Nova Labs Holiday Maker Market 2023

Nova Labs Holiday Maker Market 2023 will take place on Saturday, December 2 from 10AM to 4PM at 3850 Jermantown Road in Fairfax, VA. Curls Studio will be exhibiting our original comics, enamel pins, stickers, buttons, and more. Free entry with hot chocolate, door prizes, unique gifts, and tours of the woodshop, metalshop, 3d printing, laser lab and fiber arts shops. Stop by and say hello while you purchase some lovely gifts for the holiday season. More info available at: https://portal.nova-labs.org/Market

Cartoonists Draw Blood in Fairfax on November 22, 2023

Cartoonists Draw Blood -- blood drive with the American Red Cross is taking place on Wednesday, November 22, 2023 (yes, the day before Thanksgiving) from 10AM-4PM at 8550 Arlington Blvd. Fairfax, VA 22031 in the Briefing Room.

Blood donors meet local cartoonists and take home a complementary sketch after their appointment. As an added incentive, the American Red Cross is providing a limited edition pair of socks featuring the film Elf to blood donors.

Link to schedule appointments to donate blood: https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=ARC8550

Facebook invite: https://www.facebook.com/events/1063132904708370

Instagram post: https://www.instagram.com/p/Czb6FdARh05/?img_index=1

Please consider sharing this event notice on the socials -- it's a great way to be thankful and give back this season even if you can't give blood at this time.

Artists scheduled to appear: Joe Sutliff, Steve Loya, Carolyn Belefski

Richmond Indie Comics Expo (RICE) is this Sunday

Join Curls Studio at Richmond Indie Comics Expo (RICE) this Sunday, November 12 from 11AM to 5PM. RICE will be held at Virginia Commonwealth University inside the James Branch Cabell Library (901 Park Ave, Richmond, Virginia 23284). I will be hosting "The Other Side of the Table Lessons From Creators" panel from 3:50-4:20 PM to close out the day.

The main event is on the third floor in Room 303 -- our table assignment is 7. Panels are located on the second floor in Room 250.

VCU’s BB lot and West Main Street deck are the closest parking decks, being within a five minute walk to the James Branch Cabell Library. The hourly rate for parking is $2 per hour, with a maximum daily rate of $16. Street parking in the city is also an option. Be sure to check any signage for limits on how long you can park and other specific details. There is no cost to attend RICE.

Please check on Instagram for updates (www.instagram.com/carolynbelefski).

Haymarket Art Market is this Saturday, October 28, 2023

Curls Studio will be at Haymarket Art Market (HAM) this Saturday, October 28, 2023 at Great Mane Brewery (6620 James Madison Hwy, Haymarket, VA 20169) starting at 3PM -- if you want to see us please come during the earlier hours of the show as I can not guarantee staying until 10PM when the event ends.

What to expect: Live mural painting, arts and crafts vendors, DJs & MCs, food trucks, paint & sip for adults, cider for kids, and the best local craft beers in the area.

This is a family friendly event and from 3-6PM there will be activities for children. From 6-10PM it will still be a family friendly event, however more adult focused. Admission is free.

Loads of cool artists are listed on the HAM Instagram (@haymarketartmarket).

New York Comic Con is October 12-15, 2023

The East Coast's largest pop culture convention, New York Comic Con returns this week (October 12-15, 2023) at Javits Center located at 429 11th Avenue. Carolyn Belefski and Joe Carabeo (Curls Studio) will be at Booth #2048 all four days. The location is on show floor level 3. 

Curls Studio will have a revised Black Magic Tales 154 page omnibus comic book that has every Black Magic Tales story that has been told until this moment in time. We will have several of our hard enamel pins available for purchase -- including the two pins produced in 2023 (Red Rose and Firefly). We will also have prints of Avocado, which was produced recently. Carolyn Belefski's new character Pineapple Chic will premiere at this year's NYCC as a glitter sticker.

Carolyn Belefski will be signing at National Cartoonists Society Booth #4106 this Thursday 4:00 PM – 7:00PM and Friday 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM. 

