I just got back last night from my first convention hosted by the National Caricaturist Network. I have been wanting to go to a convention ever since I joined the NCN. After missing last years one in Reno, NV, I swore that I would go to where ever the next one was. It took place at a hotel in St. Louis. This was actually a mini convention. Although, it wasn't that mini at all. Amazing caricature artists from all around the world. Mostly from the US, although there were two guys from Japan who tore it up, and one guy from Isreal. There were about 80 people crammed into one banquet room drawing furiosly. We each had a small portion of the walls taped off where we could present out drawings/ paintings/ etc, of what we had created for the three day duration. At the end we all judged eachothers work. There were awards given out for several categories. I didn't get any, but that wasn't the point.
Guest speaker Tom Richmond, an illustrator for MAD Magazine, and long time caricature artist, was the main reason I wanted to go. Along with him there were great seminars by Court Jones, Joe Bluhm, and Ed Steckley. Needless to say, it was a good crowd.
Martha came with me. I gotta tell you it's great having a wife who encourages my caricature art. It is also nice that she lets me drag her along to gigs and conventions in midwestern cities. Hopefully the caricature bug got to her. She was a sitting duck for caricature artists. We got a lot of drawings of us together.
I tried to get some good photos during the convention in the midst of rushing to try and make some good drawings for my wallspace. I'm gonna start with the first batch of photos from my first day of arrival.
One of the first things we did was take a trip led by Court Jones to the City Museum in St. Louis. It felt like a giant Chuck E. Cheese for adults. There was a bus on the roof. You could climb through all through that metal. There was also a healthy amount of metal slides. Amazing!
there was a whale.
martha got stuck in a cage. this is actual about three stories off the ground.
that is deffinetly not me.
I made some friends.
another friend.
spiral staircases
ran across a tall lanky crazy man who dwelled in the welded bars.
Court Jones!
Back to the mini-con!!!
Actual convention photos next posting...
