Recap: MoComCon 2026

This past Saturday I set up a display table at MoCoCon with Montgomery County Public Libraries. It was their 10th anniversary show and my first time at this show. Geoff Weber, Christiann MacAuley, Oliver Mertz, Jamie Noguchi, Carolyn Belefski, Tiny Pineapple Studio were the creators who exhibited in Artist Alley. The event also had a cosplay parade, button making activity, crafts, panels, trivia, scavenger hunt, and more. I only got to see a portion of the show because I was at the table most of the day and it was in two buildings (I didn't even see the other building). It was great to hang out and meet the other creators and also meet event attendees. 

It is super to see many libraries embrace comics and host their own library conventions. I'll be at another library convention this coming Saturday in Culpeper, Virginia called CulpeperCon.

Recap: Awesome Con 2026

Curls Studio had a great time at Awesome Con 2026. I am thankful to have people continue to discover my comic strip, Curls. Joe Carabeo showcased his film "PAUL POPE: THB" at the Awesome Con Short Film Festival. I got to spend a bit of time at the Science Fair area, saw 3D printed goods in the vendor section, and slightly participated in the Disney-themed 40,000 piece group jigsaw puzzle. We had the debut of issue 24 of Magic Bullet, a large format comics newspaper featuring Washington, DC based creators. It was enjoyable to see how Awesome Con embraced their 13th year with a horror theme because the event started on Friday the 13th.

The event highlight for me was moderating "The Other Side of the Table: Lessons from Creators" with participants Shawn Martinbrough, Karen Hallion, Jimmy Gownley, Kata Kane, Rich Woodall, and Joseph Schmalke. The panel gave a lot of hopeful insight to fuel your success in the comics industry and was jam packed with inspiration.

Awesome Con returns April 23-25, 2027 at the DC Convention Center -- that's in 399 days! What is something new you'd like to see from Curls Studio?

Recap: Curls Studio's Year of 2025

The year 2025 was a good "growth" year for me as a person. In January I was sick most of the month, there was no productivity to lead the year because of illness. It really took the wind out of my sails for a bit. I became more physically active by February through the end of November. A big priority for me this year and moving forward is to gain strength, so I put a lot of focus on that personally. I took a break from crowdfunding this year, but am not against doing it again in the future when the timing is right.

I was asked to be speak at Culpeper Con my keynote was titled "How Comics Shape Minds and Health" and that was in March. We had a good time at Awesome Con in April and Joe presented the Awesome Con Short Film Festival with Astray Productions. In May I attended events for Cartoonists Rights and the Herblock Awards.

In July I entered a Jack White button design contest put on by @tmrcreativecollective. I won runner-up for "single button" category and they sent me a bunch of posters, a few buttons, stickers, and an enamel pin by Matthew Jacobson.

A highlight of the year for me was to be able to have a meet-and-greet experience with Benji and Joel Madden from Good Charlotte at a Southern Maryland Blue Crabs baseball game. I showed them an illustration I did of the band. It was motivating to hear their positive and encouraging words. I also got to take a photo with their mascots! That same week I entered Sloppy Mama's BBQ inaugural Pickle Party and won Best Pickle award! I even did some comic strips for Curls about the pickle contest, so I guess art imitated life in that instance.

Without knowing it at the time, we had the last Fairfax Comic Con at the Dulles Expo Center in August. The location will now become an IKEA and the convention is looking for a new location. In September my creative juices were flowing at Small Press Expo and I enjoyed being in a huge ballroom with so many talented creators.

New York Comic Con was an absolute blast this year. Reaffirming why it is the biggest show we do because it's simply an amazing place to be. The city. The food. The exhibits. I really enjoyed taking it all in. Plus the surprise of the year was meeting the wrestler and musician Real1 (formerly known as Enzo Amore) at the booth directly behind ours. Please read my NYCC 2025 recap because I covered a lot of the show aspects if you want to do a deeper dive. We actually got to visit NYC twice this year (Joe went a third time for work)! 

