Monte 2023: The Show (Friday and Saturday)
Friday started out a little nerve-wracking as it was the first morning you could enter work into the show. I was accompanied by Albert who kindly walked me through the process and made sure everything went according to plan. The plus side to checking in your work early on Friday is you get to pick a good spot on the shelf to show it. As the day goes on and Saturday rolls around, the shelves fill up and space becomes limited.
After checking in our work, there was a big relief that washed over me and I was able to relax and enjoy the day. We hit up some breakfast at a quaint little shop right around the corner and began our day!
It was about this moment I started to really settle into the group. I really cannot express how thankful I am to have been able to share the trip with such lovely company. Thank you again, Jamie, Lionel, and Albert for making me feel right at home.
After breakfast, we started walking around some of the show to check out the work being submitted. It's really an amazing thing to be able to examine the work right up close and even photograph it without glass between you and the piece. Later in the show they brought in security to make sure the models were safe and even at times, they started a queue for the rooms so they didn't get overcrowded.
I have to stress that the photos I am sharing are what jumped out to me to capture in that moment and are in no comparison to actually being there to see them in person. There was so much amazing work that I did not get a chance to photograph simply because once the rooms start filling up, you get talking with people, it's just a really big event and you're pulled in many different directions.
As the day rolled on I met more and more of my hobby heroes and cannot recount one encounter that wasn't a lovely experience. Steven Garcia, Andy Wardle, Roman Lappat, Patrick Masson, Thibaut Rahm, Leila Khalili, Alex Carratala, and the list goes on..
The way Monte is set up, the entrance to the show is right off the town square which has some bars, shops, and of course Jamie's favorite gelato :)
There were tents set up in the square with tables to encourage gatherings and as the night rolled on more and more people gathered in the square to share stories, meet new people and just engage in merriment of all sorts!
It's here a lot of fond memories are formed. Friday evening I was approached by a sizable group of Italian men who insisted on shots of Grappa with the mighty Valbjorn 🤣. I did not feel so mighty the next morning!!
Friday night was when I met Ben Komets, a fleeting moment that I'll never forget when he approached the square wearing a massive warm trench coat and just appearing larger than life. We embraced like old friends, a very special moment for me.
Saturday night we discovered an entire table of gentlemen that traveled all the way from MEXICO! They were so lovely to speak to and come to find out they had been listening to the Minimatters podcast! such a small world sometimes.
I was blown away at how many people knew who I was as I still feel like I am very much a newcomer to this world of display painters and sculptors. I am very grateful to have been welcomed with open arms by so many.
In the album, you should see a few videos of me walking around the Villa we were staying in. I did my best to try and capture the magic of the environment. One morning you could hear a rooster crowing in the distance.
Enjoy the pics!
-Val