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.