Baltimore Comic-Con was memorable because we got to take part in the BCC Yearbook featuring Jeff Smith's Bone. It is delightful to have a piece in the yearbook with my Curls characters interacting with Bone characters. I was not able to talk to Jeff Smith at the show, but I did see him and his long line (I have met him a couple times before). It is really cool to see him honored and respected for all his hard work and achievements in the industry.

In the fall filmmaker Joe Carabeo released "Paul Pope: THB," a documentary on best-selling comic book revolutionary and creator Paul Pope. You can watch it on YouTube.

Cartoonists Draw Blood was revived this year with some new blood (see what I did there). The National Cartoonists Society Washington, DC chapter was represented by Colleen Doran, John Gallagher, Steve Artley, Joe Sutliff, Ruthi Postow, and myself. We drew for people who donated blood. Can you believe this was our 12th event with American Red Cross and NCS DC?

To close out the year, I recently won a contest hosted by Fairfax County Public Library for their new library cards releasing in mid-January as a regular library card, keychain, and bookmark. You can read more about the process on my newly created Substack and in the FFXnow article that came out a few days ago.

Here is the full list of our 2025 tour for comic conventions and appearances:

March 22 • CulpeperCon
April 4-6 • Awesome Con DC
May 18 • Spring Lot Con
June 28-29 • Tidewater Comicon
July 19 • Dog Days of Summer
August 23-24 • Fairfax Comic Con
September 13-14 • Small Press Expo
October 9-12 • New York Comic Con
October 17-19 • Baltimore Comic-Con
October 26 • Fall Lot Con
November 15 • Local Author Book Festival
November 22 • Cartoonists Draw Blood

We also went to a number of live wrestling events (in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and the District) and got to see the final John Cena match, which took place in Washington, DC. I participated in SCBWI events and am excited to learn from them. I also hope to build up the NCS DC chapter so we can do more. Curls Studio is looking forward to 2026 with a goal of creating more comics and storytelling!

Recap: Cartoonists Draw Blood 2025

Thankful for all the cartoonists and blood donors who participated in "Cartoonists Draw Blood" last month at Gainesville United Methodist Church. We even had someone drive in from Virginia Beach! 

 

National Cartoonists Society -- Washington, DC chapter is represented by Colleen Doran, John Gallagher, Steve Artley, Joe Sutliff, Ruthi Postow, and Carolyn Belefski. Hopefully we will do another blood drive next year as tradition allows (we have been doing it since 2013). 

If you are in the Washington, DC area and want to host us at your blood drive, reach out to American Red Cross of the National Capital and Greater Chesapeake Region.

Recap: Baltimore Comic-Con 2025

After completing New York Comic-Con the weekend before, Curls Studio went on to Baltimore Comic-Con four days later. The main highlight of the show was the yearbook theme of Bone by Jeff Smith.

On Saturday evening, I visited three friends I haven't seen in awhile and we had pizza. One of them lives several hours away I had only seen once since high school, so it was good to catch up and be united again! During that time Joe Carabeo was directing the Ringo Awards Ceremony and working on the livestream online. You can watch the video replay here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTS-dbRrWR0

On Sunday I got to see Jeff Smith visit the table of a young artist, Sam "Kidlet" Deans, who took a photo with him to recreate a photo she took with him 13 years earlier. Her table was directly across from me, so it was an awesome moment to witness her holding her yearbook page and pose with a legendary cartoonist.

I went to the Charles Vess booth on Sunday and enjoyed seeing his work in-person. I also learned that the Baltimore Convention Center houses 70,000 bees in two beehives on the roof. We had a fun time in Baltimore and I am excited to see what 2026 will bring.

Recap: Small Press Expo 2025

During Small Press Expo 2025 we split up the table duties -- Joe Carabeo exhibited on September 13 and I did the hosting September 14. Some highlights were that we premiered a "Roxy and Dean" story in the new issue of Washington DC's comic newspaper Magic Bullet issue 23, I attended "Jokes! Jokes! Jokes! A New Yorker Gag Workshop" with Hilary Campbell, and I purchased the new Mimi Pond book Do Admit: The Mitford Sisters and Me and got to meet her. It was a great show to catch up with fellow cartoonists and see some familiar and new faces. We hope to be back next year!

