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That's a wrap on convention season!
🕑 Added 2024-05-31 00:18:45 +0000 UTCHey pals,
This past month has been a real whirlwind of activity over here at False Knees Corp.! Last weekend was the Festival BD de Montréal (Montréal Comic Arts Festival). At the opening ceremonies for the weekend, my book Spores took home the Bédélys award (Québec award for comic books) for independent anglophone publication! It came with a hand-crafted award from Karl Dupéré-Richer that looks like a robot's head:
Apparently it is made from recycled material! (the head is an old detergent bottle). I've never received a trophy for my comics, so it feels very special.
The person who presented the award didn't announce the winner outright, but read the most thoughtful and moving description of the winning story. He kept it ambiguous for a sentence or two, but the moment I realized he was describing Spores, oh boy did my eyes well up!! It was a surreal feeling to have my story recognized in a room full of local artists.
The juries had to read through more than 400 submissions this year! There were displays in the street for the winning publications:
The festival itself was very lively and fun as always. We were so lucky with sunshine all three days. It is such a delight to have these events to interact with fans, strangers, cartoonists, illustrators, and artists! The rush I get from three or four shows keeps me motivated all year long.
Here I am, doing my best to avoid spelling mistakes on a diet of granola bars and fizzy water.
A fan showed us some fan-made Chinese translations. Love the emojis.
It's also been the busiest time of the year for seeing migrators on their journey north! I've been prioritizing spending as much time as I can in the forests of this city. I've had some good days, spotting a couple dozen different species over a few hours.
This photo of a Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) is one of my favourite ones from this season. The Tanager and Blackburnian Warbler were my spark birds that led me into wildlife photography starting May 2020. Here is a photo I took with my phone through a pair of binoculars back then:
Glorious. I'd say it's either a tanager or a running shoe!
During the comic festival, we hosted a couple of great friends and accomplished artists Zoe Si (check out her website) and Jackie Davis (of Underpants & Overbites) in our apartment, and I met up with Sarah Andersen (of Sarah's Scribbles) to discuss a potential big collaborative project! (Hush hush!) I'm feeling very grateful for this wonderful community I've suddenly found myself a part of.
Whew!
With all of that action behind me, I'm looking forward to drawing some silly birds!
❤️🐤 Joshua
(Drawing by Zoe Si)
Comments
False Knees
I would love to see a painted bunting! What a dream
False Knees
Thanks! And no, they're just sitting on my computer. One day I may post my favourite pics in a photo blog or something like that!
False Knees
Thanks for coming by! I have a lot of fun reading my comics out loud
Juliana Smith
What a most wonderful update to read in my inbox this morning. Congratulations on your award and recognition - it is wholly earned! Spores makes my eyes well up every time I read it. Thanks for bringing such beauty into the world! PS: Scarlet Tanagers are my nemesis bird - in that, I want to see them more than anything, but they mostly evade me except for a few times. The Painted Bunting is my spark bird. Happy creating and birding to you!
Irene Roga
Woaah, congratulations for the award! And so happy that you could view some running shoes in the wild 🥹
Astartes Artorias
Congratulations on the award, you absolutely deserve it! I am glad to read that things are going the way they are for you! It's also always interesting to hear these award shows from the artists perspective, hope and think this won't be the last time you share an experience like this. All the best and greetings from Germany!
Frida Orveland
Congratulations!! So well deserved! I was so strongly moved by Spores, it feels good that it gets full recognition with an award like that 🌟
the_nerdpit
Congratulations on the award and thank you for the lovely update! looking forward to the silly bird drawings ❤️
KasiRec
Congratulations on that amazing award! Is there a place where we can see more of your wildlife photography work? :)
Fran Parrett
Congratulations! I'm so happy that the brilliance of Spores was recognized.
Ellen Garcraw
Well well deserved! Such a good tale. I truly can't wait to hear about all your upcoming projects!
Sandy Kavanaugh, of Hens' Haven.
Congratulations to the max! And to both of you, as I'm sure this was a mutual effort with your faithful support staff of Melodie. I'm so happy for both of you! And the award is well deserved; I love "Spores," and can't wait to see what's cooking next!
M. van der Vries
If there’s any artist/creator deserving of awards it’s you! I love reading your bird comics/stories/books. Having become an unexpected bird caregiver 3yrs ago, makes me appreciate the lil creature more with your stories in my mind & thinking how my lil parakeet would fare in them or perhaps how he perceives his environment here. So happy for you & super content to be a patron.
Sandy Kavanaugh, of Hens' Haven.
Me, too!
Angela Price
Love this so much! The trophy is so well deserved. Thank you for sharing your journey with us so we can celebrate alongside you!! 💛
Sergei Rogovtcev
Congratulations! We've also wanted to thank you so much for your reading session, it was very interesting - and heartwarming - to hear the comics we know and love, and maybe get a glimpse of what you imagine them in your head.
Joe Wright
Congratulations! Spores is a beautiful book. I love your work. ❤️
Amy B
This is fantastic and you and Spores are so richly deserving! Congratulations!!
Michael Mahr
Oh man if it’s still on your mind I’m very curious how they started describing the winner before you realized it was Spores! It truly is a well written story with great illustrations
Jack Terranova
I could cry such tears of joy, I am so happy for you. Your art really does touch such wonderful parts of the heart and soul, and it is such goodness to see you recognized and surrounded by community. May you continue to be filled with goodness and inspiration so that you may continue to contribute your goodness and inspiration to others. ✨
Sara
Spores was such an amazing story, I'm not surprised it won an award! Congrats!!
Stacy Surla
Congratulations on your impressive, well-deserved, and very fun award!
sjlxndr
this is beautiful! congratulations
John Friedrich
Congratulations on the award, it was a fine reward for a lot of hard work. Artists tend to be fascinating people, and I wish you success on your collaboration plans.
Lori Stokes
First of many more to come!
False Knees
That was so fun to sign! Thank you for stopping by, it was lovely to meet you!
Triss Llewellyn
So amazing! Congrats on the award you earned it! You signed my birding lens hood and I'm still buzzing about it, thanks for coming to Toronto again!
Karen Davis
Such a well-deserved victory!
Nancy H
That trophy is glorious! Congratulations :)
