MECAF follies ’15
I inexplicably missed the last couple of Maine Comic Arts Festivals, for shame! But the fog lifting over Portland pulled me right in this year. It’s important to check out the local peeps first. Here is the inimitable Fulton Beal, wacky dad and crazy cartoonist. Former MECA peeps here, Meagan Gibson and Declan McCarthy: Something about Murilo Martins book, I’m A German Shepherd looked familiar. When I found out he was from Brazil, I gave him one of my PDX zines, about the Other Portland. Lo and behold, he was at ICON8, too! Funny how tight the circle of illustration/zines/comics...
Read MoreMECAF 5 roundup
Hats off once again to the wizards at Casablanca Comics for producing another stellar Maine Comics Arts Festival. With this, their Fifth Annual event, a packed house proved there’s a big appetite for this kind of brew. There was a robust line for Jeff Smith, who headlined the whole shebang. I was just as excited to see two of my students from Maine College of Art jumping into the mix. Miles Cooke and Declan McCarthy show off their latest here: In fact, MECA talents were in full force. Here’s alum Christina Siravo next to MECA faculty Michael Connor and his partner, Maria. Another...
Read MoreFirst Friday fun
First Fridays are always packed in Portland, and tonight’s will be even more so, thanks to daffodils, sunshine, and Mainers crawling out from under their rocks. I was invited by Pinecone & Chickadee to be in their Matryoshka Art Show. Of course I said, yes: love that place! But actually, it was a stretch for me to paint, and to paint on something curved. Egads. I lined up the blanks and looked at them for way too long, 5 in all and some pretty tiny. I knew right away I wanted to do a series of female superheroes. Had to narrow down my list, but then I drew over the photo for...
Read MoreMaine Comic Arts Festival
This year’s Maine Comic Arts Festival brought another wave of sun and shiny artists together. The location really can’t be beat, sitting right over the water in Portland, Maine. I found many familiar faces from the MECA orbit. Front and center was Ben Bishop, who’s had recent success with his graphic novel for DownEast, ” Lost Trail.” We met years ago in an Illustration 2 classroom at MECA. Not far away I encountered colleague Michael Connor of Coelacanthus fame, who co-taught Illo 2 with me this past semester. Sitting next to him was former student, Jessica...
Read Moreepic tale of history comix camp
Thwack! I still have sea shanties stuck in my head…..what’s a comix camper to do? The week of history about piracy and privateering in Casco Bay combined with comic creation turned out to be too darn fun. Thanks to Casablanca Comics and the Fifth Maine Museum for help in launching the pilot program! Campers got off to a fierce start, working on a 4 panel comic about their journey to camp. This one by Ruby has energy and character. This is Annika’s, also direct and graphic. I like the bad hair moment that leaps to the hot air balloon. Nicholas gives a lot of sound to his...
Read Morecomic connections
I am bleary but satiated by the weekend’s big event: the Maine Comics Art Festival! First, a big bow to Casablanca Comics, for getting this plush ball rolling, and making Portland a destination for comic creators. I pass this sign on my way to the Portland Public Library, scene of a full-day of speakers on Saturday, as well as an exhibit of comic art in the new Lewis Gallery. I caught the tail end of Jay Piscopo’s presentation on drawing comics from basic shapes. He makes it look easy! Next up was John Shableski, who Kirsten Cappy introduced as the Buffalo Bill of the graphic...
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