Art Show | WisCon

WisCon is happy to be presenting work from artists in our community again this year!

Check out the images below and the links to explore more from each artist. If you’re registered for this year’s con, you can also discuss the work and possibly meet the artists in the #art-show channel on the con Discord.

Rachel Quinlan

Illustration of a green-faced figure in an elaborate dress, climbing a steep slope, holding a staff and lantern, with a large bundle of pots on their back containing different mushrooms. — Rachel Quinlan, The Gatherer

Illustration of three foxes in a forest setting, surrounding a book with glowing pages that swirl out and fold into rabbits. — Rachel Quinlan, The Escape

Illustration of three green and rocky islands floating in air, surrounded by stylized clouds. A pot of gold is on the uppermost island, with a rainbow emerging from it. A cloaked figure with a staff looks up at it from a smaller island. — Rachel Quinlan, Floating World I – Lucky

Illustration of a figure in an elaborate pink dress and hat, with a staff, glasses, and a book, resting on a lily pad floating in water. Around them, several large koi fish are swimming. — Rachel Quinlan, A Short Rest

Illustration of a large glowing book with an acorn on the cover, lying on the ground in a woodsy setting. A squirrel is examining it, and a snail and an insect are looking on from mushrooms in the foreground. — Rachel Quinlan, Wild Tome

Rachel Quinlan is an award-winning illustrator residing in Saint Clair Shores, MI. Her work uses a mix of watercolor, acryla-gouache, ink, and digital techniques. She’s inspired by folklore, nature, and pop culture. See more and buy at https://www.rachelquinlan.com.

Rachel’s piece “The Gatherer” is also our promotional art for WisCon this year.

Jessica Gadra Illustration

Illustration of a ravens' nest hung with jewels, three ravens perched on branches in the background. — Jessica Gadra, Ravens and Loot

Watercolor and ink illustration of a town in winter, seen from above, with people and dogs leaving trails of footprints along the snowy streets. — Jessica Gadra, Winter Dog Walkers

Watercolor and ink illustration of a hilly landscape with trees that form sides of caves, through which small elven figures and floating lights are moving. — Jessica Gadra, Mirkwood

Watercolor and ink illustration of a group of Edwardian-style ladies in big hats and dresses, sitting at cafe tables in front of a window. — Jessica Gadra, Cafe

Watercolor and ink illustration of a humanoid/tree-like figure in a long white robe, looking down at a stag skeleton with grass and plants growing through it. In the background is a mountainous landscape with a dark cave. — Jessica Gadra, Stag King

Watercolor and ink illustration of a female figure in a flowing dress with long black hair and a crescent moon on her forehead, standing amid foliage, with a moonlike circle above her head containing the form of a rabbit. — Jessica Gadra, Moon Goddess

Jessica Gadra is a Buffalo-based artist who specializes in traditional pen and ink and watercolor illustration. Her focus is on folklore, mythology, and fairy tales, and tends towards the whimsical and slightly gothic. You can find her work at jessicagadra.com or on Instagram under @outgrabes.

S. M. Hallow

Digital illustration of stylized flying white birds against a dark sky. — S. M. Hallow, untitled, #1

Stylized illustration of two skeletons lying together, half overgrown with grass and flowers — S. M. Hallow, untitled, #7

Digital illustration of a white swan flapping its wings against a sky blue background. — S. M. Hallow, untitled, #2

Illustration of a whale breaching out of the water — S. M. Hallow, untitled, #6

Digital illustration of a white owl in close-up against a black background — S. M. Hallow, untitled, #5

Digital illustration of trees and two running foxes in white against a black background. — S. M. Hallow, untitled, #4

Digital illustration of a barn owl with its face emerging from a shadowy background. — S. M. Hallow, untitled, #3

Illustration of a white swan floating on deep green water. — S. M. Hallow, untitled, #8

For me, creating art is an exercise in being a part of the world. It’s about saying I’m here, and I notice the tiniest details about the other things here with me: a feather, a tree branch, a flower, a star. These minute details are often the entire reason I begin a new painting. I love to look to the natural world for inspiration, because the natural world is full of these tiny, imperfect details where life happens. Snowflakes, a splash of water, dirt on fossilized bone—the world is so full of details that beg for attention, and I enjoy the challenge of getting those details just right. Also, I simply love animals, but birds especially. To me, their existence is proof of magic.

Website: https://www.smhallow.com/

Shop: https://www.inprnt.com/gallery/smhallow/

SamHain Press

Photo of six metal and glass pendants of different shapes, containing dried plants, flowers, and collage elements. — SamHain Press, terrarium pendants

Photo of an assortment of necklaces made with colorful beads and pendants of different designs. — SamHain Press, beaded necklaces

SamHain Press is a mixed-media artist based in Madison, Wisconsin, who specializes in one-of-a-kind, handmade jewelry and accessories made with colorful flair. Many of her works highlight natural science, celestial, and witchy aesthetics, and her jewelry is made with accessibility and size inclusiveness in mind. All her pieces can be customized to fit upon request.

Use coupon code WISCON2026 at checkout for 15% off your order!

