Conventions – Lucy Bellwood

Find Me at A2CAF!

Between the disruption of the Pandemic, the rigors of caregiving, and the long tunnel of working on a new book, conventions have felt like a thing of the past for me. The travel, the crowds, the need to produce and sell and be ON have all seemed difficult to reach in this phase of my life. But there are some shows you just know in your heart are worth the bother, and I’m happy to say that I listened to my intuition and applied for this one back when they announced the deadline.

The Ann Arbor Comic Arts Festival is a lovely, kid-specific show that’s FREE (we love a free show) and takes place at the Ann Arbor District Library (WE LOVE A LIBRARY) from 11-5 (WE LOVE A SHOW WITH REASONABLE OPENING HOURS) this Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th. My previous visits to A2CAF have always left me feeling so revved up and grateful to be working in comics, and I’m sure this one will be no exception.

Here’s a handy map of where I’ll be (Table #1), unless I’m off doing one of the lightning Quick Draw events, which are scattered throughout the weekend:

Some other folks I’d recommend checking out are:

Cara Bean (Table 25), with her new mental health for kids book Here I Am, I Am Me (this is going to be the first thing I buy)
Alec Longstreth (Table 3), one of my earliest comics teachers, who continues to inspire and delight with his series Basewood and a host of other projects
Lauren Houser (Table 11), who I had the pleasure of collaborating with on a story for Spitball #7, the CCAD comics anthology that pairs working pros with up and coming student artists
Vera Brosgol (Signing at Green Brain Comics, Tables 8-10), celebrating her new book Plain Jane and the Mermaid (the second thing I’m going to buy), which I had the pleasure of contributing to in a small way by getting on FaceTime to puzzle out some Boat Issues
Jen Wang (Signing at Green Brain Comics, Tables 8-10), whose first graphic novel, Koko Be Good, continues to shape the way I think about character, story, and expressive acting on the page

I also have some original pages appearing in Drawing Worlds: The Art of Comics and Beyond at the Ann Arbor Art Center. The opening reception will take place Friday from 6-8pm, but the show runs all the way till July 3rd. (I believe they also have some of my stuff for sale in the gift shop!)

Hope to see you there.

Conventions

Thought Bubble This Weekend

Greetings from England, everyone!

I’m back in the UK for my biennial pilgrimage to table at Thought Bubble (and catch up with English friends and family in the process). Since I was last in the country they’ve changed the date of the festival to September, which has been an enormous improvement so far. The weather is just beginning to turn autumnal, with a good few sunny days still in reserve.

If you’re planning on heading to Thought Bubble in Leeds this weekend, you can find me in the Ask for Mercy Marquee at Table 43. Thanks to some cunning distribution work, I’ve got a TON of 100 Demon Dialogues books and plushies already in the country, plus copies of Baggywrinkles and fresh sets of watercolor skyline postcards!

A selection of vibrant postcards featuring watercolor paintings of sunrises and sunsets with silhouettes of trees, tall ships, mountains, and other organic shapes in the foreground. — A third of the new postcard designs I’ll have with me. There are 18 new cards total!

As per usual I’ve made a goofy graphic to help you locate me at the event. Here’s a map:

Being in the country a week early has left a lot of room for acclimatization and a bit of exploration. I’ve been going on six-mile rambles near Egham with my current host, cartoonist Dave Whiteland. We’re not far from Runnymede, site of the signing of the Magna Carta. Interestingly, it’s a landmark more beloved by Americans, who tend to view the Magna Carta as the precursor to our written constitution, but there are also a number of beautiful memorials and installations by local artists scattered throughout the open meadows.

A circular space with a pond in the center and an open circle in the roof. Text written upside down around the rim of the pool is reflected right-side up in the water. The walls are pale and rough, the sky is blue. — Writ in Water by Mark Wallinger

I have so many childhood memories of England coming into view out a plane window. It’s a patchwork quilt in hundreds of shades of green. Each border is picked out in dark hedgerows like raised lines of embroidery. After the rigid grids and circles of American crops seen from the sky, it confirms this sense of being somewhere other.

England is walking through fields and turnstiles and picking up fossils from beds of flint. It’s the particular smell of petrol and peat and cold air and river water. It’s tea and smooth wood floors and the familiarity of gentleness. It’s not perfect here, but it brings me back to a part of myself that feels foundational and true.

