COMING SOON: As I sit here pumping a lengthy remix of Giorgio Moroder there's a waft of something quite new in the atmosphere. It's springtime fresh, but sizzling mid-Summer white hot, refreshing like the morning dew of Autumn and full of chilling Winter wonders. What is it? I can say we weren't going to announce this until the end of the month, but because of all the creative folks that have decided to support the effort behind-the-scenes (and more still to come) we just could not contain ourselves for two more weeks.
HEAR YE ALL RESIN-SLINGERS: As mentioned in an article a few months back, after we hit our three year mark Go Figure News (GOFN) will be retiring for a full Summer sabbatical starting June 1. Then fast forward to September 1st when GOFN swiftly transforms into the magic and mystery that shall become: Resin D'être! You heard it here first. In the end we served readers from exactly 165 countries (come on Papua New Guinea, Cuba and Svalbard)! How do you like our uber-fresh logo (designed by Mike Konieczny/Shutter Surfer)?! For starters we will re-emerge as a bit of a team-based collective of sorts, we have a strong group of makers and in-the-know folks planning to develop this. In terms of focus we'll be leaving behind en-masse toymaking to focus our attention fully on artist/designer driven 100% Pure Resin, 100% of the time. I cannot identify the exact form we will take until just before launch day, but promise it will be brand-new in scope. A few action items that have come up in initial discussions are: growing the scene, getting the word out more broadly, collaborations, shows, expos, and possibly some production. We plan to be an inclusive group that will shape itself over time by seeking the most defying risktakers on the scene, and by looking more intensely at the conceptual art behind the makers.
Personally I'm happy to report that I will still likely continue collecting the oddest, the brightest and the most highly crafted, but step aside for a whole new wave in independent, artist-driven works made almost exclusively in resin. There's so much we want to cover, so much yet still to explore - on all ends of the planet. We will indulge in figures of all scales and everything from carded bootlegs to minis to the statuesque, and everything 'tween. So after three full years in print, Go Figure News will go dark briefly to become something quite new, and I hope you love what emerges. We are taking the entire Summer to breathe life into this, to formulate our goals and overall vision as to what we are bringing our long-time beloved readers (and those newbies out there). On a personal level, I am also taking a break to help out my mom who was only this past month diagnosed with cancer, and family always comes first. So on May 19th it's off to New York for the Designer Toy Awards ceremony and then shooting over to Boston (unknown period of time) to help her out. Wish her well for me :)
SORDID SIDEBAR: Deep breath. Pardon me for these paragraphs, but I need to let this go. I thought (a lot) about where I was taking GOFN as a 'zine and realized what I wanted more than anything in the end was community, feedback, something reciprocal and based on (un)common interests. I got a whole heaping helping of that for which I am truly grateful. And as we developed what started to dawn on me was there was a splintered sub-community that I felt a strong kinship to, my fellow artists. And since my own studio practice has taken a major backseat to producing the site it made sense to shift gears. So artists, creatives, makers of all things resin, that will become our main focus moving forward. So with all due respect, I offer a massive eyeroll to a bloated larger toy industry (in general) that runs on fumes (literally and figuratively) there are some truly talented, soulful makers out there, working diligently to produce incomparable craftsmanship. Though the bigger they are the harder they fall in my opinion. Some unmentionable (yet very focal) companies out there have been a "challenge" to work with (to say the least), with truly lack-lustre media staff (w/some definitive exceptions) that can't even be bothered to either send regular newsworthy announcements or even respond to correspondence (that's PR 101), while individual artists, for the most part, struggle to sell small editions of 25 or less with little fanfare.
.....And, exhale.
A half dozen years ago when I was consistently writing about underground electronica I was inundated with release info, always kept in the know without having to scour social media for a teeny nugget of info. International producers and labels were more than happy to send music out to be reviewed on a frequent basis. Yes, vinyl (and CD). But forget about getting promotional items from certain entities in the toy industry - for anyone on my side of the fence who has ever tried to penetrate the walls that are say, Hasbro, fuggedaboutit. It's a slight bit apples/oranges - but worth comparing and contrasting my personal experience. In the end I honestly don't need their endless pile o' plastic. But this goes for others in the designer toy arena as well. They oft forget about the impact that video reviews, and the written word (other than the sweet repeat of the elusive press release) has for their endusers. Instead of getting flustered by those who are inundating us with conveyor belt production and useless (paid) admin staff I'd rather work with any artists fumbling to get noticed. Who needs to spin their wheels, I have love to give to those creatives who care about every single sculpt, every stroke of paint, every package shipped. #endrant
Inaugural Participants (partial list)
EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED: As a collective Resin D'être will be able to become a larger voice for the resin toy artist-based community, and above are some of the core folks who have agreed to participate in discussions this Summer! As an artist myself I'm making this important change to get back into my studio practice as well. So, with that we move forward, freely flapping our freak flag. Stay tuned, and expect nothing short of beguiling 'greatness' (or at least something that will make you smile or otherwise question reality). We will keep it refined, sarcastic, and otherwise look forward to stumbling around like a circus clown for y'all. We had something up our sleeve but that's questionable because I'm wearing a tank top. ;/ For now, stick with us via Facebook, but our final shape will form in due time my pretties, in due time!.......Have an awesome Summer, and we will look forward to reconvening soon.
In the meantime, to reach me (personally) into the future please connect with me via Facebook. Ciao for now...