Monday, July 27, 2026
Toon Talks: TED-Style Presentations by Cartoonists
Tuesday, March 10, 2026
Awesome Con 2026
Curls Studio will be at the 13th year of Awesome Con in Artist Alley Table C-36 at the DC Convention Center March 13-15, 2026. Say hi and peruse our original comics, stickers, prints, enamel pins, magnets, and more! We will have the debut of issue 24 of Magic Bullet, a large format comics newspaper featuring Washington, DC based creators.
A new edition of "The Other Side of the Table: Lessons from Creators" is Saturday, March 14, 2026 from 11:15AM to Noon in Room 204. We have a massive amount of panelists joining us from a wide variety of backgrounds in comics, podcasting, films, and other creative outlets. If you ever wonder how to break into the industry or enhance your career, this is the place for your professional development. Panel participants: Shawn Martinbrough, Clint McElroy, Jimmy Gownley, Kata Kane, Rich Woodall, Joseph Schmalke, Carolyn Belefski
Awesome Con Short Film Festival presented by Joe Carabeo with Astray Productions will have three days of programming (see schedule below) as well as an award show and filmmaker meet-up on Saturday at 4:45PM in Room 204. Hope to see you at Awesome Con.
Friday, March 13 | Horror, Sci Fi, Action | 6:45-9:45 pm
Saturday, March 14 | Comedy, Drama | 1:30-4:30 pm
Saturday, March 14 | Awards Celebration | 4:45-5:45 pm
Sunday, March 15 | And Beyond! | 2:00-5:00 pm
VOTE FOR 2026 AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD
astrayproductions.com/vote
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
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!
Tuesday, December 30, 2025
FFXnow article about new Fairfax County Public Library cards
Angela Woolsey reporting for FFXnow has written about the new library cards for Fairfax County Public Library that will come out in early next year. The article documents how the designs were submitted and selected as well as the rebranding initiative that instigated the card refresh. I was able to provide some statements for the article.
I recently started a Substack to document my creative lifestyle and wrote about the creation of my winning FCPL card design "read to the dog" concept. One of the other topics I have written about is "Cloud Dancer" the Pantone Color of the Year 2026. You can read and subscribe here: https://carolynbelefski.substack.com
Thursday, December 18, 2025
New Library Card Design for Fairfax County Public Library
Fairfax County Public Library is excited to share new library cards with you! Earlier this month I was recognized at the Library Board of Trustees meeting for winning their library card design contest. During the event I got to meet the three other illustrators who will also have their designs on cards. The new library cards will be available to the public for selection in the 23 FCPL branches (over 1.2 million residents served) in mid-January. I look forward to seeing these cards proudly carried by FCPL patrons across Fairfax County!
I recently started a Substack and one of my first posts describes the process for my "read to the dog" concept to create the card design and includes my original sketch. Please read and subscribe here: https://substack.com/@carolynbelefski
Wednesday, December 3, 2025
Recap: Cartoonists Draw Blood 2025
Wednesday, November 19, 2025
Cartoonists Draw Blood 2025
Blood donors meet local cartoonists and take home a complementary sketch after their appointment. As an added incentive, I believe the American Red Cross may be providing a limited edition pair of socks featuring PAC-MAN to blood donors.
Link to schedule appointments to donate blood: https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/donation-time?zipSponsor=20155&driveType=all
Facebook invite: https://www.facebook.com/events/827009063524109
Instagram post: https://www.instagram.com/p/DRNspZ0jVeu
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: Colleen Doran, John Gallagher, Steve Artley, Joe Sutliff, Ruthi Postow, Carolyn Belefski
Monday, November 10, 2025
Recap: New York Comic Con 2025
New York Comic Con took place last month and Curls Studio had great adventures in the city. We stayed at a different hotel than our usual because the price was astronomically high and it ended up being a fun room to stay in that served our minimal needs.
