Save the Date!
FoWB Annual Meeting
Saturday, November 12, 2022
Wilderness Baptist Church
9701 Plank Road
Spotyslvania, Va 22553
Invitations going out to FoWB members soon! Not a member? You can join online.
World Expo
by Mike Pierce, FoWB Volunteer and Artist
This 1/35 scale diorama was one of 4,080 entries at the World Expo in Eindhoven NL (Eindhoven Netherlands is in Holland, south of Amsterdam) this past July. It appears to be based on a Don Troiani painting.
World Expo is an international hobby show covering military, science fiction, fantasy figures and scale models of both civilian and military vehicles. It is held every three years in a different country including three times in the USA.
While attending the show, I met the artist of the Saunders Field diorama and attempted to obtain his address so I could mail a copy of Dark Close Woods. Unfortunately, due to language difficulties, this did not happen. I am still searching for his name.
As some of you know, I am involved with the military miniature hobby. What follows is a brief description how original military miniatures, such as the ones in the Saunders Field Diorama, are created.
First, an 1/35 scale armature is created using blocks of plastic for thorax and pelvis, precast head, and brass wire for the limbs. The figure will be around 2 and 1/2 inches tall. To ensure the armature is to scale and has the correct body proportion, it is constantly compared to a reference card with a 1/35 scale skeleton.
Next the armature is formed in the desired pose. In this case, I am using the attached image as reference. I prefer this pose of the soldier due to its fluidity . My figure will represent a freed black. Very little credit is given to the free and enslaved blacks that helped create this country. Also, I will strike the desired pose and Linda will take several digital photos at different angles to also use as reference. Three rules are very important at this stage. First, are the body portions correct and symmetrical . Second is the pose possible in the confines of normal movement. Lastly, is the weight distribution correct.
The third step, is to flesh out the armature using two part epoxy putty. When fully cured it can be carved and sanded. I am using a very sharp hobby knife and consequently, have gone through many band aids. A common mistake is to make the figure too bulky or muscular. People in the 1700's were not that big.
The last stage is to dress the figure form the inside out. Just like we dress. Again, I am using epoxy putty to add the clothing one garment at a time followed by the accoutrements . I have many reference books on uniforms and numerous photos taken at reenactments and living history events. And I have tried on reproduction clothing from a variety of historical periods to understand how the clothes and equipment fits.
In creating an original military miniature, the artist has to knowledge of both anatomy, dynamics and uniforms. When properly combined, the results are fantastic. And the vast majority of the hobby enthusiast are self taught. Many artists sell their figures through the Artist Preservation Group to generate funds for historical preservation.
A Special Thank You
by Skyler Czerwinski, NPS Summer Intern
Hello everyone!
I am Skylar Czerwinski, an upcoming senior studying Criminal Justice and Public Safety at Mary Baldwin University. After I graduate, I hope to be back on National Parks soil doing
something like working as a Law Enforcement Ranger or something in the Game Warden sense.
This summer, I was one of the two Friends of the Wilderness Battlefield Interns. You may or may not have seen me posted out front of the brooder barn talking with visitors and giving informal programs. Thanks to the FOWB sponsoring my internship, I was able to be a part of a few different projects this summer. These projects included my personally developed program: "Sociological and Environmental Influences at the Battle of Chancellorsville" and assisting Sam, our other FOWB intern, repair a Civilian Conservation Corps album, plus many other small, exciting projects.
Not only was I an Interpretive Intern but I was also given the opportunity to do a ride along with one of our Law Enforcement rangers, Brennan McAuley, as well as spending some days with our Natural Resource officer Sara Strickland! I am very thankful to be given the opportunity to work with this amazing group and to have ben able to chat and get to know you all on a more personal level.
Living right in front of the Wilderness Battlefield provided me with great interest into what truly went on in my own backyard! Going into this internship, I was heavily interested in Ellwood and all of the crazy things that took place surrounding it! Being posted at Ellwood all summer was a dream come true! I truly enjoyed getting to know all of its rich history as well as giving the visitors a short rundown about what took place there before they were given the amazing tours inside Ellwood that the FoWB interpreters do!
I just wanted to give an overall thank you because without this fantastic group I may have not been here at all this summer! Working with the National Park Service has been a dream of mine since I can remember. I am in great hopes that a career with the NPS comes into fruition in the upcoming months or so!
Thank you all for being so warm and welcoming with anything that you guys have helped me with it has truly been a summer I will never forget!
Orange Street Festival
September 10, 2022 by Beth Stenstrom, FoWB Volunteer
Friends of Wilderness Battlefield had a booth at the Orange Street Festival again this year and Bob Epp, Bob Lookabill, and Beth Stenstrom visited with hundreds of people. We were crazy busy all day long! Quite a few folks sighed up to get our newsletter, and several of them signed up to become volunteers! One lady came directly to our booth and asked how to sign up. We have several new Heritage Program candidates, as well!
We gave away around 150 books and pens, which people really appreciated! Excellent PR for our organization.