Blick art supplies is celebrating the opening of their Evanston location with a floor to ceiling spray paint wall & live demos! More info here. We’re also happy to be offering a 20% Off coupon to all CAKE friends (valid through 2/28/19) @blick_evanston on instagram
If you’re thinking of creating your own comic, but don’t know where to start, check out StoryStudio’s “Bookbinding” course on February 4! Artist Regin Igloria will show you how to create a booklet that you can brag about at this summer’s expo. Materials will be provided.
The Chicago Alternative Comics Expo is very excited to announce our 2019 poster artist, Marnie Galloway!
Marnie Galloway is a cartoonist and artist working in Chicago. Her first graphic novel, In the Sounds and Seas, was collected by One Peace Books in 2016 from a Xeric Award winning series. Other comics of note include Burrow (2016), Particle/Wave (2016), and Slightly Plural (2018).
Marnie is also a former organizer of CAKE, and championed the creation of our Cupcake Award, which spotlights upcoming talent in indie comics. This year Marnie is also serving as mentor for Cupcake recipient, Diana H. Chu.
Stay tuned for more artwork from Marnie and updates on CAKE 2019, June 1st-2nd at Center on Halsted.
The Chicago Alternative Comics Expo is very excited to announce our 2019 poster artist, Marnie Galloway!
Marnie Galloway is a cartoonist and artist working in Chicago. Her first graphic novel, In the Sounds and Seas, was collected by One Peace Books in 2016 from a Xeric Award winning series. Other comics of note include Burrow (2016), Particle/Wave (2016), and Slightly Plural (2018).
Marnie is also a former organizer of CAKE, and championed the creation of our Cupcake Award, which spotlights upcoming talent in indie comics. This year Marnie is also serving as mentor for Cupcake recipient, Diana H. Chu.
Stay tuned for more artwork from Marnie and updates on CAKE 2019, June 1st-2nd at Center on Halsted.
The Deadline to Apply for the 2017 Cupcake Award Is Coming Soon!
We spoke to last year’s winner, Kelly Fernandez, about her experience:
What was the process of applying for the Cupcake award like?
The hardest part of applying for the Cupcake award was thinking of a story to submit. I spent days racking my brain trying to come up with a compelling fiction story, but I always felt like nothing was good enough. Then I thought: “Why don’t I just tell my story?” I was nervous because I had never made an autobiographical comic, but I decided to just do it!
What did you learn when creating your comic?
I learned that making comics involves taking care of yourself, too. While working on my final art, I barely ate, slept, or spoke to anyone. It wasn’t healthy. Deadlines, taking feedback, and working with others is a vital part of working in comics, so learning how to handle the pressure of these things was important for me. You need to take breaks to destress, exercise, and recharge.
How did you like working with this year’s guest judge/mentor, Caitlin McGurk?
Caitlin was great; she was so supportive and friendly. She was always there to help me not only with my project for the Cupcake award, but also to give me advice about school and my career. I’m very grateful to have had her as my mentor, and I hope we stay friends for a long time.
Do you have any other thoughts about CAKE or the Cupcake award, or any words of encouragement for people who apply? CAKE and winning the Cupcake award was an incredible experience, and I strongly encourage people to apply! I learned so much and met so many great people, and I would do it again if I could.
About the Cupcake Award
The Cupcake Award is a juried prize that supports the publication of a new minicomic by an emerging artist whose work is primarily self-published. The winner of the award receives $250 to print a new minicomic, a free half table at the next year’s CAKE (where their minicomic will debut), and the mentor support of a special guest judge.
About CAKE
The Chicago Alternative Comics Expo (CAKE) is a weekend-long celebration of independent comics, inspired by Chicago’s rich legacy as home to many of underground and alternative comics’ most talented artists–past, present, and future. Featuring comics for sale, workshops, exhibitions, panel discussions, and more, CAKE is dedicated to fostering community and dialogue among independent artists, small presses, publishers, and readers. For any questions about CAKE, please email cake@cakechicago.com.
Debuts: Kindling by Xia Gordon 100 by Nou Altcomics Magazine 4 Architecture of An Atom by Juliacks Mirror Mirror II edited by Sean T. Collins and Julia Gfrörer Sound of Snow Falling by Maggie Umber Yours by Margot Ferrick Extended Play by Jake Terrell
Artists: Maggie Umber (Sound of Snow Falling, Time Capsule, & Startled Maggie) Margot Ferrick (Yours & Sec) Tommi Parrish (Perfect Hair) Carta Monir (Secure Connect)
June 11th, 1:30–2:30 p.m. Visual Recipes: The Art of Instructional Comics Do you have a special skill, piece of secret knowledge, family recipe, or weird trick that just has to be shared with the world?
June 11th, 1:30–2:30 p.m. Visual Recipes: The Art of Instructional Comics Do you have a special skill, piece of secret knowledge, family recipe, or weird trick that just has to be shared with the world?
June 11th, 3:00–4:00 p.m. Signs of the Times: Abstracting Adaptation Ron Regé, Jr., is best known for his adaptations of mystical and esoteric texts (The Cartoon Utopia, What Parsifal Saw), but throughout his career he has maintained an interest in the here and now, reflecting on the contemporary political climate.
