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Fiona Smyth

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fiona Smyth
Born1964 (age 59–60)
Occupation(s)Cartoonist and illustrator
Known forCheez
Notable workNocturnal Emissions

Fiona Smyth (born 1964) is a Canadian cartoonist, illustrator, and comics educator.

Biography

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Born in Montreal, Smyth was educated at a Catholic girls' school before her family moved to Toronto. After graduating from the art program at Central Technical School, she took a degree from the Ontario College of Art in 1986. She began creating comics as a student, inspired in part by the work of Keith Haring and Chester Brown.[1]

Smyth established herself as a painter and muralist (including designing the facade of the iconic Sneaky Dee's music venue) in Toronto, often incorporating comics and zines into her practice, stating "“Even my earliest shows, I would make zines to sell. So I would have an art show but make a mini-zine to sell, because people might not be able to afford a painting, but they could afford a zine.”[2]

Along with collaborating with schoolmates Maurice Vellekoop and Seth, Smyth also contributed solo work to many comics anthologies and zines. Vortex Comics published four issues of her comic book series Nocturnal Emissions between 1991 and 1994. Her longrunnig weekly comic strip Cheez began in Exclaim! Magazine and ran for ten years (1992–2002).[3]

Smyth has been an instructor at OCAD University since 2006. She was inducted into the Giants of the North: The Canadian Cartoonist Hall of Fame in 2019.[4]

Bibliography

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Books and collections

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Year Title Publisher ISBN Notes
2001 Cheez Pedlar Press 978-0968652220 collecting comic strip work from Exclaim! Magazine
2011 The Never Weres Annick Press 978-1554512843 graphic novel
2013 What Makes a Baby Seven Stories Press 978-1609804855 with Cory Silverberg
2015 Sex is a Funny Word Seven Stories Press 978-1609806064 with Cory Silverberg
2018 Somnambulance Koyama Press 978-1927668542 career retrospective collection

References

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  1. ^ Enns, Anthony (2018). "Sex, Feminism, and Comics: An Interview with Fiona Smyth". Dalhousie Review. 98 (2). hdl:10222/83863. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  2. ^ Kenins, Laura (May 10, 2018). "Koyama Press gives celebrated Toronto artist Fiona Smyth her first retrospective collection". Quill & Quire. Toronto. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  3. ^ Enns, Anthony (2018). "Sex, Feminism, and Comics: An Interview with Fiona Smyth". Dalhousie Review. 98 (2). hdl:10222/83863. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  4. ^ van Koeverden, Jane (Apr 24, 2019). "Alootook Ipellie, Fiona Smyth are the 2019 inductees to Canadian cartooning hall of fame". CBC.ca. CBC. Retrieved November 23, 2024. Inuit artist Alootook Ipellie and Toronto comic creator Fiona Smyth will be inducted into the Giants of the North Hall of Fame at the annual Doug Wright Awards on May 11.