Follow the Ellesaur!
2024 EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
Happening Now:
Live Music/Draw
Open Art Night
Mon, April 29th 7pm
OneCoHK (Midtown Manhattan)
Every six weeks at Open Art Night,
performers showcase their favorite and original songs, music, dance, film, etc.
I sketch live as it happens!
As always, I'll be drawing again, and previous sketches will likely be on display.
(Although it is done for love of art, practice of skill, experience of live performance, and connecting with fellow creatives...
contributions keep me going and pave the next steps to evolve & collaborate.
You can further this effort by contributing via Venmo, ongoing Patreon, or explore other ways to show support)
DRAW Activity
Street Lab weekly public pop-up
May 3rd & all Fridays* 3-6pm
Chelsea Market (Manhattan)
Join us for drawing every Friday!*
Free activity to encourage creativity and community. Find us under the stairs in the center of Chelsea Market, or near the 10th Ave entrance as the weather gets nice.
Also a chance to talk with me about art, request sketches and portraits, workshop children's book and comic ideas, etc.
(Download the free coloring page/zine inspired by my work with Street Lab, from Free Comic Book Day 2023)
*very occasional skip/change in schedule, NO session for May 24th
Open Studios
LIC Arts Open festival into
Sat/Sun, May 18-19th 12-5pm
43-01 22ndSt Studio352 + all LIC
The neighborhood of Long Island City/LIC, Queens (of NYC) is celebrating the arts!
Come visit my art studio, and see all the amazing artists in my building and around the area. Doors will be open 12-5pm both days, plus special events and afterparties nearby for mingling and live-sketching.
(Regardless of appearances, my door will be open. But my hope is to reorganize the space effectively, and prepare special giveaways, products, live activities, etc.
You can further this effort by contributing via Venmo, ongoing Patreon, or explore other ways to show support)
Figure Drawing
Everyone Comics
Tues, May 21st 7-9pm
Queensboro Plaza LIC/NYC
Join the monthly figure drawing session at our local comic book shop in LIC Queens!
Model wears fun, interesting, very artistic and/or comics-themed costumes!
All levels of experience are welcome, whether you're a seasoned artist or trying it out for the first time.
$20 in advance, $25 at the door
Reserve tickets via Eventbrite and/or
email jenspenceart at gmail.com
Casual drinks and snacks are included.
Previously:
Upcoming:
Figure Drawing
Everyone Comics
Tues, April 16th 7-9pm
Queensboro Plaza LIC/NYC
Join the monthly figure drawing session at our local comic book shop in LIC Queens!
Model wears fun, interesting, very artistic and/or comics-themed costumes!
All levels of experience are welcome, whether you're a seasoned artist or trying it out for the first time.
$20 in advance, $25 at the door
Reserve tickets via Eventbrite and/or
email jenspenceart at gmail.com
Casual drinks and snacks are included.
Indie Comics Fest
Bk. Independent Comics Showcase
Sat, April 13th 11-7pm (tbd)
Industry City, BK/NYC
Independent comics art festival with tables of various amazing artists.
Plan to attend and support colleagues. Offering live-sketches and commissions as a wandering artist. Full event is 11-7pm, but my timeframe is open, maybe 1-5ish
(contact me if you want to coordinate).
Art Exhibit
Winter Blues group art show
Reception: Sat, March 2nd 7pmEncore: Sat, March 23rd 12pm
Revisit: Sat, April 13th (1-5ish)
On display in Industry City, BK
Exhibiting a figure drawing in the show, wandering with holster of markers to sketch portraits in blue.
Sat, March 2nd Gallery opens at 2pm, reception at 7pm, $5 suggested donation, beer for sale by venue and/or nearby bar.
Exciting update: The drawing sold!
Artwork show was temporarily removed for an event(s), but will be displayed ongoing, including an anniversary party for the theater on Sat, March 23rd 12pm where I plan to be present and sketching.
Art remains up through the end of March!
