I will be a guest at the Mysticon convention in Roanoke next weekend (February 24 – 26). Here’s my schedule.

Costuming Under $20 (Friday 3:00 PM): Thinking on a budget and outside the box to create your new character.

Cosplay 201: Surviving the Masquerade (Friday 6:00 PM): This panel covers the “what’s next” questions about how to take your amazing cosplay to the next level. Come learn some tips and tricks to help you not just get through the masquerade, but be confident and successful at conveying excitement about your costume.

Oddball Costuming Supplies (Saturday 2:00 PM): Panelists discuss their favorite unusual costume materials, their most difficult, and why they need to work outside the box.

Costuming: Form, Function and Fantasy (Sunday 10:00 AM): Costume designers discuss the merits of costuming in different applications from comics, to movies, to video games and cosplay. What design choices are rooted in functionality and what just looks cool.

I’m so amazed! I just found out that I won another Niche Award for Magritte!

Here I am, just finishing my latest work!

I’m very happy with my newest commission piece and so is the buyer! She wanted her husband playing poker with their bad kitties. And, of course, all of the cats are cheating!

Here’s my schedule for the Arisia convention coming up!

SATURDAY

10:00: FINDING YOUR MUSE. We all dream of making a living doing what we love. How do you make your art profitable without losing your inspiration? Several artists who have managed it talk about choosing a direction that satisfies both needs.

11:30: JUDGING COSTUME CONTESTS. What makes a good judge? How involved is the process, and what are the expectations of the judge? And why does it take so darn long? Our panelists will discuss what goes on in the judging process, the difference between presentation and workmanship, and why skill categories exist, in addition to offering their advice on how to prepare yourself to be judged…or be a judge yourself.

2:30: BRAIN HACKS FOR ARTISTIC EFFECT. The brain works in mysterious ways. If you understand how it accomplishes some of those things, you can create unexpected and sometimes astonishing experiences for your audience. Come to this panel to learn about some of the more commonly used tricks and how you might use them in your art.

7:00: MANUFACTURING CREATIVITY. What do you do when you’re out of ideas? There are proven techniques for keeping the creative process flowing and generating new ideas. The panel and audience will discuss what gets their creative juices flowing and how to get around that block.

8:30: MATERIALS SAFETY. Artists are exposed to some pretty toxic substances: heavy metals, volatile carcinogens, and nasty particulates. In addition, there are bad ergonomics and other unhealthy conditions to contend with. How can an artists stay healthy? If you have a disability, are there special considerations for handling hazardous materials?

SUNDAY

8:30: STUFF FOR FREE. Dumpster diving has a long and glorious history, and Freecycle can yield some interesting goodies if you are patient enough. We’ll discuss how to turn one person’s trash into your treasure without getting into trouble, and maybe tell a few tales of epic loot drops.

I’ll be a guest artist at the following conventions this year. I hope to see you at one of these!

January 13 – 16: Arisia, Boston, MA

February 24 – 26: Mysticon, Roanoke, VA

March 10 – 12: Heliosphere, Tarrytown, NY

March 31 – April 2: Albacon, Albany, NY

April 7 – 9: Lunacon, Rye Brook, NY

April 28 – 30: Ravencon, Williamsburg, VA

November 10 – 12: Philcon, Philadelphia, PA

These four new pieces are now available at A Mano Galleries!

While browsing the Niche Awards web page recently, I noticed that on their page about the competition they show the gallery where the finalists are displayed, and there’s my “Dali in Dryer Lint” prominent.  How nice!

I’ve just updated the gallery with a few new smaller pieces.  They’re available at A Mano Galleries!

Here’s my latest work — another tribute to my favorite artist Salvador Dali, incorporating many of his best paintings.