“Pizza- It’s What’s For Dinner!” – Our Latest MSCA Monthly Dinner At Garibaldi’s

This last Tuesday we gathered together again at Garibaldi’s Pizza for our monthly dinner meet-up.

We had awesome attendance this month- probably one of our best turnouts of the year.

Many art conversations with members talking toons and sharing recent work during the meet-up. It was probably one of our loudest meetings, too! No shortage of things to talk about or folks to talk to.

Lots of art was being created during the two hours we were there as well. Always great to see our members drawing during these dinners. Several had their sketchbooks out or were working on their tablets.

Katie and I (Lin) were working on some sketchcards for some upcoming collector boxes for 901 Comics. Dale Martin and a few other members are also working on some. (News on those 901 boxes coming up soon.)

And as usual there were lots of freebie swag to snag and take home including magazines, comics, candy, stickers, and more.

MSCA president Kevin L. Williams took some time at the end of the meeting to catch everyone up on what’s been happening in the group and what’s coming up such as our next MSCA Drink-N-Draw at 901 Comics East, the MSCA mini-con at Germatnown Community Theatre on November 18th and the Cinderella art show at Theatre Memphis next year. He also gave us details on our Christmas art swap at our December dinner.

Thanks to everyone who came out to join us this month. We’ll be back for the art swap at the final 2023 montly dinner next month on Tuesday, December 5th from 6-8pm.

Dinner meetings happen on the first Tuesday of each month at Garibaldi’s Pizza, 3530 Walker Ave. (off Highland/Southern) near the University of Memphis from 6-8 pm. They are free and open to the public, but we definitely recommend bringing a few bucks to order off the menu and some art to show and/or work on.

Hope you can make it out to join us for one…or more!

Peter Melonas as a one-man show…”Excellent! I cried. “Elementary,” said he.

Member Peter Melonas has an art show at Theatre Memphis.  See below and attached for more information:

Artists once depended only on galleries to showcase their work and be exhibited, but more venues now are actively seeking and supporting the Midsouth art scene in that role.

If you have walked into Theatre Memphis recently – whether you did so to attend a performance or to view an art exhibition – you may have noticed a type of drawings highlighting a local artist.

A solo performance, by Peter Melonas as a one-man show, which features a Private Investigator and his Inseparable Companion, each image telling a story for the purpose of entertainment. Artists have tended to settle for a hawkish profile for book-cover and magazine artwork but the film studios still seem to feel that virtually anyone can perform as Holmes, so long as they retain the virtual trappings.

I am an artist and not an actor, but if I were to try and showcase an illustration entitled Sherlock’s Last case, I would draw Mr. Holmes on one panel, Dr. Watson on another.

“Sherlock’s Last Case” is an intense and suspenseful play filled with betrayal, thrills, and witty humor; this story picks up where the classic stories end. The Game is Afoot as usual, not everything is as it appears, and the plot confronts the great detective with a unique challenge…straight through to its startling conclusion. This is the Holmes and Watson story you never expected.

April 21 – May 7 at Theatre Memphis performing their production of “Sherlock’s Last Case” on Thursday, Fridays, and Saturdays @ 7:30pm: Sundays @ 2pm

Tickets 901.682.8323 or online at WWW>THEATREMEMPHIS.ORG

Adults $25.00 / Student $15 / Military & Seniors $20


Peter Melonas

Peter Melonas has been a professional illustrator, and graphic designer. Along the way, he has built upon the visual language comics artists have been developing for more than a century.

“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see. Many collectors choose a particular area to collect, while others prefer a more eclectic approach and many have a little of everything! I like to break down my artwork into two subsets: Look at my talent and Tell Me what’s on your walls. what is your passion? I want to grab my viewers right away both emotionally and visually. I want my art to produce a positive and unforgettable “first impression. In other words, I try to prompt viewers to want to find out more about me and my work. I want to give viewers the opportunity to step into my world for a few minutes.”

Peter is also a member of Artists’ Link in Memphis.
Website: www.etsy.com/shop/fancifullart
Website: www.artquid.com/artist/fancifullart/peter-melonas

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(Photo by Steve Roberts)

Theatre Memphis
630 Perkins Extd.
Memphis, Tennessee 38117
www.theatrememphis.org/

Peter will be set up at the Memphis Public Libraries’ Comic Con at the main Poplar Ave. branch on May 6th.

MSCA Monthly Dinner Meeting This Tuesday- No Foolin’, fools!

Hey, gang- no April Fools jibber-jabber today. Just a couple MSCA bits of info for you-including the next monthly meeting this Tuesday.

Yep, it’s hard to believe it’s time for another MSCA dinner meet-up at Garibaldi’s Pizza off Walker Ave. and Highland (across from Tiger Bookstore).

It’s been a month since our first time back at Garibaldi’s after a two year pandemic forced hiatus. Yeah, hard to believe it was two years without any in-person get-togethers here.

We had about a dozen members stop in, and as you can tell everyone was super excited to be back together in the same room again..!

We all enjoyed some good grub, great conversation, and traded/snagged some cartoonist freebies. I brought some MSCA and Drawing Funny podcast swag (pins, buttons, stickers, sketchcard blanks), Kevin Williams brought some MSCA postcards, Greg Cravens had some of his stickers, and Lonnie Eastering had some of his Spud Toons stickers. (If you’d like any MSCA and/or Drawing Funny freebie swag be sure to stop by Comics & Collectibles, The Cellar, and 901 Comics around town,)

This month marked the 35th anniversary since the first Memphis Cartoonists Group meeting- March 28, 1987.

The name has changed since that first meeting and so has our roster of usual suspects, but we still have some members from those early days and are always looking to have more folks join our ranks. Young or old, experienced or just starting out, published or just draw for fun- everyone is welcome to come out and talk toons with us.

This last Tuesday, March 29th- the day after our official anniversary, MSCA president Kevin L. Williams appeared on WMC TV5’s “Bluff City Life” to talk about our group’s history with host Andy Mannis.

During the MSCA segment some pics of the group (including a shot from out most recent March dinner meeting) and some member’s art was shown including some from our recent art show at Germantown Community Theatre.

There we a couple of minor technical issues, but Kev did great a great job promoting the association and getting the word out to the mid-south. If you missed Kev’s TV appearance, the episode should be available to watch on their website anytime now.

Hope you can all make it out to meet up with us this Tuesday, April 5th from 7-9pm at the U of M Garibaldi’s Pizza. Bring whatever art you’ve been working on, favorite art book/comic or recent art tool purchase to show, or some promo swag to hand out. Also, feel free to bring a friend or family member, and be sure to bring a few bucks to order off the menu. You and your stomach will be glad you did!

I’m hoping to actually sit down and do a bit of recording for the Drawing Funny podcast during the meeting, so if you’d like to be on the show please let me know.

I pity the fools that miss this next MSCA dinner meet-up!

Lin