NYCC is a four day show, and we need to be at the booth for nine hours each day (however Sunday is only a seven hour day and then load-out after). Needless to say it is an exciting and exhausting event. Even if we have to hop right back to work the next day on Monday, the effects of NYCC can sometimes be felt for a few weeks! I have recovered, but the fact that I'm writing this full blog recap a month later could tell you something (we also had Baltimore Comic-Con the following weekend).
The new Curls book debuted as a convention exclusive limited edition (second con-exclusive book that you can only get in-person). We had the new Scott Morse "This Ink Runs Cold" collaboration book that Joe Carabeo wrote a story for. Joe also debuted his Toni Storm Direct To Ink book.
This year I noticed a lot of Asian influences (Gashapon capsule machines, video games, and more) and overall Halloween vibe. The theme was "Haunted" after all, so I think a lot of people were jumping on that and celebrating all October. For freebies, a lot of publishers and vendors were giving away stickers. Stickers everywhere. Labubu everywhere. Pop culture themed candy everywhere. Claw machines. Attendees sometimes needed to wait in a line to play a game to win a promo item (or a coveted Labubu grand prize), so it felt more interactive to "win" something for your time rather than a grab-and-go.
I'm still keeping in touch with Jean Schapowal and the other master cake artists so on Thursday I went to their Cakes With Character booth. Last year I worked with them to provide art for a large pinback button that was exclusive to the show. This year their theme was "Pop Culture Pop-Up Boutique" with all wearable art -- think purses, backpacks, bracelets -- all made from cake! I thought the Stanley "Stan Lee" Cup was very clever. I will be doing a whole dedicated post to their booth experience on Instagram soon.
On Friday I met cartoonists Kyle Baker (who I didn't even know was going to be there and he was randomly in a corner area of the show floor, if we didn't turn that direction we would have missed) and Sam Grinberg (who I have been following on IG and have been a fan of for awhile, but have never met -- his booth appearance was for only one hour and he said he had not been to NYCC in twelve years). I also saw Post Malone from a few feet away and John Cena's Peacemaker outfit on display.
Saturday was fantastic because unexpected things can happen at NYCC. Guess who is standing to my left at the table directly behind us? Enzo. Amore. Let me tell you a story: Enzo Amore is a former WWE wrestler and I've been a fan of him when he was always on TV. I created three pieces of fan art to represent that at the time (one was a Curls comic strip). I was enthralled whenever I heard his entrance music and amazed at his mic skills. But then he was suddenly released from WWE in January 2018 (history note: there was also a U.S. government shutdown then too). The very next day I had tickets to a WWE event he was most likely going to be at. I had my Certified G shirt on ready to go. You can go look up what happened if you didn't know, but ultimately he was wrongly accused of something he didn't do and he said he never even got a call from the police. Ultimately he never informed WWE of allegations before they went public (in this case "viral" online), so it makes the company look bad even if he is innocent. So fast forward over seven years later this is a major payoff to see him after all that wait -- and the proximity to our table? Crazy.
Enzo is currently known as Real1. He was nice and caught me up to speed on what he is doing right now in wrestling and music. He talked to me about his grandma named Grace and showed me a banner across from him that said "Grace" so it was a magic moment for all to be there in that occasion. I had the first con-exclusive Curls book with me that has the Enzo mention in the comic strip and he signed it for me and took a photo with me. This is the type of stuff that can only happen at NYCC (and if you read my 2022 recap I mention missing him at NYCC because I didn't know he was there until later).
Also on Saturday I saw Jim Lee drawing the face of Wonder Woman at the eBay stage. He was giving an art lesson as he drew and they auctioned it off for $3,350. I also met Gabriela Epstein, one of the cartoonists of "The Baby-Sitters Club" at Scholastic.
Sunday was a standard day at the show. Overall the vibe was very positive this year (not like it wasn't before, but it felt happy with every one excited to be there). The energy of this show was really great and takes so much effort to put on and display work, or items for sale, or cosplay, or even the nature of physically being there. The photo above showcases some of our fans who purchased from our table. New York treated us well with bagels, tacos, pizza, and tasty ramen. We hope to be back at NYCC with new comics and products in the future.
