International Society of Caricature Artists Convention 2016

2016 was my FOURTEENTH consecutive ISCA convention, held in Phoenix, Arizona. 

It is definitely the highlight of my year.

As is now the custom, the first night's icebreaker reception featured Artfight, a competition where each round's artists had to illustrate a concept/think on their feet and with their markers!

 

My dear friend Celestia Ward eventually won and is now ArtFight champion, with a belt and bragging rights! She's in this collage of wonderful people and colleagues whom I love!

And THIS lady! 

I met her at an ISCA con years ago and I am so happy when we get to hang out together, whether it's somewhere in the USA at a con or her house in the Netherlands. 

Next day, all the artists convene for breakfast and then the various seminars begin.

Caricature 101 starts things off. 

Tom Richmond gave a talk.

An overhead view of the seminar room as folks were coming in. 

 Joe Bluhm used Matt Zitman as a learning tool. Hahahahhhah.

Not sure which seminar this one was...but I sat in the back, it was so crowded. 

Yes, we doodle during seminars BUT THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT!!!! 

I'm probably taking a photo here. 

Maria Picasso Piquer's seminar: highly interesting!(next three photos)

Next, the competitions! The following two photos are from the SPEED COMPETITION. I never enter that one---too stressful---but I sit for the artists who do!

 Below: The LIKENESS COMPETITION. I always enter that one because it is so much fun to see all the various takes on whatever subjects the ISCA board's nepotism puts up for us to draw. ;-)

Voting for the best likeness is tough---so many great entries! But somehow we do it every year. 

I really went nuts with the Panorama feature on my Iphone this year, Here are some views of our 24 hour drawing room. 

 

We have a mojito together every year!

And we didn't plan the green shirts!!

There's always a Gold Member reception one night and this year we had a firepit!

I love my silly friends whom I met through my career. 

Next post will cover the final evening of the convention. 

Caricatures at an Artist-themed Bat Mitzvah!

On a delightful, crisp, autumn day, I made my way to a young lady's Bat Mitzvah celebration...its theme was one close to my heart:

ART! So what better entertainment could there be than an artist drawing right in front of the guests?

The guest of honor even made a sign for me! (shown just above)

Here she is with me...and her caricature. :-) Two artists. 

Due to a large giggling group of girls waiting for THEIR caricature, I didn't really have time to take photos..but I did get this one of my very last sitters---the grandparents!

Thanks to Bess and her parents for having me! :-) 

SFT 2016 Miscellaneous.

My plane flew right over where I'd be spending 95% of my time while in Texas...our booth is on the far side of the Cotton Bowl (the big stadium, bottom left).

Our final rendez-vous with Big Tex!!!

I cut a silhouette of my colleagues Celestia and Rob...such interesting visages!

Had to do one of the then-Presidential-candidate, who'd just outed himself as a 'grabber' of some sort:

Rob and Celestia did political airbrush samples:

She and I both got to caricature kids wearing poop-emoji hats, last year's must-have accessory:

Hers (above) and mine (below)

(my kid took it off for the photo--???)

Here's a look at our Fair surroundings.

This is a typical line at night!

One of my favorite customers! 

Finally, five tired artists on the day after it was all over! Goodbye Dallas, I won't forget you!

SFT 2016 Singleton caricatures....

Some folks want to star in their own caricature...by having no one else in it but themselves!