Boskone is widely known for its spectacular speculative fiction art show. Every year, artists from all over the country, some from across the sea, come to Boston in the dead of winter to show their art in the Boskone Art Show, participate in panels, to see who wins the Gaughan Award, and to visit with their friends and other art enthusiasts.

This year’s Art Show will showcase original works by Official Artist Dave Seeley as well as dozens of artists from  New England and beyond. The Art Show will have 100 panels, plus about a dozen tables for 3-D work. For an up-to-date listing of confirmed artists, please visit Boskone’s Artists/Art Resellers page.

For those interested in taking a piece of original art home, the Art Show hosts a silent auction which runs throughout the weekend, closing at noon on Sunday. Winning bids and art show sales occur from 1-3pm on Sunday.

Boskone’s Official Artist: Dave Seeley

Official Artist Dave Seeley shares a sneak peek for his upcoming exhibit as Boskone. Why summarize or write something from scratch when Dave says it so well? Here’s the text from Dave Seeley’s Facebook post.

Here’s my preliminary art show layout for my Art Guest of Honor appearance at Boskone 54 at the Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel in two short weeks = February 17-19. Each row represents an art show bay of three 4′ tall x 6′ long panels in a U shape plan. The third row is an endcap with two of those panels side by side. The last two rows are print shop bays in U again. If you’re a collector and want to see a particular original at the show, I’d be happy to bring it along, no strings attached (just hanging wire). Check here for available paintings: http://www.daveseeley.com/p245060177

Thanks to Erin Underwood and Gay Ellen Dennett for having me at the show… fun to be the Goh at my home town Con. Feels like graduation?

I’ll be doing programming at the Con, including a Saturday 2 hour demo on using SketchUp for 2D SF&F artists, at 10am… (here’s a gallery of images utilizing Sketchup = http://www.daveseeley.com/p522028751) …and then a Sunday talk about The Art of Dave Seeley, the monograph, the art, and whatever peeps attending WANT to talk about. More informal coffee table chat at 2pm.

Bill Niemeyer is screening his Documentary = Art of the Fantastic on Saturday at 2pm, and there will be a Q and A panel immediately following! Hope to see all my peeps at the show!!!

Come see the work of, and meet the Artbuds Michael Raymond Whelan, Bob Eggleton, Marianne Plumridge, Rick Berry, Greg Manchess, Irene Gallo, Alan Beck, Jim Zaccaria, Ruth Sanderson, Wendy Snow-Lang, Omar Rayyan, Sheila Rayyan, Carly Janine Mazur, Max Martelli, Gary A. Lippincott, Tom Kidd, Ingrid Kallick, Linda Graves, Kirbi Fagan, Vincent Di Fate, Kristina Carroll, Scott Bakal, and Armand Cabrera.

Ping me if I missed you on this link-o-rama…

Not sure if Scott Grimando knows he’s coming yet, but he….will. But I’ll be a mess, because I want to have a beer with every one of em…

The Art Show & Art Programming

Boskone’s Art programming includes a wide variety of panels, demos, and discussions. You can even check out Marianne Plumridge-Eggleton doing a live painting in the Artists Corner of the Galleria on Saturday, February 19th from 10:30-4:00 pm.

We also have a selection of programming highlights A few art program highlights for art fans and enthusiasts to enjoy!

Friday 6:00 PM
The Art of Panel-Based Storytelling
Brianna Spacekat Wu (M), Jon Hunt, Jane Yolen, Adam Stemple
Marina 3 · 60 min · Panel
You may know what a comic book is, but what’s a storyboard? Are they as similar as they seem? Do these two panel-based storytelling art forms overlap or clash? What kind of training can you find for either? Panelists discuss what it takes to relate a story in each medium. Here’s your chance to find out how to dip your pens into the comic book and/or storyboarding professions.

