March 2015 Newsletter
It’s kind of a running joke around here that anything outside of refinishing collision work (your average vehicle paint job) these days is considered “custom”, and custom seems to be frowned upon by the major paint companies. That irritates the absolute hell out of me, and as a result I have waged my own personal war on this mentality. The big shots at the major paint companies refer to the custom segment as “2-3 percent” of the market, hence the lack of attention. To you, I say this: What you’re about to read refers to the greatest bunch of 3% r’s I’ve ever had the pleasure of being around. Furthermore, I’m not only glad to consider myself part of the 3% crowd, but you might not want to let them know who you are!
I’m going to attempt to tell you how awesome this show was. I say “attempt”, because there’s no way to fully describe what I was exposed to this week!
Just when you think you’ve seen it all, a show like this comes up and proves that you’ve seen absolutely nothing! The category of classes were as follows: “Low-rider Graphics”, “Creating Killer Skulls”, “Plotter Mastery”, “Airbrush Mastery”, “Achieving Photorealism”, “Ultimate Airbrush Techniques & F/X”, “Automotive Cheap Tricks & Special F/X”, “Automotive Murals On Steel”, “Power Portraits”, “Pin Up Art”, “Pin striping & Lettering Mastery”, and “T-shirt Airbrushing”. Each class was instructed by the absolute “best of the best” from all over the globe! Now, before you call bullshit on that statement by thinking “sure, I’ve heard that before”, here’s a list of names for you to digest: “Rod Fuchs”, “Terry Hill”, “Javier Soto”, “Jonathan Pantaleon”, “Brian Lynch” (actually Brian had to attend a Matrix sales meeting that somehow got scheduled that same week………I smell a conspiracy, lol!), “Gary Worthington”, “Cheryl Vaughn”, “Jason Brookshire”, “Glen Weisgerber”, “Rob Churchill”, “Chris Johnson”, and “Steve DeMan”. All this talent was put together by: “Cliff Stieglitz”, editor of “Airbrush Action Magazine”.
Over the years I have been exposed to many celebrities and famous figures in the business. More often than not, these people are just figure heads for the event and don’t do much more than show off, sign a few autographs, look good, and exercise their ego’s. Not this event!!!!! These guys were straight forward, humble, and extremely giving of both their time and talent! Zero ego, and zero secrecy!
That was a “first” for me, and I thought continuously of how well that show seemed to blend with the narrative I have always subscribed to here at The Paint Spot……”Whatever it Takes”. Explanation: I’ve been told many times that by doing business the way I do, all I’m doing is bringing about competition for Slix as well as The Paint Spot, and that by being so generous with time, technique, and materials I’m not only contaminating the waters, but spoiling the end users and generating disrespect for myself. “All they’re doing is using you and the Paint Spot because you give them something for nothing, and then they expect the same thing from others”. First of all, they wouldn’t expect the same from “others” if “others” weren’t so opportunistic and secretive, not to mention, knew what the hell they were actually talking about! Secondly, I never give something for nothing! I’ve been doing this long enough to know……..It always comes back, and usually, IN A BIG WAY!
So, now that I’ve told you how cool these guys / gals are, here’s the kicker……they all know how to “teach”! One without the other is like wiping half your ass, but these individuals could actually get down to your level, no matter what that level was, and teach you how to overcome your difficulties………that is extremely hard to do!
Immediately upon arriving the first day, we were asked what we hoped to get out of the class and why we came. When Gary Worthington (No relation to “Cal”….I asked lol!) got around to me, I said “I’m basically here to support the show and all The Paint Spot attendees that I brought in”. I also informed him that I can paint vehicles, but as far as artistic ability, “I can’t even draw stick people”! When everyone finally caught their breath and stopped laughing, Gary looked at me and said “don’t worry Rick, you will by the time you finish this class”!
Now ya’ll have to realize that not only was I artistically challenged, but I had never actually plugged in an airbrush before, and here I was in an “Airbrush mastery” class.
Cheryl, Gary, and Terrence were very detailed with their instruction and techniques, and the other participants were awesome at helping out when one of us were stuck. The first day and a half were endless exercises of lines, dots, circles, drop shadows, high lighting, and “dagger strokes”, of all sizes. We were using one color (purple) paint exclusively, until later the second day. We then switched to different colors to get used to blending, and before that day ended we were actually painting scenes! The exercises we had spent so much time on were virtually all incorporated into producing real art, and by the time I got around to trying it……….I was no longer artistically challenged! I swear to you all it was as if I always knew how to use an airbrush! For the few of you who still get this newsletter “snail mail”, I’ll try to get a color copy of my work attached, but for the rest I will have Thalia upload pictures with the Newsletters. What you will see is totally me with zero deception……….you will not believe this inept, artistically challenged knucklehead actually did this!!!!!!
The same thing happened in all the other classes for all the Paint Spot attendees, most of which came with backgrounds in custom work.
Virtually every attendee stated at the end of the show, that they will definitely be attending the next Getaway…….including me! My own kids, were sent pics of my progress while I was at the show and responded….”no way Dad, you did that”? “I want to go to that show”! I guaranty this….”Shawn”, “Cheyenne”, and “Jessica” will definitely be with me at the next show!
To some of you who called me saying you didn’t know that the show was going on, and you wish you could have gone……..you have no credible reason for NOT knowing! I promoted this event for three months in the newsletter, and by handing out the “Airbrush Getaway Workshops” placards. If you laid them on a table and blew it off you have nobody to blame but yourselves. However, I have arranged a deal with “Cliff Stieglitz” to take on the “Airbrush Action Magazine” and distribute it to ALL Paint Spot customers from now on!
