Mail Time on The Stack
Answering your questions about Magic: The Gathering, art, and exactly what goes on here in this little corner of the internet
I very much enjoyed the few mailbag articles I did when writing for Hipsters of the Coast, and wanted to continue that tradition here. Answers ahead!
Shady on Discord asks: “What was the first thing you collected art wise for Magic?
My very first piece of original Magic art was Izzet Cluestone by Raoul Vitale. I grew up an Izzet mage during the first Ravnica back in 2005, and to this day have made artifacts and Izzet related artwork a cornerstone of my collection. It will always have a special place on my wall.
Urza on Discord asks “How did you first get involved in being an agent for artists?”
I first started in early 2020, before the pandemic. Fellow agent Vorthos Mike had an artist interested in selling some oil painted artist proofs, and although I’d never sold Magic things before, he knew I came from a background in art and antiques. After running those first few auctions and having the pandemic bear down on artists as events disappeared, I stepped in to help more than a dozen folks find new ways to make money when no one could leave home.
My work with artists has never been about making money; it’s always been about helping people. I now work almost exclusively by referral, with longtime artists bringing new folks to the fold, and other artists reaching out because they’ve heard good things. It’s been a dream to work with the people I’ve partnered with these last few years, and a privilege to get their artwork out to the world.
Oversized Shady on Discord asks “What is your holy grail Magic art piece if funds were unlimited- What is your favorite art piece you own- Your favorite proof you own?”
Will gave me a lightning round of questions, so here goes:
Holy Grail Magic Artwork (Unlimited Funds)- Dragonstorm by Kev Walker
This one got away a long time ago. It’s very small, but I would still love to own it.
Favorite Artwork I Own- Vizier of the Menagerie by Omar Rayyan
There are probably 6 paintings that could be my favorite at any given time, but for the moment this hangs right by my desk, and I get to enjoy it every day. Here it is on loan to the Magic Art Show last year.
Favorite Proof I Own- Mox Pearl by Sarah Finnigan
Another tough one where a half dozen pieces can take the title. This is the piece I purchased from the first Nucleus show, and the only one that lives outside my binder above my desk.
inusagi.tt on Instagram asks “How do you typically discover artists?”
Much like the Art Directors working for Magic, I keep my eyes up and open in the places where artists gather: Instagram, Twitter, and perhaps most importantly in-person conventions and events. IX has consistently been one of the best places to see folks that are rising through the ranks on their way to Magic, and I think that will continue.
The other place is from artist’s I enjoy sharing the work of the folks they enjoy, or the idea of “your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper.” It’s how I found the work of Serena Malyon, Eli Minaya, and someone else who I’ll be writing about in my next article.
onebadking (Eli Minaya) on Instagram asks “Do you think a revival of something like Duelist magazine (print) would be relevant to today’s Magic player?
I truly wish a print magazine, be it Duelist, or Scrye, or whatever, could sustain a comeback. Even if it was quarterly zine, I think there are a lot of longtime and enfranchised players that would find it interesting, or at the very least nostalgic enough to purchase and follow along. It would be hard to keep the information current with the fast pace of product and play, but something mirroring the variety of a site like the late Hipsters of the Coast could have a chance. But as we all know, print, and the written word in general, continue to face challenges of financial viability.
But do I think it would be relevant? To a cross section of players, absolutely.
mtgartistproofs on Instagram asks “Favorite art in the new set?”
My favorite art in the new set is Sidharth Chaturvedi’s Vara Beth Hannifer from the Commander Decks of Outlaws of Thunder Junction. He managed to make 1924 and 2024 come together in a single work that epitomizes both genres, old and new. It’s the Golden Age of Illustration during the Golden Age of Magic, and is the perfect representative of all the set stands for. You can read more about it in my Substack article here.
amazingphieats on Instagram asks “What is your favorite MTG artwork? Or if it is easier, favorite artwork from each ‘era’ of MTG?”
I think my favorite artwork is still Donato Giancola’s Doomsday Specter. It’s a piece that captured my imagination as a teenager, and still does to this day.
