I’ve been busy handling some family matters this month, and in the midst of those, I ventured to Dublin for this year’s World Science Fiction Convention. I couldn’t miss it, considering www.mexicanxinitiative.com was a Finalist for the Hugo for Best Related Work. Proud to be part of the fearsome foursome listed for that recognition along with Julia Rios, Libia Brenda Castro, and Pablo Defendini. I’m even prouder to say that Libia is the first Mexican woman to ever be nominated for the Hugo in the 77-year history of Worldcon.
As if that weren’t enough reason — I was also a Hugo Award Finalist for Best Professional Artist. My cousin Adria Gonzales had never attended a Worldcon before last year’s in San Jose, and she was an ace, shadowing me across all of my Guest of Honor appearances and Hugo MC responsibilities, managing me as I juggled balls of fire. This year’s Worldcon was less perilous, and she wanted to be there. Our first major stop was St. Michan’s Church — because I couldn’t resist when I read this was one of Dublin’s most macabre sites, built on the site of an old Norse chapel in 1095. It delivered. The dank limestone walls are apparently ideal for preserving death so we got up-close and personal with their resident mummies.
Next, Adria and I headed to the Jameson Distillery. Let it be known that I hate guided tours. We had already endured one at St. Michan’s — and happily, it was actually quite good. I was reluctant to press my luck at the distillery though. Adria ordered each of us a Jameson ‘Our Way’ Old Fashioned. It’s one of the best cocktails I’ve ever had. So good that I returned on three later occasions for these drinks, and when we took the tour, we had the good fortune to have the great Niall Stewart leading our exploration of how Jameson whiskey is made. A master showman and storyteller, he made me want to reinvent how I present my own work in front of audiences. After the tour finished, I talked to Niall and it turned out that his late brother David was a diehard Worldcon fan who dreamed of someday bringing the event to Dublin. Sadly, David died in 2006 — thirteen years before his dream would be realized. Niall recounted with great pride his brother’s love for science fiction and it won’t be forgotten. Here’s to you, David.
The next day, I presented my slideshow ‘The Art of John Picacio’ on an Odeon Cinema screen. It was the first day of Worldcon, and all art proceedings were located a full half-mile from the rest of the convention. It was doubtful there would be much of an audience for my afternoon presentation, and indeed, it started with barely a handful of people in the seats. The art looked *really* good on that big screen though, so I began, and with each passing minute — more and more people kept streaming in, until most of the theatre was full. It was terrific, and I’m grateful not only to all that attended but everyone that thronged my Creators Alley table all weekend. Loteria Grande Cards and Posters sold briskly and those sales once again show that what I’m doing with this art series is connecting across borders and oceans. Thank you, everyone — In Loteria We Trust. More coming this fall.
There was a lot to be grateful for at this Worldcon. Thank you to James Bacon and the entire Dublin 2019 staff for all their hard work. Thank you to the Brotherhood Without Banners for always looking out. Thank you to George R. R. Martin, Parris, Raya Golden, Ti Mikkel, and company for crafting a Hugo Losers Party For The Ages. This one was at the Guinness Storehouse. It was off-the-charts and a privilege to be there with friends and peers. Thank you to everyone who nominated me and The Mexicanx Initiative for Hugo Awards this year. CONGRATULATIONS to all of the Finalists and Winners!
Above all though — the highlight of this convention for me was my fellow Mexicanx who made the trip. Libia isn’t just a Hugo-nominated Mexican editor, but an editorial force of nature who will impact this field worldwide for decades to come. Ignore her at your own peril. This was her first Hugo nomination and it won’t be her last.
I loved her poise and her cool, as she savored the moment, and the same goes for Andrea Chapela. She’s figuring out who she is, and she has no fear. Of all of us in the Initiative, I think she’s going to have one of the most dominant presences, when it’s all said and done. Artist Lauren Snow hustled like there was no tomorrow, all weekend long. She made connections toward building her art career and that was her goal. There’s a lot of talent in the world, but talent is wasted if it’s not driven, and she is. Sara Felix created much of the branding for Dublin’s Worldcon, co-designed last year’s Hugo Award base, crafted the Lodestar Award and this year’s Special Committee Award, and has found a growing audience for her evolving art. She did all of this, while also serving as President of The Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists (ASFA). This year was her first nomination for Best Fan Artist, and honestly, I don’t think anyone had a stronger overall fan art resumé than Sara. I look forward to her being back in the running next year. And then there was Julia — nominated for three Hugo Awards and one of my favorites because she’s so shrewd. When she talks, I learn things. We didn’t spend much time together at this Worldcon, but there would not have been a Hugo nomination for www.mexicanxinitiative.com without her. Thank you, Julia.
Lastly — thank you to Adria for being there throughout from Dublin through London, and back home. It was epic. 🙂 #JamesonOldFashionedFTW
Signing off now to pack for Lightbox Expo in Pasadena, CA — see you there, Art Friends and Fiends!
(photo credits: Julia Rios, Sara Felix, Libia Brenda, Adria Gonzales, Andrea Chapela, John Picacio)
* Bobby Chiu and Jim Demonakos know what the hell they’re doing. Together with Nancy Cho, their advisors and volunteers, they just spearheaded the first Lightbox Expo — the most high-octane, smoothly-oiled convention debut I’ve ever seen. It was all about the art and the artists, with the kind of underwriting I’ve never seen for an art event (Weta, Pixar, Dreamworks, Sony, Netflix, etc.). Take a bow, Bobby, Jim, and ALL OF YOU.
* Camilla d’Errico is a genius. She’s not only one of the reigning queens of pop surrealism (knew that), but she understands branding and art marketing backwards and forwards. When she talks, take notes.
* My booth neighbor Jason Chan is a good dude. We both thank the ghostly presence of Justin ‘Coro’ Kaufman for his generosity. “Looks like you guys can go double-wide.”
* It is impossible not to like Te Hu. There should be more in the world, but there can be only one.
Congratulations again to Bobby, Jim, Nancy and team. This show’s success was seismic and will ripple for a long while to come. The joy and energy in that building were palpable all weekend, and there were so many things ‘done right’ — a historic weekend for sf/f art.