Jeanne Gomoll Wins 2017 Rotsler Award

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The 2017 Rotsler Award has been given to Jeanne Gomoll, of Madison, Wisconsin.

The award, established in 1998 and named for the talented, prolific artist Bill Rotsler (1926-1997), is for long-time artistic achievement in amateur publications of the science fiction community.  The winner receives a plaque and an honorarium of US$300.

Gomoll (“go-MOLL”) was a Guest of Honour at the 72nd World Science Fiction Convention, held at London, England, in 2014.  She created the covers for its Pocket Programme Guide.  The 24th issue of the amateur magazine Chunga had covers by her, with a discussion in Chunga 25 (February 2017).  She has been praised for illustration, graphic design, and focus, in monochrome and color.

She was twice a finalist for the Hugo Award (Best Fanartist, 1978, 1980).  She created the logos for the Tiptree Award, and for the fanzine-interest convention Corflu.  She did covers and interiors for many issues of Janus, which she co-edited with Janice Bogstad.  Janus won two Fan Activity Achievement Awards and was three times a Hugo finalist (Best Fanzine, 1978-1980).

Gomoll co-founded Wiscon, the leading feminist S-F convention, and served on the board of its sponsoring organization for almost forty years.  She was elected the Trans-Atlantic Fan Fund delegate in 1987 and was sent to the 45th Worldcon, held at Brighton, England.

She worked for the State of Wisconsin, then started her own firm Union Street Design, serving State-agency clients and others.

The Rotsler is sponsored by the Southern California Institute for Fan Interests, a non-profit corporation which has produced the World Science Fiction Convention three times.  Current judges are Sue Mason, John Hertz, and Mike Glyer.  The Rotsler is announced at Loscon, the annual Los Angeles SF convention, sponsored by the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society, a non-profit corporation.

This year Loscon XLIV was held November 24-26 at the Los Angeles International Airport Marriott Hotel.  A display of Gomoll’s work was in the Art Show.

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11 thoughts on “Jeanne Gomoll Wins 2017 Rotsler Award”

  9. To Sue Mason, John Hertz, and Mike Glyer–

    I am extremely honored to have received the Rotsler award and am grateful for this recognition for my work. Thank you so much!

    A long time ago, in 1975, I was just learning what the words “fandom,” “illo,” and “egoboo” meant. “Send the fanzine editor an illo…” Hank Luttrell counseled neofan me, “…and they’ll send you a copy of their zine.” It was all a new world to me, and one that I was eager to explore. Around that time, I remember a fan telling me about a fabulous artist, Frank Frazetta, who was famed for his comic book and paperback book covers. I remember this fan sadly remarking that because Frazetta’s professional career was turning out so well, he had stopped doing fannish work. Now, (Google research tells me:) I suppose this was a reference to Frazetta’s fanzine, Outlooks, but at the time, I was simply struck with the mind-bending idea that a fanzine artist might move from amateur to professional work, and feel allegiance to both fannish and professional worlds. Later I would become acquainted with Bill Rotsler’s art. I was one of the lucky fan editors who received envelopes stuffed with Bill’s illos. Here was another artist who maintained a foot in fandom and a professional career.

    This moment embedded itself in my memory, in the same way that a second, earlier experience did, and for the same reason: both moments ended up resonating with the course my life took.

    The second experience happened long before I encountered fandom. I was probably only about 7 years old and sitting on the front porch watching people walk past on the sidewalk. A woman appeared, wearing a suit and carrying a briefcase, and I was so captivated by her purposeful, confident stride, that I ran to the sidewalk and watched her until she disappeared. I wanted to be that woman. Years later, I was walking up State Street carrying some posterboard in an artist’s portfolio, and I suddenly thought I had glimpsed that very same woman, from 25 years earlier, walking down State Street. But it was me; I had seen my own reflection in a store window. I had become the woman I had dreamed of becoming.

    With this award, I realize that I have traveled another full circle. I’ve experienced and enjoyed a dual identity — as fannish AND professional artist. The possibility that so intrigued me in 1975 became a framework for my life. I have so much for which to thank fandom: the skills and experiences I gained as a fannish artist translated into a career, without dousing my enthusiasm for fannish projects.

    To be honored for these life-definining experiences is a wonderful thing. Thank you.

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