An imposing brick building under a blue sky. It has many chimneys and turrets. — Royal Holloway

After the chaos of touring all summer, I decided to forego scheduling a separate last-minute event in London or Cambridge. It’s enough to be here, and to see friends, and to have the festival to look forward to. I hope to see many of you there in a few days.

Be well,

Lucy

Conventions, News

Catch “100 Demon Dialogues” at Emerald City Comic Con

It’s finally here! Emerald City Comic Con is upon us and there’s lots to share about the show.

First up: the raw details.

You can find me in Artist Alley on WSCC Level 6 this year from Thursday through Sunday, tabling alongside many of my good pals from Helioscope. I’ll also be appearing on ~~two~~ THREE panels, which take place down in TCC Level 3 (more about those anon).

You can find Helioscope in the H block of Artist Alley tables, and my specific table number is H-2. (Note that if you’re searching for us in the ECCC App, we’re all listed under “Helioscope” rather than our names, so don’t panic if you don’t see us listed individually!) Here’s a closer look at who’s gonna be there with me:

100 Demon Dialogues, my brand new collection of comics about overcoming imposter syndrome, is making its debut at the show! I got the proofs of both the hardcover and softcover editions this morning and THEY. LOOK. GREAT.

JUST LOOK AT THAT SILVER FOIL. AAAAAAAAA.

In addition to the books themselves, I’ll also have demon plushies, stickers, and letterpress prints, all made possible by the book’s smash-hit Kickstarter campaign.

Yeah, I got a little carried away.

I will, of course, also have copies of Baggywrinkes, A Life in Objects, my Iceland Sketchbook, various postcards, Fancy Bird Stickers, and a limited number of FREE copies of Mappin’ the Floor, my oceanographic comic drawn during three weeks in the Pacific with the Schmidt Ocean Institute.

What about those panels?

I’m so glad you asked. You can find me at the following THREE panels!

Don’t Break In: Independent Careers for Comic Book Creators

Thursday March 01, 2018, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM, TCC L3 – Room 2

If you want to be a professional comic book creator, getting published isn’t the only answer. More and more creators are building independent careers outside of the traditional model. From social media to crowdfunding to self-publishing, learn more from creators Lucy Bellwood, Jason Brubaker, and Jake Parker. Moderated by Heidi MacDonald.

Mastering Mentorship: How Pros and Amateurs Can Help Each Other Thrive

Thursday March 01, 2018, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM, TCC L3 – Room 5

The comics world is full of creators honing their craft, but how can we better connect established pros and up-and-comers for the betterment of all? Join Lucy Bellwood (Mentorship Program Coordinator, Helioscope), Alissa Sallah (veteran intern of Milkfed Criminal Masterminds & Helioscope, Oni Press), Erika Moen (Oh Joy, Sex Toy), and Danielle Corsetto (Girls with Slingshots) for a discussion about finding mentorship opportunities, owning our strengths, and advancing new careers in comics.

Boats and Boners: a Fireside Chat with Erika Moen and Lucy Bellwood

Friday March 02, 2018, 6:15 PM – 7:15 PM, TCC L3 – Room 2

Join two cartoonists who have turned their niche passions (the nautical and the naughty) into successful careers in the world of comics, earning them professional accolades and invitations to guest lecture at universities and appear at events around the world, for an intimate fireside chat. Bellwood and Moen will unpack their combined 20+ years of hard-won industry experience and probably talk about their feelings a bunch too.

Yes, there will be a real fireside.

No, this is not a joke.

Here’s a handy guide to where those two rooms are in the TCC L3 floorplan:

So there we have it! Here, once again, are all those details in one place:

SEE YOU IN SEATTLE!

Conventions, News

SPX Comin’ Atcha

This is it, friends! My last convention of 2017! If you’re in the D.C. area, come on out to Bethesda, MD for the Small Press Expo this Saturday and Sunday. SPX boasts an amazing roster of indie comics folks, and I’m so excited to be returning this year. I’ll be camped out at Table K9-A alongside the team from Cartozia Tales. You can check out the full exhibitor list and floor map here.

I’m also appearing on a panel on Sunday at 12:30pm:

Balancing World-Building and Character In Kids’ Comics

Laura Terry, Ben Sears, Janet Lee & Lucy Bellwood all create elaborate worlds for their colorful characters to dwell in. They will discuss how to balance the immersive quality of world-building with the development of character and story, particularly as it pertains to comics for kids.

