WonderCon 2007

I just read a review of the WonderCon 2007 event in San Francisco on Animation World News . This year the Comic Art Conference moved from San Diego, I had sent a conference paper which was not accepted due to limited time slots. I was later asked if I was still interested in presenting my paper as some people had dropped out. Unfortunately I was unable to do it as I had limited funds which I am using to present at paper at the Popular Culture Association in Boston in early April. Reading the review of the WonderCon event and who was there really makes me regret not going. I would have loved to have seen Patrick McDonnell creator of Mutts, if you have not read Mutts check out Patrick’s site.

Thanks to Curtis Jobling for coming to North Wales to give a talk as part of the Digital Media Consortia project and for the workshop for some of the MA and undergraduate students. For most people Curtis is perhaps better known for his work on Bob the Builder. You can find out much more about his role in designing Bob and the creation of the series on Curtis’s site. As with any modern renaissance man he has his creative mittens in many different pies including the forth coming animation series Frankenstein's Cat based on his picture book.

I just had to take a picture of the model of Nine the main character. Interestingly Curtis mentioned that the model was made by the same creative talent that made the Sandman puppet for Paul Berry’s amazing film The Sandman.

It was good to see Curtis again after talking to him at Bradford Animation Festival in November last year. I also meet Jonathon Edwards on Thursday as he came to meet up with Curtis. I remember reading Jonathon’s comic Aunt Connie & the Plague of Beards after buying it from Gosh in London.

Badgering Badgers in the Garden

A very interesting and busy week. With signs of some sunshine the wildlife have started to come out. Tons of frogs in the pond and a return of the badgers that have been visiting for the past few years. Although the forecast of snow for next week is a worry in particular for the frogs.

I have been hearing the badgers out and about in the garden late in the evening but yesterday was the first evening that they came out in good enough light to see them. Last year there were at least ten of them in the garden looking for food. We have been putting out food for them for them for the past few years.

The numbers have grown from three, five to ten, it will be interesting to see how many there will be this year. The high light last year was seeing the younger ones mugging the adults of food. I have posted a few photos taken over the last two years. I will try to post any new ones I take this year.