Tag: Mikah McCullough

Preparing for ConQuesT 49!

On May 23, 2018

In Art, Creative Life, Fantasy Art, Paper Sculpture, Science Fiction, Science Fiction Conventions, Writing, XK9 Novels

Will you be in Kansas City this weekend?

Memorial Day Weekend is the perennial date for my “home” science fiction convention, ConQuesT–put on each year by the Kansas City Science Fiction and Fantasy Society, of which I am the Communications Officer.

The Art Show

I’ll be showing new work at the ConQuesT 49 Art Show: on Friday, look for the first two of my new Gerberas & Gold series, which will pair up as this week’s Image(s) of Interest. I’m not showing them in this post because (1) They’re debuting at ConQuesT 49, so convention Art Show-goers get to see them first, and (2) my mats aren’t in yet.

In all, I’ve reserved three panels this year, for a total of 12 pieces of fantasy paper sculpture.

Here’s a glimpse of maybe a quarter of the 2014 ConQuesT Art Show.

Here’s a section of the 2015 ConQuesT Art Show.

As a member of the KaCSFFS Executive Board I’m technically on the Concom (Convention Committee), but I was much more “hands-on” as a Concom member when I was the Art Show Director, 2011-2013. In more recent years, that joy has fallen to the much more efficient Mikah McCullough, who has expanded the show and dramatically streamlined the money-handling. I’m happy to say our Art Show is one of the largest and most diverse in the region.

My Panelist Schedule

I also will be busy participating on (and sometimes moderating) a number of panels, as well as a reading from my to-be-published-later-this-year novel, What’s Bred in the Bone.

If you’d like to see any of these panel topics turned into a blog post (or a series of several), I’d love to know. Please Leave a comment about it in the form below the post!

With fellow panelists Jonathan Brazee, Paula Smith, and Mike Substelny on a panel at NorthAmericon ’17, in pre-hurricane Puerto Rico.

Friday May 25

5-5:50 p.m. (Benton meeting room) For Your Listening Pleasure – An Exploration of SF and Fantasy movie scores.

Saturday May 26

Noon to 12:25 p.m. (Northrup meeting room) I’ll read from What’s Bred in the Bone – One or more scenes from my soon-to-be-released space opera/solarpunk/mystery, whose protagonist is a large, genetically- and cybernetically-enhanced police dog named Rex.
3-3:50 p.m.* (Fremont meeting room) Where You Least Expect It – SF and Fantasy can be found in unexpected places, including classic literature (Milton, Shakespeare, and many others). Since I’m the moderator, I may take us into Art History as well.
4-4:50 p.m.* (Empire C Ballroom) Author Speed Dating – I’ll be one of nine authors on hand to tell attendees about my book, and to answer questions.
5-5:50 p.m.* (Benton meeting room) What Science Fiction Got Wrong – science fiction writers are often rightly celebrated for having predicted future trends and breakthroughs long before they happened. But what about the things they got wrong–sometimes glaringly wrong, now that we’re viewing them in retrospect?
9-9:50 p.m. (Fremont meeting room) Bad Touch: Sex and Violence – We’ll explore how these topics are presented in the media, what messages they send, and how changing attitudes shift the way we look at some of the classics–as well as more recent work.

*Yes, they ARE back-to-back-to-back: I like a challenge (but don’t stand between me and the Ladies’ Room at 5:50!).

Sunday May 27

11-11:50 a.m. (Empire B Ballroom) Philosophy Fun – Must one be virtuous to be courageous? What’s more important, knowledge or imagination? We’ll ponder these and other questions as they pertain to our favorite stories, games, characters, and our lives in the “real world,” too. I’m the moderator for this one, and I promise to come loaded with provocative questions.

At a 2015 ConQuesT panel with Kristina Hiner, NeNe Thomas, Bradley Denton, and Barabara E. Hill.

IMAGES: Many thanks to ConQuesT 49 and The KaCSFFS Blog, for the ConQuesT 49 header; to The ConQuesT Art Show, for the photos from the 2014 and 2015 displays; and to Tyrell E. Gephardt, for the photos of a couple of the panels of which I’ve been a part.

Tales of ConQuesT (48)–The Art Part

By jansgephardt

On May 31, 2017

In Art, Creative Life, Paper Sculpture, Science Fiction

My home science fiction group, the Kansas City Science Fiction and Fantasy Society, put on their annual convention this weekend. I always enjoy ConQuesT, held each ear in Kansas City on Memorial Day Weekend–but I must say that this year’s ConQuesT 48 was even more fun than usual.

There are many reasons why it all came together so well for me, but here are a few highlights from the “Art Part.” Always first and last, for me, there is the ConQuesT Art Show.

Literally first, because I was once again the “shipping address” for the show. A few years ago I was the Art Show Director, and although I’ve now gratefully handed that job over to a talented and responsible young man named Mikah McCullough, his apartment is a tad on the “small side” for a large pile of incoming boxes of art. Thus, on the first day of the convention I haul not only my own artwork, but also all the mailed-in work from all of the wonderful artists who participate from afar.

My “White Clematis” variations available so far.

I’m showing a collection of new multiple-original artworks at sf conventions this year, the “Guardians” series (four separate designs) and the “Clematis Collection,” which so far consists of three Artist’s Proofs of White Clematis Panel with Golden Dragons, (honored with a rosette as Art Director’s Choice at DemiCon 28 earlier this month), and an edition limited to six smaller pieces titled White Clematis with Dragons. A one-of-a-kind original from this collection, featuring purple clematis flowers and titled Gold and Purple, should be ready to debut at SoonerCon 26 in late June.

I also had a new, one-of-a-kind original to debut at ConQuesT 48, Nose for a Rose. Here’s a glimpse, along with a look at my display at the convention. This is all you’ll see of it, however–it was purchased by a collector on its “maiden voyage.”

It’s always fun to show and sell my artwork, and to help put the Art Show up and take it down. But another joy for me is participating in panel discussions at science fiction conventions–and I was part of several at ConQuesT 48. They’ll be the subject of my next post, coming soon!

IMAGES: Most of the photos on this post are mine. Since I’m the Communications Officer of KaCSFFS, I’m the one who put together the ConQuesT 48 banner. It features a logo design by Keri O’Brien and a photo of the lobby of our convention hotel, the Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center, which provided the photo. All the other photos were taken by me, of my artwork (and other personal effects). The cat is my daughter’s. Her name is Sora and she is Queen of the Universe (just ask her). All of the photos are available for re-posting, as long as you attribute them and provide a link back to this post or to ConQuesT, as appropriate.