Sunday, March 14, 2010

Been a long time






Hi everyone,

It's been a long time since I have written on my blog. My father is in the hospital very ill and we have been visiting him with any time we have. The vent building will have to wait.
I have promised to put certain things on my blog that I haven't. I will get to them.
I joined facebook and one of those other thingies. I can't remember which one. I have had alot of comments on my figures and I thank everyone who has good or bad. You get better with criticism. The only criticism I have a problem with is being call "you conversion guys"
I recently had a comment from Mike Palma who said you conversion guys should sculpt your own figures so you get full credit instead of partial. so I will reiterate again. I do this because i like to. I don't care about credit or recognition. I do what makes me happy. I appreciate your comment Mike, but please don't lump me in to a group. I am Steve Barry. I make ventriloquist dummies, both full size and conversion figures. I have made figures for comedians in the United states and abroad and I make them by request. I shut down my website because I had to turn work away and I don't like to do that. I work as often as I can when I am not working at CCC. (I work there because the dummy business can't afford me insurance) otherwise I would be in my shop day and night. Because I LOVE what I do.
There are many examples of full size figures I have sculpted by hand on my blog as well as conversion figures. I love to work on look a like figures and use the Juro dummies for an armature. If I put saran wrap or tin foil around the Juro head, I would be able to take the casting off, then would it be original? Actually, whats the difference? The sculpting is mine, the dummy underneath is an armature. so I do sculpt my own figures. Just had to get that off my chest. One of the reasons I don't like joining or going to organized events and clubs. I apparently don't fit the guide lines. I do what I want because I enjoy it and as long as my customers are happy, so am I. Here are a couple of look alikes I accept "partial credit" for.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mike Palma's Blog Spot! said...

Steve,

I meant no negativity toward you with the conversion figures comment. I Think you have made some wonderful conversion and non conversion figures. The figure you made for Dan Willinger of Dan is Wonderful! I Realize you enjoy making figures and so do I and The last thing I want to do is put someone down, as I would rather lift them up and support them! I do however, wish we could had chatted privately about this misunderstanding before a post like this.

So sorry for the misunderstanding.

MP

James said...

Mr. Barry I saw a figure you did that a young man baught on youtube and was quite impressed. I am a new ventriloquist and on a fixed income because I am temporarily disabled. But, if I could afford it, I would own one of your figures. They are very unique and colorful. I like the animations as well. I think they are every bit as professional as anybody elses. Frankly I think it is a good idea to us a juro head as an armature. They are a good size to build around. I just finished my first figure out of paper mache using a styrofome skull. It ended up being a little big. I have a fifty inch vent figure. that wears a size seven hat and can sit on the sofa like a human being. Keep up the good work!

hiandye2 said...

i really want a figure because i was literally looking everywhere for you online. please write back.


thank you...............