Lyons Studio September News Flash!

EXPERIENCE OSHKOSH AIRVENTURE ... AGAIN OR FOR THE FIRST TIME

This month’s News Flash puts the focus on EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. Lyons Studio had a new booth location in Building B. Booth 2028 was our 2010 home and many loyal fans found us. If you missed us, you might have been distracted (and annoyed) by the constant pounding of our booth neighbors. Their product demonstration involved a sledge hammer. Now let’s move on to all the great stuff that happened in the week starting July 26.

Best Surprise Present Ever!
One of the best moments of AirVenture involved Jeanne Bargholtz and her husband Bill. Back in May, Jeanne contacted Lyons Studio about an original painting. She wanted to surprise Bill with a painting of his prized Citabria. It was decided that a canvas size of 9” x 12” would fit her budget perfectly while still giving Bill a once-in-a-lifetime gift.

That was the start of the secret plot.

Originally the painting was going to be a Christmas present. As time went by, Jeanne got more and more excited by the idea of surprising Bill at Oshkosh. The couple live in Wisconsin and would be attending AirVenture.

Jeanne and Mindy exchanged many emails and furtive phone calls to come up with the ideal plan. The Bargholtz kids got involved with naming the piece. Daughter Wendy came up with the winning name of “My Time to Fly.” It was a family conspiracy with only Bill being oblivious to the plot that was brewing.

Friday, July 30 was the day Jeanne, Bill, along with David and Susan Zeier (friends from Ohio who were in on the plot) were going to come to the Lyons Studio booth. The women had to use some persuasion to get Bill to come along. He wanted to wander around outside while the other three went to browse Building B. Fortunately they convinced Bill to tag along.

Mindy got a text message saying they were on their way. Sam and Mindy were ready and eager to act out the script that had been worked out earlier. The foursome approached. Jeanne casually pointed out Sam’s work to Bill. As usual, Sam and Mindy greeted the potential customers and started some airplane chit chat. We asked Bill what kind of airplane he had. As expected he said “Citabria.”

Here’s where the acting kicked in. (Sylvester Stallone, eat your heart out!) Sam mentioned that he didn’t have any paintings of a Citabria on display but we had something special in the back. “Would you like to see it,” asked Sam, oh so innocently. “Sure,” Bill said, unknowingly.

Sam went to the back of the booth where Bill’s painting was stashed. Mindy discreetly got out her camera. Everyone, except Bill, was trying to keep neutral faces and not show the excitement that was building.

Sam comes back to Bill holding the beautifully framed piece. Bill takes a long look at the Citabria that looks just like his with his N number on it. A puzzled look shadows his face and he says to Sam, “That’s my plane. How did you do that?”

What a moment! Then Jeanne got to tell Bill that this was an early birthday/Christmas present and she had been planning this for months.

Jeanne had warned us that Bill is not an overly emotional kind of guy so we knew he wouldn’t be jumping up and down. But he was clearly moved by his amazing gift.
Jeanne, on the other hand, is wonderfully warm and emotional. When she read the Certificate of Authenticity that was created especially for “My Time to Fly,” she cried. This is what the certificate said: “Jeanne Bargholtz knows how much her husband of 46 years loves to fly. Bill had his Citabria built in 2000, not too far from their Palmyra home. He would stop by American Champion after work to see how his plane was progressing. Now Bill and Jeanne live on an airport and Bill gets to fly almost every day. Bill’s childhood dream of being a pilot has come true. Jeanne thought a Sam Lyons painting of his prized Citabria would be an unbeatable gift. Bill is one lucky man. He is living his dream with a woman who loves him with all her heart.”

Shortly after AirVenture, we got a lovely email card from Jeanne and Bill. “We both can’t thank you enough for making 2010 EAA Fly-In a day to remember for the rest of our lives!” they wrote. “The painting Sam made for Bill is the best gift he will EVER get. He just loves it! The picture is on the wall right next to his favorite chair in the living room. Not sure if he will even take it to the office. Thank you for everything you did.” It was signed “Love from us both, Jeanne and Bill.”

