Sketchtravel sketches, CTNX 2011

      Sketchtravel is an international charity art project. A single sketchbook was passed from artist to artist concluding with Oscar winners Frederic Back and Hayao Miyazaki. The original book sold at auction for 70,000 Euros, nearly $100,000 in October, 2011. The proceeds will go to Room to Read which encourages literacy in children in developing countries.

      My brother Stuart imported the published version of the book. At the CTNX Animation Expo, artists Lorelay Bove, Catia Chien, Peter de Seve, Paul Felix, Eli Harris, James Jean, Benoit Le Pennec, Bill Plympton, Robert Valley, and writer Charles Solomon appeared for a book signing to mark the North American debut. CTNX organizer Tina Price hosted a reception following the signing. Artist Alexandra Boiger signed my book at the reception.

      My sister-in-law Amy describes the event here. Further information on the Sketchtravel artists can be found at their sketchtravel.tv site. Some contributors spoke on the project at a CTNX Animation Expo panel.

Update Oct. 2014: Room to Read has built five libraries in Cambodia, Laos, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. The Cartoon Art Museum exhibited giclee prints of the artwork in 2012 and hosted a Sketchtravel reception. Ronnie del Carmen, Bill Presing, and Erik Tiemens added sketches. At the Alternative Press Expo in 2014, The Dam Keeper filmmakers Dice Tsutsumi and Robert Kondo set up a Tonko House booth and promoted their animated short. I went to see them on Sunday and they added sketches to my book.