(Image property of Spectrum Fantastic Art Live)
On Friday afternoon, May 17th, 2013, after cryptic references on the Spectrum Fantastic Art Live 2 page about “there’s no telling what the future may bring” the incomparable Cathy and Arnie Fenner announced that the upcoming twentieth volume of Spectrum: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art would be their last. They officially retired. The awe-inspiring annual collection of art will continue, a passing of the torch occurred that I will reference later, but the end of an era has nonetheless come upon us and I join many who cannot help but feel a bittersweet melancholy over the news.
Dear Cathy and Arnie Fenner…do you know what you have done? For twenty years…two decades…you have bound imagination and wonder between gorgeously decorated front and back covers and people the world over have opened those covers and unleashed seeds of inspiration that have produced and will be producing fruit for decades to come. Certainly one could argue that there are art books galore, but there is only one Spectrum and it has become an annual event for those who look at fantastic art and are transported outside of themselves.
Thank you!
It cannot have escaped your notice that a common theme among the winners at the Spectrum 20 Awards Ceremony on Saturday night was the acknowledgment of the way in which their first experience with a Spectrum volume set them on their artistic path. You did that. Granted the production of such a high quality book each year is a team effort and I in no way mean to diminish or denigrate the efforts of all those involved in making sure that each and every year for twenty years fantastic art fans have had a Spectrum to enjoy. Nor do I wish to make light of the hard work of each and every artist featured in the pages of Spectrum–without the artists there would be no book. But someone has to dream the dream; someone has to put that dream into motion and dedicate the blood, sweat and tears necessary for that dream to become reality; someone has to lead…and for twenty years that has been the two of you.
Thank you!
The annual volume of Spectrum has brought artists and their work to the eyes of fans the world over and the way in which that art affects them cannot be fully fathomed. Each volume acts as an ambassador, spreading the influence of fantastic art from person to person, from place to place. And for the last two years you have worked to make Spectrum: The Book come alive in the form of Spectrum Fantastic Art Live here in Kansas City. Artists and fans alike spoke in tones of wonder about the experience, a situation that is already occurring hot on the heels of this year’s repeat engagement. Regardless of the fate of the Live events in the future, you brought something to the Midwest that the Midwest has never had and the ripples of these shows will not soon fade away.
Thank you!
On a personal note, I moved to the Kansas City area almost fifteen years ago and it was a combination of things, including the Spectrum volumes and your books about Frank Frazetta, that forged a lasting and cherished friendship. Each year my friend Jeff and I honor that memory by sitting down and cracking open our new Spectrum books together, discussing each and every image. In addition to the sheer enjoyment that the art gives, your creation has helped me to discover books and authors that had escaped my notice in the previous year and some of those books have become like dear friends. Spending time with the newest volume of Spectrum has become a Christmas season tradition and I cannot help but feel sad that this year’s festivities will be the last time we see the names Cathy and Arnie Fenner on the cover. You’ve made a difference in my life.
Thank you!
Spectrum: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art will not die. The already published volumes will live on and no doubt continue to find their way into the hands of budding artists where they will ignite a spark that will set fire to the art world. And new volumes will continue to be printed thanks to your long-time-in-the-making plans to hand over the reigns to John Fleskes of Flesk Publications. As I sat there Friday afternoon fighting the desire to know what the “big news” would be and wishing there were no “big news” items to announce, I must admit to a sigh of relief when you followed up the sad news with the declaration that the books would continue, helmed by John Fleskes. His company puts out quality craftsmanship, something we have come to expect from Spectrum. Yours was a very good choice.
Thank you!
It will be an exciting new era, but it is hard to let you go. I hope others will use this forum to express their thanks to you in their own words, but on their behalf, and my own, I felt compelled to publish this letter. For all of us who have a passion for this type of art the importance of Art in our day-to-day lives cannot be overstated. Fantastic art is not mere entertainment. That can certainly be one aspect, but art opens eyes; it inspires; it demands to be heard; it changes lives. The two of you have had a major hand in that and your efforts and dedication deserve to be lauded.