Show Floor Hours 

Thursday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM 

Friday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM 

Saturday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM 

Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM 

Hope to see you soon in the Big Apple!

Baltimore Comic-Con and Small Press Expo are this weekend

Two shows are happening at the same time, so Curls Studio has cloned ourselves and will be exhibiting at both. The way we plan to do this is:

Joe Carabeo will be at Baltimore on Friday and Sunday / SPX on Saturday.
Carolyn Belefski will be at Baltimore on Saturday and SPX on Sunday.

Baltimore Comic-Con 2023
This year's Baltimore Comic-Con will be held September 8-10, 2023. Visit Curls Studio at Table K8 in Kids Love Comics inside Baltimore Convention Center. 

Friday, September 8 -- 1:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Saturday, September 9 -- 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday, September 10 -- 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
(with VIP admission 30 minutes early each day)

Visit Curls Studio at Baltimore Comic-Con in the Kids Love Comics section at Table K8. Click on the map image above to see a large map of where to find us. Kids 10 and under get in free with paid adult admission.

Small Press Expo 2023
This year's Small Press Expo will be held September 9-10, 2023. Visit Curls Studio at Table K10 at Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center (5701 Marinelli Road Rockville, Maryland 20852). 

Saturday, September 9 -- 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday, September 10 -- NOON - 6:00 PM

Fairfax Comic Con is August 26-27, 2023

I'll be a special guest at Fairfax Comic Con on August 26-27, 2023 at Dulles Expo Center from 10:30 AM to 5:00 PM (VIP entrance opens at 10 AM). 

On Sunday at Noon I'll be leading a workshop at Kids Love Comics! called "Create Your Own Superhero Symbol."

Children ages 10 and younger are free if they are accompanied by an adult at all times. Tickets and more info here: www.fairfaxcomiccon.com

Hope to see you there!

National Book Festival 2023

I was asked by US Library of Congress to moderate the panel "How Sara Shepard Made a Best Friend" on Saturday, August 12, 2023 from 10:20-10:45 AM at the National Book Festival. 

Walter E. Washington Convention Center - Room 204 (Level 2, South Building) 

801 Mount Vernon Place NW, Washington, DC 20001 

Stage: Discovery Stage 

Fifth grade is full of surprises: good, bad, silly, weird—you name it. The first installment of a new middle grade series, Sara Shepard’s “Penny Draws a Best Friend” follows young Penny Lowry as she navigates changing friendships, a family secret and her feelings of anxiety. Moderated by Carolyn Belefski.

Sara Shepard is the New York Times bestselling author of two young adult series, Pretty Little Liars and The Lying Game, which were both adapted for television. She has written several books for adults including “Everything We Ever Wanted.” Shepard has a Master of Fine Arts from Brooklyn College and currently lives in Pennsylvania. Her latest book, “Penny Draws a Best Friend,” is the first of a middle grade series.

Hope to see you there -- the National Book Festival is free for all to attend.

https://www.loc.gov/events/2023-national-book-festival/schedule/item/event-409517/how-sara-shepard-made-a-best-friend/2023-08-12/

Because Science Craft Lab Grand Opening

Curls Studio will be at Because Science Adams Morgan on Saturday, June 24 from 1-3PM to celebrate the launch of the Craft Lab! We will be doing STEAM projects from #CarolynsCreativeChallenge and more. Bring the whole family and join us at 1759 Columbia Road, NW in Washington DC for Opening Day.

Awesome Con is June 16-18, 2023

The tenth edition of Awesome Con is June 16-18, 2023 at the DC Convention Center -- it is with great pride that Curls Studio has exhibited at every Awesome Con since 2013! This year Curls Studio will be located at Table G06 in Artist Alley all three days. View the map above where the purple pulse signal circles are so you'll know where to find us. 

Joe Carabeo will be presenting the Awesome Con Short Film Fest. Each year fans gather to watch specially selected short films in the categories of comedy, drama, horror, action, science fiction, documentaries, and more. 

