I originally thought comic cons would be one of the best places to find affordable original art, because years earlier, one trip proved exactly that.
In another lifetime, my ex-husband and I took his son to comic con in Salt Lake City. There were big awesome sculptures and people in elaborate costumes outside. We were able to enter without standing in line and found sooo many art vendors. This was original artwork…original ideas…and I had fun chatting and interacting with the artists. I walked home with four really nice pieces that day and my stepson walked home with an ornate handmade dragon puppet. Because I had such a great experience here, I thought that comic cons would be an excellent way to find artwork so when I decided to venture on this journey, comic cons were the way to go.
Albuquerque Comic Con
I’m kicking off my journey close to home. A three-hour drive finds me in Albuquerque, the biggest city near me. I arrived, met up with an old friend, and zoomed off to the Albuquerque Convention Center. Upon arrival, we see a line three blocks long of dressed up people waiting to get in. Seeing the long wait in front of us, we say instead “ummmm lets go get a beer and see if the line dies down”.
Down the street, we find Marble Brewing, a leader in New Mexico craft beer, and have a good time catching up (Yay for side quests!). Off to try the convention center, and another long line again…We find parking and decide to just bite the bullet where we stand for about an hour to get in. Finally, we get in and….so…many…people. I am not a huge fan of crowds, so this got to me. It was elbow to elbow in these rooms. We shuffled around in a human train line to see all the vendors. The two main rooms on the ground floor were strictly toys, posters, memorabilia, and a little candy. I did see a giant dinosaur costume, which was the highlight of these rooms for me. At this point I was getting a little disappointed that I hadn’t really seen any original artwork yet.
Success! At Artist Alley
We decided to finally hit up the top floor and found “artist alley” Then, success! I found the only artist that was not selling fandom artwork! Don’t get me wrong, there were plenty of talented artists there all selling amazing artwork, but that was not specifically what I was looking for. The man I met made etchings on a hard surface then did a print transfer onto paper, making these amazing prints. He focused on New Mexico themed artwork that showcased UFOs and robots. These were unique, dark, and incorporated my home state, which I loved. They were the perfect thing that I was hoping for. I bought my two favorite prints and asked him to sign them.
Congratulations to me on finding what I was looking for!
Albuquerque Food Side Quest:
One thing I’ve learned is that art hunting and food always seem to go together! (Yay! Side quest #2) I always try and find one or two good places to eat while traveling. I have a strong belief that New Mexico has some of the best food the world has to offer. A friend told me about a recent experience she had in Albuquerque at a restaurant called Church Street Café so that is where we decided to go. It’s located in Old Town Albuquerque, which I had never been before. It’s a good place for tourists to find souvenirs and was adorable. Food at the Church Street Café was some of the best Mexican food I have had, and I know good Mexican food. 10/10 recommend!
Tips for first-time comic con goers:
- Buy your tickets in advance – they sold out
- Make sure you are in the correct line – there was one line for pre-paid tickets, and the other (not moving line) was for people hoping to get in as people left.
- If you are like me…and don’t super love people, maybe think about going later in the evening instead of right smack dab in the middle of the day.
- Dress up! If you are into that….it’s not my thing. But who knows, maybe someday in the future. And everyone’s costumes were so cool. I loved that they were fearless in what they were wearing.
Final Thoughts on Art Collecting at Comic Con:
Comic con may not always be the most reliable place for original art, but when you find the right artist, it can still surprise you. Sometimes that one unexpected piece makes the whole trip worth it. Oh, and the side quests too!