Friday 8:15 PM
Boskone 54 Reception & Opening Ceremony
Milton Davis, Lorraine Garland, Lojo Russo, Ken MacLeod, Brandon Sanderson, Dave Seeley, Maryelizabeth Yturralde, David G. Grubbs (M), Erin Underwood (M), Gay Ellen Dennett (M)
Galleria – Art Show · 105 min · Event
Connoisseurs and philistines alike: welcome to the Boskone Art Show! Join us in the Galleria for an upscale social mixer. Meet our program participants while enjoying refreshments, stimulating conversation, and exceptional art that’s a feast for the eyes. Experience the music and the festivities as Boskone celebrates another year of science fiction, fantasy, and horror in Boston.

Friday 10:00 PM
Pictionary with the Pros
Bob Kuhn (M), E. C. Ambrose, Erin M. Hartshorn
Burroughs · 60 min · Panel
They can write, but can they draw? They can paint, but how quickly can they convey an idea? Come with your examples of speculative fiction works (books, movies, TV shows, etc.) for our two teams of pros (writers, artists, secret-masters-of-fandom … ) to attempt to convey in drawings — without symbols from any lexical system (no heiroglyphs, Chinese characters, dollar signs), and faster than their opponents.
Write down your ideas and hand them to the MC, who might also insert fiendish ones of his own.

Saturday 10:00 AM
SketchUp as a Tool for 2-D Artists: Art Demo by Official Artist Dave Seeley
Dave Seeley
Marina 1 · 120 min · Demonstration
Dave Seeley incorporates a variety of tools and methods in his work. Using the free software SketchUp, Boskone’s Official Artist shares how he builds and renders artistic elements within his 2-D illustrations.

Saturday 12:00 NOON
What Inspires the Artist?
Rick Berry, Tom Kidd, Vincent Di Fate, Ingrid Kallick, William H. Niemeyer (M)
Marina 1 · 60 min · Panel
Our artists shine light on the inspiration behind the fantastic worlds they and their peers create. Learn about their artistic influences, imagery, and styles. They’ll talk about the people, art, events, etc., that inspired them as artists — and how those inspirations helped them to grow and branch out into trying new things. Do artistic trends emerge from common inspiration? How do one’s own art and style evolve?

Saturday 1:00 PM
Sketching With Charcoal: Art Demo by Kristina Carroll
Kristina Carroll
Marina 1 · 60 min · Demonstration
Award-winning illustrator and artist Kristina Carroll demonstrates the use of charcoal and the mastery of black-and-white imagery.

Saturday 2:00 PM
Art of the Fantastic: A Journey Into Creation (Documentary)
William H. Niemeyer (M)
Harbor II · 60 min · Film/TV/Media
Join us for a special viewing of Art of the Fantastic, by writer/director William Niemeyer. This artful documentary focuses on imaginative realism: its creative process, historic importance, and widespread influence. The film also covers the influences on imaginative realism itself, from the caves of Lascaux, to the likes of Michelangelo and Da Vinci, and through the centuries to more contemporary artists of the genre including Frank Frazetta, Boris Vallejo, Michael Whelan, Bob Eggleton, Donato Giancola, and Dave Seeley, just to mention a few. (Followed by a live panel discussion.)

Saturday 3:00 PM
After Art of the Fantastic: A Journey Into Creation (Discussion)
William H. Niemeyer (M), Alan F. Beck, Bob Eggleton, Dave Seeley
Harbor II · 60 min · Panel
Following the viewing of William Niemeyer’s documentary, several of Boskone’s artists join us for an in-depth discussion of fantastic art — touching on the themes, artists, and art history covered in the film.

Saturday 3:00 PM
Discussing Painting Techniques
Tom Kidd, Ingrid Kallick, Vincent Di Fate (M), Kristina Carroll, Michael Whelan
Marina 1 · 60 min · Panel
How are different media and styles of painting utilized? Which are most appropriate for what uses? How does working with oils differ (in terms of product, how it is approached, and how the artist actually feels about the work) from acrylics, watercolors, and so on? The panel may discuss painting on paper or canvas … or even on panel.

Saturday 5:00 PM
Creativity and Cognition: Let Art Think
Rick Berry
Burroughs · 60 min · Solo Talk
Award winning artist, Rick Berry is internationally recognized for his powerful “expressionist figurative” works. Blending mythic and visionary themes, his art provokes narrative. Berry has produced countless covers for books, comics, games and is credited with the first digital painting for a novel worldwide, Neuromancer by W. Gibson. Berry’s oil paintings are in collections of Neil Gaiman, Stephen King and George R.R. Martin. Executed without preliminary drawings or references, his unique process is based on cognitive science. Berry “uses art to think”; and shares how one can foment creativity for any endeavor.