Sam and Mindy will remember that day as well. There was so much joy and appreciation in the Lyons Studio booth. We absolutely love it when Sam’s talent causes huge amounts of happiness.
If you want to do something like Jeanne did for Bill, just let us know. Call Mindy at 800-544-4992. We’ll keep it a secret.

Another Look at “Tropical Runway”
We announced the winning name of the painting Sam unveiled at Oshkosh in last month’s News Flash. Response to “Tropical Runway” has been excellent; although many people were disappointed that the name they submitted didn’t win. We hope everyone who entered the “Name the Painting” contest will decide to buy a print. (Seriously, that would be really nice.)

One person who was ecstatic is Robin Stark-Hansen of St. Cloud. We introduced you to Robin in the last News Flash but she’s so photogenic here’s another pic of her. There’s actually an intriguing story behind this

photo.

Robin was at a fly-in at Milica, Minnesota and she met the owner of this PA-18 Super Cub on amphibian floats, Phil Mattison. She told Phil about Sam’s painting and how she won a print of it by helping to come up with the name “Tropical Runway.” Philip was so taken by Robin’s description of the print that he called Lyons Studio immediately and ordered a print, sight unseen.

NEWS FLASH: Mindy just got off the phone with Phil. She asked him if he was happy with his “Tropical Runway” print. “I’m thrilled with it,” he said. Phil explained how he took the print to his hangar and held it up on several walls to see where it would look best.

Phil bought his print loose but you can order it framed and all ready to hang. You can see how stunning the framed print looks. CLICK HERE to order a “Tropical Runway” for your home, office or hangar. And thanks, Robin, for spreading the word.

Cubs Prove Most Popular at Oshkosh!
Although Sam has painted dozens of types of airplanes in his career, the Piper Cub is probably his most frequent subject. He loves the Cub and that’s the truth. Apparently lots of other people do too. Here are some of the folks who love Cubs … and Sam’s artwork … too!

Foster Bachschmidt and fiancé Lauren Thornton (below) went home with the big prize … the original of “Tropical Runway.” The whole Bachschmidt family are huge fans of Sam’s paintings. The Florida couple will be getting married in October 2011. Congratulations Foster and Lauren. Your exquisite taste in artwork is a sure sign the marriage will be a success.

Gary Baglien (below left) of Louden, Tenn. Couldn’t resist “Tropical Runway” either. Since the original was sold he went for a special sized Print on Canvas. It’s the same size as the original – 24” x 30” - and comes with the same frame. Gary even had Sam change the N# on the plane to match his. Only 10 of these special canvases are being produced. Four have already been sold.

Susan and Jim Wreyford (below right) of Marble Falls, Texas, added print number six to their collection of Sam’s artwork. This time “J3 Morning” was the one they couldn’t resist. They actually own a J4 Cub but loved the detail level of this J3. They also liked that the print they bought was numbered 65, like the horsepower of the Cub’s engine. We framed the matted piece they’re holding and shipped it to them recently.

David and Antonia Slaybaugh (below left) of North Fargo, ND, decided on “Field of Dreams.” From past experience, they knew how Sam could remarque a painting and decided to get Slaybaugh Aviation put on the hangar sign. Sam also changed the N# on the Cub. The changes make their print really special. David and Antonia made a similar change to the “Yellow Lure” they got a few years ago. Thanks for coming back again and again!

Apologies to Steve and Becky Vaught (not pictured below right) of Payson, Ariz. Mindy was sure she took a photo of the lovely couple but couldn’t find it on her camera. You’ll have to settle for a photo of the framed “Yellow Lure” that’s hanging in their home now. The sign on “Yellow Lure” already had Steve on it so no remarque was needed to personalize this print. Pass that on to any Steve’s you know who are into Piper Cubs. Come see us again, Steve and Becky, and we’ll make sure to get a photo of you AND your selected print.

Saluting our Military!
Members of all branches of the military were in attendance at Oshkosh. We appreciate and applaud each and every man and women who sacrifice for the safety and freedom of our country. They and their families are to be admired and thanked for what they do. Here’s a quick look at two heroes we met along the way.