Saturday, August 16, 2025
Fairfax Comic Con is August 23-24, 2025
Join us at Dulles Expo Center (4320 Chantilly Shopping Center, Chantilly, VA 20151) this August 23-24, 2025 (SAT 10:30AM-5PM (VIP 10AM), SUN 10AM-4PM) for Fairfax Comic Con.
Monday, April 21, 2025
Recap: CulpeperCon 2025
Friday, April 4, 2025
Awesome Con 2025
Curls Studio will be at the 12th year of Awesome Con in Artist Alley Table C-38 at the DC Convention Center April 4-6, 2025. Say hi and peruse our original comics, stickers, prints, enamel pins, magnets, and more! We will have the debut of issue 22 of Magic Bullet, a large format comics newspaper featuring Washington, DC based creators.
Awesome Con Short Film Festival presented by Joe Carabeo with Astray Productions will have three days of programming (see schedule below) as well as an award show and filmmaker meet-up on Saturday at 4:45PM in Room 204 (with cake to celebrate). Check out the wrestling belts the winners receive! Hope to see you at Awesome Con.
Friday, April 4 | Action, Horror, Sci Fi | 2:00-4:30 pm
Saturday, April 5 | Comedy, Drama | 2:00-4:30 pm
Saturday, April 5 | Awards Celebration | 4:45-5:45 pm
Sunday, April 6 | And Beyond! | 2:15-4:45 pm
VOTE FOR 2025 AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD
astrayproductions.com/vote
Monday, March 10, 2025
CulpeperCon 2025 Keynote Speaker
Join us at CulpeperCon for a celebration of graphic novels, pop culture, and storytelling -- connecting fans and creators through interactive events, art, and community. The event has many activities lined up: Bingo, Lego, Special Effects Makeup, Cosplay Contest, Games, Pokémon, Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, Scavenger Hunt, and more.
I've been asked to be the keynote speaker at 9AM on Saturday, March 22, 2025. Hope to see you there!
Culpeper Con is Culpeper County Library's premier annual graphic novel and comic book convention, hosted by the Friends of the Culpeper County Library. Culpeper County Public Library is in the Southgate Shopping Center (271 Southgate Shopping Center, Culpeper, VA 22701).
Monday, August 12, 2024
Fairfax Comic Con is August 17-18, 2024
Every hero needs a logo! Join artist and designer Carolyn Belefski (Curls) and learn how to incorporate graphic design elements to create an icon and establish your own powerful visual identity. Kids can then place the logos on the provided capes, and… up, up, and away!
Friday, March 8, 2024
Awesome Con 2024 #SpringIntoAwesome
Curls Studio will be at the 11th year of Awesome Con at Table JR-05 from March 8-10, 2024 at the DC Convention Center. Please view the map above to locate us.
On Saturday "The Other Side of The Table: Lessons From Creators" will be taking place from 7:45-8:30PM in Room 206 featuring Maria Laura Sanapo, Jamar Nicholas, Marc Gaffen, and Carolyn Belefski. This is your in-person opportunity to ask us anything about the creative process and what it is like to be a comic creator.
Awesome Con Short Film Festival presented by Joe Carabeo with Astray Productions will have three days of programming as well as an award show and filmmaker meet-up on Saturday at 4:30PM in Room 202. Check out the wrestling belts the winners receive! Hope to see you at Awesome Con.
Wednesday, January 17, 2024
Total Solar Eclipse Enamel Pin - Make 100 Kickstarter
Wednesday, November 8, 2023
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).
Tuesday, June 6, 2023
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!
Friday, June 2, 2023
Comics Pal Interview
Tuesday, May 16, 2023
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)
Monday, January 23, 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





























