But Mike, "art" is highly subjective. I don't like Furlow's art, I don't like George Sellios' art. I respect their talent, but don't share their vision.
Yes the hobby has its complex "artistic" aspects, scenery and structures are no doubt were most of that resides. But exaggeration leaves me cold........
So I'm sorry if Malcome Furlow was disappointed in the percentages of modelers who embraced, or did not embrace his vision, but fact is I have spent my life in this hobby, Malcome just dropped by and then took his ball and went home when he was not a big enough star.......
Sheldon
BRAKIE Jim,There was many ways to spread one's disgust back then like letters to the editor,NMRA regional meets,clubs and yes,hobby shop gatherings on Saturday morning. At one time local train shows was a meeting place because everybody just about knew everybody through the NMRA,clubs or hobby shops.Pity those days are lost forever.
Jim,There was many ways to spread one's disgust back then like letters to the editor,NMRA regional meets,clubs and yes,hobby shop gatherings on Saturday morning. At one time local train shows was a meeting place because everybody just about knew everybody through the NMRA,clubs or hobby shops.Pity those days are lost forever.
Back in those days as a college student, and probably like many others, I was simply out-of-the loop with any of those things. I didn't have any mentors, or anyone try to induct me into the NMRA, I didn't start even go to my first train show until I moved to Houston TX in 1985 and no one shared any gossip with me there. All that stuff you list didn't exist for me in the early to mid 1980's so, maybe, thankfully, ignorance was bliss. In fact, the more I learn about many things through the media these days or the news, or whatever, the more it makes me want to crawl into a hole - preferably a big hole with room for a sizable layout!
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
MidlandPacific Well, whatever he may have done, he didn't malign anyone's character on the internet and then refuse to substantiate it when challenged, so he has that going for him.
Well, whatever he may have done, he didn't malign anyone's character on the internet and then refuse to substantiate it when challenged, so he has that going for him.
More like, what he had going for him then was there was, for all practical purposes, no internet! So thats a moot point.
Yeah, I do remember when I was a Sacramento State University in 1981 or so, there was the Arpanet, but very few people were on it. Probably most people weren't really getting on the internet until the 1990's, and by then, I think Furlow was largely out of the model railroading public eye. Just saying...
riogrande5761All that stuff you list didn't exist for me in the early to mid 1980's so, maybe, thankfully, ignorance was bliss.
Jim,The hobby started splitting into mini groups in the mid to late 70s and the days of Saturday morning hobby shop gatherings was coming to a end as the newer younger modelers wanted no part of that tradition and decided "Don't bother me,get out of my way!" was better. Now and since 2001 I'm reading the same questions and concerns that was once asked or discussed in hobby shops.
And yes,as I stated times beyond counting ignorance can be a blissing in this hobby in more ways then one.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
ATLANTIC CENTRALBut Mike, "art" is highly subjective. I don't like Furlow's art, I don't like George Sellios' art. I respect their talent, but don't share their vision.
Maybe we would understand better if you were to show us your vision. The only images I've noticed you sharing are of wires. Wires are great if that's what you are into, but somewhat of a glass house if you're going to throw stones at somebody else's art.
ATLANTIC CENTRALbut fact is I have spent my life in this hobby
This has got to be the definitive quote of the Furlow bashers. The unstated conclusion of this statement is "how dare this upstart who can't tell a track warrant from a waybill try to raise the bar on me with his artistic presentation".
In an era when magazines like Mainline Modeler, Prototype Modeler and Narrow Gauge & Short Line Gazette's support of the rivet counter mentality was at its peak it was easy (even stylish) to run off this guy who dared to look at the hobby as an artistic expression.
I have the right to remain silent. By posting here I have given up that right and accept that anything I say can and will be used as evidence to critique me.
carl425This has got to be the definitive quote of the Furlow bashers. The unstated conclusion of this statement is "how dare this upstart who can't tell a track warrant from a waybill try to raise the bar on me with his artistic presentation".
And there lies the problem of that era..The hobby was advancing forward in many areas and Furlow's "artistic presentation" was not raising the bar in those advance areas.
It was a two edge sword Furlow's approach was "cartoonish" while Koester's was to extreme. Even Allen McClelland's "good enough/close enough" modeling style was under scrutiny.
OK, that's enough. Regardless of what any of you think of Malcolm Furlow, he's not on this Forum to defend himself; he doesn't even do model railroading any more, from what I understand. So it isn't quite fair to let people bash him in absentia.
Go find something better to do.
--Steven Otte, Model Railroader senior associate editorsotte@kalmbach.com