A history of artisans...
I grew up around artists and have always been involved in art as well. My grandfather, Dewitt Curtis, was commissioned to revive the historical Cyclorama (world's largest oil painting at that time) at Grant Park in Atlanta, GA. He was in the Navy and also helped to develop some of the camouflage colors that are still used today. His artistic influence is woven throughout the history of Atlanta as he founded the first painters guild in the city and custom painted furniture for Presidents Roosevelt and Truman. Many local articles were written about his ability to make a piece of wood look like marble or turn some very simple material into something new. My mother is a painter and sculptor too. I've never lived in a place that didn't have an artists retreat somewhere inside of it.

Mold making and casting felt natural to me. I have worked for many years as a dental assistant with much of that time spent in the lab making molds, adjusting appliances, and pouring castings of teeth. Working in the dental lab required precision and skill with little room for error. Most of the hand pieces and burs used to bring out the fine details on a model are taken from dentistry.

My college degree is in Computer Science. In the 15 years prior to resin casting, I was a graphic designer and web admin for many artists and model horse companies. I have had several projects (unrelated these areas of interest) with Breyer/ Reeves International.

I have been in the hobby since 1972 and was fortunate to have close friendships with Marney Walerius, Shirley Ketchuck, Kathy McKenzie, Karen Grimm and others. Those friendships have been a powerful inspiration.

Over time, investing in a hobby leads to a sense of achievement and mastery. Witnessing your progress, conquering challenges, and reaching milestones instills a profound sense of accomplishment. This can boost self-confidence and motivation in other areas of life. These early years are priceless memories.

I attended Model Horse Congress before it became BreyerFest and continued to attend BF (for the first few years) from the time of the very first one.

A nice friendship with Peter (whose father is the founder of Breyer Animal Creations) & Elaine Stone grew as I managed the Stone Henge live show for Georgia (Peach State Live). Their very supportive and kind friendship has been very special to me. On one trip to Peach State Live they stopped by the farm and had dinner with us... thanks to Jennifer Bui cooking that night! And D'Arry for bringing her beautiful dogs to visit at that time.

To this day, I enjoy other hobby related conventions (such as Comic-Con, Dragon Con and BlizzCon). Seeing the enthusiasm for such creativity is very motivating.

Practically living on horseback has been nothing but a blessing. I had to buckle down and study at an early age and take on big responsibility for these huge animals. To say nothing of the physical challenges of having to be up before dawn to feed and return to them at night with a watchful eye. Nothing else could have kept me going at such a regular pace, over many years, like horses did.

Eventually I met my soul horse, Silky Keno. When she was only a few weeks old I brought her home and she remained here for her entire life. Every single dream I ever had came true thanks to her.

Those accomplishments were but a small part of being with Keno. Burying my face in the sweet smell of her mane was all the comfort I ever needed in times of sorrow. Just seeing her grazing in the pasture filled my heart with gratitude. It was a love that I will never know again.

With Silky Keno I competed in the national show circuit within APHA and AIHR, and at the World Championships. We were top ten in the nation in halter (#1 in OCAP) with ROMs in Reining, Trail, English Pleasure, Western Pleasure, Barrel Racing, and Polebending. She was a multiple futurity winner and GA performance horse of the year.

One of our horses, Legend of Atahri, went on the become a police officer with the LA Mounted Patrol.

Ultimately, the lessons learned from a lifetime of working with horses, be it patience, empathy, resilience, or a strong work ethic, can serve as a foundation for personal and professional growth. I am thankful for horses.

I am a grateful survivor of stage 3C ovarian cancer, with a 30% survival rate. Breyer/ Reeves International honored this difficult experience by making a model of Silky Keno with proceeds from her sale going to benefit the American Cancer Society. She was a BreyerFest guest horse in 2001, along with her foal, Shadow of Blue. There was also a limited-edition model made of him for that same event.

Several horses, from our farm, were made into model horses with both Breyer and Stone Horses. Stone horses made models of Silky Keno (honoring my late husband, John Tuvell), Ruby Keno, Shadow of Blue, Echo in the Night and Legend of Atahri.

I have a close working relationship with the SE regional manager of Reynolds Advanced Materials (before it was Reynolds) who has also visited our home and has been a great teacher and guide. Our supplier also works in the movie industry in our state and the array of knowledge they have is incredible.

Each encounter, conversation, or shared moment acts as a mosaic tile, contributing to the intricate pattern of our understanding. Participating the seminars and demonstrations held by our local resin supplier has provided an enriched understanding of the industry.

Other friendships with a local imaging company (3D scanning specialists), 3D printing companies working in industrial scale and many other things that branch out from the little corner of Seunta has been truly amazing.

I sometimes get frustrated and try to convince myself that I don't like people. But seeing how this "about us" speaks to the diverse puzzle that my life has been, I think it is quite the opposite. From every person, we gather insights, lessons, values, and traits that influence our own growth. Conversations are an opportunity to exchange fragments of wisdom.

Sometimes, it's the contrasting viewpoints that leave the most significant impressions. And even those that have not agreed with me at times, have given me the best possible growth and experience.

It's crucial to curate these interactions intentionally. Not every piece will fit perfectly into your personal mosaic, and that's okay. By aligning myself with others that inspire growth, I get the best version of myself. I really do appreciate people.

This had led to formation of the Seunta Guild where friendships and collaborations flourish. Our guild has been one of the very best experiences of my lifetime. Each member brings something new and exciting to the group and our community is growing.