Fall 2007 CECE Guest Artists

The following artists will be at CECE! You can see their work in books, magazines, prints, and trading cards! Many are known for their contributions to such trading cards sets as Star Wars, Star Trek, Lord othe Rings, Shrek, CSI:Las Vegas, and many other popular titles. You can view their CECE Promo Card art here!

 

	Connie Persampieri - I am a self employed Illustrator working in and around the fantasy/gothic genre. Recently, I've been doing freelance work for various sketch card projects. Also, I sell my prints and originals at the various comic book & gaming shows that I attend throughout the season. I'm available for hire, for either private custom artwork or commercial projects. I work primarily in watercolor/gouache, graphite, and ink; but I also have a growing appreciation for markers and colored pencil. I've long had a fascination with drawing people, especially faces. For the most part; my artwork is a direct product of what I was feeling at that moment. I believe that it's important that my work convey that sense of emotion; either with the figures pose, way the figures gaze out at you; or the interaction between characters and that it stirs something that the viewer can relate to. www.fave-illustration.com
	Rowena Pagarigan is a graphic artist and illustrator from Brooklyn, New York with a degree in Computer Information Systems focusing on New Media (design/programming/emerging technology). Her previous works mainly involved design for print and web. In between sketch card projects she is currently focusing her efforts on expanding her illustration portfolio. She enjoys working on licensed characters the most, more specifically within the sci-fi/fantasy/horror genres. Her preferred medium is pen and ink but depending on the project she's able to produce a finished product with a vast array of tools utilizing both traditional and digital methods. She is available for both private commission and commercial work. www.altervisionstudio.com
	Cynthia Cummens  - Cynthia is a freelance illustrator and authorized Lucasfilm artist residing in Chicago, IL.   As a fan of fantasy and sci-fi movies, she considers herself fortunate to spend much of her day drawing trading card art for some of the hottest tv/film properties around. You can see her art on a myriad of Non Sport trading cards such as Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Shrek, Hellboy, Star Trek and many others. 2007 was an exciting year for Cynthia as she was invited by Lucasfilm to attend Star Wars Celebration IV in Los Angeles and Star Wars Celebration Europe in London, for which she created two new limited edition prints. Her Star Wars drawing tutorials continue to be a huge hit for kids and adults like, and can be seen at the official sit e, www.starwars.com as well as in several recent issues of Star Wars Insider magazine. In July '07, she illustrated a Star Wars themed piece published in  "A Girls Guide to Guys' Stuff" , the latest anthology from Friends of Lulu (FOL promotes women illustrators and comic artists).   To complete an exciting year of Star Wars events and art, she is proud to say she was awarded Honory Membership into the 501st   by members of the Midwest Garrison at Wizard World Chicago in August. She also illustrated the cover for the variant issue of Non-Sport Update magazine, available at the Expo! Later in 2007, Cynthia's art will be seen in   A Life of Ravens , a collection of poetry written by Alex Ness, founder of Popthought. com as well as in a set of trading card honoring the films of Ray Harryhausen.   She is in the midst of creating her own set of trading cards featuring original art inspired by her recent travels abroad.    To view more of her art, please visit: www.cynthiacummensart.com myspace.com/cynthiacummens
	Leah Mangue - (pronounced MANG) was raised in Santa Barbara, CA where she was constantly exposed to the Arts. That influence, coupled with a keen love for nature, color and animals, marked a definitive path which would lead to work as a full-time artist. Since the age of three she has drawn/painted with crayons, oils, acrylics, watercolors using just about anything (including a stick in the dirt or sand), has taken a turn at pottery and even tried her hand at sculpture. But none of those media captured her heart as much as colored pencils and there she landed. Mangue has drawn sketch cards for Topps (Lord of the Rings Masterpieces/Star Wars 30th Anniversary), Breygent (Marilyn Monroe/Wizard of Oz/Movie Poster Series: Sci-Fi/Horror and Movie Stars) and Strictly Ink (CSI: Miami and NY/Hammer Horror/Harryhausen/Big Screen Doctor Who/Celebrity Sketchers). Mangue lives and works in the warm and sunny climes of Palm Desert, CA, which is nestled at the base of the Santa Rosa mountain range. www.lmangue-art.net
	Mark McHaley - A native of the Chicago Land area, Mark McHaley has been told to stop drawing since the age of 5. As luck would have it, Mark isn't a very good listener. At the age of 19 Mark worked at a commercial art studio as a professional illustrator rendering images for various business corporations with clients such as Disney and Kraft. After a brief stint as a Comic Book artist on independent titles, Mark disappeared into the vast jungles of India to search for the perfect shade of green. Years later Mark would return to work as a Sketch Card artist on such sets as DC Legacy, DC's first card set to feature almost all of characters that the DC Universe has to offer. He still hunts for the perfect green....
	Alan Dyson- Alan is an illustrator specializing in beautifully detailed pencil renderings with a fantasy theme. He is also an experienced Martial Artist. Alans client list includes: MonkeyGod Enterprises Mystic Eye Games Pandahead Games Fastforward Entertainment Troll Lord Games Approbation Comics For more information and to contact Alan, please visit www.dysonimages.com
	Jeff Clark - From jockeying a corporate desk job to being a loving husband and father, it's a wonder Jeff has any creative energy left at the end of the day.   But in those times between times, when the moon has set but the sun has not yet risen, Jeff's creativity emerges.   With it, he explores the many aspects of the art world.  Constantly learning, developing and honing his craft, Jeff believes that there is no project too small.   With a "world-view," Jeff can adapt his style to fit any situation.   Contact him at jclarkart@yahoo.com or check out his work at http://www.myartspace.com
	J. Anthony Kosar- At only 21, Anthony is an award-winning artist currently attending his Senior year at the American of Art in Chicago, Illinois where he will graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Illustration in May 2008.   His passion is to create with life being his greatest influence.   Drawing from the world around him as well as his imagination, art has always been an integral part of Kosar's life.   His passion for the arts began at a young age, performing on stage and painting on canvas.   His duality of performing art and visual art has led him to the world of Special Effects. In 2002 at age 16, he created his first foam-latex mask, The Zombie.   He has created make-up effects for numerous plays professionally and for community theaters, and has worked professionally as Creature FX and Make-up Designer on several projects for independent feature and short films, including the feature Satanic Panic by Marc Selz Productions (www.satanicpanicthemovie.com). He has been creating an army of grotesques through his Monster Make-overs at various events, including Fangoria's 2007 Weekend of Horrors. Kosar's ultimate goal is to work in Hollywood designing and sculpting creatures and characters for film. This past summer, he has realized his dream and interned at Stan Winston Studio (Jurassic Park, Predator, Aliens) working on some big upcoming studio films and commercials, all of which cannot be mentioned yet.   This combination of visual and performing art, creates something more than a fixed scene or expression on canvas or stone; it creates a simulation of life.   The godfather of make-up, Dick Smith, calls this phenomenon The Frankenstein Effect. It is the feeling an artist gets when bringing new creatures to life or aging someone faster than the hands of Father Time. As a concept and FX artist, J. Anthony Kosar will re-create and capture life, both real and fantasy.   What will ultimately live and breathe on the silver screen first begins with an illustration. Visit his site at: www.KOSARTEFFECTS.com

 

For a complete list of artists & celebrity guests
who have attended past shows click here!