INTERVIEW: LightBox Expo celebrates visual arts
Image courtesy of LightBox Expo / Provided by Super Fan Promotions with permission.
LightBox Expo is going to try and do something a little different for the world of visual arts.
The convention, which is the brainchild of Bobby Chiu and Emerald City Comic Con founder Jim Demonakos, will be inclusive of the diversity that can be found in the arts, and that means the expo will feature the talents of the animation, illustration, live action and gaming industries, making LightBox Expo not just the new kid on the block, but the unique kid on the block.
The inaugural event takes place Sept. 6-8 at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, California. Expected to attend is a who’s who in the art world: Daniel Arriaga (Coco), Iain McCaig (Star Wars), Crash McCreery (Jurassic Park), Pernille Orum (DC Superhero Girls), Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, Eliza Ivanova (Inside Out), Ryan Meinerding (Marvel Studios), Karla Ortiz (Dr. Strange) and Chris Sanders (How To Train Your Dragon), among many others.
Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Chiu about the new event. He is a successful artist who has won a number of awards, including an Emmy, and worked on a variety of franchises. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
What can fans expect from LightBox Expo?
LightBox Expo is multi-faceted event. For fans of art and artists, LightBox Expo has the most amazing artist alley you’ll ever shop, with over 250 artists all under one roof, selling prints, originals, merchandise and more. For artists, it’s your chance to learn directly from the best artists in the world, with dozens of hours of programming, panels, demos, workshops, instructed live drawing and get your work in front of many of the best studios in the world!
How did the idea come about to launch this convention?
We wanted to put this event together as a love letter to the art community, including the creators behind some of the most well-known properties in pop culture, and shine a light on them. We also wanted to give back to the artists who are coming in to various fields now by putting together non-stop educational programming.
Do you feel that expos like this — bringing together artists is multiple fields — are still pretty rare?
Yes, they’re not super common, especially in the United States. We’ve seen a number of these types of events internationally, but not at this scale, and there are not many like this domestically.
Is your target audience casual fans or actual artists?
Both. We want to expose casual fans to the artists and creators behind their favorite things, while at the same time creating an environment for artists to connect with their peers, learn new techniques and expand their toolbox.
When did you first fall in love with art?
I fell in love with art ever since I could remember but the biggest influences have been Super Mario Bros., Star Wars and Jurassic Park. It’s been a huge reason why I pursued the art entertainment industry.
How difficult and competitive are the fields of character design and illustration?
Things can definitely get difficult and competitive, but the secret is that it’s like this for everyone. You just have to keep learning, try to meet people and keep going. LightBox Expo is going to try and make it easier by bringing everyone to one place so I hope everyone will take full advantage.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
LightBox Expo will take place Sept. 6-8 at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, California. Click here for more information and tickets.
