The 2008 ASIFA-EAST Used Animation Art Auction and Underwear Expo!

So... how many of you have heard of ASIFA?

No? Then allow me to explain while those of you 'in the know' go grab a snack.

ASIFA is an international animation society with chapters all over the place.
(The acronym ASIFA stands for 'Animation Something In French Apparently'. I think... All I know is that it stands for a bunch of French words). They hold screenings, write newsletters, and keep archives of animated films, all in the name of promoting the art of animation. Here in New York, we've got the ASIFA-EAST chapter which happens to boast the United States' oldest continually running animation festival!

I've been a member since 1990 when Candy Kugel, my boss at Buzzco Associates, asked me if I wanted to be on the Executive Board of ASIFA-EAST. of course I accepted immediately, never stopping to wonder WHY, on my 2nd day of my 1st ever animation job i was asked to be on the Executive Board of ANYTHING.

I quickly found out that Executive Board meant sitting around stapling, stamping, and putting address labels on newsletters with a bunch of other volunteers. But I got to meet a lot of people in the industry, see a lot of films I would have never had the chance to, and become part of a great community.

And these days, between work and family, I barely have time to go to ASIFA events anymore. But in order to stay somewhat involved, every two years I put together a little fundraiser for the group.

THE ASIFA-EAST USED ANIMATION ART AUCTION!
I got the idea from indy animation rockstar and ASIFA legend David Ehrlich who used to run an auction for ASIFA. Back in the days when NY was an independent animation hot spot, he'd have a screening of all the latest films by folks like George Griffin, Paul Fierlinger, and Karen Aqua and then auction off actual pieces of artwork from the films! Cels, colored pencil sketches, prints... it was amazing to see these films, meet the makers, and then hold, and maybe buy, a piece of them!
David only did it a couple times, but it stuck with me. And when ASIFA-EAST ran into some tough financial times a long time ago, I suggested bringing the auction back.

Me and my big mouth.

Now every two years I gotta put an auction together...
But I always keep these goals in mind:

1. Show some great films!
2. Make some money for ASIFA!
3. Make animation art available and affordable to those in the business.
(that means we don't sell no art to no dealers... dig?)
4. Use my sub-standard auctioneering skills to pit bidders against each other for my own evil amusement.

So here's this year's flyer:



Problem is... with all these computers and stuff, there's rarely such thing as physical, final art anymore. So I gotta hunt down animators and twist their arms so they make pretty original drawings for me.

So in the next couple weeks leading up to the auction, I'll be telling the tales, blow-by-blow, of how I use my sooper triple ninja skills to strong arm art out of world famous animation folk.

Wanna see what my first victim gave up?





Dude...