Recap: Tidewater Comicon 2025

We are back from Tidewater Comicon in Virginia Beach! Curls Studio had a great time and enjoyed catching up with fellow exhibitors. Our booth was next to Ben Bishop, who we first met in 2008 at our very first New York Comic Con. It was great to reminisce with him and also say hello to the Kids Love Comics crew and even enjoy their programming (see pencil photo that matches my nail polish choices perfectly).

We did get to spend a short amount of time at the beach before the show on both days -- even after waking up early to enjoy that experience it was definitely HOT! It's always a cool opportunity to sell comics within walking distance to the Atlantic Ocean.

As with shows they must go on and roll with the punches -- one of the main guests Alan Tudyk could not appear due to plane flight issues with American Airlines. I didn't see any of the celebrities, but did get to walk around a bit to see the show floor. Big thanks to the crew and organizers of Tidewater Comicon -- we hope to be back in the future.

Recap: CulpeperCon 2025

I had a great time at CulpeperCon on March 22, 2025 hosted by the Culpeper County Library. Curls Studio came into town the day before to settle in since the keynote would start at 9AM. We got to see some of the town and visited two comic shops in the area (Collector's Den and Final Boss -- both locations had posters up to advertise CulpeperCon). Since the event coincided with the town's Restaurant Week, we got to take advantage of the incentive at Pinto Thai, where a robot served us our dinner meal! This is the first time I've had a robot bring meals to the table. 

My keynote was titled, "How Comics Shape Minds and Health" -- showcasing some of my portfolio in the beginning so people who don't know me have a background on what I've done so far, including some items I don't show too often. I showcased how reading comics enhance our brains and different ways of thinking and then went into my "Cartoonists First Aid" which focuses on nutrition and encourages physical movement. I provided stretches and mobility poses to implement for people who work desk and knowledge jobs. The keynote speech is available for watching on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7ELa3KbJ4k

After my keynote, many people came up to me saying they learned a lot and were going to try to take more breaks throughout the day. Some people were familiar with my work and still had no idea some of the work I showed from my portfolio in the beginning. I was good to get that instant feedback to know people got inspired to become healthy because if you aren't healthy you can't draw, write, or achieve your larger goals in life. 

At CulpeperCon I got my blood pressure checked at UVA Health's table, saw the robotics section, painted a rubber duck as Curls, saw the escape room table, and more. It was cool to have the whole library absorbed into a comic con event with activities and multiple tables filled with local businesses, artists, games, and more. Thank you to the keynote sponsor Fountain Hall and to Friends of the Culpeper County Library for putting this event on and thinking to ask me to be a part of the event.

Recap: Curls Studio's Year of 2024

In January we kicked off the year with a  Make 100 Kickstarter project for Total Solar Eclipse Enamel Pin to celebrate the Total Solar Eclipse that visited North America on April 8. I got to view it from inside the path of totality in-person at Niagara Falls. I also got to visit Canada for a few hours (my first time going out of the country).

At Awesome Con I got to take part in the panel "The Other Side of the Table: Lessons from Creators" with Maria Laura Sanapo, Chris Mariano, and Marc Gaffen. Joe Carabeo presented the Awesome Con Short Film Fest. 

To expand the crowdfunding opportunities, I took part in "Pintopia 2" from BackerKit by designing a Peach Fuzz Enamel Pin for my Pantone Color of the Year project (which I have been doing for the past five years). I also ran a Kickstarter for the Cicada design that was created in 2021, but I introduced a new colorway in 2024 to represent the green Annual Cicada.