As far as eras go, I have a considerable nostalgia for Odyssey/Onslaught; the tales of Kamahl, the Grand Coliseum, Pit Fighters, the Krosan Forest, and the Mirari. It’s a period of time important to me and important to Magic, and always will be.
Arik on Discord asked “What art/collectibles outside of the realm do you collect? What kind of music do you prefer?
Outside of Magic, I collect original artwork for Marvel Trading Cards, and then the rainbow of card parallels associated with that artwork. That journey began in 2020 when Dave Palumbo created the Marvel Masterpieces set that year; I absolutely fell in love with his depictions of the characters, and have gone on to seek out other interesting and unique renditions of these heroes and villains to add to my collection.
And not to be forgotten, I have a soft spot for obscure graded Pokémon cards…
As far as music, I listen to literally everything. I’m a big fan of our local radio station from Towson University, 89.7 WTMD (Total Music Discovery), and will always give something new a try while I’m cutting the grass.
4acceptance on Discord asked “What artist would you like to see do what card? Or, put together a whole Secret Lair?”
Though it’s one of my favorite things to think and talk about, I can’t actually answer this anymore. Because I’m under NDA with Wizards of the Coast, my Magic Artist Wishlist days have come to a close, just to prevent any inadvertent correct guesses becoming a breach of contract. Sorry!
Stein on Discord asked “Is there a dream artist you’d love to work with (both within the Magic ecosphere and outside)?”
This is a tough one. I’m very fortunate to have the cadre of artists I currently work with, and as I mentioned earlier, most of them have come by way of referral, creating a very tight-knit circle of folks. There are definitely artists who are working on Magic, either without an agent or with another of my colleagues, who’s work I think would fit well the portfolio of what I do. I won’t name any names out of respect for who they work with, but let it be known there is always room in my book of business for an artist that wants to join my team.
Outside of Magic, there are a few folks I’ve been watching, but for the same reason I mentioned above, I best not say too much lest I accidentally be right. Here’s hoping I can circle back on that in a future mailbag article.
Ryan Urig on X asks: “How did the artist proof gallery come together? It is a very basic sounding question but to me the logistics of it seem astronomical.”
For those that may not know, Ryan is referring to Magic: The Gathering in Miniature II, a 70 artist, nearly 300 piece gallery show I guest curated at Nucleus this year. To be frank, he is not wrong; the logistics are astronomical. If we start from the beginning: each artist gets an individual email with information (or is asked in person). Usually it takes a handful of correspondence to sort out cards and art. Multiply that by 100, because not everyone says yes. Group emails follow with deadline and shipping information. And from there it’s curation- checking in with folks, answering questions, helping to guide the final pieces, and ultimately making sure everything is a.) of like kind and quality and b.) gets to where it's going, with all the paperwork filled out, by the deadline. It is, quite literally, thousands of emails. I’m not responsible for any of the scanning or information input into the website; the gallery curator Nicki France, who is an absolute champion, handles all that. As she says, for this show I get them 70-80% of the way there, and then teamwork makes the dreamwork to bring it home.
It’s a whole lot of spinning plates for the better part of the year, but it makes a considerable difference for so many of the folks involved, from sales to future commissions to just getting their name in front of a different group of collectors. This years show was another success, and I hope to continue with something similar in the future.
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The final question for today will become an article of its own:
lordgort on Discord asks: “What are the best artworks that almost nobody knows about because they were put in Alchemy sets and not on physical cards?”
This will be a reason to look closely at Alchemy, digital-only releases for Magic: The Gathering Arena, where sets often have a dozen or so pieces of new artwork per launch. It’s something I’ve largely ignored, for better or worse, but as usual, my writing partner in crime John Dale Beety knows exactly the right challenge for me.
Look for an article again in two weeks, but following I’ll return to my regular Thursday bi-weekly cadence. I appreciate each and every one of you that have signed up for this column so far; remember The comments are always open, and please feel free to share with anyone who you think might find it interesting.