Rest well, my little ponies. My most wonderful students. You've worked long and hard, and it's paid off for you, and it's paying off for you, and it'll keep paying off for you as long as you continue to push yourselves and see where you can go. I still believe. But tonight, rest. You've earned it. This is the last time we'll talk like this for the year, and I could not be more proud to end it on this note. The NATG closes its doors and steals away into the desert the way it should, not with a bang but a thunderous roar and a proclamation of greatness! And that roar takes the form of a full 531 ponies of every shape and size and activity imaginable. And here's the best part: our final, 30 day total for the third installment of the Newbie Artist Training Grounds is an astonishing, staggering, utterly stupendous 10215 images! Yes, you read that right. I told you we could hit five digits, and look at what you've accomplished!
This is normally the space I would use to link you to my e-mail or say a little something to keep you drawing for another night, and really I'm still doing that because this isn't an ending point for your art, just your training marathon. You're ready to start studying on your own, patiently going over your work and practicing new techniques at your own pace. You'll keep on getting better for as long as you keep putting in the work. But tonight, we pop the corks. Tonight we celebrate, and we rest. Because we've earned it. You most of all.
I want to take a second here to thank knighty for all of the hard work he put into keeping our submitter up and running, because this has been one of the smoothest run events I've yet had the pleasure of administrating. And I want to extend a tremendous super huge thank you to Calpain, because without him none of us would be here today. He was the spark that pushed this year's event out the door, and he was the one with a kind enough heart to make way for me when I realized that I couldn't keep away. And the biggest thank you of all goes to each and every one of you, whether you submitted a ton of art or just a picture or two, if you were a wily veteran or someone brand new or someone without the time but who stopped in to say a kind word. There has been such an outpouring of love and passion through this event, in your art and your words and, I... I feel overwhelmed. Thank you.
But I've kept you waiting long enough! This is a happy night, and you're here to look at ponies! Well, wait no longer, your gallery is here! We've got ponies and puns a plenty, so grab a drink and your favorite snack, pull up a chair, and soak it all in. You're going to be here a while!
All right, folks. You've heard enough out of me for one event. Remember, the paths we travel lead ever onward. Never forget the passion that lead you here, and always try your hardest to keep moving forward. You are wonderful, amazing people, and you will move mountains in your time. I love you all so much!
