A Lot of Work in a Little Time

Zine festivals are kind of like a play. There’s a lot of production that goes on behind the scenes. There’s constant involvement between participants, stage managers and stage crew. Sometimes people drop out and make room for new faces. Either way, it’s a big, big production on this end but it’s also a very rewarding experience to witness. The team at the Scranton Zine Fest loves watching new participants come to the event. We like making  you feel at home, even when you aren’t. We try to go great lengths to welcome you into our city, especially those of who are traveling from long distances.

Here is a run-down of things you should know if you are tabling at the fest:

• The event is Saturday, June 9th. It opens at noon to the public.
• Please arrive around 11:00am to check in and set up your table.
• Dana Marie Bloom, the logistics coordinator, will be sitting at the check-in table awaiting your registration. Please make it a point to bring exact cash if you intended on purchasing a table or half a table.
• As a stipulation with paying for your table, you get the benefits of being indoors. Therefore, you do not need to weatherize your belongings. If you opted to “bring your own table,” your entrance fee is waived, but your table placement will be on the sidewalk of the venue. Please bring a tent if you feel necessary to protect your work. We don’t foresee bad weather on this day, though.
• If your table is on the inside of the building, your table will be marked with your specified location so you need not have fear picking out where you need to be. There will be a sign with your name on it. This also helps us organize you!
• When displaying your work, consider elements that will attract people to your table. Try bringing a tablecloth, a banner with the name of your zine or art business, a price chart, a sign mentioning your availability to trade and other accouterments to make your table stand out.
• There will be catering available called Crispin’s Catering. They will be carrying a variety of reasonably priced homemade sandwiches and baked goods as well as soda and water. The downtown area will have pricier choices but if you are vegan/vegetarian and have no one to hold down your table, we have a runner who is willing to get you whatever you wish.
• The tabling occurs until 6pm. This is where you can sell, buy or trade your wares. After this, there will be an hour to clean up. We will be breaking down the tables to set up for the poetry session at 7pm. We encourage all of our participants to attend!
• That’s pretty much it. Do your part and promote your event. Tell people in your area! Make it a road trip!

Thanks!
Scranton Zine Fest Team

2 Weeks!

Hey everyone,

It’s 2 weeks to the event. Postal service takes a while since some of our branches are being shut down but we just wanted to tell you how excited we are to have you. If you have any worries, please email us at scrantonzinefestival @ gmail.com.

New Visions

Hey guys! We wanted to show you a picture of what New Visions looks like to help you find your way here!

Tomorrow is the Day!

Hello everyone. Tomorrow your care packages WILL be sent out since today is the LAST day you can sign up! We have over 40 people so far and I couldn’t be prouder of all of you! Thank you for sharing your talents.

Meet Artist #10, Jack Cotolo

When did you start making your art? As early as I can remember, 3-4 year old range if not earlier. It became a bigger and bigger part of my life as I grew older. Now, it’s more or less the biggest part!

What subjects do you touch upon in your work? The idea that we are the masters of our own destiny. Inside every one of us lies hidden gems; beautiful structures of shining consciousness that have been buried deep within. It’s our responsibility as conscious human beings to dig deeper within ourselves, and mine these gems. These gems show us what our focus, compassion, and love can attain. They show us just how beautiful the light looks when it shines through. We are capable of Anything, and I strive to create art that truly beckons that call within the viewer. Sometimes we just need to see what’s underneath the dirt to inspire ourselves to begin digging.

What crafts or artwork have you been working on most recently? I’m very focused upon making artwork for the home. The home is where our minds, bodies, and spirits work, rest, and love. The home is a vital place for creative energy, and I’ve enjoyed making work that shines or amplifies that creative energy. Just as much, the home is a very individual place. I’ve been making the work very individual, each piece more or less being secretly and somewhat unconsciously made for the individual whom will become inspired enough to make it their own. It’s powerful making work to express your self, but to see how it is expressed in those whom experience it is far more powerful. When the right person finds the right piece, it is a deeply profound feeling on both ends. That experience is why I’m creating anything at all.

What or who influences you? I’m influenced by absolutely everything. I try to let everything influence me as simultaneously as possible in order to receive raw information. I don’t stop myself from thinking or feeling anything, I instead try and see how and where the pieces connect together. I feel this perception allows you to access deeper feelings in others, and shine light where it’s needed most. I’m inspired by the rawest and most unfiltered information that is inside each and every one of us.

What excites you most about zine festivals? I LOVE people who just do it themselves! Seeing other people who are creating freely is beyond inspiring. I feel zines and those who make them are a rather wholesome embodiment of free creation.

Scenes from Last Years’ Zine Fest

May Cut Off Date

Just so everyone is aware, the last day to register for the zine festival is quickly approaching: May 5, 2012 is the last day to sign up. The applications will be taken down after this date; please tell your friends!

