Greetings all!
The 2025 year was crazy busy for the MSCA, including the current “Art of the Game” art show which is now running at the Memphis Jewish Community Center. There is a copy/paste paragraph below for all your socials including the poster. Installation images are attached.
I’m looking forward to 2026! Not just our accomplishments in promoting cartoon as art, but in our individual accomplishments.
Speaking of which: what did you find your greatest accomplishment in 2025? What do you hope to achieve in 2026? Maybe something you share can be inspirational to the other members in our mid-month newsletter. Looking forward to hearing from you.
Don’t forget to forward this to your artist friends! It’s free to join in, just show up!
Likewise, if you have any event news and dates for 2026, please let me know and I’ll add it to the calendar. Stay up to date at www.midsouthcartoonists.com and www.drawingfunny.com
Happy New Year!
Sincerely, your Looney-Tooney Pres,
Kevin Williams
Sincerely, your Looney-Tooney Pres,
Kevin Williams
DINNER GATHERING
Next Tuesday, January 6, 2026, we will gather at Garibaldi’s Pizza, 3530 Walker Ave, by the University of Memphis, from 6 – 8 pm.
Some of us show up a little earlier sometimes if you want to come early. Bring art and food money, and we look forward to seeing you again!
https://maps.app.goo.gl/3kRSvDH7tB7hbzJF9
https://maps.app.goo.gl/3kRSvDH7tB7hbzJF9
Here’s our dinner gathering schedule for 2026.
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CON CARDS BY GREG CRAVENS
The following night, January 7, you can hang with Greg Cravens and play some Con Cards at 6pm at 901 Games on Broad Ave, come hang and play with Greg Cravens’ Con Cards.
You can also catch Greg as the Artist Guest of Honor at Shadowcon Jan 9 – 10, 2026, at Whispering Woods, 7300 Hacks Cross Road, Olive Branch, MS
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MSCA Ads
We’re planning to create some little ashcan pass-outs to advertise the club a little more, along with a jam art piece to create a new postcard. This will include art from all of us! Please let me know if you’re interested in playing along – this will be a pretty simple process.
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ART OF THE GAME AN MSCA ART SHOW
GAME ON! Come play with me and the Mid-South Cartoonists Association as we celebrate games in our collaborative art show, “Art of the Game,” with an art presentation in memory of Irvin Serenco. It promises to be a fun time! You can see the art during open business hours of the Jewish Community Center at 6560 Poplar Ave, Memphis, TN, from December 22, 2025 – January 30, 2026. https://www.jccmemphis.org/cultural-arts/shainberg-art-gallery/
The best way to see the art is at the artists’ reception January 8, 2026, from 6 – 8 pm. Bring your sketchbook as some artists might be drawing! You can find more information at www.midsouthcartoonists.org
Artists in the show include:
Greg Cravens, Naim Hakeem, Devin Hodges, Patrick Hollowell, Shawn Howe, Katie Jones, Dale Martin, Eric McMeans, Peter Melonas, Megan Mosier, Julie Nouwen, DaMarco Randle, Irvin Serenco (Posthumously), Amelia Sumner, Kevin Williams, and Lin Workman.
ART PICK UP
The art show will be over Jan. 30, 2026, and will be available for pick-up at the February Dinner Gathering on February 3, 2026. If you didn’t pay your hanging fee when the art was taken for the show, please bring it to this dinner gathering.
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DRAWING FUNNY PODCAST
Join Lin Workman as he discusses some fun topics and local art news and shares info on our MSCA members in the latest episodes of the Drawing Funny Podcast‘ The show is now in it’s 6th season and less than a dozen episodes away from #100..!
Don’t forget you can buy member art at events and more; but, Lin Workman has sketch cards and sketch covers for sell at The Cellar, 2737 Bartlett Blvd, Bartlett, TN 38134
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BEALE STREET MONSTER CLUB
Lin shares: January 24, 2026 – 1-1:30 pm “Once Upon a Midnight Dreary” Edgar Allen Poe Celebration, Beale Street Monster Club, A. Schwab, 163 Beale Street, Memphis, TN (showing The Black Cat and The Raven). There will be a Bigfoot on Beale St event in May!
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MUPPET MADNESS
As you all know, I’m a puppeteer and also a huge fan of the Muppets. It’s been a fun 70 weeks as The Muppets celebrated their 70th anniversary by celebrating a different Muppet each week. In December, the last week of their 70 weeks, two illustrations were shared by The Muppets official accounts, including that of Miss Piggy herself! ~Kev
And for the true Muppet Fans, here’s a quickie of a Mutation with a Muppaphone having a conversation with Marvin Suggs…
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BOB KIMBALL NEWS
Many will remember all the years that Bob Kimball was with us MSCA’ians, creating the most fabulous poster for “So Scary It’s Funny” art show in Overton Square many years ago and his (in)famous comic “Dr. Lovemonkey.” On December 29, 2025, Bob shared:
They found a spot on my lung, and a biopsy confirmed that it’s cancer. So, I’m having more radiation and a new, more aggressive form of immunotherapy.