A highlight of being in New York during the time of New York Comic Con was visiting Philippe Labaune Gallery for the Mike Mignola exhibit and getting to meet the artist himself! I also got to eat at Katz's Delicatessen and attend the Harvey Awards. Ay NYCC Curls Studio had a collaboration with Cakes with Character by Jean Schapowal in which we offered a large complementary pinback button if you visited both of our booths.

We continued to exhibit at comic conventions and events. Here is our 2024 Tour list:

March 8-10 • Awesome Con
May 19 • Comic Logic Spring Lot Con
June 23 • STORYBOX Comics Fair
August 17-18 • Fairfax Comic Con
September 14-15 • Small Press Expo
September 20-22 • Baltimore Comic-Con
October 17-20 • New York Comic Con
October 25 • McKay Used Books Book-or-Treat
October 27 • Comic Logic Fall Lot Con

Overall, I did a good amount of freelance work this year with design and illustrations and that is where a lot of my time went toward as well as networking to gain clients. Curls Studio is looking forward to 2025 with a goal of creating more comics and storytelling!

McKay Used Books Book-or-Treat and Comic Logic Fall Lot Con

BOO-ks! I had fun evening last night from 5-7PM at McKay Used Books during their first Book-or-Treat Event in Manassas, VA. It was a very last minute show for me after just coming home from New York Comic Con (blog recap and photos to come soon from that show). They had games and candy for children and handled out passports so attendees could visit ever table to meet the vendors and get stamped. If they do this event again, I'd like to be able to be a part of it if I'm available.

On Sunday October 27, 2024 from Noon-4PM come out to the Comic Logic parking lot for their Fall Lot Con to peruse the goods and wares for sale from local creators, writers, artists, and more. Costumes are encouraged! There will be costume contests for kids, adults, and pets. Each vendor will have treats for kids to go "trick or treating" during the event. Curls Studio will be there with our big tent.

Recap: Curls Studio's Year of 2023

We started out the year with a Make 100 Kickstarter for Red Rose pins (which was also my Pantone Color of the Year project for Viva Magenta). 

This year marked Awesome Con's tenth anniversary. Curls Studio has exhibited every year! I hosted the "Emoji Comics" workshop and the panel "The Other Side of the Table: Lessons from Creators" with Sean Gordon Murphy, Emily Whitten, and Carolyn Belefski. Joe Carabeo presented the Awesome Con Short Film Fest. 

In June we launched a Kickstarter for Firefly enamel pins (a sister project to the Cicada design of 2021 and continuing with the insect theme). We were a part of the Craft Lab Grand Opening at Because Science and taught "Make Your Own Planet" and "Marbleized Shaving Cream" in their new maker space. Joe had his "Astray Productions Film Showcase" at Alamo Drafthouse in One Loudoun on June 25.

I was asked by US Library of Congress to moderate the panel "How Sara Shepard Made a Best Friend" on at the National Book Festival in August. 

Baltimore Comic-Con and Small Press Expo were the same weekend, but we made it work by switching days so Joe and I could be at two places separately. It was mildly rough, but we were able to handle it and work around the situation without having to pick one option since we like both shows for different reasons. It was our first time at Richmond Indie Comics Expo at VCU's library. I even got to visit the Pollak Building next door, where my graphic design classes were held.

A highlight of being in New York during the time of New York Comic Con was visiting Philippe Labaune Gallery for the Peter de Sève exhibit and getting to meet the artist himself! I also got to do the touristy thing of going to Serendipity 3 having their Wicked Emerald City Frrrozen Hot Mint Chocolate.

In November we brought back "Cartoonists Draw Blood" with American Red Cross for the first time since 2019. Because of the events of 2020 we took the time to wait it out and figure out a safer time to do this event where we draw as a thank you to blood donors.