Thank you…oh thank you so very, very much. Whatever ventures you undertake going forward, know that our best wishes and support go with you.
That is a neat Christmas ritual. I feel one notch lower on the geekdom scale aside from not even knowing about Spectrum. Cool for you, at least, to be there in person.
It was an amazing experience. If by some miracle we get another SFAL here, you will HAVE to come.
Thank you!
Let me echo those words to both Cathy and Arnie Fenner.
I can’t express how much Spectrum and your work has meant to Carl’s and I’s friendship. Almost ten years ago I was working at a comic store in Blue Sprigs, MO, A to Z Comics,. I’m not sure how it happened but as time progressed Carl and I became friends initially through our mutual admiration of Frank Frazetta. We started with collecting the books you edited and from their sought out more and more art books until we discovered Spectrum. I want to say it was around volume 14. We then started our annual tradition of ordering our books and scheduling a time to get together and experience them together. We literally will take hours going through the book commenting on artists, pointing out items to each other that we see in the images, making list of artists to google later on the Internet and giving our own two cents on which images we loved that should have been given full page spreads. You have to laugh but we didnt always agree with your choices. The Spectrum annual was our own personnel yearly art show and we loved it. We made it an event for ourselves each year. This is such a fun way to experience the book I just cant recoommend it enough for others to experience in this way. I challenge everyone who gets a copy of volume 20 this year to experience it with at least one other person. It’s just so fun.
Carl and I have done the same thing at the past two Spectrum shows. Sharing the art through each others eyes. It’s such a great experience. I’m getting a grin across my face right now just looking forward to doing this with Spectrum 20 this fall. So it was with great relief that when we sat in the audience on Friday afternoon and heard that Spectrum was not coming to an end but that the torch was being passed to another. We were seriously stressing out that some really bad news was coming and we were so glad to be wrong. We are both huge fans and supporters of Flesk publications. Your going to laugh but we each visibly sighed with relief as we walked back to help a dear friend of ours with his booth.
We would also read Arnie’s year in review each year and agonize about the incredible artists and editors who would visit our fair city each year just minutes away from us and judge the competitions. We were always talking about how much we would love to meet them and that they were right there and yet we couldn’t. Then the Fenners made our dreams come true by starting Spectrum Fantastic Live two years ago and holding it again this year. We had to pinch ourselves that this was actually happening and in our home town. This event has exceeded our expectations each year. I can’t describe how positive the vibe has been between the artists, the show staff, the fans and even the men and women running the convention hall. Something special took place and it was incredible. I’m still on cloud nine from my experiences. The Fenner’s truly brought the community together for one weekend each of these past two years. I now only hope that this can continue on in some way next year and the years beyond because there is just nothing else out there like it. Even if it doesn’t I feel as if some magical did happen and I was there.
Thank you! These words aren’t enough but they are all we have and they mean more than I can express. I know I’m rambling and I’m not the wordsmith that my friend Carl is but I just wanted to try and get across how we all don’t know every day how we impact people. Too often in life we focus on the negatives. Arnie and Cathy I want you to know a positive. Not only have you influenced my appreciation of art you introduced me to my best friend through your passion and for that the words thank you can never be enough but they are the most valuable thing I can give you. I wish both all the best going forward. If you ever need anything don’t hesitate to ask because I owe you big time.
Jeff Smith
Well said. You captured so much of what I was thinking about as I contemplated doing this post over the last couple of days. So fun going down memory lane like that.
Yes, we owe Cathy and Arnie Fenner A LOT! And I’m with you, anything we can do to repay that, and/or pay it forward, I am game to do.
My “letter” could have been hundreds…thousands…of gushing words longer and it would not have adequately expressed how I feel about what these two people have given us (not just me and you but also the greater community). “Thank you” is so inadequate, but what else can we say?
