Darynn's BCC entry

For the first time ever, (some) international hobbyists are allowed to participate in the BreyerFest Best Customs Contest. Yesterday, I shared a magnificent Performance entry by Germany's England's Vincent Lange. Today, I am just as delighted this glorious Most Extreme entry by Canada's Darynn Benardczyk. Thank you, Darynn, and good luck at BreyerFest!

The Making of Denali

by Darynn Benardczyk

When I discovered that I could enter the Best Custom Contest this year, my mind was immediately flooded with ideas. I finally get to run with the top dogs. I could explore a new breed... I could try something I have never done before... I could create something nobody has ever seen before... I was so dialled into the contest and what would win. What would other people think of my entry? What would be remembered? It wasn’t working. My close family and friends rejected most of my initial sketches... “Darynn, those just aren’t you.”

A brilliant idea doesn’t come from a place of focus on the present challenge, it comes from deep within. What do I need to say? What story do I need to tell? I have spent a long time pursuing my artwork and trying to stand out. Model horses have been the first place where that has truly happened and I have found success. I now use the equine form to capture emotion through art. Named after the highest mountainous peak in North America; Denali is no exception. This is the horse I used to daydream about as a child. I did not know who he was or where he came from or why he was there, but now I understand. I was able to manifest a creation in reality based off of a vision I have carried into my adulthood. This war horse has been set free from battle, carrying the mark of his person. He has a tremendous past and fought hard for his freedom.

Denali was created from none other than the Breyer Indian pony mold. I had to keep the essence similar.

The original reference came from my Gambler’s Gallop stickers which I fell in love with. I knew I had to make him into a model.

A month and a half of sculpting later, none of the original mold remained. He taught me a lot about anatomy.

He was then painted meticulously with hair detailing and a metallic sheen. He glows in person. 

It is a replica of my actual handprint on his shoulder. 

My boyfriend taught me how to make static grass on his base. 

This horse truly embodies everything I stand for and the process it takes to create art at this caliber.

Denali was created with my fingerprints. He is a dream, realized. He embodies my journey, and his war paint symbolizes the fight, the struggle, and the work to get here. He is a strong presence of the equine beauty, strength and magic. 

May Denali be remembered in your minds as the greatest representation of my work, carrying the mark of my palm. Regardless of this contest and it’s results... I have already won and I cannot wait to see where this journey takes me...