The Folly of TK-421

Now that the official announcement for Celebration Art Show has gone public, I am pleased to report that Chris Trevas will be one of the featured artists!  In fact, not only is the Michigan native and his latest work: “The Folly of TK-421” going to be available during Celebration VII… but we can now report that several members of Great Lakes Base were used as reference models by Chris while conceptualizing this particular piece of art.  I had the chance to speak with Chris about this, once the “Imperial blockade” on information was lifted.

AWRI: What inspired you to bring a previously unseen moment from the SW saga such as "The Folly of TK-421"to life?

CT: I always wondered what happened off-screen during that scene.  While working on various Millennium Falcon technical books, like the Haynes Millennium Falcon Owner's Manual, I would imagine different scenarios while looking at the floor plan of the ship.  What was the best way to ambush two pairs of Imperials as they came on board?  I pictured Chewie coming from the rear engineering area and Han from the cockpit side, their unsuspecting targets caught between them.  The smuggling compartments are the perfect place to hide the bodies of course!

AWRI: Fun fact = You held a small photo shoot during our GLB 5 year anniversary celebration where you used GLB members Kieron Dillon (as Han Solo) and Chris Blackstock (as Chewbacca) reference models.  How helpful was it for your creative process to have a pair of Rebel Legion costumers to visualize the scene in real-life ahead of time?

CT: It's extremely helpful to have detailed reference especially for a piece this large.  I first planned out the scene with 6-inch scale Black Series figures to get the basic perspective and composition down.  Shooting the action with live models I can work it out in more detail and really bring a scene to life.  Their accurate costumes let me get the lighting, fabric folds, Wookiee hair, and all the other little details just right.

AWRI: Celebration VII is big opportunity to have your artwork exposed to a wider audience, how would you rank "The Folly of TK-421" in your collection of work?

CT: It's hard for me to pick favorites from my work, but I'm very proud of my Celebration print series from the last few years and I think The Folly of TK-421 is a worthy successor to the others like “His Vision Returns” and “The Hunter and His Prey.”   Star Wars Celebration is usually the only convention I set up at so I spend a lot of time planning and doing my best work for the Art Show.

A Special Wish

Micah, an 8 year old who recently underwent heart transplant surgery, wanted more then anything to play the NEW “Star Wars: Battle Pod” game at Dave and Buster’s for his birthday.  Well, thanks to A Special Wish foundation he got a little more then that as members from Great Lakes Base, Ohio Garrison and Rancor Clan were also there to help celebrate his BIG day.

Missions like this are why many of us join these Star Wars costume groups!  Our guys arrived early on a Sunday morning at the Dave and Buster’s in Westlake, Ohio and quickly were hidden away in one of the private party rooms.  Just as Michah and his family arrived, we were standing there to greet them along midway leading into the D&B arcade.  Several of local news crews were also there as Micah came running up to us to give Darth Vader a big hug.  And since it would be rude to show up to a birthday party without a gift, we presented Micah with a gift bag filled with Star Wars toys, books and fun stuff.

You can watch WOIO 19 Action News footage of Micah's arrival at Dave and Buster's HERE

From there Micah lead us, especially Darth Vader – by the hand – straight to the “Star Wars: Battle Pod” game where he played the Battle of Yavin level.  From there he wanted to drive race cars with us, but he couldn’t reach the foot peddles (despite our best efforts) on the first game… so we packed up and moved to the next game where he could reach the gas pedal on his own.  We cheered on Micah as he played and even joined him on a couple video games and winning tickets to exchange for prizes in the D&B shop.

Eventually, it was time for us to head back to our “transport” for the long trip home, but not before this Rebel Pilot got a chance to try out “Star Wars: Battle Pod” for himself!  The game is AWESOME and you feel like you are living out the movies; especially when you are dressed for the part! ;)

I love the smell of pancakes in the morning...

...smell like VICTORY! (tastes like it as well)

After a bitterly COLD winter that would cause even Tauntauns to seek warmer climates, the Rotary Club of Canton, Ohio annual pancake breakfast and health and wellness screening event is a welcomed sign of spring.  Members from Great Lakes Base, Ohio Garrison, Rancor Clan and Dark Empire assembled at Canton McKinley High School on this cold and rainy morning.  Of course, nothing helps you feel better on a morning like this then the smell of fresh pancakes, maple syrup and glass of orange juice!

The public was treated to something of a “character breakfast” as our guys mingled around the cafeteria, stopping to pose for pictures and interact with guests as they enjoyed their meal.  “Slider” from the Cleveland Indians was also there, and you know we had to get a few pictures with him as well.

The McKinley Jazz Band performed during the breakfast, and these kids were pretty good!

Later on, we got the chance to suit out and enjoy some breakfast for ourselves.  The food was great and so was the hospitality of our hosts.

The slogan for the Rotary Club of Canton is: “Service Above Self” – which is a very good way to describe why we troop events like this.