LoneStarCon 2 Showcases Science Fiction Artists and Auctions Art

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Date:     August 26, 1997
Contact:  Laurie Mann, LoneStarCon 2 Press Relations
          210-601-5343
          Room 108, Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center, San Antonio, TX
          http://www.io.com/~lsc2/press


SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS -- The 55th World Science Fiction Convention, 
LoneStarCon 2, will take place here from August 28-September 1, 1997.  
The Worldcon is the annual gathering of science fiction writers, artists,
publishers and readers.  LoneStarCon 2 will attract about 5,000
attendees from around the world and feature programming, dealers room, 
masquerade, the annual Hugo Awards, and the best science fiction art 
show of the year.

The art show will feature work from hundreds of professional and 
amateur artists, including Don Maitz, David Cherry, Janny Wurts, 
Frank Kelly Freas, and Michael Whelan.  There will be special displays 
of Hugo and Chesley nominees, and works devoted to the covers of books 
written by Worldcon guests of honor Michael Moorcock and Algis Budrys.

Much of the art in the show will be available for sale.  If a work only
receives a few bids in the show, it will be sold in the art show on
Sunday afternoon to the highest bidder.  However, the works with many
bids will be brought to the much-anticipated Worldcon art auction, which
runs Sunday, from 1p.m. - 5p.m. in the Centro room. Everything from 
original artwork from major book covers to cartoony pencil drawings 
by fan artists will be sold here, where emotion and heat of the moment 
is as much a factor as market value and artistic merit in determining
the final price. The art auction gets very intense, with fans saving up all
year to try to get a piece from their favorite artists.

In addition to the art show and auction, the Worldcon plays host to the
annual Chesley Awards.  The Chesleys are given out by the Association
of Science Fiction Artists and recognize excellence in the field of
science fiction art.  LoneStarCon 2 programming has organized a series
of art workshops and panel items that will run throughout the convention.

The art show and auction is being managed by Pegasus Management of 
Arlington, Texas. They have run dozens of art shows at major conventions 
across North America.


     LoneStarCon 2 is a service mark of Austin Literary Arts 
     Maintenance Organization (ALAMO), Inc., a 501(c)(3) 
     non-profit literary, educational corporation. All rights 
     reserved.  "World Science Fiction Society", "WSFS", 
     "World Science Fiction Convention", "Worldcon", "NASFiC", 
     and "Hugo" are registered service marks of the World Science 
     Fiction Society, an unincorporated literary society.

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