As usual we continued to exhibit at comic conventions and events. Here is our 2023 Tour list:

May 6 • Free Comic Book Day
May 20 • Tidewater Comicon
June 16-18 • Awesome Con
June 24 • Because Science
August 12 • National Book Festival
August 26-27 • Fairfax Comic Con
September 8-10 • Baltimore Comic-Con
September 9-10 • Small Press Expo
October 12-15 • New York Comic Con
October 28 • Haymarket Art Market
November 12 • Richmond Indie Comics Expo
November 22 • Cartoonists Draw Blood
December 2 • Nova Labs Holiday Maker Market
December 13 • Comic Logic Store Signing

The fall tour left me exhausted with few weekends off for recovery, but I still had a good time at the shows. We are looking forward to the future!

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!

Recap: Baltimore Comic-Con 2022

Every weekend in October Curls Studio exhibited or attended a convention of some sort. We ended the month with Baltimore Comic-Con on October 28-30 and had a wonderful time tabling amongst the best and brightest in the Kids Love Comics section. This year's table layout was great and the show even had signage for Kids Love Comics and Artist Alley, which was beneficial to both attendees and exhibitors so everyone knew the show floor well. On Saturday I wore my Curls Utz parody shirt (Curlz) and we started the day giving Jamar Nicholas "Leon's Favorite Cake" which is German Chocolate Cake with buttercream frosting and crushed pistachios on top. We did this to celebrate his new book with Scholastic. Later in the day I attended John Gallagher's art seminar at our Kids Love Comics pavilion.

We debuted the "DC Region Cartoonists" poster featuring both National Cartoonists Society members and non-members who all live within an hour or so of Washington, DC (you can never get the timing just right with all the traffic around here). Here is a photo of me dressed as Abby Hatcher and Mark Wheatley with the poster. This is my first time officially cosplaying at a show because I thought it would be a fun surprise and so close to Halloween so why not (although if you look closely at my SPX outfit and booth display from earlier this year, you could come to the conclusion that maybe I was Lucy from Peanuts). If you would like to purchase a poster, please contact me. 

On Sunday I got to meet Jill Thompson and showed her my page in the Scary Godmother Baltimore Comic-Con Yearbook. The original piece was auctioned off on Saturday at the show and the family who purchased it came by the Curls Studio table to have me personalize the back. I was happy to see so many people enjoying the book and collecting everyone's autographs. I also had a blast next to Mark and Chris Mariano and talking about their book, Loud Cow. 

Be on the lookout for a special episode of the Unpacking Peanuts podcast called Charles Schulz 100th Birthday party. Hosts Jimmy Gownley and Harold Buchholz interviewed me and others for the show and I look forward to listening as well as checking out their other episodes.

You can purchase the shirts I wore at Baltimore Comic-Con from my Cotton Bureau shop and there's also my online store for mostly everything else if you could not make it to the show in-person. Curls Studio would like to thank the show organizers and volunteers for hosting this event. Next year SPX and Baltimore Comic-Con are on the same weekend in early September, so we'll have to figure out how to do that because I don't want to pick between them (both are so good for different reasons). We might have to do a set-up where Joe and I will be at different shows on different days and mix it up. We will figure it all out and you'll see all the details right here on the blog and our socials.

Recap: New York Comic Con 2022

New York Comic Con happened earlier this month and Curls Studio had a fun (yet exhausting) time. I didn't get to hang away from the table too often, but I got to take a photo at the My Neighbor Totoro display (waiting to take the cat bus). I premiered the new "Pizza Slice" charm and had a signing at National Cartoonists Society booth on Thursday and Friday. Joe got an exclusive poster from Paul Pope that was his mission to obtain and he also told me he thinks he saw WWE wrestler Omos walk in the crowd, although he didn't call out to him to get a confirmation. I feel like it was probably him because if you see someone strikingly tall like that there aren't many people who have his physique and look.

We enjoyed being in the city and got to experience wonderful dining at Planet Taco (I had the three "Out Of This World" tacos -- Mars Vegetarian Chorizo, Venus, and Saturn). We ate pizza from three different joints over the course of our stay and I had my first Everything Egg Bagel (not to be confused with egg filling inside, but imagine an egg bagel with everything spices on top). 

