Sunday, February 5, 2012

Recent Discussion on Comic Con With Fellow Artist Dan Gonzales

TC: My esteemed colleagues: I must decline your generous invitation to COMICCON. Watching millions of socially inept nerds regress back to theirpre-pubescence at the sight of Dork-dom's every wet dream within a 10 feet reach, not to mention, rotund species of the female gender prancing around in dental floss, makes me want ...to shove an icepick up my urethra. Let the madness ensue and may the Force be with you all!:)

Dan Gonzales: Toni, I am surprised at your words regarding the San Diego Comic Con, in relation to what you do for a living: model. You are celebrated by artists. The Con affords people to meet many talented artists, many with fine art backgrounds. The Los Angeles Figurative Academy had a booth there, along with other art institutio...ns. Several artists were doing live demos. I myself, wound up buying several booklets on Jeremy Lipking and Malcolm Liepke in addition to some comics. I would hope you would reconsider your stance on a wonderful gathering of art, and creative indulgence. All the best to you, one of your many artistic admirers

TC: Hi Dan! I will elaborate. First of all thank you for your kind comments about my work, your esteem, and detailed highlights of a rather commercial, crazy event. I concur with all of your opinions and praise on what Comic Con STANDS FOR. It ...is an amazing industry event featuring talent in many artistic genre's that we are so honored to work in. Video games, comics, movies, fine art, individual artists in their respective mediums using this artistic baazar as a way to show off their work, etc. It is the CIRCUS and the HOLLYWOOD NARCISSIM factors that have creeped into this great event that I abhor. It adds an element of superficiallity, chaos, and mayhem to an otherwise pure event. Ticket prices go sky high, sell out, and are hard to come by due to the mediocre laymen who want to prance around in their Jack Sparrow costumes. Too many people not affiliated to this event have made it harder for the LEGITIMATE fans and industry folk to participate as spectators. It also adds to the traffic factor, the high prices for lodging and meals, and lastly, the ungodly horror of seeing rotund women and drag queens prancing around in unflattering duds. I guess in the end we all wanted to be Ballerinas, Cowboys, and Superheros when we were small. If these people want to pay through their ass to feel like (insert character of individual childhood fantasy here), it is their perogative. It just makes it all the more unappealing to me when I am asked to participate (this yr as a booth babe and also Laura Croft and Wonder Woman) so I decline to avoid the craziness. I am fortunate as you say to be "celebrated by artists", indeed, that is why it makes it HARDER to say no. I have had the luck to be a Ballerina and a Cowboy in this lifetime, but I guess Superhero will have to be shelved until the Con becomes a more orderly, hassle-free place to dwell. And I do not see that happening in this lifetime. I hope you had fun and were inspired!

Dan Gonzales: Thank you Toni for clarifying your stance. I whole heartedly agree as to the commercialization of the Con. Sadly, in the last few years, Comic Con's attendees have grown exponentially due to the popularity of the superhero movies. This is w...hy San Diego will no longer be hosting it; it's gotten too big & unmanageable. With all the amazing modeling and other events that you participate in, you are a REAL WONDER WOMAN! You are all the superwomen rolled into one! You are a work of art. I remain a TONI C. fan, always. I look forward to seeing you in the near future. All the best, Dan

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