Category Archives: Art

Cover Me

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I spent my evening at the monthly meeting of my local science fiction (and fantasy) fan/reading group tonight. We’re about to wrap up our 26th? year. We’ve been at it a long time. One of the things we’ve been doing during that time is creating a monthly fanzine.

There was a time when I was very bitter that we were clearly eligible for winning a Hugo award in the fanzine category and could never gain any traction, even with our own members. That eventually slid into disappointment more than bitterness, and then into happiness that we weren’t tied to scandals and terrible nonsense.

These days, we keep creating the fanzine because it’s a small thing that brings us joy. A few dozen ‘subscribers’ and a way to get some relatable content out to our friends. Yes, we’re still eligible to win a Hugo but I’m no longer certain it’s a thing we would want.

Jeff dug up some physical copies of old covers. For many years we had an actual, printed paper copy to hand out live and in person to anyone showing up for the meeting. These old pages showed me a variety of the kind of artwork I’ve done over the years. A lot of what I saw here was cringeworthy. Some of them I like to this day.

I don’t post as much about my art here these days in part because there’s less of it than there used to be. I just don’t have the same amount of time I did before. There are so many things to do in this world that sometimes I lose track and don’t create as much art as I’d like. Even the cringey stuff. Gotta break some eggs and all that.

I suggest doing art. Create something. Save it if you like OR give it to somebody. Someday it might come back to you so you can see how far you have come.

The Art of Fandom

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This was originally published in Watch The Skies, June 2024 issue.

A Kick in the Tastebuds

Here we are again with another of our multi-talented members! We all know Danielle as the triple threat author, editor and publisher but she also creates wonders with ginger. Danielle was gracious enough to chat with me about this venture.

What is Ginger KICK and how did you get started with it?

Danielle: Ginger KICK! is homemade flavor-infused candied ginger products. It started out of a cookie recipe I devised, Limoncello Coconut with Candied Ginger. I used to buy the ginger for the cookie but I was shopping with a friend one time and when I went to pick up a package he took it out of my hand and put it back, saying “That is so easy to make.” So we went over and picked up some raw ginger root and that set me on the path of this madness. My first attempt doing it the way he said didn’t turn out too good. It was too fibrous. But I looked up some how-to’s and tried again and the result was amazing! Originally I had intended it just for my personal cooking use, but since I was making lemon-based cookies I thought, ‘what if I add lemon to the ginger?’ I was doomed from then on out. Of course, it was a learning process with plenty of bumps on the way.

Growing and learning sound like part of the process. What is your favorite discovery so far? What is the worst flavor you’ve stumbled onto?

Danielle: I am going to answer those in reverse order. Really, I haven’t run across any “bad” flavor in my pairings. All of them taste amazing and unique, though there are a few that I don’t make as often for various reasons. One is Honey ginger, where I substitute honey for the sugar in the process. It tastes quite good, but when you are cooking it the honey itself kind of smells like vomit, kind of like a young mead can before it is really ready to drink. The other thing I tried was Pepsi ginger, which was a total fail. I tried this because I make a root beer ginger that is really good and the soda works fine in the process. I figured why not try Pepsi, since I like it. Unfortunately, some aspect of the soda reacted to the heat and it turned directly into hard candy, so my ginger was all stuck in a massive lump. Now, I will say, having said all of that, I do now make a Honey Habanero Ginger that is pretty awesome and for some reason I don’t have the same problem with the smell when I make it, maybe because of the added compound of the pepper, which I cut in half and place in a cotton bag to boil with the ginger. Some of my other, more unusual flavors are wasabi, umami, and coffee, the last of which is my absolute favorite and quite popular with fans of Ginger KICK!

Now… for your other question, one of the most important things I’ve learned is that ginger comes from all over the world and can have different properties depending on where it comes from. One of my best discoveries is that the common ginger… the big long nobby kind of ginger that most cooks feel is inferior due to the excess water content, is actually ideal for what I am doing because as you boil the ginger and the water is evaporated, the remaining flavor compounds and sugar are absorbed into the ginger making for a better taste and texture than if I had used the more delicate ginger with the lesser water content, because that tends to stay more fibrous.

Do you have any flavors that have surprised you or given you a special reaction from a customer?

Danielle: Well, I already mentioned coffee, which takes everyone by surprise, and umami always has them intrigued (it is basically soy sauce ginger, but the process makes it taste like salted caramel!). Any of the alcohol ones get a reaction… spiced rum, mulled wine, apricot brandy… and Chai has to be one of the absolute favorites that people come back for time and again. Mostly, though, it is the ginger in general that draws a reaction. Because of my process–I cook to a texture, rather than a time, so the ginger is very intense, but also very tender, almost jelly-like–no matter what flavor people try, there is generally quite a reaction. Most of the time it is awe and delight as the so-named kick takes them by surprise, but occasionally it is a hard nope because the flavor is too intense for someone. At this point I make over fifty flavors and combinations, so there is a high chance that those who like ginger will find something to pique their interest.

