(Hee hee...remember "Pigs in Space," on "The Muppet Show?" SCRIBBLES IN SPAAAACE!)
This last weekend I went to Columbus, Ohio to attend the
Small Press & Alternative Comics Expo (S.P.A.C.E.) with a friend of mine.
That was a lot of fun! I got a crick in my neck from looking down at
interesting tables for about three hours. I saw some very beautiful artwork,
some very creative stories, and some highly entertaining ideas. Best of all I
had some interesting conversations with comic creators and their friends.
One artist was a woman I had met on a previous occasion at a
writer’s conference, Kat Klockow, the creator of “Lady Grey” (which I intend to
being reading over a nice glass of chilled wine later this evening). She was
actually one of the first tables I visited and I’m glad I did, because she
recommended a few other artists to me and also informed me of the sad
under-representation of female artists in comics. C’est tragique! (I took
French in middle school and high school, and it remains my brain’s go-to
language for drama.) Being an artist, a writer, and woman, I immediately
resolved to stop and chat with every female at S.P.A.C.E. This was an easy
resolution to make and fulfill, because I spoke with almost all the artists regardless of gender—plus, the women were really
cool! I loved the variety of age and personality they represented, and their
creative energy was positively contagious.
Some of my favorites? Colleen Clark (http://www.colleenclarkart.net/) had
some great art, some kick-ass messages, and one print of pugs that particularly
delighted by friend and I for its astonishingly accurate portrayal of pug-hood.
Kori Michelle Handwerker (not sure if that’s her real name, but I sincerely
hope it is because it rocks), the creator of “The Prince of Cats,” and online
comic I’ve followed diligently for several months. She captures mood and
character really, really well with her watercolors, and also demonstrates great
storytelling. Then there was Lora Innes (do ALL female comic artists have cool
names?), the creator of “The Dreamer” (http://www.thedreamercomic.com/).
I haven’t started reading her in earnest, I only flipped through the first
issue at her booth because I found her prints arresting: wonderful expression,
great use of color and shape. Also, the story grabbed me in the first few
pages, so I’m really looking forward to it.
There were several others, but I’m a big believer in not
going on TOO long in blog posts—plus, it's freezing cold (again) and I want to start baking.
(I’ll share some recipes later!)