by Ariela
I am very proud of the art I made this year.
Lady Astronaut Nouveau
Watercolor and Ink on Paper
Inspired by The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal.
Licensed by Mary Robinette Kowal.
Displayed at multiple convention art shows.
Dragon Naturalist Nouveau
Watercolor and Ink on Paper
Inspired by the Memoirs of Lady Trent series by Marie Brennan.
Licensed by Marie Brennan.
Published in The Very Official Dead Dog Art Zine.
Tech Serenity 2.0
Digital
Displayed at multiple convention art shows.
Dead Dog Art Zine 2019 Cover
Watercolor on Paper, Photography, Ink, Digital
Published in the Very Official Dead Dog Art Zine.
A Wonder(ous) Woman
Ink and Watercolor on Paper
Displayed at multiple convention art shows.
Translation of Text Blocks
1: Proverbs 31: 10 - “A valorous woman, who can find?”
2 : Proverbs 31: 20 - “Her hand is open to the needy, she reaches out to the oppressed.”
3: Proverbs 31: 25 - “She is clothed in strength and dignity; she laughs at the days to come.”
4: Proverbs 31: 26 - “She opens her mouth [and from it comes] wisdom, the law of loving kindness is on her tongue.
5: Proverbs 31: 31 - “Give her the fruit of her hands and praise her doings in the public thoroughfare.”
Hugo Category Eligibility
Once again, I am eligible for the Best Fan Artist Hugo category. If you are able to nominate for the Hugos, please nominate me as “Ariela Housman,” as the award is for the artist, not the business. (This doesn’t recognize Terri’s hard work and the way she contributed, because the world regularly ignores the value of managerial work and the Hugo awards are no exception. Any rocket which I may eventually win will be due in part to her.)
Explanatory Thingee About Hugo Category Eligibility
Some Hugo categories (Best Professional Artist, Best Fan Artist, Best Semiprozine, and Best Fanzine) are defined by whether the work done was professional, semi-professional, or fannish. The definition of what is a “professional” publication is somewhat technical. A professional publication either (1) provided at least a quarter the income of any one person or, (2) was owned or published by any entity which provided at least a quarter the income of any of its staff and/or owner.
For the purposes of Hugo categories, you are only a Professional Artist if your stuff gets published in a Professional Publication. So you can make a living, for years, entirely by selling your SF art directly to other people and still not be considered a Professional Artist for the purposes of the Hugos if your art was never included in a publication that earns according to the above criteria.
When making prints was harder and there wasn't much in the way of direct-to-fans selling outside of conventions, this made sense. Today it is ridiculous, but the rules are the rules.
A Note About Lady Astronaut Nouveau’s Consideration
Last year the Hugo Committee ruled officially that the Lady Astronaut Nouveau had not met their criteria for being “on public display” during 2018. Mary Robinette pointed out that this is very similar to what happened to the original “The Lady Astronaut of Mars” novelette, when it was struck from the Best Novellette ballot in 2013 on the grounds that an audiobook was not “published” but was rather a Dramatic Presentation. When “The Lady Astronaut of Mars” was self-published in 2013 in response to the Hugo Committee ruling, it was duly allowed on the ballot in 2014.
While Lady Astronaut Nouveau was completed in 2018, it was first put “on public display” as defined by the Hugo Committee in 2019. Following the precedent of the novelette, this means it is an eligible work from 2019.
At Dublin 2019 Terri submitted an amendment to the rules that would explicitly define public display as being fully viewable on the internet without having to pay. The amendment passed and, if it is ratified ConZealand, starting in 2021 no one will have to play weird “is it public display and therefore eligible” chicken with the Hugo Committee anymore.