While in attendance at the 2022 Stanleys Conference and 38th Annual Stanley Awards in Coffs Harbour on the 19th of November, I was stunned and honoured to have been awarded with the 2022 Stanley Award for the Comic Book Artist category, by the Australian Cartoonists Association.
I was also pleased to have been a finalist for the Animation Cartoonist category, won by the excellent Edmund Iffland. Gallery images to load:
(Thanks to Judy Nadin, John Shakespeare, David Pope, Roger Fletcher, Dean Rankine, Brenton McKenna, Edmund Iffland, Nat Karmichael, the National Cartoon Gallery and the Australian Cartoonists Association for the photos).
A huge congratulation to fellow finalists, friends and inspirational artists Glenn Lumsden (The Phantom & Giant - Sized Phantom cover artist) and Dean Rankine (The Simpsons/I Hate Fairyland cartoonist), as well as the other finalists and winners on the night, including new friends Judy Nadin, Andrew Weldon and David Pope amongst other great Australian cartoonists in their respective fields.
Re: the Comic award, I had made a joke with admiration, that the award should be renamed 'The Glenn Lumsden Award' for his ability to dominate it, and with due cause; a fantastic artist with beautiful line work and figure drawing. I am honoured and thankful to my fellow cartoonists and peers who voted on the categories, based on the samples featured in the annual yearbook. The 2022 Yearbook can be viewed online here: https://issuu.com/australiancartoonists/docs/aca-2022-yearbook
The full results can be viewed here: https://www.cartoonists.org.au/blog/2022/11/20/stanley-awards-2022
(Left: WKA Grading with Grandmaster Jamie Moore, and Grand Master Gary King. Right: My beautiful partner in crime, Amanda).
This caps off a fortunate week for me with a successful grading to 4th degree Blackbelt Master in WKA kickboxing (via Worldwide Kickboxing), and most importantly, the engagement to my long-time partner Amanda Bacchi. Thank you to my family, close friends, and co-workers for the support, love and kind words on all of this recent positive news.