Hello all,
This Year we had 20 members attend the AGM, down from the previous years of 25.
However, as usual it was good to meet up with those that are not on line, and don't attend many shows.
There were 3 changes to the Committee. Mark, who has now become Membership Secretary USA, and Ed who has taken over from Bob to become Treasurer as well as Membership Secretary Europe etc.
I would like to thank Bob for the tremendous job he has done over the past 25 odd years.
Martin stood down as Hon. Secretary, and I am honoured to be his replacement. Again I would like to thank Martin for all he has done over the last 3/4 years.
I have been asked to introduce myself for those of you fortunate enough not to know me
I have been painting since I was knee high, and as with most of you, started on Airfix and Tamiya tanks, planes and figures.
In my late teens, I was fortunate to get to know Ray Lamb of Poste Militaire, whom I still regard as the pioneer of how well figures are sculptured today.
I attended the first of the Euromilitaire, where I came across the flat figures painted by Mike Taylor, Trevor Morgan and Jim Woodley. I found these fascinating, but not knowing much about them or even where to get them, I didn't really have that much interest in painting them.
In 1980, I attended the BMSS show at Wandsworth, and looking around I found a company called Anglian miniatures selling 30mm flats. I took the plunge and bought a single Turk on horseback (even today, it's still one of my favourite figures )
It was only 4 years ago that after moving house, and having filled up the cabinets with rounds, I realised I needed another display area. My wife was rather delighted when I said I could cover the Walls with figures in picture frames, I know this because when I told her she said " Oh Yippee "
and taking encouragement from her excellent remark, I planned to go to Euromilitaire and buy some flats. Full of beans, and with a wad of hard earned cash in my pockets, off I trundled, only to find no one selling them!!!
what a let down!!
Walking through the halls, I came across the BFFS stand, attended by two bearded wonders, the first looked like he had just fallen off his Harley Davidson and gone through a hedge backwards, and the other as someone I could only describe as Father Christmas in a tan waistcoat.
however, it soon became very clear to me of the enthusiasm they both had for their hobby, and after giving me as much time as I needed ( I must have bored them silly!! )and answering all my daft questions, they gave me a free figure to try and the details of BFFS website to ask for further advise.
I came home very pleased with myself and within half an hour had my little Indian boat primed and ready to go.
I can honestly say, that if it had not been for the warm reception I received from both Ed and Brian on that day, I wouldn't even have bothered with trying to do any more flats.
A month later, I ordered my first figures from Berliner Zinnfiguren.
Six months later, I took my little collection to Aldershot, and the rest as they say is history.I am now a fully fledged flatty.
As Hon.Secretary, I hope to expand on this enthusiasm and try to give back to the members as much as I can.
I can announce that over the past month, I have been having discussions with Vladimir Nhuzdin, probably the best engraver of flat figures, and he has agreed to try to engrave a society figure for the BFFS.
I am awaiting drawings with interest. I can tell you it is likely to be based on the Character of Quentin Durward, a Scottish Archer who went to France and saved the life of King Louis from a wild boar.The figure will be approx. 54mm. ( Sir Walter Scott is the author)
Secondly, I have asked Francis Quiquerez of the French Society AFCFEF, who designs all of their society figures, if he would be kind enough to draw us some of his figures in 45mm based on the 30 years war, which we could then produce as a series. We are very fortunate as he has agreed to this, and again I look forward to seeing these when he has managed to do them.
An example of his figures
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When I get drawings I will of coarse post them here. I must point out though that to make it easier to produce a society figure, it was agreed at the AGM, that like the French Society, the Committee will decide and be responsible for what is produced.
I hope to see many of you at the BFFS Special event at Euromilitaire this year, and should you have any questions or ideas with regards to how we can run the society better for you, please do let me know via PM.
I wish you all well, happy painting and Kind Regards Nicholas.