This past year, he’s beat 5 tumors and while this can be seen as a setback, he’s able to beat one more. Keep him and Stephani in good thoughts!
You can help Bob by supporting him at GoFundMe by clicking here:
www.gofundme.com/f/help-bob-kimball-fight-stage-4-cancer
www.gofundme.com/f/help-bob-kimball-fight-stage-4-cancer
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
-Now through January 30, 2026, Art of the Game, Memphis Jewish Community Center, 6560 Poplar Ave, Memphis, TN
-January 6, 2026 – 6-8pm Dinner Gathering at Garibaldi’s Pizza, 3530 Walker Ave, Memphis, TN
-January 8, 2026 – 6-8pm “Art of the Game” Artists’ Reception, Memphis Jewish Community Center, 6560 Poplar Ave, Memphis, TN
-Jan 9 – 10, 2026 – Shadowcon, Whispering Woods, 7300 Hacks Cross Road, Olive Branch, MS. Greg Cravens is their Artist GOH.
-January 24, 2026 – 1-1:30 pm “Once Upon a Midnight Dreary” Edgar Allen Poe Celebration, Beale Street Monster Club, A. Schwab, 163 Beale Street, Memphis, TN (showing The Black Cat and The Raven).
-February 3, 2026– 6-8pm Dinner Gathering at Garibaldi’s Pizza, 3530 Walker Ave, Memphis, TN
-February 3, 2026 – Art Return from “Art of the Game” during the dinner gathering.
-February 28, 2026 – 9am – 230pm – Mid-South Collectible Toy Show, 5868 Stage Road, Bartlett, TN.
-March 3, 2026 – 6-8pm Dinner Gathering at Garibaldi’s Pizza, 3530 Walker Ave, Memphis, TN
-March 20 – 22, 2026 – Mid-South Con, Vitality Hotel, 2625 Thousand Oaks Blvd, Olive Branch, MS.
-March 23, 2026 3-5pm Ave Maria Home visit by MSCA members
-March 23, 2026 3-5pm Ave Maria Home visit by MSCA members
-March 28 – 29, 2026 – Blues City Comic Con, Memphis Sports and Event Center, 995 Early Maxwell Blvd, Memphis, TN 38104
-April 7, 2026 – 6-8pm Dinner Gathering at Garibaldi’s Pizza, 3530 Walker Ave, Memphis, TN
-April 10 – 12, 2026 – Animation Y’all, Lipscomb University, Nashville, TN
-April 14, 2026 3-5pm Ave Maria Home visit by MSCA members
-April 14, 2026 3-5pm Ave Maria Home visit by MSCA members
-May 5, 2026 – 6-8pm Dinner Gathering at Garibaldi’s Pizza, 3530 Walker Ave, Memphis, TN
-May 16, 2026 – 11am-6pm Beale Street Monster Club: Bigfoot on Beale at A. Schwab’s, 163 Beale St, Memphis, TN FREE event.
-June 2, 2026 – 6-8pm Dinner Gathering at Garibaldi’s Pizza, 3530 Walker Ave, Memphis, TN
-June 5, 2026 – “Featured Creatures” art show reception by Lin Workman from 5-7pm in 2nd FL West gallery at Playhouse On The Square (same as the MSCA “Kitchen Sink” show). There’s another artist having their reception the same night in the downstairs gallery. Show runs from June 6-August 2, 2026.
-July 7, 2026 – 6-8pm Dinner Gathering at Garibaldi’s Pizza, 3530 Walker Ave, Memphis, TN
-August 4, 2026 – 6-8pm Dinner Gathering at Garibaldi’s Pizza, 3530 Walker Ave, Memphis, TN
-September 1, 2026 – 6-8pm Dinner Gathering at Garibaldi’s Pizza, 3530 Walker Ave, Memphis, TN
-October 6, 2026 – 6-8pm Dinner Gathering at Garibaldi’s Pizza, 3530 Walker Ave, Memphis, TN
-November 3, 2026 – 6-8pm Dinner Gathering at Garibaldi’s Pizza, 3530 Walker Ave, Memphis, TN
-December 1, 2026 – 6-8pm Dinner Gathering at Garibaldi’s Pizza, 3530 Walker Ave, Memphis, TN
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MID SOUTH COLLECTIBLE TOY SHOW – Vendor Tables Available for ARTISTS
Alex Moody is looking for vendors for the midsouth collectible toy show in Bartlett at the The Venue (the backside of the Bartlett Library Gym area). Its February 28th with a $50 table fee.
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ANIMATION Y’ALL
Happening April 10-12, 2026 at Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN: https://www.animationyall.com/
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Other TN Comic Conventions: https://fancons.com/events/schedule