Meet Our Friend the Atom, a DIY Collective

Our Friend The Atom Comics are a hive mind collective of semi-talented semi-literate semi-artistic ne’er-do-wells spanning coast to coast – from the mean streets of NYC (well maybe not so mean – more crabby) to the cultural wasteland of suburban NJ to the moral decadence of San Francisco. They won’t stop until their reach extends throughout North America. They’re looking at you next, Canada.

When did you start making zines? We’ve been making little comics and strips for a long time. Some of us since we were little kids, others started in high school and even some of us started very recently. Printing them out and stapling them into zine/mini-comic form started around the mid-90s. We started attending small press shows and zine fests around that time as well.

What subjects do you touch upon in your work? We attempt to coalesce the vapor of human existence into a viable and logical comprehension. That said, Phil Miarmi’s “Diarrhea Diaries” is about him pooping his pants a lot. It’s a trilogy! Mark McMurray’s “Dumb Jersey White Boy” is about being dumb, white, male with Jersey roots. Aaron DeLaRosa has a comic called “Adventures in Stereo” that read better when you are listening to music but in mono. Julie Behn draws a mini-comic called “Open Late” that distills her very essence into lines on paper. Ronnie Casson is like a modern day Da Vinci – having done an epic webcomic called “Claviger”, written and illustrated a book called “Six Bullets, Six Strings”, did a fashion zine, has an Etsy store with handmade crafts with her partner, Julie Behn. We wouldn’t be surprised if Ronnie also fights crime as a costumed avenger. Corey Sauer makes comics that your grandmother would love. Mark Griffin made a comic called “Karma Shmarma” about his treatment for cancer. It’s unfinished because he’s dead. Brandi Kerekes’ zine “Sharkasm” is a direct window into her artistic (re:autistic) mind. James Cuartero does a comic called “The Worst Kind of People” that uncovers the darkest recesses of the soul. It’s quite hilarious, really. Brian Bilter is probably the most talented of us all but he chooses to squander his abilities making flags.

What zine(s) have you been working on most recently? Phil Miarmi is currently prepping a new comic called “Death Camp” about what happens when you die. Mark McMurray is planning on illustrating a cassette recording of his father beating his brother. Aaron keeps saying he’s going to start something new but we’ll believe it when we see it. Julie Behn’s comic “Open Late” is currently running weekly in her local newspaper. Ronnie is planning on book two of “Six Bullets, Six Strings” and making new things for their Etsy shop. Corey is a millionaire philanthropist trying to save all the kids running through the rye. Mark Griffin hasn’t worked on anything recent in four years. Brandi has been talking about “Sex Blanket” – not sure if it’s going to be a zine or an actual blanket. James is still making us laugh. Does anybody need flags?

What or who influences you? Star Wars, Dan Clowes, Kurt Vonnegut, Pavement, Fantagraphics, Coen Brothers, animation, Adrian Tomine, Wes Anderson, Don Hertzfeld, Guided By Voices, Merge Records, Top Shelf, Hayao Miyazaki, your mom, Richard Stark, Drag City Records, basement shows, traveling, Fugazi among others.

What excites you most about zine festivals? The idea that the underground zine culture is alive and thriving. Meeting great people both behind tables and in front of them and making art, expressing yourself, and laughing until you choke with your very best friends.

 

Just Want to Say

Dana Marie (logistics coordinator) and I will be on Spring Break and will (finally!) be getting around to making those care packages I talked so much about. Hopefully you all provided your current address because we would hate for anyone to miss out getting some awesome snail mail. Also, please feel free to write us back! One more thing: thank you to everyone who wrote back about the site interviews. We really enjoy getting to know you and your passions for creating your art or zine. It’s amazing to me to see the people who have tabled more times at a festival than they’ve been alive and then see those who are so excited for their very first festival. The process is incredibly rewarding to me. I love bringing people together and seeing what you’ve all, quite literary, brought to the table.

Meet Zinester #21, Midge Belickis

When did you start making zines? I only started making zines about 9 months ago, so I’m fairly new.

What subjects do you touch upon in your work? The subjects I touch upon are mainly feminist, but a lot of my zines get in to the nitty gritty of feminist issues, and are not so general. I also make a perzine.

What zine(s) have you been working on most recently? I’ve just finished my second issue of my zine Stigma, which is about social stigmas and how we should embrace them, because they make us awesome. I also am always working on my perzine, writing down random thoughts and musings.

What or who influences you? My peers! Other zinesters and artists inspire me in such a way that it gives me hope to be as cool and talented as they are.

What excites you most about zine festivals? Meeting, conversing, and trading with some really cool and interesting folks. I recently got a portrait of myself in exchange for some zines. Pretty rad. I also really like finding ways to decorate my table in a visually pleasing way, I thought that was really fun for some reason, hah!