Saturday 5:00 PM
Using Watercolors: Art Demo by Alan F. Beck
Alan F. Beck
Marina 1 · 60 min · Demonstration
Artist Alan F. Beck shares tips and techniques associated with handling watercolors while doing a live demo — featuring a new fantasy mouse portrait!

Sunday 9:30 AM
Oils and Brushes: Art Demo by Bob Eggleton
Bob Eggleton
Marina 1 · 90 min · Demonstration
Here be dragons! Hugo Award-winning artist Bob Eggleton gives a live painting demonstration.

Sunday 10:00 AM
Kids’ Tour of the Art Show
Dave Seeley, Persis Thorndike
Galleria · 60 min · Children – DragonsLair

Sunday 11:00 AM
Official Artist Presentation: The Long Journey to The Art of Dave Seeley
Dave Seeley
Harbor III · 60 min · Solo Talk
Dave promises to tell us, “a story of how disparate contacts and planting seeds along the way, not a popularity contest, eventually led to the publication of my art monograph.” Although the resulting big, beautiful 2014 book is pretty popular around these parts …

Sunday 11:00 AM
Entering the Speculative Fiction Art World
Ingrid Kallick, Kirbi Fagan, Tom Kidd, Brianna Spacekat Wu (M), Michael Whelan
Marina 2 · 60 min · Panel
New to the SF/F/H art world? Looking to work as an illustrator for books, magazines, comics, or the web? Our artistic panelists share their experiences as well as their advice on breaking into the genre — from building a portfolio to making sales, and everything in between.

100 Years of Black and White SF&F Illustration
by Joe Siclari & Edie Stern

When we think of science fiction and fantasy art, we normally remember the beautiful covers that we see on books, magazines, posters and calendars. Too often, the art inside these publications is ignored. The interior illustrations can be elegant in their style and imagination; a simple line drawing can be exquisite in its execution.

In this year’s Boskone art exhibit, we aim to provide a representative sampling of science fiction and fantasy illustration from both genre and non-genre sources. Ranging from comic strips to advertising, from children’s literature to horror, from the everyday working artist to some of the most celebrated of the field, the exhibit will cover every decade since 1900.

At Boskone 54, the black and white art on display will feature a wide variety of styles and subjects. Artists represented will include: Rick Berry, Hannes Bok, Chesley Bonestell, Thomas Canty, Edd Cartier, Vincent Di Fate, Leo & Diane Dillon, Bob Eggleton, Ed Emsh, Virgil Finlay, Kelly Freas, Mel Hunter, Greg Manchess, John Picacio, Frank R. Paul, Hubert Rogers, J. Allen St. John, John Schoenherr, Lawrence Sterne Stevens, Wally Wood and dozens of additional artists, both classic and modern.

Join us as we explore the last 100 years of black and white illustration, which we’ll see (as always) through the collections of local artists and enthusiasts.

Special Preview Exhibit of The Golden Key

Award-winning artist Ruth Sanderson brings George MacDonald’s beloved classic children’s fairytale to life with her exquisite black and white illustrations.

This year, Boskone’s Art Show offers an artistic treat for art lovers of all ages. Come view our special preview featuring some of Ruth Sanderson’s art from this exciting new edition of The Golden Key.

Want to attend Boskone? We’d love to see you there. All attendees need to purchase a Boskone 54 convention membership. Click here to buy yours today! 

Note: Boskone Programming starts at 2:00 pm on Friday, February 17th and is open to the public from 2:00-6:00 pm. A membership is required after 6:00 pm on Friday, February 17th and through the rest of the weekend.

Full Weekend Rates

• Adult Full Convention: $65
• College Student Full Convention: $40 (school ID required)
• K-6 Full Convention: $25 (school ID may be required)
• 7-12 Full Convention: $25 (school ID may be required)

One Day Rates

• Friday One Day: $25
• Saturday One Day: $45
• Sunday One Day: $25