A few people emailed me when they noticed my presence in the background pictures and video of the Spectrum 19 judging on the Spectrum Fantastic Art website. I admit to being guilty of being there. I had wrapped up the “Spectrum Fantastic Art Live!” commemorative art book on Thursday, March 1, just in time to travel to Kansas City to help behind the scenes with the judging process on March 3. In-between setting out artwork and cups, and counting beans (votes), I took quite a bit of pictures. I am sharing them here.
Each judge is assigned one of the five colors to avoid duplicate votes by accident. Each bean represents a vote. Three or more beans gets you into the book. The voting is anonymous, except when determining the silver and gold awards when a lively discussion ensues. A paperclip is reserved for award consideration.
The jury comprised of Scott Gustafson, Jeremy Cranford, Peter de Sève, Jon Schindehette, and Dawn Rivera-Ernster. Arnie & Cathy selected an all-star group and they are all terrific people. It was a pleasure to meet them all. This group of artist’s, art directors and senior creative individuals are well-equipped to make the prime selections for the best in contemporary fantastic art. I am anxious to see the book that they made.
Let the judging commence!
Arnie Fenner and Jon Schindehette. Jon is the senior creative director for Dungeons & Dragons at Wizards of the Coast.
Dawn Rivera-Ernster, director of talent and recruitment for Walt Disney Animation Studios, amid the sea of entries.
Jeremy Cranford, senior art manager at Blizzard Entertainment, casts a vote.
Scott Gustafson, artist and writer, weighs his choices.
The couple behind Spectrum, Arnie & Cathy Fenner.
An artist submitted a 3-D work, along with 3-D glasses for the judges. Each pair of glasses had their name written on it. Here Cathy Fenner holds the art while the jury views the piece.
Rows and rows of art to view. Jon Schindehette is in the background.
Dawn Rivera-Ernster and Peter de Sève.
New this year is the silver and gold awards being awarded at the Spectrum Fantastic Art Live! event in Kansas City, Missouri this May at “The Midland” theater. The five artists up for the awards in each category follow.
Advertising:
Jutin Coro Kaufman: Mothead
Android Jones: Boom Festival
Tyler Jacobson: Talon of Umberlee
Tyler Jacobson: Daask Crime Lord
Lucas Graciano: Temple Guardian
Book:
John Jude Palencar: Bared Blade
Edward Kinsella: Wooden Bones
Petar Meseldzija: Eowyn and the Lord of the Nazgul
Dragan Bibin: Vid the Vampire
Jean-Babtiste Monge: Ragnarok
Comics:
Jim Murray: DOTA 2: Tales from the Secret Shop
Sonny Liew: Malinky Robot
Andy Brase: DarkSun II
Phroilan Gardner: The Destroyer
Alex Alice: Sigfried III
Concept Art:
Justin Sweet: Jack the Giant Killer
Brian Matyas: Spartan Victory
Robh Ruppel: Yemen
Daniel Dociu: Hangar
Allen Williams: Unknown One
Dimensional:
Jonathan L. Matthews: Batman, Black and White
Thomas S. Kuebler: I am Providence
Virginie Ropars: Jack
Allan Carrasco: Rhinatuar
Michael Defeo: Octopus
Editorial:
Chris Buzelli: Strength in Numbers
Jean-Baptiste Monge: Mic Mac Cormac
Bobby Chiu: Early Bloom
Ture Ekroos: Beneath
James Gurney: Kosmocertatops
Institutional:
Android Jones: Water Dragon 2012
Petar Meseldzija: The Rescuer
Bill Carman: Three Wishes
Raoul Vitale: Turin and the Glaurung
Omar Rayyan: Crow and the Picture
Unpublished:
Eric Fortune: Last Embrace
Andrew Theophilopoulos: Princess of the Pleia Dians
Justin Gerard: Portrait of a Monster #3
Kei Acedera: morning Chill
Michael Whelan: CK Unmasked
Enjoy,
John
John Fleskes
Flesk Publications
text and photos © 2012 John Fleskes. All rights reserved.
Links:
Spectrum Fantastic Art Live Spectrum 19 pictures and videos