2009 Hugo and Chesley Awards!

These are all the main artistic awards assigned in Montreal, Canada, during the 67th edition of Worldcon. I followed the ceremonies live on the Twitter screen (see my new diabolic link on the menu at your right) as an editor for Convention Reporter, helped by the reports of my amazing colleague on the field John Picacio (Chesley for Best Paperback Cover)! About Convention Reporter, it's another incredible initiative launched by the unstoppable Cheryl Morgan. Stuck in all the Canadian airport for days - maybe also while I'm writing - she was able to attend myriads of panels, deliver real time news and conquer a well deserved Hugo, as Best Fan Writer. Godspeed, Cheryl, you have all my admiration...!

The mythical Donato Giancola brought home three Awards and maybe I'll be able to express personally my congrats to him when next fall he will attend Lucca Comics here in Italy.

On my front I was defeated by the wonderful cover for Clarkesworld by Matts Minnhagen. Eh, my category was indeed explosive...

Back to hard work now! In a few days I'll post new art! Judges of the next editions, sit tight!!!

HUGO AWARDS

Best Artist

Donato Giancola

Best Fan Artist

Frank Wu

CHESLEY AWARDS

Best Cover Illustration: Hardback Book

Donato Giancola, A Book of Wizards edited by Marvin Kaye (SFBC, April 2008)

Best Cover Illustration: Paperback Book

John Picacio, Fast Forward 2 edited by Lou Anders (Pyr, November 2008)

Best Cover Illustration: Magazine

Matts Minnhagen, Clarkesworld, April 2008

Best Interior Illustration

Donato Giancola, "The Wraith" by J. Robert Lennon (Playboy, November 2008)

Best Color Work: Unpublished

Simon Dominic, The Gift, Digital

Best Monochrome Work: Unpublished

Simon Dominic, The Kraken, Digital

Best Three-Dimensional Art

Vincent Villafranca, The Celestial Itinerant, Bronze

Best Product Illustration

Dan Dos Santos, Hellboy II promotional art, Dark Horse & Universal Pictures

Best Gaming - Related Illustration

Volkan Baga, Stoic Angel, Magic Card, Shards of Alara, WotC

Best Art Director

Lou Anders, Pyr Books

Award for Artistic Achievement

Julie Bell, website

2009 Chesley Award Finalist!

Maurizio is again a Nominee in the Best Magazine Cover Category, together with John Picacio, Bob Eggleton, David A. Hardy and Matts Minnhagen!

It was pure pleasure to discover that my last cover realized for the F&SF magazine changed its status from suggestion to Nominee in the 2009 Chesley Awards, scheduled to be announced during the next WorldCon in Montreal.

It's the fourth time I jump on the podium and I see the world from the clouds. In 2003 I won in the Best Unpublished Illustration Category, in 2008 and today I've been nominated in the Best Magazine Cover Category and in 2004 I earned a nomination for my contribution at ASFA, the Association of Fantasy and Science Fiction Artists alas the same Association sponsoring the Award..

Check the full list of Nominees here (what a team!) and cross the fingers with me. Well, as my friend Cheryl Morgan keeps saying in her Blog: "Go Italy!" :-)

2008 Chesley Award Nominee!

I'm a CHESLEY Award finalist in the MAGAZINE category for the illustration Lázaro y Antonio appeared on F&SF (June 2007)! The winners will be announced on August 7th, during the 66th WorldCon.

It's beautiful to be side by side with all my overseas colleagues. On the occasion I wish to thank all the reviewers, artists and fans spurring my Muse with their incredible enthusiasm and emotions, particularly

• John Picacio, for his kind words in a recent
Clarkesworld interview
• Jason Sanford for being in my Fans Top Ten list
• Io9 for their recent shower of love and excellent work in the field (tip by John Joseph Adams at the F&SF Blog)
• SFSignal for their continuous plugs -- you are my sf newspaper!

The list would be much longer -- I love you all, people!

Italia Award 2007 Nominee!

I'm a nominee in the Italia Award 2007
as Best Professional Illustrator
in the Science Fiction field!

The final results will be announced in Fiuggi (Rome)
on 24 March 2007.

Update after the final results : no crown, this time! :)