Michael W. Moses goes to CoastCon 36 Science Fiction Convention in Biloxi, MS

Here is a non pottery related post for you.

Over this last weekend I went on Saturday to the 36th annual CoastCon Science Fiction convention at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Colosseum in Biloxi, MS

This year the convention saw what seemed to me to be a considerable increase in attendees from the last few years. I would like to thank the many people of CoastCon for putting together a pretty good one for 2013. It makes me anxious for the 2014 one next year!

There were a fairly large number of gamers that showed up and there were many people in costume. I found this years layout for CoastCon a bit better than in previous years at the Colosseum. There was a nice flow to the setup that really worked well.

I picked up a few items in the merchant room and went to the costume contest. This year the prize for best costume was a reproduction Brave Heart Sword, that was donated by South Coast Antiques. The sword was won by a young lady that had a great looking Wonder Woman costume that she made herself. I took a few images during the costume contest and once again was not happy at the Biloxi Colosseum's difficult lighting for photography.  After the costume contest I went around and took a few more images with my digital camera.  If you want to see a few more of the images that I took at CoastCon please go to my photobucket gallery.

I spent the evening setting around talking with some of my friends that I do not often get a chance to spend time with. We had pleasant conversation all Saturday evening, until the convention closed and we were sent out into the night.

I have spent the last two evenings processing the images that I took. I have created a few Art Photo Manipulations using some of the images that I took that I thought deserved a bit of a bump up to the next level so to speak.

I have a passion for doing my ceramic art pottery, but I must admit that I sure do love doing digital photography a whole lot.  I just love taking an image and making a collage of unrelated images that create a new and wonderful image to behold. Many do not consider this type of work to be art, but many people in the 1800's and 1900's did not consider film photography to be real art either.  To me it does not matter one way or the other. I just love digital art and photography and to me creating because one loves to create is more to do with being art than solely creating to just make money.

For a few more of my digital art photo manipulations you can see them at photobucket

Michael W. Moses Goes to MobiCon XV in Mobile, Alabama, 2012

Here is a post that is a bit different for my blog. 

I have been a fan of Science Fiction and Fantasy literature and anything else related to the theme for as long as I can remember.  As a child I think I read every piece of classic science fiction and fantasy that was available. I would anxiously wait for the local drugstore to get in the latest paperbacks to see what new works were out in paperback.
So naturally Conventions are a real draw for me.

Michael W. Moses with the mysterious "Pussy the Cat" 

On Saturday the 19th I went to  MobiCon, Mobile's premier science fiction, fantasy, anime, gaming, comics, paranormal, Cosplay, and media convention.  From the moment I enter the doors of the Ashbury Hotel on Airport Blvd.  I was overwhelmed by the number of people in attendance!

Everywhere I looked there were people and so many of them were in costume.  It is nothing for people to come to these cons in costume, but in the last few years it seems that fewer people have been costuming at local conventions.  Well, There were people in Super Hero costumes. Characters from Japanese anime series. People dressed like characters from various different games.  Television characters. And loads of Steampunk inspired costumes.

After my arrival I changed into my costume for the afternoon.  I dressed in a jaunty modern Japanesque outfit, That I unfortunately did not get any images of on my camera.  I will post one in a future post, if I can get one of the many people that took pictures of this costume to email me one.

A view of the merchant's room at MobiCon XV

I spent the afternoon walking around talking with friends and meeting people. I wandered around the merchant room and looked at all the different things that the dealers had brought out for the fans to buy. I saw some really great bead work done by a very talented beader. Cool leather steam punk goggles. A wide variety of little tiny steampunk hats. That I must say would have been great to put on my cats and take pictures to put on line to embarrass them.  There were a number of people selling vintage and even a few antique items.  I bought a nice inlaid bone and exotic wood, vintage box that was more than likely made in Egypt. I also bought a great little 1920's-30's tin typewriter ribbon can that has a Japanese Geisha design on the lid.

After going out for dinner I changed into something a bit more evening appropriate  I wore a mildly steam punk, Mister Hyde character outfit of Golden evening jacket, red shirt, black pants, and top hat.  As pictured above in the image with the mysterious "Pussy the Cat", who just happened to make a special appearance, to the delight of all but the rodent visitors at the con.

I spent most of the evening, as I had for part of the afternoon taking a few images here and there.

The Game Room at MobiCon XV 2012

The costume contest was well attended by both costumers and attendees.  I can say that it looked as if a good time was had by all. 

The Top Winner of the Costume Contest

He Designed and Built His Own Steampunk  Apparatus 

Contestants During the Costume Contest

Author Christopher Rice and Michael W. Moses

 
As I was leaving I had the pleasure to meet the writer Christopher Rice and chat for a few minutes and get a quick picture taken.

I spent the rest of the evening talking with good friends and enjoying a very nicely chilled, couple of bottles of champagne.

The evening ended rather late and had an uneventful ride home to the O.S. Sigh, not even a flying saucer sighting.

Over all, after all the chaos that has swirled around the shop closing, moving to a new home, and reopening the shop at Centuries Antique Mall in D'Iberville, MS.  MobiCon was a much needed mini vacation that has left me ready to throw myself back into the fray of daily life with renewed vigor.

See more photos of MobiCon XV 2012

Michael W. Moses has an Evening at CoastCon Science Fiction Convention

I spent Saturday evening at the34th annual CoastCon Science Fiction Convention in Biloxi, MS.  It was held at the Mississippi Coast  Convention Center.  This years theme was "Zombies" !  So I put on my best zombie and off we went. 

Michael W. Moses Zombified.

After a Long  Day Working at South Coast Antiques & Gallery

We did not get there until a bit before 6:00 pm. We had a very busy day at the shop!  I  was a bit disappointed to find out  once I arrived that I was apparently the only zombie there in costume!  I had hoped that I would be able to find a small group of about twenty or so zombies that I could hang out with and we could just mindlessly zombie around all over the place, but alas,  it was just not meant to be. So I just zombied around and had a great time being photographed and lurking about.  

Being Attacked by a Zombie Hunter!

It Seems This Happens Every Time

I was able to do a quick run through the merchants room and I attended the costume contest.  I also saw the talented  Baklava Bellydance group.

Michael W. Moses Doing a Number with the Baklava Bellydance group
I Love Baklava!

Then I took a few images. Very few. I spent more time being photographed than taking photographs.  I then spent a bit of time talking with friends. After which a group of  us went out for a bite at the Kings Buffet Chinese restaurant.in Biloxi. Over all I had a fairly nice evening out. 


Back to doing pottery today!