Tucson Zine Fest kicked off its virtual summer exhibition on Sunday, May 9 after the event was canceled last year because of the pandemic. With over 30 artists participating in the event and a zine dedicated to the event called the “omnibus” zine, there was enough artwork to keep patrons entertained for a while.
Viewers are first treated to the art of Amanda Meeks. Meeks is a self-proclaimed queer artist, maker and librarian of the brand “Outspokin’ and Bookish.” Meeks has a website filled with current and past art and upcoming projects that anyone can be a part of on Patreon starting in July according to their Zine Fest bio.
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Comic book fans will find Alessandro Morales’s page enjoyable, with heroes such as Captain America, Vision and Wolverine and many more characters on full display in addition to Morales’s original comic creations such as “Spaced Out” about an alien private investigator in Arizona.
Some artists, such as Tori Holder from Los Angeles, have gone as far as to create interactive short videos on YouTube where they display their zine artwork live. Holder’s latest was titled “I should be happy,” which were single panel comics of characters looking for happiness.
“I really like this zine because it is my latest zine,” Holder said on YouTube. “I am always passionate about my most recent project because it feels good to have created something.”
“LA Ghost” is a personal zine about Holder realizing that life changes whether you want it to or not.
“This is a little bit about me returning back to my hometown,” Holder said on YouTube. “After taking some time away, I reflect on how people and places change.”
One story that stood out at the Tucson Zine Fest was about artist Katherine Leung and her zine “Canto Cutie.” Leung said she wanted to create a special place to tell the stories of people just like her, whereas before, people may not have had a space to share their stories.
“Canto Cutie holds a space for anyone who identifies as Cantonese to create and show their work,” Leung said on YouTube. “It contains the work of artists and writers of the Cantonese diaspora to define what it means to be Cantonese.”
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Leung also emphasized that it is an inclusive space for more than just those who are of Cantonese descent.
“Anyone who identifies linguistically, culturally or ancestrally may submit work,” Leung said on YouTube.
For more information on all the artists and the Tucson Zine Fest, check out @TucsonZineFest on Instagram, Facebook at facebook.com/tucsonzinefest or their website tucsonzinefest.com.
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