Excellent stuff. Where can folks go to get some of your ginger creations?

Danielle: Mostly people find me at a local conventions, such as the upcoming Horror at Main in Harrisburg the last weekend in June and at the upcoming Shore Leave in Lancaster at the end of July, but I also have an order page on my online store: Ginger KICK! Flavor-Infused Candied Ginger | eSpec Books where I offer the ginger, simple syrup, granola, and chocolate-dipped ginger. At events, I sometimes have other items, and occasionally I run Kickstarters to try new flavors and products like rock candy, toffee, cookies and beef jerky.

A very big thank you to Danielle for sharing this flavorful interview with us! Be sure to hit up her page or get out to one of our excellent local conventions to see her and pick up some candies along with some fantastic reads!

The Art of Fandom

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This was originally published in Watch The Skies, April 2024 issue.

What Covereth Thine Noggin?

When considering what to chat about with our next talented member of our crowd, I needed to figure out what in particular I could ask about! Our fabulous editor in chief is a multi-talented renaissance man worthy of this interview format! In the end, asking about Helm Haven Renaissance Wear was the place we decided to land.

What brought you to start your own garb shop? How did you get started doing this?

Jeff: Gifting. I blame gifting and also the simple idea that if I really wanted
to have something to wear at Faire, I could settle for what everyone was making
or create my own. Sure, you can do work for hire with many talented renfaire
costumers but there’s definitely something to be said about wearing your own
creations. One holiday season after making gifts, one of my friends told me, “You
should be selling these.” The statement became reality, and I started up an Ebay
shop. A few years later, I added an Esty shop. I don’t do full garb unless it’s for
myself and primarily my items are hats, capes, handwarmers, feathers and
sundry other items. I have no exact count, but I am sure that I have sold more
than 1.5k individual items online.

You do all the cutting and sewing – these are all custom, hand made, one of a kind creations?

Jeff: Mostly, these are based off of one pattern I created for each item, so
some are one of a kind and others are not. Hats are usually one style in one
material and different sizes. Simply, makes sense to cut more than one at a time.
The capes and handwarmers are in between, I’ve made some exactly the same,
but most have some small differences if they are of the same material. Different
ornaments or trim can set them apart. I have also done custom pieces upon
request. There have been several capes specifically for weddings and even a
whole wedding party. I once made a hat for a sculpture of Martin Luther for a
customer. The best was a set of red capes for a production of Volpone by the
Red Bull Theater in New York. There needed to be two because Hamish Linklater
was in New York and Andre de Shields was in L.A. and since the production was
done via Zoom, they needed to appear to hand the cape from one character to
another.

Do you have a favorite piece that you’ve done? Or, one that you really didn’t want to let go of?

Jeff: Back to gifting once again, my favorite pieces have been given away. I
made a full-length cape and handwarmer set for a friend, a capelet for another
and a fighting cape for a third. Since they were gifts, I was willing to try different
things and spend more time on them and was happy with the results.

Do you have any pieces that have surprised you or given you a special reaction from the customer?

Jeff: I am always surprised when people send me pictures of themselves wearing the items. Sometimes it’s as simple as a hat completing a costume that obviously took a lot of work on their part. I love being at faire and suddenly realizing that someone just walked by wearing something of mine. Doesn’t happen a lot but it’s awesome when it does.

A very big thank you to Jeff for sharing his story with us! Head over to the shop and check out all the options!

The Art of Fandom

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This was originally published in Watch The Skies, March 2024.

The Bag Lady

Continuing to dig into the wealth of talent that lives among our members, I had the opportunity to chat with Pam about her fabulous bags! Dame Dahlia Creations is the real showcase of her work, but I wanted to get more detail, so we did an interview!

How would you describe what you do? I mean, you’re essentially a handbag/tote creator, right? You do all the material cutting and sewing?

Pam: While I don’t design my own patterns, I do everything else. I select the fabric/material based on what the individual wants or somethings if I just find some really cool fabric and get inspired. I cut everything out and sew it all together. It can take anywhere from 10 – 60 hours to make depends on the pattern. Certainly a labor of love.

How did you get started doing this?