Sunday, 12:30pm, White Flint Room

So what am I gonna have on hand? WELL.

I just picked up these extra shiny ✨new sketchbooks✨ from my time in Iceland. If you want 24 pages of watercolor studies, life drawing, and landscapes from two weeks in a totally unreal and gorgeous country, this is the book for you. (It’s also available as a PDF if you swing that way.)

Here’s a look at some of the artwork inside:

If you’re not going to be at SPX, these books will go up for sale in my online shop around the end of the month. You can keep an eye out on Twitter or sign up for my monthly email newsletter to get the drop on that.

I’ll also have a limited selection of miniprints from the 100 Demon Dialogues series, and the plush prototype for folks to get a handle on.

If you missed your chance to order a book or a plush toy through the Kickstarter campaign, there’s now a pre-order store where you can do all of that! No deadlines needed. Just for kicks, here’s a look at the letterpress print design I’m working on for the campaign:

In addition to these new treats, I’ll have gold foil box sets of my first 100 Day Project, A Life in Objects, which sold out in record time at last year’s SPX. (Don’t worry, I’m bringing a lot more this year!)

I’ll also have assorted travelogue minicomics and softcover copies of Baggywrinkles, if you somehow don’t own a copy yet. PHEW. Lots of goodies. Oh! AND. I’m also giving away copies of Mappin’ the Floor, the comic that came out of my three-week stint in the Pacific aboard R/V Falkor. Learn some stuff about oceanography in 12 bright and charming pages—fo’ FREE.

Okay, I think that’s legitimately it from me. SEE YOU AT THE SHOW!

Conventions, News

Festival of Sail This Weekend!

Heads up Seattle, Tacoma, and the greater Puget Sound: I’m tabling at Festival of Sail Tacoma this weekend WITH THE LADY WASHINGTON (and Hawaiian Chieftain, Adventuress, Zodiac, and a host of other beautiful vessels)! You can find me at the north end of the Thea Foss Waterway this Friday through Sunday from 9-5.

Here’s a map with some more details about the layout of the event. Take note that there are two pods of tall ships on the waterfront, each about a 15-minute walk from the other. Plan accordingly! The blue circle marks the vendor area where you can find me.

My big, exciting news is that copies of Mappin’ the Floor arrived right before this event, which means I’ll be giving away oceanographic comics for free all weekend!

If you preordered a copy from my store, I’ll be getting those out the door as soon as I’m back in Portland on Monday, so keep an eye out for them early next week.

And if all that weren’t enough, the World’s Largest Rubber Duck is also going to be in attendance so, uh, SEE YOU SOON.

Conventions

VanCAF 2017 is Here!

It’s time, once again, for everyone’s favorite West Coast Canadian Comic Arts Festival: VanCAF!

Yes indeed, I’ll be appearing at the Roundhouse Community Center in Vancouver, B.C. this weekend from 10am to 5pm (both days). You can find the Bellwood Comics Empire at Table I2 in the Gymnasium. I’ll have a bunch of Baggywrinkles books, Life in Objects boxes, minicomics, and SUPER SECRET copies of Mappin‘ the Floor in advance of its official release in June! If you say the secret password, you can have one for free.

Photo Credit to Dan Turner from Free Comic Book Day in Berkeley—thanks, Dan!

If you’re attending with a young person who wants to learn more about making comics, they can come to a special comics-making class with myself and Mariana Yatsuda Ikuta on Sunday at 2:30 in the Arts and Crafts Room. There are free workshops for kids happening all weekend, so check out the schedule here and go draw with your favorite cartoonists.

I’ll also be moderating a panel called “Hash Out Your Cash!” with Steve Lieber, Hope Nicholson, Jeph Jacques, and James F. Wright (WHAT A LINEUP) on Sunday at 10:30am in the Performance Center. We’re gonna talk all about money which a topic I’m getting more and more jazzed about discussing with cartoonists, so I hope to see you there! (And be sure to check out the whole panel lineup on the VanCAF site.)

Okay, phew, that’s all for this weekend! I’ll see you across the border.

Conventions, News

Catch Me at MoCCA

Hi everyone!

Big news this week: I’m heading to New York for my first-ever appearance at the MoCCA Arts Festival this Saturday and Sunday.