Join us Sunday, June 18 from Noon to 12:45PM for The Other Side of the Table: Lessons from Creators in Room 209 featuring Simon Bisley, Sean Gordon Murphy, Dan Parent, Emily Whitten, and Carolyn Belefski

You have an idea. You write, draw, and concept that idea into a comic book. But the work doesn't end there. You have to either find a publisher or self-publish your work. We will focus on starting out in the comics industry as a small press writer and/or artist. Once you have your first few books created and completed it is a good idea to get out and meet people and exhibiting is a great way to push yourself forward because creating your comic is only the first step. Are you a creator considering exhibiting at Artist Alley or Small Press comic conventions? This panel will give you tips and suggestions on how to create your professional appearances from the POV of being behind the table. We will discuss the metamorphosis from attendee to exhibitor, effective table display design, how to talk and interact with people at your table and how to generate sales with your table pitch.

Below is our schedule and the exhibit hall hours at very bottom. Hope to see you there! 

Awesome Con Short Film Festival: Horror, Sci Fi, Action
Friday, June 16
1:45 PM to 3:45 PM
Bot Stage - Room 202

 
Emoji Comics with Carolyn Belefski
Saturday, June 17
11:00 AM to 11:45 AM
Awesome Con Jr. Workshops - Hall C

10 Years of Awesome Con

Saturday, June 17  
2:15 PM to 3:00 PM
Room 201

Awesome Con Short Film Festival: Comedy and Drama

Saturday, June 17  
3:30 PM to 5:45 PM
Bot Stage - Room 202 

Filmmaker Meet Up

Saturday, June 17  
5:45 PM to 7:00 PM
Room 103

The Other Side of the Table: Lessons from Creators 

Panel Guests: Simon Bisley, Sean Gordon Murphy, Dan Parent, Emily Whitten, Carolyn Belefski 

Sunday, June 18

Noon to 12:45 PM 

Room 206 

 

Awesome Con Short Film Festival: And Beyond! 

Sunday, June 18

1:45 PM to 3:45 PM 

Bot Stage - Room 202 

Exhibit Hall Hours 

Friday, June 16 | 1:00pm - 8:00pm 

Saturday, June 17 | 10:00am - 7:00pm 

Sunday, June 18 | 10:00am - 5:00pm

Firefly Lightning Bug Enamel Pin Kickstarter

Branching off of the Cicada design I made a couple years ago, I wanted to acknowledge the Firefly Lightning Bug! So here we go with a glow-in-the-dark pin: www.kickstarter.com/projects/carolynbelefski/firefly-lightning-bug-enamel-pin

We're raising funds to produce limited edition hard enamel pins with a modern original illustrated Firefly, Lightning Bug, Glowworm design by Carolyn Belefski. The pins will be 30mm tall and production effects include matte gold plating with etching on the base of the lightbulb with translucent enamel for the wings. Each pin will be fixed with a rubber clutch and comes with a backing card made from real oak wood. The design portrays a light bulb shape of the body that will feature glow-in-the-dark enamel.

The pin also makes a great gift for any fan of insects, nature, design, and science -- it is wearable art and a conversation starter. You can wear your Firefly pin to summer picnics, forest hikes, camping trips, and even business meetings as a lapel pin.

This is my first time designing with glow-in-the-dark enamel and I believe the subject matter is fitting for the occasion because with each pin I create I'm always looking for striking production techniques. I like how this design utilizes the light bulb shape because it also represents innovation, ideas, and dreams. It also showcases overcoming darkness by adding your light to the world.

Hope you can become a backer and/or help spread the message on the socials or directly to your friends -- the pledge timeline ends on June 30, 2023. Thank you!

Comics Pal Interview

From Rick Chillot:

My comics blog, Comics Pal, is updated with a post featuring DC-area cartoonist Carolyn Belefski, whose long-running strip CURLS will make you smile even if you have no human emotions. Plus she’s been involved in a jillion interesting projects, like making comics for the Obama White House! Read all about it at ComicsPal.com. You’ll also find recent posts featuring Whit Taylor, Rachel Bard, and other cartoonists you’ll want to know about. For our younger followers, a blog is like a podcast that you read instead of listening to.

