"Pop"

"Pop" as he was lovingly referred to by my family and I, passed away last night at 8:20 pm.
My father, William Barry Jr., was a wonderful man. He taught me to speak up for myself, to believe in myself and my dreams, to be the best I can be in whatever I choose to do and to stay clear of negative people. Oh yes, his favorite saying "Never look back" meaning push on, learn from experience and don't dwell on mistakes."
My father worked full time all the way up to his illness. It gave him purpose and as he was loved and respected by both his peers and his employees at Bank of America.
He was a Korean war veteran in the "Sea Bees" who had four sons, myself and my three brothers.
He was our father, our coach in baseball, basketball and whatever other sports we decided to take up. He was our biggest fan and he loved us as much as we loved him.
He used to stop by on his way home from work and spend an hour in the shop with me while i worked on vent figures. He was the one who gave me the name "Gepetto" and used to say "Hello Gepetto! who are you making today?"
He was my father, my best friend, a wonderful grandfather and great grandfather but most of all he was a wonderful man. He is with his wife Elizabeth now, who he has grieved for since losing her two years ago. I know they are happy to be together again. Please join me in praying for him. "God, our father, please welcome him in to your kingdom with open arms. Forgive him for his mistakes through trials on earth and understand we are only human. Grant him the peace he deserves and keep watch over us so we may join him in heaven someday and be together again. Amen.

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.

Terry is finished!

I was contacted by an Australian ventriloquist and was asked to make something a little different than the usual pug nosed cheeky boy. I used the nose style that Bill Nelson has used on several of his figures.
I gave him a pronounced brow and a pointed chin but kept with the cheeky by smile. Here's what I came up with.
I used two sleeved bars for the strings to travel on instead of pulleys. I like this better because the strings can't come out of the track. They travel freely and can't tangle. It also gives them much more longevity.
I used sleeves and rods for the eye control and eyebrow control and levers for the mouth and blinkers only. Much more hand freedom this way.

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM ALL OF US AT GEPETTOS WORKSHOP!!!

Sarah Palin

I received a request a couple of weeks ago to make a Sarah Palin look-alike.
I wanted to get the square jaw and big mouth full of teeth and the "wink"that she is famous for.
She was a challenge.She has raising and lowering eyebrows and two winkers and blinkers. This is what I came up with. I hope she serves you well Ken.She's ready for the Oval office!

Repairing and restoring a tired old Jerry

Dan sent me this Jerry head and asked if there were anywhere to restore it. I said I would do my best to bring Jerry back to his original condition and make him a little bit better. The first thing we had to do was re attach his eyes which had broke away from the holder. I placed the eyes back in the holder and lined them up with the eye holes by placing #6 washers underneath the eyes to even them out.I then used magic sculpt to repair the broken eye carriage. I attached a spring to theeye mechanism and connected it with a small eye hook to the side of the inside of the dummys head. This enables the control to give the eyes a full range of motion from one side to the other. The deluxe Jerry's were set up to move center to side. by connecting the spring the way I did it enables full motion.
I then built up the sides of the jaw to close the gap between the jaw and the head and repainted it to match the original paint. I repainted his head nad the whites of his eyes. The eyes were set too close to the head on these figures and cause them to scratch with the back and forth motion. I moved them out a little so this doesn't happen again.
I then reconnected his jaw with a spring instead of a rubber band and Jerry now looks like he did when he was first purchased in 1966. Hope he serves you well Dan!

Look a like

I spent the better part of last month working on stage figures and let the conversion end slide, however, my ebay store and www.gepettosworkshop.net now have a full selection of conversion vent figures at the best prices around!
I was asked to do a look a like of this gentleman in a full size figure. He wanted all the bells and whistles. I installed raising and lowering eyebrows, side to side self centering eyes,crossing eyes,blinkers and a spitter. Here is a picture of the outcome.

"Flied Lice"

I was contracted to make a full size figure from the propaganda pictures of World war II of a japanese soldier. After bantering ideas back and forth we took several pictures and created this guy. He is a 42 inch stage figure and he is on his way to Australia.

I found out after he was completed that he is for famous Australian comedian Rodney Rude.

Rodney is an Australian comedian and he lives up to his name. I am a sucker for off beat humor and this guy is a riot. I have added one of his jokes to the blog for anyone who wants to see it. Caution!!! Rodneys humor is definately rude!!!

Ace arrived at his new home

It has been really hot here on the Eastern Shore. I can't wait until it starts to cool down. Fall is my favorite season. Cecil County, (my home) comes back to life.

I have been really busy and have not been posting as I should. My wife told me to let you know about a figure i am making but I will show you several.

I received about 5 orders for full sized figures last month and i am finishing up the last one. The first was a look alike for a figure made by Maher studios which has been retired. He was delivered to his new owner and I will share the email he sent.

"Hi Steve,

I just wanted to thank you for the excellent job you did in creating Ace. I received him today and as soon as I opened up the box (very well packed!) I started working with him right away. Still trying voices for him and will decide on one for him in the coming days. I was truly surprised to see the quality of workmanship and detail that went into him

I will be taking him with me this year when i volunteer at our local MDA telethon broadcast and you can be sure anyone that asks me, will be told where I got him. Hopefully I can send some business your way! Once again, thank you!

Steven J.

Thank you Steven,

You've got a great name by the way (;

I wish you and Ace many years of enjoyment together and hope you bring smiles to countless others who need one!