Ad Astra (con)

Science Fiction Convention
Name:	Ad Astra
Dates:
Frequency:	Annual
Location:
Type:	Multi-genre
Focus:	Science Fiction/Fantasy
Organization:
Founder:
Founding Date:	1980?
URL:	https://ad-astra.org/ http://terra.phys.yorku.ca/~white/adastra/ (1999 archive)
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Ad Astra is a science fiction and fantasy con held in Canada.

The Team, Eh? worked on their art shows.

1988

This was the eight con.

1992

June 5–7

1992: Con Reports

Being a Team, Eh? show, there is no doubt that the show will be well handled. $6 for 4x4. Bidsheets and Mastersheets on request. The only real problem here is that the show itself is in Canada. Getting art across the border can be complicated, but Suzanne is getting the hang of customs and stuff. Also, the moneys are changed from American to Canadian and back again. If you're not all the put off by this stuff, contact Diana. There will be someone from my house going at least. I showed last year and sold 7 of the 14 shown. Made good money, and don't want to miss this show. A nice, big show with lots of buyers. They've got more space & are looking at setting up sketch tables inside the show itself. Often very good money, and pays AT the con (A Team, Eh? rule of thumb). Highly recommended.

There was a new hotel this year, with lots of space. The art show was given a bigger room, and there was room to expand. There was a good variety of faces that crossed the border, and an excellent crew of local artists to boot. The auction was fast paced with the pirate auctioneers (Now there's truth, they were just

plundering the crowd). Diana showed 12 pieces, sold 8. Heather showed 22 and sold 21. Joyce showed, Ruth showed and sold most everything.

Toronto ON, CANADA The Team, Eh? Suzanne Robinson

Last year I showed 12 and sold 8. A good art show. Their art show is better than their dealers.

1993

1993: Con Reports

The Ad Astra art show is quickly becoming the premier convention an show in Canada and one of the best in the MidWest. Consistent high sales and enthusiastic buying public make it a sellers dream. The show was run as usual by The Team, Eh?, since I'm a member I don't feel I can comment on how we did. (But we had no complaints and no hassles with any artist or buyer, so we're still doing something right.) We had a large number ofmail-in artists as usual, by following our instructions on dealing with the border everything went smoothly. The art show-sold out well ahead of time again. Next year, they're talking about moving us to a bigger room, so we might have more space. There was an excellent assortment of artists from all over Canada and the US and the quality overall was very high. Voting on the awards was not at all easy!

It was three bids to auction as usual and we ended up with a good bul not too big amount of an in the auction which was held Saturday night. I noticed this year that the bidders are getting more serious. A lot of the bid sheets didn't have jumps of $1 but instead they were usually S5orS10and some people jumped bids by $50 on the sheet trying to keep things from going to auction. Sometimes it worked sometimes it didn't. Anumber of years ago at one of the Ad Astra auctions we mentioned jump bidding as a tactic and the bidders have certainly taken it to heart. The crowd at the auction was boisterous and fun and the auctioneers were hot. A lot of people come to our auctions for the entertainment value and end up bidding. Any one that says fun auctions make for low prices has never been to one of ours.' Money was moving hot and fast. Once again in the voice auction many of the bidders jumped by $5 to $10 dollars. These folks are serious about their art buying. A number of jump bids were downright scary. At any rate, sales for this year were up again and everyone went away satisfied (well not the out-bid buyers....)

Check-out went smoothly and quickly, all artists were paid at the con (some by cheque if they made too much), mail-in art was sent out within the week along with money-order payment. Once again this year, the show was a joy forall involved, good sales, no hassles. The buying public here is settling into a real good one and that can only mean good things for the future.

Diana showed 16 and sold 9. Frank showed 3 and sold 1. Ruth sent 12 and sold 12. LA Williams sent 16 and sold 9. Heather showed 18 sold 17.

1994

June 17–19

1994: Con Reports

Ya know. I honestly think that the Ad Astra Art Show is bigger than the huckster's room.

This years show had a lot of new faces (and thus there was some real competition for the Elizabeth Pearse Award - a cash and ribbon award open to encourage new artists just like Elizabeth used to do). One new artist was approached by a gaming company for illustrations, .so he was thrilled. The Team eh? put on a great show as usual. Everyone has such a good time, and the staff knows what to do and how. Cash was paid out at the end of the day Sunday. The auction was lively, although things did not seem to go very high. Heather's beautiful ying-yang dragons piece was the show's high seller at around $250.

The Print shop is actually set up inside the dealer's room, so sales were well received there.

The rest of the convention is always great fun. They have a marvelous pool. There are few room parties later at night, but those that are in swing are late ones (Heather and I were too tired to have an artists' jam... oh well). The dealers room has some stuff that I never see anywhere else. Much fun. Diana showed showed 20. and sold 14. Some of this was my China work which was easy to carry to the con. All of the china would have sold except someone didn't pick up soon enough, so I went home with one. My best sale was a tiny picture of a winged kitten on it's back with a ball of yarn - it started at $1. and sold for $14 (which was my highest sale). My total money earned was an even $100.

Heather had a bay and sold most everything. Susan Van Camp sold most all of the originals she had for sale, and the print suitcase was lighter on the way home.

1995

June 16–18

This was the 15 Ad Astra Con.

1995: Con Reports

This year, Ad Astra moved to a new hotel. They decided to listen to a small faction of commuters and found themselves a hotel that was on a bus route. The hotel was smaller, much much smaller. The art show was as far away from the dealers' room as you could possibly get and still be inside the hotel. The room was small-ish but not tiny (probably so far away so they could spare us the space). The show Itself was great. Heather, Ruth, Wayne Barlow, Kelly, Larry, Jane, myself. The work was varied and of good quality. Susan Lucy, and Denise sent prints that were nicely received. Mai Lee did two papercut pieces (one of which she dyed part of) that were very well received - in fact one sold for $160 and she practically fainted. Larry deSouze did up these nut-crackers as Wart, and they were a stitch (come to think of it, my husband bought one). Blade had a great collection of etched glasswork, and was selling a bunch of them. Money wasn't prime this year. We did have Interest and sales, but the amount of cash there was down from last years. Perhaps this was due to the fact the there was a Mall across the street and everybody went shopping before art show close on Sat. The nice part about the con was finding Ruth Thompson and Todd Jordan there. We saw the new oil picture Ruth is working on and spent all Saturday night in their room talking.

Diana showed 22, sold 15 and made $182 The best sellers included a Furry. (there is a good contingency building here), and a punchcard extinction dinosaur.