Jane Smalley (below left) is her name but it really should be Jane Smiley. Look at that happy face! This Major in the Civil Air Patrol works with cadets in Texas. She’s holding her print of “Red Tail by Request” that was signed by our friend and Tuskegee Airman Col. Charles McGee. (Maybe that’s why she’s smiling!) Asked what drew her to the print of a Tuskegee P-51 Mustang, Jane said, “The Tuskegee Airmen represent everything we aspire to be. They showed leadership and perseverance. They knew what it meant to struggle and work hard, but they knew that in the end all the effort was worth it.” Sounds like your cadets are very lucky to have you, Jane.

Senior Master Sergeant Bill Travers (below right) wandered into the Lyons Studio booth to enjoy the sights. Since Mindy is a pushover for a uniform, she chatted with Bill and found out that he’s been in the Air Force for 34 years. He is based out of Travis Air Force Base in California. For the last 17 years he’s been crewing the C5 Galaxy, the largest aircraft around. The mammoth plane has a gross max weight of 769,000 pounds! Yikes! It takes quite a man to help handle a bird like that. We felt Bill’s accomplishments deserved a photo.

Jane and Bill … we salute you and all the members of the United States military.

Some Special People!
Alisa and Aaron Dabney (below left) of Hewitt, Texas, have a special place in the hearts of Sam and Mindy. In 2004, Alisa bought Sam’s print, “The Dream” as a wedding present for Aaron. Since the Lyons were practically still newlyweds at that point, that was very romantic. The transaction was even more memorable because the print was damaged in shipping and Mindy had to ship an emergency replacement. Since then, the Dabneys have been regular customers and Alisa’s enthusiasm and friendliness made her a friend. (We didn’t usually get to talk to Aaron, but we’re sure he’s equally as warm and wonderful.) Oshkosh was the first time Alisa and Mindy got to meet in person after numerous emails and phone calls over the years. It was a happy get-together. So glad we finally got to meet you both.

Larry Waskow (above right) had a bone to pick. Apparently Mindy took a photo of him and the “Leland’s Legacy” print he purchased at Oshkosh 2008. She promised to include the photo in a News Flash. Well, it took two years to fulfill the promise, but here it is. His lovely wife Karen scolded him for being a “pain in the (fill in the blank)” but we were flattered that Larry cared enough to mention the omission. Larry was a good sport and put up with all the teasing. So how about buying another print, Larry? We’ll put you in the News Flash again. Mindy will be waiting for your call.

Embroidery Artwork Will Keep You in Stitches!
Don’t take that headline literally. The embroidery from Star Enterprises won’t really make you laugh. It will astound and astonish you though.

Take a look at the jacket our runway model is wearing. Dominique and Jerry Palacios created this masterpiece using Sam’s artwork of “Vintage Dreams.” All we had to do is send them an image of the print and they did their magic.

Based in Michigan, this dynamic duo can turn any photo you have into a wearable piece of art. Sam selected a leather jacket but you can have your airplane, boat, car, logo, etc., embroidered on a wide variety of clothing and hats and more.

If this sounds like a commercial … good! Their work is simply phenomenal. Mindy got a fabulous and feminine leather jacket with “Vintage Dreams” on the back. We’ll show you that one in next month’s News Flash. We can’t wait until it turns cold enough in Florida to wear our leather creations.

You should check out Star Enterprises website and see what the possibilities are. CLICK HERE to take a look. Or put in EmbroideryFromPhotos.com in your browser … after you’re done reading the News Flash that is. By the way, if you get permission from us, we’ll let you use Sam’s artwork on an item embroidered by these talented people.

Parting Shot ...
Sam and Mindy have their cats extremely well trained. Here you see Squeaker knocking on Mindy’s office door before entering. He always waits for permission before he jumps on her desk and knocks every single thing off the surface, splaying himself all over her work space. Good kitty!

NOTE FROM MINDY: Thanks to everyone who sent good thoughts for my Dad’s recovery from open heart surgery. He is slowly getting better and stronger, and we're hoping he'll be home soon.

THANKS FOR VISITING LYONSSTUDIO.COM!

LOOK FOR A FRESH NEWS FLASH IN OCTOBER!