The Resin Toy Show at Toy Art Gallery in Los Angeles has really created a big uproar in the resin toy community. First off, the show was an “open call” which means any person that can lick a stamp gets to send in 3 resin toys for display. I’ve never been in an open call type show. I thought the open call was to be juried. Even after I posted 3 of my Gompers to TAG, I was not sure I was in the show. I expected a culling of the herd before opening night.

Arriving at the gallery I realized that the quality of the work was very varied. Many beginners got their resin toy on display next to masters like Paul Kaiju, Arbito, and my fun favorite, The Sucklord. I graduated art school in ‘86 and have been teaching arts and crafts with ages 7-16 ever since. I have a high tolerance for beginner art. So much so, I even like it. When I saw the beginner art (the slugs were beside my Gompers) I thought how being in this show may push that artist to continue and get better. If they had been there, I’d of traded one of my toys for one of theirs. I was there to trade toy for toy. I like people and what they make. Paul Kaiju was so kind to give me a Chibi Welt, and he got a purple Podling in return. I try not to take anything so serious that it ruins my good time.

Jeremy Riad gave the show a proper review:

http://www.jeremyriad.com/blog/events/ribbons-for-resin-is-the-toy-community-ready-to-be-judged/

For some reason Jeremy says the resin toy folk are not ready to be judged… I haven’t heard one word of critique offered on my work. No one seemed to mention any of the work on the shelf that night. I’d love to know what the judges liked, and where it could go to be better. Ideas for a next step, and things it may remind them of, anecdotes, personal stories… any critique would be appreciated. The judges were not given a time to speak to the artists, so we missed out on that sort of exchange opportunity. My entire family drove from San Francisco to see the show in LA. We met many flickr and twitter friends for the first time. I introduced myself to as many people I could, but my wee one was tired, and we returned to the hotel to rest up after our long trip. I wish I could have stayed a little longer to meet you all.

If you are in LA go check out the show. It’s up until July 1st, 2011 at Toy Art Gallery.