Cartoonist Showcase in Columbus, Ohio

The National Cartoonist Society is teaming up with the Billy Ireland Museum at Ohio State University for a Cartoonist Showcase sketching and signing event, open to the public. You can find me in the lobby on Saturday, August 8 from 1:00 to 5:30 PM.

Spotlight presentations from Colleen Doran and Cathy Guisewite are part of the festivities.

There will also be a ticketed event on the same day in the Mershon Auditorium featuring Dav Pilkey, Raina Telgemeier, Jim Benton, Jamar Nicholas, and Maria Scrivan from Scholastic’s Graphix imprint.

If you are near Columbus, Ohio it is a great way to meet talented cartoonists, illustrators, and authors! I'm looking forward to this event and hope to meet you there.

Details here: https://nationalcartoonists.com/showcase

NCS Exhibitors: Chuck Whelon, Joe Dator, Wayno®, Nate Fakes, Jerry Van Amerongen, Tom Stiglich, John and Anne Hambrock, Andrea Beizer, Colleen Doran, Dave Blazek, Pat Higgins, Jason Chatfield, Barbara Dale, John Rose, Richard Robert Pollak, Dee Fish, Dave Kellett, Polly Keener, Bill Morrison, Harold Buchholz, Joe Staton, Greg Cravens, Francis Bonnet, Carolyn Belefski, Thom Zahler, Milburn Taylor, Deon Parson, Tom Toro, Josh Ulrich, Mark Parisi, Dan Thompson, Wes Molebash, David Rickert, Norm Feuti, Lex Fajardo, Chuck Dillon, Ed Steckley, Dawn Griffin

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!

2021 Cartoon Crossroads Columbus (CXC) -- Expo and Discord Stream

I'm proud to be selected to be a part of Cartoon Crossroads Columbus (CXC) for the first time, even if it's a virtual appearance this year. CXC is based in Columbus, Ohio and is all about making connections between people with a passion for the art of cartoons -- a comics, art, and animation festival. The event is founded by curator of The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum, Lucy Shelton Caswell -- along with the husband and wife team behind Cartoon Books, Columbus native Jeff Smith (Bone) and his wife Vijaya Iyer. 

This year's event lasts four days (September 30 - October 3, 2021) and is a combination of in-person and online events. I'm part of the Expo (curated online marketplace) and I'll be doing a Discord meet-up on Saturday, October 2, 2021 from 8:00 to 8:30 PM EST. Hope you can spend part of your Saturday evening with me! 

The CXC Discord server is where you can interact with CXC Exhibitors and participate in demos, live drawing sessions, and gameful cartooning events.

Join the Discord server here: http://cartooncrossroadscolumbus.org/discord

New to Discord? Read about it here: https://discord.com/why-discord-is-different

Look for the Exhibitors Showcase channel to watch the video, and use the #discussion channel to interact live!

Don’t want to use Discord? Watch this event on the CXC Discord public stream: https://www.twitch.tv/cxcfestival_discord

Carolyn Belefski Discord Stream: https://www.cartooncrossroadscolumbus.org/?session=carolyn-belefski-discord-stream

CXC Expo: https://www.cartooncrossroadscolumbus.org/?page_id=3708