Latest update: Art remains up through the weekend of April 13-14th. Since the venue has an evening performance, it may or may not be accessible, but I'm planning to be present Saturday (1-5ish), since the time/place aligns with the Brooklyn Independent Comics Showcase!
Coloring Table
Easter Event/ Egg Hunt
Sat, March 30th 11-1pm
Senior Park, 49th&Broadway (Qns)
Hosting a coloring activity at the annual
family-oriented Easter event hosted by Connection Church & Queens Church in the neighborhood of Astoria, Queens.
Join me there, or you can download & print the pages to enjoy at home:
Figure Drawing
Everyone Comics
Tues, March 19th 7-9pm
Queensboro Plaza LIC/NYC
Join the monthly figure drawing session at our local comic book shop in LIC Queens!
Model wears fun, interesting, very artistic and/or comics-themed costumes!
All levels of experience are welcome, whether you're a seasoned artist or trying it out for the first time.
$20 in advance, $25 at the door
Reserve tickets via Eventbrite and/or
email jenspenceart at gmail.com
Casual drinks and snacks are included.
Indie Comics Fest
MoCCA Art Festival
Sat/Sun March16-17th 11-7/6pm
Manhattan Pavilion W18th & SVA
Biggest independent comics art festival in NYC! Started by the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art, now organized by Society of Illustrators, awesome annual event.
I will be there both days, volunteering and live-sketching the panels and festivities.
Live Draw & Display
Open Art Night
Mon, March 11th 7pm
OneCoHK (Midtown Manhattan)
Every six weeks at Open Art Night,
performers showcase their favorite and original songs, music, dance, film, etc.
I sketch live as it happens! On my birthday night, I'll be drawing again, and previous sketches will be on display.
Snacks may or may not be supplied, but welcome any you'd like to bring & share!
Closing Reception
Parables of the Unknown
Fri, March 1st 6pm
Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning
After participating in their JCON comics events and sketching the art talks, I plan to attend the closing reception for their fantasy/scifi/horror exhibit "Parables of the Unknown". Join me there for a last chance to see these amazing artists together!
(I may sketch the room of attendees and/or artwork, as inspired.)
Comic Con
JCON 2024
Sat, Feb 3rd & 17th 12-6pm
Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning
In connection with their sci-fi/fantasy/horror gallery exhibit, JCAL is hosting their first comic con! FREE admission, though I'm sure donations are appreciated.
I will be selling (or trading) portraits and drawings-on-demand, especially themed for fantasy, Valentine's Day love, or both!
As usual, I will have free coloring pages and booklets available, special mini-comic zines and stickers by donation.
Prototype of snowflake story page!
Prototype of new "noveling" zine!
Prototype of True Love x2! x4 for more!
Live-sketching the artist talks from 3-5pm!
Live Sketching
Open Art Night
Mon, January 29th 7pm
OneCo Community Space
As usual, sketching the live performances at Open Art Night!
Every 6 weeks, OneCo Hells Kitchen hosts a showcase of musicians, dancers, poets, etc. Sometimes my artwork is officially on display, like in this past December session, and either way I'm always drawing!
Figure Drawing
Everyone Comics
Tues, January 16th 7-9pm
Queensboro Plaza LIC/NYC
Joining in the monthly figure drawing session at our local comic book shop, model wears fun comic-themed costumes!
$20 in advance, $25 at the door
Casual drinks and snacks are included.
Queens Comic Party
Sun, Jan 14th 1-7pm
CWV St Sebastians Post 870
3946 61st St, Woodside NY 11377
TODAY - my first comics event of 2024!
It's a small local affair, but they're known for doing monthly Queens-based events. Join me at Queens Comic Party to commission live drawings, enjoy coloring pages, and talk about art, writing, goals for the New Year, and whatever else.
The room of vendors are mostly comic book collectors and independent creatives, occasionally pop culture toys or small businesses like jewelry.
(The 7 isn't fully running this weekend, but LIRR and a bunch of buses go there, or it's less than 15min from the R at 65 St.)