Tidewater Comicon is this Saturday

Curls Studio will be at Tidewater Comicon on Saturday, May 20, 2023 at the Virginia Beach Convention Center with celebrity guests, comic book creators, voice actors, and much more. Children get in free with the purchase of a regular adult pass.

Tom Welling, Michael Rosenbaum, Adrianne Palicki, Jim Shooter, Dan Gilvezan, Jimmy Palmiotti, Amanda Conner, Sargent Slaughter, and many more!

Virginia Beach Convention Center
1000 19th Street, Virginia Beach, VA 23451

SHOW HOURS
Saturday: 10:30am-6pm (VIP entry 10am)

Free Comic Book Day is this Saturday, May 6, 2023

Join Curls Studio (Carolyn Belefski and Joe Carabeo) this Saturday, May 6, 2023 at 10:30AM for Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) at The Amazing Comic Shop in Fairfax, VA across from George Mason University and near Taco Bamba and University Mall Theatres. The shop will be handing out select comics which are part of the FCBD promotion. We will be selling comics, prints, pins, and more at the Curls Studio table.

What's better than education, comics, tacos, and movies? 

The Amazing Comic Shop is located at University Mall, 10647 Braddock Rd, Fairfax, VA 22032. Hope to see you there for our first appearance of 2023.

Red Rose - Make 100 Kickstarter

We're taking part in Kickstarter's Make 100 incentive raising funds to produce 100 limited edition hard enamel pins with a beautiful original illustrated Red Rose design. The pins will be produced at 30mm tall with sleek rose gold plating and red glitter color. Each pin will be fixed with a clear rubber clutch and come with a backing card. The first 25 pledges will receive a 3" tall holographic die cut sticker featuring Red Rose as a thanks to you from Curls Studio. There are also several opportunities to purchase additional products I've created through the "add-on" feature while pledging.

The 2022 PANTONE Color of the Year is Viva Magenta -- vibrates with vim and vigor. It is a shade rooted in nature descending from the red family and expressive of a new signal of strength. Viva Magenta is brave and fearless, and a pulsating color whose exuberance promotes a joyous and optimistic celebration, writing a new narrative. There is a sense of romantic love, passion, courage, and action within the symbolism of a Red Rose.

Hoping that you can pledge $10 plus shipping today to support this project and make it come to life.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/carolynbelefski/red-rose-make-100

Recap: Curls Studio's Year of 2022

Looking back on 2022 it seemed to be another transitional year -- still getting back into the swing of things with lots of changes behind-the-scenes. Comic conventions ramped back up and we exhibited at 10 events (including our first time at Maryland STEM Festival). I started experimenting with new custom booth designs at a few of the shows (a nod to Lucy's psychiatry booth from Peanuts happened at Small Press Expo). I even started cosplaying in 2022 -- that's something I never thought I'd be doing!

Curls Studio kicked off the year with a successful Kickstater campaign for "Thank You Mom" hard enamel pins to celebrate Mother's Day on May 8. We also debuted a new soft enamel pin at Awesome Con called "Watermelon Umbrella Rainbow Duck," which was part of the event's collectable pin program. 

My illustrations were published in Ranger Rick magazine and I was featured in Uppercase magazine to discuss creativity. I Love To Write Day's 20th Anniversary featured new Curls comic strips to celebrate the creative process.

Sporadically throughout the year I continued Carolyn's Creative Challenge with a few new project prompts.

At New York Comic Con we showcased a new charm with the Pizza Face character and had a great time in the city -- we even got to play some ping pong and go to Coney Island.

The "DC Region Cartoonists" poster released in the fall and features 25 cartoonists from the area. If you want more information about how to order a poster, let me know.

I did a lot of studying at STEM and STEAM events and attended a few art exhibits. I read a bunch of books, took notes, wrote a lot, and drew in my sketchbook. Loads of ideas were generated on paper and are now marinating in my brain. I also changed up my diet and workout routine quite a bit and am living a healthier lifestyle. We are looking forward to what this new year will bring!