Thank you Cliff for not only putting together a truly “world class” event, but for treating all the attendees so graciously. You are a class act and so good at what you do! Your show was the most flawlessly educational event I have ever attended! Based on the response that I’ve got, Texas loves the Airbrush getaway. I’ve even had several people call me saying they saw it on local TV!
For everyone reading this, unbenounced to me, The Paint Spot actually got the most sign ups for the show. Cliff made a big deal out of that in a meeting with all of us, that generated a big round of applause. I can’t tell you how that touched me. He literally made me feel like royalty, and the whole time I was the one who was so totally grateful for him having me there!
Thank you Brian Lynch for giving me the opportunity to help promote this event! It is regrettable that you were rerouted to the Matrix sales meeting, but totally understandable. I can tell you this Brian, you are highly admired by everyone involved in that segment of the industry, and you were held in the highest regard by all who attended!
Thank you Gary, Cheryl, and Terrence for your inspiration, patience (with me especially), and your willingness to be so giving of your time and your experience……..it means a lot to me, as well as all who attended!
Thank you to all the dedicated “Paint Spot Newsletter” readers that came up and shook my hand and introduced themselves. I was shocked to learn how many of you had read my words at one time or another, and that I had in some small way, helped you with a question or a situation. The internet can be an amazing thing for communication, but it still blows my mind when someone who lives so far away says “I googled something about PPG, Matrix, Northstar, Dupont, House of Kolor, etc, and your newsletter came up”!
Ok, this is the funniest situation yet. I actually received negative feedback from nine subscribers for NOT having political content in the last newsletter!
Is this where I should apologize, or really start ripping the Dems a new one? Ha,Ha,Ha!
I knew once I got most of the thin skinned liberals to unsubscribe you loyal Conservatives would get a kick out of it, but I didn’t expect you to get upset when I actually had to talk about industry related topics. To be honest, I love the responses! You’re right, some things are way more important than body and paint. So, here we go……..
I’m not the only one out there that took note of the countless lies and deception put fourth by our liberal adversaries. It’s been well published and documented by journalists and certain media outlets. Although it’s no big secret how the Obama administration has been trashing our constitution and judicial system, it does come as a shock to most liberals. The reason for this may not have been so clearly defined by some journalists, but I certainly have! I’m all about “outing” a “dumb ass”, and “stupidity” whenever I can, and that’s exactly what has happened recently on a grander scale. “Brian Williams”? Recognize the name? He’s the idiot who got busted lying about his adventures as a journalist. How about that ding bat “Lois Lerner? You know, the one that was unfairly being blamed for targeting Conservatives using her position at the IRS. She didn’t do it, she lost her files, the hard drive crashed and there were no back up files……..yeah, that one. OOPS…….apparently as often happens with a liar, she didn’t quite get her tracks dusted, the back up in Virginia was chalk full of nails for her coffin! How about that old hag “Hillary Clinton” (can’t blame Bill for his improprieties, if I had a wife that looked like that, I’d be worse!), her Benghazi escapade is unraveling daily, not to mention the money she’s been getting from foreign governments! If all that isn’t enough (and there’s a ton more), just look how unstable the whole world has become since we’ve initiated “hope and change”. It’s an “in your face” example of how this “fundamental change”, “utopian peace love dove”, “can’t we all just get along”, “apologetic”, “legalize everything that was once wrong”, “political correctness”, “global warming”, “Democratic”, “Liberal”, “media backing” (except FOX), “get a celebrity to endorse it”, “blame it on the Republicans”, and when all else fails….”lie about it”, is a supreme recipe for disaster!
The big kicker to all this seems to be the reaction of all the liberals who made it happens, and I’m not talking about the elected ones! It’s the stupid idiots who so gullibly got sucked into such stupidity and voted for this Hitler wanna be!
Many of them have actually come across as shocked, some have switched parties, and some have still got this “I like the Kool aid and I’m going to continue drinking it attitude”. The only ray of sunlight in this is, that group is now the minority!
So, what do we do now? We’ve got a monumental problem on a global scale to deal with. So much so, that it makes 911 look like a day at the amusement park.
Well, here’s what I say we need to do, and any of you “scraggler” liberals that get a hold of this are no doubt going to want to throw up (partially because you just generally have weak stomachs, and partially because it will force you up off your ass whereas your primary concern is missing a joint, your favorite TV show, or your damn welfare check) we need to go kick some major ass! That’s right you idiots………KICK ASS!
Now, before you throw a hardball like “yeah, all you republicans always say we’re doing it wrong, and you say there’s a better way, but you never outline a plan…….here’s my plan.
We put a massive amount of “boots on the ground” in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Now I know there will be those weak stomached folks that say “we don’t want anymore Americans dying for these foreign causes”. Well, ordinarily I’d tend to agree, but since it is the Liberal agenda that created this mess, it will be “you”, the liberals that will wear those boots! Fair is fair you stupid, ignorant, idiots, and why should traipsing through the sand bother you anyway, you’ve had your heads stuck in it for six years!
Everyone that voted that guy into office needs to step up and prove their patriotism, and this would be a perfect way to do so. You got us into it, now get us out!
I’m just an average “Joe” that happens to think a little more than your average liberal, but I think this plan is a perfect way to remedy the situation. I don’t like death anymore than most, but the ones that don’t come back can be considered “collateral damage”, kind of like the guys in Benghazi, or the folks that have been thrown off buildings, burned alive, or beheaded. You know, “no big deal”, and here’s the “fringe benefit”………at least those Bozo’s won’t be around to repeat history by falling for a bunch of street corner B.S. and elect another one of these idiots to the office of President of the United States of America!
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