Hello Milwaukee and the XION Network Family,
My name is Deaduri Gales and in April of this year I
recently had an opportunity to attend my first comic book convention, the Chicago
Comic & Entertainment Expo or C2E2. I had my day planned to the last
minute, most of it getting autographs (in particular Val Kilmer), looking for
unique comics and maybe taking a brief stroll in artist alley. You know what they say about the best laid
plans…
I was mesmerized by the sight and sounds of the convention.
The costumed fans kept me forever reaching for my camera. Yet I was compelled
to the back of the convention hall. There they housed Artist Alley. Rows upon
rows of talented artists anxiously awaiting the opportunity to share their
latest work with you or in this case, me.
It was here my plans for the day were completely thwarted. Each table
held a new story, not just of super heroes and villains but of each individual
artist and their journey to C2E2. Those stories held me a willing captive for
the moment.
My reason for purchasing a weekend pass and hopping the
Hiawatha from Milwaukee to Chicago was not only a wonderful weekend escape but
the chance to find someone to help me create my own visionary comic
masterpiece. What I found was something much bigger then I could have ever
imagined. There in Artist Alley I found
family, a community of individuals who understood that comics were not just a
"kid thing". The idea that through art we are able to communicate the stories and
desires of people whose daily lives may not ordinarily intersect helped me to
understand what I was missing back home. As fate would have it I met a young
man who understood why I’d dropped my itinerary and practically lived two days
in artist alley. That young man was Shawn Alleyne, founder of the XION Network.
In between signing small postcards or engaging in terms for
a commissioned piece, Shawn graciously took time to listen to my plans for a series
and share his vision of a community of artist networking, sharing best
practices and collaborating on projects, all in the hopes of creating independent
works.
My mission was to bring such a community back to Milwaukee
and on July 21 I will officially launch XION Milwaukee. With the help of the
XION Network we hope to garner that same energy and community here in Milwaukee that I was
able to tap into while in Chicago.
One of the most important lessons I’ve gleaned from Shawn is
no man is an island. He has managed to surround himself with a wonderful team
of individuals to help bring the mission of the XION Network not only to
Philadelphia but New York and now Milwaukee with Chicago joining in August. I
too am off to a great start, by aligning with M.A.R.N (Milwaukee Artist
Resource Network), XION Milwaukee is on course to ensure we build a community of
talented, inspired and engaged artist, writers and enthusiast who love and
support the art of creating dynamic visually interactive stories.
I hope that you will join us not just for the celebration
but in the creation of a community that understands that with a child’s heart
we are able to inspire a world surrounded by cynics, pessimist, naysayers and
just plain ole haters who may secretly believe in super heroes, dragons,
wizards, Gods & Goddess, underworlds, overlords and alternate universes all
for the excitement of an awesome story.
Deaduri Gales,
Xion Milwaukee Branch Manager
Deaduri Gales,
Xion Milwaukee Branch Manager
