Stand With Texas Women At Worldcon

How many of you are coming to Worldcon in San Antonio and wish you could do something to "Stand With Texas Women"?

If so, maybe together we can -- and in doing so, you could be the lucky person that takes home a unique art memento.

Here's the scoop -- I'll have a full display of art in the Worldcon Art Show, and amongst the artworks for sale will be a 7-foot tall banner of my Chesley Award-nominated artwork for Brenda Cooper's novel THE CREATIVE FIRE, as pictured here. This artwork is one of the highlights of my 2012 body of work that has been nominated for this year's Hugo Award for Best Professional Artist.

Back in November, I did a writeup about the making of this artwork. This one was always more than just a book cover art job. The art was created to sell a book, but it was also intended to be something more. That's why the alternate title of this image has always been "Girl With Microphone: You Say You Want A Revolution."

The banner is printed on vinyl, measures 24" wide, and is one-of-a-kind. It will be available at my Worldcon Art Show display as an auction item all weekend long. Bidding starts at $100, and the highest bidder wins the banner, while all of the proceeds for this item will go to Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas and their ongoing "Stand With Texas Women" fund.

Worldcon (AKA LoneStarCon 3, or the World Science Fiction Convention) happens August 29th thru September 2nd in San Antonio at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. See you there!

EL ARPA

Here's the final color version of my latest Loteria card, El Arpa. In English, 'El Arpa' means 'The Harp'. Some of you may have seen the greyscale pencil version of this artwork which I sneakpeeked a few weeks ago. I've been showing the color version on the road at ConQuest, CONvergence, and SFAL2. So today is the day everyone gets to see the finished color piece.

This art will be featured in my 2014 John Picacio Calendar which will Kickstarter in September. And then in 2014, it will be included in a full-scale Loteria card deck and game set debuting from Lone Boy.

Having a blast doing this new artwork and making these cards. Working on La Escalera, El Paraguas, La Luna, and La Corona right now -- all at various stages of development. So much fun.

If you missed my greyscale pencil artwork, here you go.

CONvergence 2013 Wrapup

CONvergence, you were amazing. Was honored to be your Artist GoH this weekend, and even better that I was there with friends like Lou Anders, Paul Cornell, Melinda Snodgrass, and Charlie Jane Anders as fellow GoHs. For Lou and me, this was an especially unforgettable weekend, as this was our first time being GoHs on the same slate.

Thanks to all who attended my programming items, and had such kind things to say after they were over. If I lit your fire, then that makes me happy.

Loved hearing the gasps, the 'oooh's and the 'aaaah's from the audience when Loteria images were presented at various events. I can feel the Lone Boy / Loteria wave surging and growing, every time I show these.

Thanks to all who bought my art and prints in the Art Show. I heard that the show did VERY well financially and that pleases me greatly because part of my Artist GoH job is to drive traffic to that aspect of the con.

Congrats to the con com on a record-breaking attendance of 6789! Too many hard-working con com folks to thank all at once, but Tim Wick, Michael Lee, Christopher Jones, Tanya Brody, Charlie Horne, Teresa Knipp, Ishmael Williams, Doug Yoder, Anton Peterson, and EVERYONE who made this event happen -- take a bow while thunderous applause washes over you.

And while you're doing that -- please take note and direct tsunami waves of thunderous applause to one of the greatest Guest Liaisons in the Hallowed History of Guest Liaisoning. Carly Buchanan was my GL this past weekend, and she did an exemplary job. She's a major talent and she made things HAPPEN, as the best ones do. I was incredibly fortunate to have her riding shotgun with me on this event. She came. She saw. She rocked. Take note, CONvergence comcon, pros, and fans -- you're very lucky to have her as part of your scene.

I've never seen a convention where perfect strangers, pro and fan alike, break out into a spontaneous, cacophonous rendition of 'Bohemian Rhapsody', but I have now. And there's nothing like it.

Be proud of yourselves, CONvergence. You're one of the most wonderful, dynamic, and energized power stations of sf/f energy. It's the only regional con on this planet Earth that feels like Mardi Gras channeled through Fiesta Noche Del Rio, funneled through a raucous Irish pub, while cliff-diving into the riot of your best dreams. You're a class act, and we shall meet again.