Illuxcon 2024
- Published:
- Length: 767 words
- Reading Time: 4 minutes
Back in October, Alex and I attended Illuxcon for the first time. Illuxcon (IX) is a convention for imaginative realism artists to gather, exhibit, and share appreciation for fantasy/sci-fi art. It was fabulous.
IX is held in the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts in Reading, Pennsylvania. GoggleWorks is a converted factory that used to make protective, shatterproof eyeglasses. It was in service for 130 years before closing in 2002. It was renovated and reopened in 2005 as the arts center it is today.
The building itself is very cool. Its exposed brick and steel beam structure, along with the narrow wooden stairs connecting the floors, added so much character to the event. (Don't worry — there is an elevator to assist anyone who wants to avoid the stairs, but it, too, fits the renovated factory vibe. It's a former freight elevator that was continuously manned by IX staff, and visitors could call for the lift using walkie-talkies next to the gate on each floor.)
The Main Show
IX is divided into two different shows. The first show was the Main Show, which was made up of 90 imaginative realism artists who were juried in to the exhibit. These artists had booths set up in the GoggleWorks center for five days. A ticket purchase was required to visit the Main Show.
Most of our time was spent at the Main Show. Artists and their displays were filling every nook and cranny of three floors of the building. Here are some of the booths:
The above photo was taken on opening night when Kai was just getting set up. Here is his painting a day later:
Linda's figures were inspired by fairytales. Here are a few close-ups of her sculptures.
The Showcase
The second show is the Evening Showcase (or "the Showcase" for short). The Showcase is held for two nights in the ballroom of a nearby hotel. This show is filled via first come, first serve. More than 130 artists have tables of their art on display, and the atmosphere is more of a cocktail party/convention-style event that is open to the public.
Personal Takeaways
I love being part of the quilting community, but it's always been a dream of mine to be recognized as a working imaginative realism artist. Alex and I went to Illuxcon to see what it was all about, meet people working in the field, and try to see if my quilting art could have a place in the imaginative realism community.
I'm an introvert at heart, and one of the most difficult things for me to do is put myself and my art "out there" into the unknown. But the reaction to my work, from everyone we were able to show it to, was extremely positive. I was asked multiple times why I didn't already have a table at the show. And both of the portfolio reviewers I spoke to encouraged me to reach out to publishers. I could not have gotten better feedback for my work, and going to IX gave me a confidence boost that I wasn't sure I'd find outside of the quilting community.
The applications for exhibiting opened after the close of the show. I applied and was offered a table at the Evening Showcase. So next year, I'll have a table of my very own to display my quilts. I'm so excited!