On Friday night I walked over to Poster House for their First Friday events with free admission. The exhibits "Masked Vigilantes On Silent Motorbikes" and "Air-India’s Maharaja: Advertising Gone Rogue" were on display and I met up with a friend at the museum. We both had dice readings from Maia Lorian. Look for my Instagram (@CarolynBelefski) to be updated with a post solely about my participation at Poster House within the next few weeks. Afterwards we ate at Eataly, our most expensive meal of the trip. It was tasty, but not filling enough. I was so hungry and ended up getting a slice of pizza later on at night.

I got to play ping pong at PingPod. I visited Coney Island and it was a better experience than last year when the weather was drizzling and the town didn't look as vibrant as it could be on a nicer day. I rode Deno's Wonder Wheel for the first time! Luna Park was decorated for Halloween and they had a fog bubble machine. When popped, the grayish bubbles let out mystical fog. I learned that apparently Nathan's does not make the creamy orange shake anymore (so I'm glad to have gotten that last year).

After the show we heard that former WWE wrestler Enzo Amore was at NYCC at a table about a two minute walk away from our booth. I didn't know he was there and missed him, but it would have been great to see him. Reminds me of how last year I found out after the event that MJF, Danhausen, and Orange Cassidy were all there and I missed out on that too. But it also shows how going to all these comic cons is "work" for us and we have to be at our table and represent the books we create. Yes, we get to have a good time and it is sort of a mini vacation, but we are also there to invest in ourselves.

We hope to be back at NYCC in the future. Big thanks to Francis Bonnet, Joe Carabeo, Hannah Mount, NYCC staff, NYCC volunteers, NCS, the kind people at the hotel, and everyone who stopped by the booth.

Our next tour stop for this year is Baltimore Comic-Con (Booth K17) this coming Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Recap: Maryland STEM Festival Art Contest Kick-Off Event

Curls Studio had a fabulous time yesterday kicking off the Maryland STEAM Art Competition. We got to meet a lot of cool science people and learn more about the different fields of study and opportunities to create for young scientists. We went into the STEAM Bus from Howard County Library System, talked to representatives from the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators, saw VR in front of our table, and took part in some spin art. 

One of the activity tables was doing something similar to my HijINKs! Inktober project from 2019 where you blow in a straw to move paint around on paper. It seems I have been injecting STEAM into my artwork for awhile and I believe that is the direction to head toward. If you look at many of my #CarolynsCreativeChallenge projects that started in 2020, you can see unplanned STEAM influence. Even Curls had a whole storyline where she was a Mad Scientist many years ago!

I also represent National Cartoonists Society (I'm the Washington, DC chapter chair) and handed out brochures and postcards about the organization and it's 27 Club, a young professionals program for cartoonists.

More photos will be on my Instagram (@CarolynBelefski) Feed and Stories shortly. 

Thank you to Maryland STEM Festival for having us. We hope to do more STEAM activities in the future. Our next tour stop is Small Press Expo next weekend (September 17-18) in Bethesda, Maryland.

Recap: Curls Studio's Year of 2021

Curls Studio calls 2021 a transitional year, as nothing was certain and we went with the flow of change. Last year all the comic conventions were canceled due to the pandemic, but this year we got to exhibit at a few in-person events during the second half of the year (Awesome Con in DC, New York Comic Con, Baltimore Comic-Con, and Southern Maryland Comic Con). I was selected to be a part of Cartoon Crossroads Columbus (CXC) for the first time, as a virtual appearance. So comic conventions happened thanks to amazing staff and volunteers and we applaud them for making it possible!

Other major occurrences that happened was that I somehow had the energy to run three successful Kickstarter campaigns in one year (Banana Bandana™, Cicada hard enamel pin, and Santa Turtle hard enamel pin). I really enjoyed celebrating the periodical cicadas this year (we won't see them again until 2048!). I am proud of all the projects we brought to life.

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

In July I served as a Rambassador for VCU Alumni Night at a Richmond Flying Squirrels baseball game.

