2004 Grant Recipients
First Place
Chris Shoup
For the Novel “When I Am Rich and You Are Beautiful” and the ongoing Zine “Kankazine”
Visit www.chrisshoup.com
Chris Shoup wrote a “Thin” Novel (called a thin novel because he hates the term “Novella”) about a man named Kenneth, his strange relationship with a girl, his backwater family and travel. He leaves his current home and job web mastering hundreds of porn sites when his mom calls him in a panic about his missing brother and a man with horns who she is positive is involved in the disappearance. Chris says this novel was written in grocery store lines and at stoplights over a period of a few years and tries to flow as the beats of the heart, one scene flowing into the next with each beat. He is now working on his next thin novel which he says “kicks even greater ass”. And in Illinois, in the Kankanee area, Chris and his friend Steve had a drunken revelation that what they needed in that town was a zine. Usually a contributor based zine, issue 3 was entirely made up of Chris’ own work. Photography, stories, journal entries, and political opinions all in one issue often make for a cluttered reading experience, but with “Kankazine” they compliment each other. My favorite piece was the Young People Political Collage Contest Winners. I wish I had done it first, and if I can find a way I will convince the world that Chris stole the idea from me.
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Second Place
Trent Call
For the ongoing sketchbook zine “Swinj”
Visit www.swinj.com
Swinj is usually a contributor based art zine, however with issue 5 1/4 he had the opportunity to dedicate the entire issue to his personal work. Silk screen covers incase resume style paper filled with clips from his sketchbook and past issues have even included glow in the dark inks, photography and prose.I believe in process, spontaneity, and action. He does sculpture, paining, comics, zines, and just about everything else. The man is a damn powerhouse, and you should be humbled. "My style and interests are varied, as are the mediums I use. The medium foresees the style. The interest suggests the medium. My work combines formal academic painting and drawing with a strong interest in graffiti, comics, graphics, and pattern" -Trent Call
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Third Place
The Translucent Amoebae Consortium
For the sketchbook “Collection of Hued Scraps” Later re-titled Translucent – vol. 1
It went on to win an award from Print Magazine’s Regional Design Annual.
Visit www.transamoebae.blogspot.com
This is a complete mystery to me. It’s pornographic and scary and disturbing and beautiful and amazing. This book consists of about 70 water color paintings of scenes I can only assume take place in some hell dimension which borders on 1950’s era flying saucer movies, Al Columbia comics and Hustler magazine. The only reason I could think not to award this the first or second prize was because of the fact that this book consisted entirely of originals. This is a contest for people doing things in print. I wanted other people to be able to see this book in its entirety. After the contest was over, I published it in book form with the authors permission. It’s a beautiful 5″x5″ black and white book, with color covers and 2 color inserts.
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Merit Award Winner
Elsie Sampson
With the idea of creating a newsletter for family in Hong Kong, and combined with her fashion obsession, Elise found she had two zines ready to be born. Chinese Sweatshop and Shopping Queen’s Diary are detailed hand assembled packages with little envelopes of random surprises and painstakingly done with heart.
Visit www.chinesesweatshop.com
Merit Award Winner
Michael K. Gause
For his experiments in free form poetry and drinking collected in The Tequila Chronicles. Each month, for a year, he wrote while intoxicated on a different alcohol. His words express hope and regret, joy and sadness.
Visit www.thedayonfire.com
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