Grand Prix madness in Tacoma

I've signed at 4 Magic the Gathering events thus far in my short time with the franchise, and I mean to tell you the Grand Prix in Tacoma was by far the most wild and insane. I stayed again with gracsiously kind, fellow MTG artist Franz Vohwinkle and his wife Imelda, even met up with Wizards ADs Dawn Murin and Dana Knutson, who I'd been wanting to meet for years, at their place on the Alki coast of Western Seattle.. but.. the big swingin' gig was the GP, and the number of players was estimated at well over 1100. The vast expanse of competing humanity was rivaled only by the constant line of art fans.. I actually had to have Wizards guys stop the line to grab lunch !?! It was a sight I'd not experienced yet in this lifetime, and I humbly bow to the inner art nerds in us all.. Wow.. What a beautiful outpouring of Magic lovin' cats and kitties..

This was of course not the biggest event I was told, but Tim Shields and Cascade Games (more on this kind chap later) broke a new record for attendance in Tacoma. Tacoma is relatively small, but driving in I saw its Union Station, got a couple shots of this beautiful Deco period structure, and also had lunch and a pint of the black stuff at this nicely designed Irish Pub Paddy Coynes. This thing called Magic the Gathering is a phenomenon!! I'm happy when I see a take on strategic game

play other than pro sports supported and followed so it remains in existence. But when I see a following that has reached such an international magnitude, and grown exponentially in the process, I'm just at a loss for words. It was an absolute pleasure to sketch, and alter, and sign all those cards in Tacoma, and I'll keep the mailing list up on the next event to come.