I was a guest on the Generation GC podcast and had a great time talking about the band Good Charlotte (and yes, I visited La Plata High School for a second time during my stint in Waldorf for Southern Maryland Comic Con). 

Another cool thing that happened this year is a Wall Street Journal reporter reached out to me for an interview about Color of the Year and Pantone -- I got quoted in the article for both print and online editions.

Also along the lines of publishing, Black Magic Tales was recently printed in the new Magic Bullet #20 comics newspaper.

Not too sure what 2022 will bring. In many ways 2021 can be viewed at as worse than 2020, but then there is an optimistic side that could be viewed as it can only get better from here. The best thing I can hope for you is that you be safe and happy -- take good care of yourself by eating well and exercising. I want us to be around for the next Cicada uprising in 2048 and the years beyond. That's something to live for!

Recap: Baltimore Comic-Con 2021

We had a fun time at Baltimore Comic-Con 2021, a three day show which wrapped on Sunday. Since it's what Curls Studio likes to call a "transitional" year, much like New York Comic Con was with the requirements of temperature checks, vaccination (or a negative test for those age four or younger), and masks -- the goal was to have fun and enjoy our time together.

I participated in the exclusive "Trick or Treat" BCC Yearbook and got to meet the person who pledged on my original Curls Halloween art. He came to the table after the auction with the piece and took a photo with me, so that was cool. I also premiered my new "Emoji Comics" workshop (which came with sign language interpreter).

Thank you to all the guests, retailers, volunteers, fans, and everyone else that made the show possible. Mark your calendars now for next year October 28-30, 2022!

Recap: New York Comic Con 2021

Curls Studio visited New York Comic Con last week and had a swell time. I didn't get to break away from the table too often, but I saw a drawing demo by Dan Parent (he drew Jughead and Betty) and glanced at Adam Cole and Tony Schiavone at the AEW booth. I also got to visit the NASA booth to give them Curls "I Need Space" buttons, sample some Kung Fu Tea, and admire Art Baltazar and Franco work (Tiny Titans) in Artist Alley.

I had a signing at National Cartoonists Society booth on Thursday and Friday. It was fun to be able to see some of the great cartoonists there and catch up after so long.

One crazy thing that happened actually happened at the Curls Studio table was out of nowhere I saw a man walking the aisle in front of me. He was dressed in black tones. Definitely cool and rock-and-roll casual, but nothing too shimmery. He could have been anyone, but then I said to Joe through my mask, "Is that Mikey Way?" Since everyone is wearing masks it can be hard to recognize, but I had a good feeling it was magically him. He walked by since he was on the move and right after he passed I said, "Hey, Mikey!" He stopped and turned around. Imagine someone in one of your favorite bands suddenly face-to-face with you. I told him how much his band is super influential and he mentioned how he it was nice to hear some positivity. Mikey gave us fist bumps and I got a photo with him (with my glasses foggy from wearing mask). I'm happy because I already had photos with all the other members of My Chemical Romance and the only one left to meet was Mikey. Now I have photos with all of MCR!

Of course we enjoyed being in the city as well. We ate lots of pizza in the hotel room and saw Times Square. I got to see the Vessel structure at Hudson Yards for the first time, however it was closed to go up. I also got to visit Coney Island once again and have an authentic Nathan's hot dog and creamy orange shake.

We hope to be back at NYCC in the future. Big thanks to Francis Bonnet, Sammi Messina, Joe Carabeo, NYCC staff, NYCC volunteers, NCS, and everyone who stopped by the booth.

Our next tour stop for 2021 is Baltimore Comic-Con this coming Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Recap: Curls Studio's Year of 2019

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Top Nine! Thank you all for taking the time to look at my art, creations, and experiences. Appreciate your feedback and likes! End of the year blog coming soon to www.CarolynBelefski.com. #topnine #instagood #NCSFest #NYCC #SesameStreet #Oscar #Popeye #ForBetterOrForWorse #SPX2019 #love #NatGeo #LaPlata #MadMen #comics #illustration #artistsoninstagram #CarolynVisitsExhibits #2019

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I’m excited to see what 2020 will bring. Here is a recap of some of the highlights Curls Studio experienced in 2019.

