By Thomas B. Harrison, Press-Register -- from al.com
MOBILE, Alabama -- For next Friday’s LoDa Artwalk, Karen Cassidy opted to bypass the merely unusual and go for the fantastic.
Cassidy, the owner and artistic force behind Blue Velvet Studio, will open “Animé & Comic Art,” an all-encompassing show of graphic illustrations, CG art, action figures and more during the opening reception from 6 until 9 p.m. at the downtown artspace. Guests and visitors are encouraged to show up in costume if they so desire.
“I’ve always loved the look of animated art,” says Cassidy. “The oversized eyes, the exaggerated features, the action poses, a range of characters from cheery to ominous, the dramatic coloring, and the concept of creatures from another world.
“Mind you, an engaging story line is equally important but I have always appreciated comic art as a stand-alone art form. Sometimes my sister Deb and I would rummage through the comic book stores in Chicago, picking up books with cool graphics and occasionally finding an amazing or rare female action figure.”
In 2010, Cassidy’s second year at Blue Velvet Studio, she considered about putting together a comic art and action figure exhibit at the gallery. “Why not showcase yet another fascinating art form that often gets overlooked because of its niche market?,” she says. “But pulling it together would take some work.
“ I knew a couple of local artists who have the capability: Chase Matthews with his original action figures; skilled artist Billy Jordan, who draws and inks tattoo art daily; and April Hopkins, whose sketches of futuristic humanoids bend the imagination. But was that enough to fill a show? I would have to do some more legwork to get critical mass.”
Earlier this year, Cassidy took a friend to ComiCon in New Orleans with the purpose of finding local Mobile comic/animé artists, “and hopefully find some costume artists in the process,” she says. “This led us to Kevin LaPorte and Amanda Rachels, a team working together on story and art (respectively) for their ‘Clown Town’ comic series.
“A local newspaper article introduced Scott O. Brown from Man of Comics, who utilizes illustrations by Amin Amat and Drew Gilbert (on ‘Second Soul’), Tim Irwin (on ‘Atlantis Rising’), and Ferran Xalabarder (on ‘Nightfall’) to help create their comics. His latest creations include the upcoming ‘LA Stories’ and ‘They Do Not Die!’ graphic novels.
“Artists LaToya McCoy and Veronica Morton bubbled up when they exhibited artwork during the BVS February 2011 exhibit, with computer-made artwork suitable for an animé show.”
At MobiCon they met video animé artist Kory Hill, who created the computer graphics for the movie “Myst Saga.”
“There we also met fantasy artist James R. Powell, whose art has graced numerous book and album covers, and who has painted guitars for the likes of Eddie Van Halen and Sheryl Crow,” Cassidy says. “All together it started to look like a pretty good exhibit — a mix of career animation artists and healthy experimentation.
“Sprinkle (in) a selection from my sister’s action figure collection and a few friends in character costumes, and you get a fun and diverse show to spice up the Artwalk.”
‘ANIME & COMIC ART’
WHAT: “Animé & Comic Art.” an exhibit of comics, animation, fantasy art, computer graphics, illustrations, graphic novels, CG videos and action figures
WHEN: 6-9 p.m. Friday, June 10
WHERE: 709 Dauphin St. #2, downtown Mobile
ARTISTS: Amin Amat, Scott O. Brown, Drew Gilbert, Kory Hill, April Hopkins, Tim Irwin, Jamie Jennings, Billy Jordan, Kevin LaPorte, Chase Matthews, LaToya McCoy, Patty McLaughlin, Veronica Morton, James R. Powell, Amanda Rachels, Jamie Smith, Amy Woodward, Steven Moore, Schuyler Allen, Ferran Xalabarder.
ORGANIZER: Karen Cassidy, owner of Blue Velvet Studio
NOTE: Guests are invited to wear character costumes.
ADMISSION: free
INFO: 850-375-4481 or www.bluevelvetstudio.org; follow BVS on Facebook
Thank you, Mr Harrison for the great write up and all you do to support the Arts in our area.--Chase Matthews
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