided to quickly check my email - knowing that this would be the last opportunity for a couple of days.  There, forwarded on from my gmail account was a comment posted by Anne O'Leary that simply read,

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR STELLAR WINS IN THE CHALLENGE! Now, I've got to go as I'm not commenting anywhere else for another week :) 

All very strange, thought I and so I crept along to the mighty 'Analogue Hobbies', to see what was afoot.  Low and behold Curt had published a list of the winners to the ancillary categories that made up this year's challenge.  Whilst I was under absolutely no illusions that I was in with a shout of winning the competition proper, so to speak, I was keen to give a good showing of myself in some of these other categories - so you can imagine just how thrilled I was to read that I had scooped two of them!

The Challengers' Choice - voted for by those who had taken part in the challenge, was awarded to the Cannibal Cooking Pot.



The People's Choice Award - voted for by visitors to 'Analogue Hobbies' that had not taken part in the challenge and awarded to the 'Seven Greyscale Samurai'.




I really love to paint and collect 28mm miniatures, I also harbour ambitions to lead them into great battles one day, provided of course that I ever complete enough of one unit to do so!  I am very fortunate that my loving wife, the Saintly Mrs. Awdry is supportive in this venture, seeing it as a much needed foil to a busy and demanding job, but I am also equally fortunate to have been able to share my ramblings and developing painting style through the wonders of the infoweb.  The mutual support, sharing of information and of course humour are cherished commodities, particularly when they come from one's peers.  This is why, when one receives such recognition, that is important to stress just how much it means to me personally.     In the flurry of activity as we were trying to head out the door I left the following comment on Curt's post, 

I'm hugely flattered and a little embarrassed to have been given the nod, so to speak, but I must thank and honour all the other contestants for without them there could be no challenge. Their continuous stream of quality entries just made me really delve deep into my imagination and draw on skills I hadn't really appreciated that I had - thank you all. As for our esteemed challenge co-coordinator, one word - legend!

Possibly a little clumsy, not to mention somewhat gushing, I still stand by what I wrote, there were so very many excellent entries all of which inspirational in their own right and please take the time to visit 'Analogue Hobbies' to see for yourself particularly the other winners, which can be found here.

So what of the future?  I think the Knighthood suggested by Ray Rousell is unlikely so it will have to simply be more of the same.  With 'Salute' just around the corner, I'm sure there will be armfuls of goodies that will be purchased and hidden away until next year's Challenge stirs us all into life again, but must importantly to me will the constant inspiration and ideas gleaned from you all - thank you!

34 comments:

  1. For the people choice I actually voted for the heliograph diorama. I thought it was absolutely superb. So while that did not "win" I am very happy that your grey scale Sams did. Very well deserved.

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  2. Congratulations Michael you had my vote - The Samurai are just great.

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  3. Worthy winner for sure! Congratulations Michael.

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  4. Thoroughly deserved recognition. Have a good stock up at Salute - i don;t think i will there to lead you astray!! But then I don't think you need much leading!

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  5. Well done that man. Well deserved winner,

    Regards,
    Matt

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  6. Congratulations, well-deserved recognition. Best, Dean

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  7. Your two wins were both absolutely, massively deserved Michael. :)

    I had predicted that your greyscale seven samurai would win either the Challengers' or People's Choice category.

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  8. Congratulations and well done Michael old chap.

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  9. Very well deserved Michael, the Cannibals cook pot is just amazingly well painted.

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  10. Congratulations once again Michael. I look forward to you joining us for the next Challenge.

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  11. Michael,

    Both awards were very well deserved, you are a very talented gentleman. I look forward to seeing your next projects and you entering next year's challenge.

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  12. Congrats Michael, one of the best painters out there or here!

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  13. Well done Sir Michael, thoroughly deserved!!!

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  14. Very well deserved. Love the mandrills!

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  15. Congratulations there Michael for a well deserved win and enjoy your trip to the Norfolk Broads

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  16. ah you greedy bugger, some of us did not get a single crust ;-)


    So very well deserved Michael, one and all.

    Cheers
    Ian

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  17. Well done Michael, richly deserved!

    Your cooking pot got my vote!

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  18. Huzzah! Well deserved win, Michael.

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  19. Hi Michael,

    congratulations, absolutely well deserved!
    Just hold your extraordinary quality.

    Cheers
    Stefan

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  20. I didn't plan on doing any commenting at all this week, but when I read Curt's post, I couldn't contain my happiness. I told you in a previous comment how I felt those two pieces represented seemingly opposing sides of your personality. The camels you painted represented another part of you. They represented to me, the core of who you are-stable and constant. It was in those pieces that the classic Michael Awdry style is best represented.

    Yes, a long comment from me, but I'm a girl and sometimes prone to acting like one.

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  21. Many congratulations, Michael. I voted for the Cannibal Cooking Pot! I don't know what it is about it, but it's just so very "Darkest Africa" - a perfect piece of wargaming modelling and painting. Your other entries were fantastic as well, but that was my favourite. Very well done indeed.

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  22. Congrats Michael.Very well deserved Sir.

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  23. Very nice vignette!! Congratulations!!

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  24. Congratulations Michael....that pot is just so cool, extremely well done

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  25. I am staggered by the continued support and kind words; thank you all so very much.

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  26. Congratulations Michael! The cooking pot was just insane, I did not have to think long for my vote. CU next week.

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  27. Congratulations! I love the cannibal cooking pot. Makes me hungry. . .

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