Painters and hobbyists gathered for the annual Paint and Brush miniature and figure modeling expo at the Burlington Holiday Inn on Saturday (Nov. 11).
Tables covered in colourful miniatures and dioramas lined the convention hall as market vendors sold board games, crafts and custom models.
Some of the painters have been honing their craft for years.
“I’ve been in this hobby since I was about 9 years old,” Aidan Delorme, a hobbyist who entered his models in the event, said. “That’s 13 years at this point, so my hobbies have been a big part of my life so far.”
The event featured speed-painting contests, an open format competition, a theme award for entrants who focused on the theme of ‘remembrance’ and a host of other awards.
“Last year, my Lord of the Rings diorama won a bronze for its overall completion and cleanliness and I’m hoping to at least bump that up to a silver,” Delorme said. “But with the competition we have today and the idols of the community that are here, I’m just happy to see everyone else’s work.”
The sense of community is important to both the attendees and the organizers of the event.
“The idea behind Sword and Brush is really to encourage people to get out and paint and share their work with others,” organizer Alex McCutcheon said. “It’s putting like-minded enthusiasts together and celebrating all the different aspects of the hobby.”
Organizers were happy to see that the event was thriving after the pandemic.
“I think people were a little bit starved for a get-together,” McCutcheon said. “Last year we had a great turnout, and this year seems to be eclipsing that. It’s awesome.”
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