TCAF Aftermath

Ah oui, TCAF...

As I sit with a steaming mug of neo-citron and a head brimming with inspiration and post-comic-con-plague infused delirium, it seemed to me a good time to put together a mini report on the joys and wonders that were a part of the Toronto Comic Arts Festival (TCAF to its friends, thank you very much!) 

TCAF, once a biannual show, is now held every year at the Toronto Reference Library, and it is free and open to everyone! The floors were jam packed with crowds of curious onlookers and it was the first time I've ever experienced a line up of awesome people wanting to come talk to me and check out my goodies (TABLE goodies, thank you very much!) The fine folks running TCAF love comics and the comic community so much that they want to make it accessible to absolutely everyone, and I think this is a big part of what makes this particular festival so special. That and the fact that EVERYONE (almost everyone) EVERYONE comes to TCAF. Just take a look at the crazy packed guest and exhibitor list from this year. I even got to meet Adventure Time creator Pen Ward briefly at an after party and watched gleefully as he honed in on my friend Harry, shook his hand for a solid three minutes and made non-stop beat boxing sounds, it was pure awkward delight! 

 (C'est moi and my booth buddy Adriana Blake grinning up a storm at table #123 )

So many comic friends from all over the world came to visit, many I've known for years either in person or through the interwebs, and it was FAN-doodley-TASTIC to hang out and catch up with so many of them. Even so, a weekend is barely enough time for meet ups, multiple breakfasts, and party crashing... Which is why I'm hoping some day TCAF will become an insane week-long-festival of geeky debauchery... or hell, why not make it all year round! 

I also played hostess to a couple American friends who hadn't been to Canada before which not only gave me the opportunity to act as pompous tour-guide/ambassador/Queen of Hog Town, but ALSO introduced me to some new delicious places in the city I hadn't been to before. 

(Artful montage of photos... don't you just want to hang it on your living room wall? DON'T YOU!?)

And so (don't worry I'm wrapping up here) to conclude, TCAF was a big success. I'd visited before but this was my first time exhibiting and I can't wait to do it again. TCAF also wraps up my indie-comic tour which was mostly an experiment to see what these conventions were all about (as I barely had anything to exhibit) and I have to say...Mocca, Stumptown and TCAF, I had an absolute blast. I love going to these things, and it's something I definitely want to keep doing. Now I just have to make NEW STUFF to actually exhibit...

(My modest but much loved TCAF haul... which includes gift arts from amazing artist friends Stephanie Ramirez, Brianne Drouhard and Kali Fontecchio)

And a close up of an adorable drawing gifted to me by Jamie Campbell 
(based on a tweet I made on my iphone that went horribly wrong due to auto-correct)

 So it's back to my studio loft to hunch over the drawing desk/computer as a wiser more inspired Kt, and get cracking on a few of those projects I've left simmering too long on the ol' backburners. Thank you to everyone who came by my table to say hello at each indie con! Thank you to the people who make these conventions run smooth and fabulous every year! Thank you to my friends and fellow artists for continuing to inspire me and make me feel horrifically inept at drawing which only makes me have to work harder. I love you all! Cheers!

(Farewell TCAF, until we meet again and fall in love once more next spring!) ♥