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/samhainpress

Shop: samhainpress.com/shop

Bookish Stickers

Image of a button with the words "feels like a good day to drag a fascist into the sea" over a painting of mermaids — Bookish Stickers

Photo of several buttons showing stacks of books in pride flag colors — Bookish Stickers

Photo of a button reading, "There's no such thing as too many books" — Bookish Stickers

Photo of several queer/trans rights-themed stickers — Bookish Stickers

Photo of several book-themed stickers — Bookish Stickers

Photo of a card saying "Kindly refrain from summoning demons while in the bathroom" with a button and a sticker — Bookish Stickers

Photo of several stickers — Bookish Stickers

Photo of two stickers — Bookish Stickers

Photo of a button reading "I can do all things through spite, which strengthens me" — Bookish Stickers

Bookish Stickers is a small business based in Madison, WI, offering a range of vinyl stickers, magnets, buttons, and prints. Whether you’re passionate about social issues, pop culture, memes, sardonic wit, or simply love books, you’ll find something here that speaks to you. Follow us on Instagram @bookishstickers and shop online at www.bookishstickers.com. WisCon attendees get 15% off Bookish Stickers purchases over $20 when using code WISCON26 – this is valid through 5/31.

John Duffy

Abstract airbrush piece of a tiled brown surface with three round blue openings above a receding dark tunnel — John Duffy, Sub-Urban

Geometric abstract piece with gray grid patterns on either side of a gold circle with an eye at the center — John Duffy, Between Heaven and Hell

Geometric abstract piece with a circular hole in a grid, four colored spheres placed around it. — John Duffy, Spheres from Beyond

Abstract airbrush piece with worm-like figures hovering in front of a wall, looking through a circular opening into space — John Duffy, Is There Anybody Out There?

Japanese print-style figures standing on either side of a keyhole-shaped opening in a wall, beyond which is a landscape — John Duffy, Gateway to Paradise

I’ve been painting most of my life and fell in love with the airbrush in my late 20s. I paint mainly with acrylics on sanded gessoed canvas or panels and use all the traditional tools including the airbrush. My style is hard to pinpoint, using a mixture of post abstract and realism.

Tahlia Day

Watercolor and digital illustration of two women and a pack animal climbing a path along an icy-crevassed mountain toward a castle at the top — Tahlia Day, Icemark Holdfast

Four-paneled abstract painting of topographical images in orange and teal — Tahlia Day, Zircon Tetraptych

Abstract landscape-inspired panting suggesting a chain of green islands with a white reeflike form suggesting bones of a sea creature — Tahlia Day, Leviathan Reef

Abstract painting of two islands over dark blue cyanotype print of garlic heads — Tahlia Day, Cyanoterritories 4 (Garlic Islands)

I make map- and landscape-inspired abstract watercolor/ink paintings with occasional mixed media elements such as book pages, metal leaf, and recently cyanotype printing. I also do traditional and digital illustrations with watercolor elements, sometimes set in the worlds of my other pieces.
See more at tahliaday.com or on Etsy and my infrequently updated Instagram.

J Eve

Painting of a Black woman's face among orange tree foliage, blossoms, and oranges — J Eve, The Orange Tree

Painting of a sleeping blue-skinned female figure with long red and gold hair swirling above her head, and a moth perched on her hand — J Eve, Moth Dreams

Screen print of a pale blue female figure with long yellow hair, crowned with flowers, stroking the forehead of a yellow lioness — J Eve, Lioness

Painting of a Black woman with long locs, against a dark background, holding a glowing blue jellyfish that lights up her hair — J Eve, Harmonizer

Screen print of a pale female figure in close-up with long yellow hair and blue flowers cascading down her shoulder, holding a vial emitting white smoke — J Eve, Circe

Painting of a red-haired, light-brown-skinned woman's face surrounded by crows — J Eve, Dark Wings

Screen print of a blue-skinned figure with hands crossed over breasts and long hair flowing out against the background of a sunrise — J Eve, Dawn

Screen print of a woman in armor with long yellow hair, touching foreheads with a white horse, against a golden yellow background — J Eve, Shieldmaiden

J Eve makes artwork inspired primarily by fantasy and sci-fi novels, and by mythology and storytelling more broadly. Her hope is to create images that feel like they could be part of a larger world, one that resembles our own but invites us to imagine beyond the ordinary.
Website: https://jeveart.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/j.eve.art

Thanks for checking out the Art Show this year! See below for how to participate next time.

To receive announcements about the Art Show and the next con, sign up for the WisCon email newsletter.

Show Your Work in the WisCon Art Show!

Art is an important aspect of SFF, and an exciting Art Show is an important part of our convention!

The WisCon Art Show features work from artists in the WisCon community, particularly artists of marginalized genders and local/Midwestern artists, often exploring themes related to WisCon’s principles (SFF, feminism, social justice). In past years, the Art Show has included painting, drawing, illustration, photography, comics, printmaking, jewelry and other wearable art, sculpture, a video art display, and more.

At in-person WisCons, the Art Show operates like a gallery or store (fixed prices, no bidding). There’s no fee to participate in the show, but there is a commission on sales. Artists are welcome to sell both originals and reproductions of their work, or show work that is not for sale. If you’re unable to attend in person, we accept mail-in art.

We love to see human-made work in any medium; however, please do not submit art produced by generative AI.

Applying to the Art Show

When applications open in January, an application form will be linked on this page and announced in WisCon’s newsletter and social media (subscribe to our newsletter here to receive announcements).

Click here for all the details on how to participate as an in-person artist.

Volunteering in the Art Show

It takes over 100 at-con volunteer hours to keep the Art Show open and sell the art, so if you have work in the show (or not), please, please volunteer! If you volunteer during the con, you get to see the art, sit in a generally quiet space, and help people buy art. Or, if you’re local or arriving early, we always need more help setting up the room and panels on Thursday afternoon/evening.

At-con volunteer shift signups will be announced in May before the con starts. Email us at artshow@wiscon.net with questions.