Sheridan artists show off work at Zine Zone

BY DAVID SALITURO

Sheridan College art students took over Trafalgar Campus Library on Dec. 13 for the Zine Zone fair.

The fair is a chance for students to show off their work and make a name for themselves. Comic books, holiday cards, even buttons and pins were on sale as artists looked to make money to support their work. The event is organized by students and they keep all the money they earn.

Andrew Komer, an Animation student, was one of the artists displaying work at the fair. Komer is the creator of the Chicken Man comic book series. Komer came to the fair to sell copies of his comic, and says it is a great way for student artists to get noticed.

“It gets a lot of independent artists to show off their work, stuff they’re passionate about,” he says. “They get their name out there and talk to people.” Chicken Man tells the story of a delivery boy who adopts a superhero persona after being exposed to a radioactive chemical. From a doodle he first made as a kid 12 years ago, the series is now on its sixth issue.

The students each had their own booth along the main entrance of the library. The Zine Zone ran from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., so different artists had a chance to take over a booth and show their work throughout the day. They sold illustrations, crafts, and colouring books. Everything at the fair was handmade by the artists.

For Kate Traynor, an Illustration student, this was her second time participating in the fair. She says she spent several months preparing her work for display. “All my stuff is compiled throughout the year, and I worked on it for four months to get ready for the Zine fair,” she says.

Traynor had her own gift cards and stickers on display and on sale for $5. She wants to be a freelance contractor, and believes the fair helps establish her reputation as an artist. “It helps get my work out,” she says. “Get people to see my work.” Traynor

also handmade her own display at the fair out of wood in her basement.

While the fair mostly consisted of illustrators, students from different programs also had a chance to show their creations. “It mostly Illustration students, but there is a good mix of Animation students as well,” Komer says. The crowd that came to the Zine Zone throughout the day was therefore exposed to a number of different styles and types of art. There was something available for anyone looking to support a Sheridan artist.

Both Komer and Traynor maintain online portfolios of their work. The art of other Sheridan students can also be seen here.