If I recall correctly, you can buy delicious pizza, sodas, beers & drinks from the venue's bar (or LOTS of food nearby).
Figure Drawing
LIC-A (Long Island City Artists)
Tuesday, January 9th
The Factory art gallery, LIC/NYC
Figure drawing sessions are coming back to LIC-A! Made it to opening night, and looking forward to drawing with this group again, now at their new location.
Exhibit & Live Drawing
Sat, Dec2nd 2pm/7-11pm +month
BrooklynONE's Tom Kaine Theatre
Industry City, Brooklyn (NYC)
Drawing table at the Holiday Art Show
reception, doing live portraits as snowmen and reindeer, customized holiday cards and gift sketches. Probably also displaying framed art and selling decorative crafts.
Exhibit space opens at 2pm, special event & holiday sketches 7-11pm.
Free admission, suggested donation $5, beers for sale, food/drink options nearby.
Artwork on walls remains on display for the month of December. (One of mine has/will be added, a colorful rendition of "Joy!")
Download coloring page of wreath or with
Inking+Noveling
(Creative Challenges)
Oct/Nov1st - Nov30th 2023, etc.
Various locations NYC & Virtual
Taking on the annual creative challenges of ink-drawing in October and novel-writing in November, as a participant of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month).
This year, I plan to focus most on writing a book about the creative process and journey I have gone through, especially in tackling this project the last few years and combining it with interactive art exhibits.
Read more about it on this page.
If you'd like to further my noveling efforts, please support.
Update: Novel month complete! Reached goal for wordcount, continuing to revise. Visit me at an upcoming event/activity (like Street Lab's WRITE) to learn more about it.
(Events 2023)
Various Places
Various Dates
Mostly LIC/NYC
Curious what came before?
Click here to see the Events page of 2023
and I hope to soon be making a review of the year with highlights & artistic progress!
Poetry & Sketching
Thurs, April 13th at 7pm
Open Art Night in Astoria, Queens
Plan to read poetry and sketch the event.
(Free but may have limited seating)
Poetry & Sketching
Thurs, April 13th at 7pm
Open Art Night in Astoria, Queens
Plan to read poetry and sketch the event.
(Free but may have limited seating)
Live Music/Draw
Open Art Night
Mon, June TBD 7pm
OneCoHK (near Times Sq)
Every six weeks at Open Art Night,
performers showcase their favorite and original songs, music, dance, film, etc.
I sketch live as it happens!
As always, I'll be drawing again, and previous sketches will likely be on display.
(Although it is done for love of art, practice of skill, experience of live performance, and connecting with fellow creatives...
contributions keep me going and pave the next steps to evolve & collaborate.
You can further this effort by contributing via Venmo, ongoing Patreon, or explore other ways to show support)
Figure Drawing
Everyone Comics
Tues, June 18th 7-9pm
Queensboro Plaza LIC/NYC
Joining in the monthly figure drawing session at our local comic book shop, model wears fun comic-themed costumes!
$20 in advance, $25 at the door
Casual drinks and snacks are included.
Figure Drawing
LIC-A (Long Island City Artists)
Tuesdays, involvement TBD
LIC/NYC
Figure drawing sessions have come back to LIC-A! Attended the first restarted session, and looking forward to drawing with this group again (when not already at Everyone Comics or elsewhere).
Camp NaNo Write-In
Writing/Art/Comics Meetups
Date TBD
Locations TBD (LIC, NYC)
Related to National Novel Writing Month, plan to host a casual writing session(s). Some with comics-themed prompts at the Everyone Comics shop, where we can adapt our ideas into illustrations & comics.
"Camp NaNo" starts in April, where you can set your own writing goal, encouraged by fellow writers. Will I continue my project of writing about the writing process itself, or pick/revise another project? Stay tuned!
(TBD 2024)
More events to come!
Various places, mostly in LIC/NYC
(stay tuned/collaborate/support)
Look forward to upcoming and ongoing events to finish off the year!
Make even more possible by
> supporting my creative work <