You can find me in the Second Floor Lounge with the gang from Patreon, hawking copies of Baggywrinkles, gold-foil box sets from my 2016 100-Day Project, minicomic travelogues, and assorted treats. I’ll look something like this:

If you’re planning on stopping by, do come say hello. I’d love to see you.

Conventions, News

Emerald City 2017 Here We Go

It’s that time of year, friends! I’m dusting off my tally sheets and readying my show banner for the first major convention of 2017: Emerald City Comic Con!

A couple important notes:

My table location has changed this year. If you’re used to finding Periscope Studio (now Helioscope) in a block by the men’s restrooms in the farthest exhibition hall, CHANGE YOUR MAPS. We are now tabling upstairs in the new and improved Artist Alley section! The ECCC team (last I’d checked) were still updating their guest listings, so if you get lost and want to locate us, just look up Helioscope on the artist listings. If you search by my name, it might not show up.

Show hours are Thursday (2pm-7pm), Friday (10am-7pm), Saturday (10am-7pm), and Sunday (10am-5pm, though it’s likely I’ll have to leave a little early. If you’re only coming Sunday, stop by before 1pm!).

Here’s a map to help orient yourselves:

I’ll also be appearing on a panel with my lovely friends Dylan Meconis, Kory Bing, and David Malki ! all about turning your weird passions and outlandish interests into viable creative careers. That’ll be happening Thursday afternoon (3pm-4pm) in WSCC 604. Can’t make the show? Never fear—I’ll be recording the panel and adding it to my growing library of educational resources on SoundCloud. Oh did I mention we’re gonna be giving away FABULOUS PRIZES? We’re gonna be giving away FABULOUS PRIZES.

Speaking of fabulous prizes:

I’ve printed up a special run of ashcan minis from my latest adventure, an oceanographic research trip across the Pacific Ocean. If you’re among the first 25 people to stop by my table and mention this post, you’ll get one for free!

If you don’t make the giveaway, never fear. I’ve got rockstar colorist Joey Weiser (remember the great work he did on Baggywrinkles?) turning these pages into full-color gems. Here’s a sneak peek:

I CAN’T EVEN TELL YOU HOW EXCITED I AM SO HERE IS KERMIT INSTEAD:

LET’S DO THIS! SEE YOU ON THE SHOW FLOOR!

Lucy

Conventions, News

Join me for Comics Camp!

One the best things I did last year, hands down, was attend the Alaska Robotics Mini-Con and Comics Camp up in Juneau, AK. In addition to a super-sweet one-day con in a quirky, beautiful town, it also featured three days of camping with a host of incredible creators—cartoonists, musicians, writers, financial advisors, and A LAWYER (not just any lawyer, either, the Katie Lane, dispenser of exceptional wisdom to the creative stars). We all got to sit around the campfire, play games, share experiences and advice, learn about each other’s hidden talents, and explore the Alaskan wilderness. It was a dream come true.

Khail Ballard, Dylan Meconis, Katie Lane, BearHat!Lucy Bellwood, and Tony Cliff at Comics Camp 2016.

I’ve been yearning more and more for these kinds of experiences—the ones that tend to happen around the fringes of commercially-driven conventions—and Pat and his team have really hit on something special. I learned so much last year, and gained so many new friends. It was also fantastic to have newer creators rubbing shoulders with some of the industry’s most incredible and prolific superstars—just a really nourishing, humbling week all ’round.

Jeremy Spake leading a workshop on making your own leather journal-holders. — Jeremy Spake leading a workshop on making your own leather journal-holder.

So here’s the deal: you can send in an application here. Trip dates are April 21st-25th, 2017. You don’t have to be a cartoonist to come. There’s FINANCIAL AID (which totally made the difference between me being able to go and not last year). It’s going to be great.

SEE YOU IN ALASKA!

Conventions, News

First Thursday Art Walk Tomorrow

Hello, Portland. I’ve missed you!

This year has been pretty bonkers, travel-wise, but I wanted to let you know that I’ll be at the First Thursday Art Walk in the Pearl district tomorrow (August 4th) from 5pm – 10pm slinging comics, art, and other treats. I’ll be hanging out with my pals James and Emily in Space 209 on NW 13th, between NW Irving and Johnson:

Here’s a silly image you can share on social media if that’s your speed:

Hope to see you there!

Lucy