We exhibited at Awesome Con (my kids workshop got a mention from The Washington Post), NCSFest, Fairfax Comic Con, Small Press Expo, Baltimore Comic-Con, and Southern Maryland Comic Con. We also celebrated Free Comic Book Day at our local store.

NCSFest and the National Cartoonists Society Reuben Weekend in Huntington Beach, CA was a good experience for me (recap blog here). Not only was it the first time I’d ever exhibited and sold comics on the west coast, but it was also my first trip flying by myself and branching out into the world in that sense of solo. I had been to events were I had to drive and set-up myself, but never flight. It also felt cool to sell comics steps away from the Pacific Ocean — and to relate that to the third Asbury Park Comic Con show back in 2013 (recap blog here), where we sold comics at the legendary Asbury Park Convention center looking out over the Atlantic Ocean. Curls Studio went Coast To Coast in 2019!

At the 90 Years of Popeye exhibit at the Huntington Beach Art Center it was fun to see my art on the wall and later auctioned off thru Heritage Auctions with proceeds benefiting the NCS Foundation.

I got to participate in the NCS "Cartooning For Kids" program and draw at the Children's Hospital of Orange County. It was such a rewarding experience!

Because of the trip to California, I was able to meet and chat with Disney artists Elizabeth Watasin and Floyd Norman — something that I never dreamed would have happened!

Back at the home base, Black Magic Tales was published in issues #18 and #19 of Magic Bullet, a comics anthology newspaper. We have been in every issue, so that is always an exciting constant.

At Baltimore Comic-Con I got to meet Blacksad artist Juanjo Guarnido and participate in the Baltimore Comic-Con Yearbook with my original Blacksad art, which was auctioned off at the show with proceeds benefiting Hero Initiative.

I completed my third Inktober prompt by inking a small image every day during the month of October with my theme of “HijINKs!” The project was very experimental and liquid.

Also during October, I organized the seventh annual Cartoonists Draw Blood event with American Red Cross and then the Washington, DC chapter of National Cartoonists Society where four local cartoonists drew for donors as a "thank you." The results of the blood drive were fantastic: 43 total donors, 13 first time donors, 42 units collected, 126 potential lives saved.

I ended the year by doing a few commissions for holiday cards and designing a film title for the comedy Netfins & Chill. I continued to update my comic strip, Curls.

If you want to read more and see photos of the experiences we've had in 2019, please look in the blog archives. We hope to create more for you in the years to come.

Happy New Year from Curls Studio. Thanks for your support!

Recap: Southern Maryland Comic-Con 2019

This past Saturday, November 9, 2019 Curls Studio exhibited at Southern Maryland Comic-Con in Waldorf, MD. We had a fine time meeting everyone and talking about our comics.

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Only 31 books will be made and they are now available in the online store! 2.75" x 4.25" mini book showcases all the “HijINKs!” I created during Inktober 2019. Each book has a one-of-a-kind HijINK! on the front cover the and is signed and numbered. The book premiered last Saturday at Southern Maryland Comic-Con and is now available for purchase at www.CarolynBelefski.com/store. #inktober #inkmaster #inktober2019 #hijinks #ink #southernmarylandcomiccon #somdcc #experimental #book #art

A post shared by Carolyn Belefski (@carolynbelefski) on Nov 11, 2019 at 12:17pm PST

I debuted the Inktober 2019 HijINKs! book that features all 31 experimental ink creations I made from ink, water, a straw, and white gel pen. Each book has a one-of-a-kind HijINK! on the front and is signed and numbered -- only 31 books will be made. The books are now available for purchase at www.carolynbelefski.com/store.

Since we were minutes away from La Plata High School, I took a trip and used the opportunity to visit the school where many of the members of Good Charlotte attended. Back at the convention, I enjoyed viewing the cosplay costume contest and we had a fun time. Thanks to everyone who stopped by.