Thank you Jeff for adding to my words and making this expression of gratitude even better.
yup… when something touches your inside..really great feelings can be written.. I hope you mailed the letter!
It is just in this format at this time. Not sure I even know where to mail a print copy of the letter.
just like an actor can be written to by the studio his latest movie was made.. I believe you can write to an author and send it via the publishers of their books.
beautiful.
Thanks. Easy to write given how much their efforts have meant to so many over the years.
You always have a way with words and have a way of sucking me in. I have to admit I don’t know about Spectrum, but I feel you anguish and loss. I hope the new chapter and people do not disappoint.
Thanks, TBM. This was one where things just easily flowed out because the sentiment runs deep. I’m so grateful for the work these two have done to honor the kind of art that turned me into a fan of SFF when I was a child and also showcasing the new and innovative work of contemporary artists. They gave a 20 year gift to fans of great art.
I’ll be doing a giveaway soon for the latest book, Spectrum 19, so perhaps you’ll be able to get in on that and might win and find out just what the book is all about.
So well said everyone. What the Fenners have done for the art world as a whole is not to be minimized. Spectrum certainly played a role in the major shifts in contemporary art and illustration. I have witnessed this in my own career and the careers of others. Thanks for this write and of course thanks Arnie and Cathy. Good luck John, we’re all with you.
Thanks for adding your thanks to Arnie and Cathy and encouragement to John. Spectrum is the reason I discovered your wonderful work several years ago, one of many such blissful introductions wrought by the Spectrum annual.
Very well said, Carl. A wonderful open letter, heartfelt and sincere. I do so wish I’d been able to attend SAL one of the two years, and really, really hope there will be another show…and another.
I do too…both wishing you could attend and that they will do more and more of these shows.
Carl, Jeff, reading your open letters to Arnie and Cathy came across to me as very heartfelt and touching. Well said, gentlemen. Arnie and Cathy have inspired me through their books, in the positive way in which they have brought artists together and in how well they treat people. They care so deeply about the artists and community and have given so much. I hope with my taking over Spectrum they can take a well-deserved break–maybe a vacation or two?
I have been collecting Spectrum since the first annual with that gorgeous Jim Gurney cover, and each year I lose myself in the art featured. It’s an honor to be involved with Spectrum.
During the transition announcement at Spectrum Fantastic Art Live I was standing off to the side and watching the faces in the crowd when Arnie was making the announcement. When he said that he and Cathy would not be doing Spectrum anymore there was an audible gasp and concerned looks on the faces of those in the audience. His immediate follow up that Spectrum would go on resulted in a combined exhale of relief by the crowd.
Thanks, Carl, for sharing and starting this well-deserved tribute to Arnie and Cathy. It was great seeing you at the show.
–John
Thank you John. I can assure you that we both have the sincerest admiration for the Fenners. As lovers of books and lovers of art we have had many, MANY conversations over the years regarding the quality of book they put together as well as the quality of the artists featured within. There is nothing like Spectrum out there, in my opinion.
I think I started collecting them with issue 7 and have them all except #4. I’d eventually like to own all the ones in hardback that I’ve only found in paperback, but that is turning into an expensive hobby, which is completely understandable.
We were among those in the crowd worried about the announcement. I had just said to Jeff earlier in the day something to the effect of “what if they are going to announce that the book is not going to exist any more after number 20?”. We were among those gasping, and then exhaling, when the announcement was made.
You and your books have also been a frequent source of our conversations over the years and so our joy in the choice of successor was palpable on that Friday afternoon when all was announced.
I can say with confidence, in speaking for Jeff as well as myself, that you have two avid supporters right from day one. Consider this blog a source of promotion whenever the need arises because Flesk Publications puts out books worthy of praise.
Great seeing you at SFAL2 John, and congratulations on not only your newest gig, but on putting together such a great SFAL2 commemorative book. Wow!