www.guzmanshipmodels.com

I am 55 years old; a retired Texas History teacher (28 years in the classroom) and an avid cyclist (28 years) who lives in McAllen, Texas. I spend my retirement days doing as little or as much as I want in following my passion, the building of wooden ship models or ship related dioramas.

My passion is a labor intense one. I generally spend several hundred hours in making a ship model. I have high standards (I am trying to make masterpieces), so if it takes me nearly a year to make a model, so be it. I created a website (www.guzmanshipmodels.com) in Feb. 2007 and have been contacted by scores of people from around the world about my work.

I recently was invited to write some articles for Model Shipwright, a quarterly journal out of London, about some of the models I have made in the last few years. I have taken my models to various scale model contests in Texas and they have at present won 75 awards. Some of my awards include, Best of Show in Austin in 1998, 2006 and 2007; Best of Show Houston 2007, San Antonio People’s Choice Award (Most Popular Model) 2002, and Best Ship at the IPMS National Convention 2000 held in Dallas. I have become a regular exhibitor at the Artwalk held in McAllen (I display at Jac-Lin Flowers). I feel very blessed to now have the time and health to do the things I always wanted to do. I have been retired for a little more than 3 years now (writing this in April 2008) and it has been the most enjoyable time in my entire life.

www.guzmanshipmodels.com