Pam: I started sewing about 7-8 years ago making costumes and fun stuff like that. Then I started making retro inspired dresses. 40s, 50s, 60s styles. I was having a hard time finding handbags to match the outfits. So I looked for some patterns and found some and just started making them. I’d post on my personal Facebook page the different bags I was making. My friends kept commenting asking if I made them to sell. When my husband was going through cancer treatment, it gave me something to focus on instead of just taking care of him.

[do you want me to include that last bit?]

Pam: Sure you can. When going through something like cancer the caretaker has to take care of themselves as well. Having a hobby or something to focus on instead of the ick that is cancer is important

Do you have a favorite piece that you’ve done? Or, one that you really didn’t want to let go of?

Pam: I have several but the one that really sticks out is a sugar skull one. I just loved how that one came out. The woman who bought it was so excited because she just loves sugar skulls and well skulls in general. In fact the dress she was wearing matched the pattern on that bag pretty well so it went to the right home but part of me was sad to see it go.

What is your favorite part of the whole process?

Pam: Seeing it really start to come together. That particular bag has 45 individual pieces. It’s difficult to see how it will actually come together. Finding all the little fun things – like zipper pulls to match. Then seeing the person’s face when they see it done. Seeing the person’s face when they see their custom bag makes all the work rewarding.

A very big thank you to Pam for sharing her creations with us! Be sure to head over to her site and check out all the fabulous things she makes!

The Art of Fandom

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This was originally published in Watch The Skies, January 2024 issue.

For a couple of years now I’ve focused my written pieces for Watch The Skies on films and television. While that sort of entertainment is wonderful, I feel that we need to shift from film to other forms of art. As a group, science fiction fandom has some of the most imaginative and talented creators anywhere. If there’s a way to create something, they’ll find it. If it can tie in with a favorite book or show, so much the better.

My hope is to get some of our members to show off their creations here in the fanzine this year. I would love to see what other folks are making and how it’s related to their fandom.

I’ll go first! Normally our group sees my artwork on the cover of the ‘zine each month. That isn’t the only form of art I create. I draw, paint, model and craft as well. As part of an online crafting group I was able to enter a contest for the creation of a “magic potion”. Using a bottle and a number of other supplies, I was able to create the “magic potion” Release. It’s a real, full size bottle with sculpted pieces, painted glass and hand sketched parchment. While it didn’t win the contest, I was really pleased with the results.

So ~ what are you working on! Let’s show it off!

Grouchy Christmas

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This Christmas season has had me more out of sorts than normal.

One thing that hasn’t changed is our family tradition of having a themed Christmas tree each year. We’ve been doing our own thing for more than 26 years now. This year, perhaps the grouchy has shown through in what our tree theme turned out to be.

The tree is clearly grouchy too…

Merry Christmas! May all your celebrations be warm and bright… now scram!

Kaiju Trees

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Sometimes the fun part of coming up with cover art for the fanzine each month is trying to figure out what an alien landscape will look like. Sometimes that’s the most daunting part as well. What if it’s not described well? What if your vision is absolutely NOT what the author had in mind?

This month Watch The Skies is reading Kaiju Preservation Society by Scalzi.

Spoiler alert – there are different trees in this novel… and I had fun making them. Here’s a background preview of this month’s cover:

Still Watching

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We’re closing in on the end of the 23rd year of the fan group Watch The Skies. It’s been an amazing run and I genuinely hope it rolls at least another 23 years or more.

We still publish a fanzine each month and I still get the opportunity to make cover art for the various issues. The August book we were discussing was called Paradox Hotel. I liked the visual concept of various versions of the hotel being slightly out of focus with each other. A blurry filter over the camera lens. I pulled together some images and set to work. Here’s the cover for the August issue:

Art Still Happens

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It’s been some time since I’ve said anything about it, but I do still create graphics (art feels like a strong word for what I do) and put it out there in the world. This is the cover for this month’s Watch The Skies fanzine, without the text.

Inspired by Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

Expensive Art

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Many years ago I wrote up a post here about this bonkers concept for creating a Dune movie that I’d caught wind of on the net. I went and found the documentary and consumed it. I was enthusiastic about the concept at the time.

In the intervening time it has been pointed out that the creator of this concept brought out some very problematic things about how he created his art. Creating art using rape is NOT acceptable. It is probably a very good thing that his vision never actually made it all the way to the point of filming.

All that being said, I would still love to see the mythical book that was created to showcase the concept for this film adaptation. With all the attention being given to Dune again, one of the ultra rare books has popped up and will be sold at auction.

IF I had the money, I suspect I would have gotten in on the bidding, just for the chance to check out some of the artwork inhabiting that book. Maybe someday they’ll market a digital version and we’ll get a chance to peek at the art from some masterful creators.

Check out the article about the auction here.

Dune – the meme