Articles + Reviews
The Catalyst (Oct 14, 2022) - Review of PPZF 2022
Artist cV
EDUCATION
SCHOOL OF THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO - Chicago, IL (2009 - 2013)
Graduated Spring 2013 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree with focus in Illustration and Sequential Art. Earned SAIC Merit Scholarship.
EXPERIENCE
SELF-PUBLISHER + ILLUSTRATOR - Colorado Springs, CO (Formerly Chicago, IL)
Kels Choo (Jan 2013 – Present)
•Writing, drafting, illustrating comics and other products.
•Formatting, printing, manufacturing comics and other products.
•Exhibiting in local, national, and international conventions or festivals.
•Selling my work at events, online, and wholesale to shops.
•Promoting my work through social media and online marketing.
•Facilitating workshops and speaking at events.
PIKES PEAK ZINE FEST FOUNDER + ORGANIZER - Colorado Springs, CO
Pikes Peak Zine Fest (Apr, 2019 – Present)
•Organizing and running zine-making workshops, annual exhibitor market, and other events.
•Recruiting and coordinating with exhibitors, volunteers, and sponsors.
•Creating signage, imagery, and event posters.
•Running marketing in person and online.
DENVER SMALL PRESS FEST ORGANIZER + VOLUNTEER - Denver, CO
Pikes Peak Zine Fest (Dec, 2021 – Present)
•Assisting with organizing bi-annual exhibitor market.
•Coordinating with other organizers, exhibitors, and volunteers.
•Assisting with marketing on social media and online.
SALES ASSOCIATE - Chicago, IL
Foursided Card + Gift (Oct 2015 – Jun 2017)
•Led inventory management project across all shop locations.
•Organized buyer’s lists and aided with inventory management.
•Received product, and created visual product displays.
•Assisted with webstore maintenance and mailing web orders.
•Handled cash transactions and provided customer service.
•Created custom signs and labels for products.
MY SAIC STORY FREELANCE ARTIST - Chicago, IL
School of the Art Institute of Chicago (Jan – Mar 2013)
•Brainstormed with writer for storyline.
•Illustrated and colored a graphic story.
Publications
SELF-PUBLISHED
PROTECT OUR AQUIFER - Informational mini-zine about the Red Hill Fuel Tanks in Honolulu, HI. Free zine for Protect our Aquifer HI. (2020/Updated 2023)
ZINES 101 - Educational mini-zine about zines! Free zine for Pikes Peak Zine Fest. (2021)
COVEN OF WELLINGTON WOODS - Stand-alone copy of my Group Chat comic. (2019)
TINY HALLOWEEN ZINE - Mini illustration zine of spooky images. (2018)
KAU KAU TIME - Illustration zine about Hawaii food. (2018)
LAIKA - Mini-zine introducing my dog, Laika. (2018)
HAPPY HOME - Color pencil zine about memory and sentimental items. (2018)
HAMSTER CARE 101 - Educational zine about basic hamster care. (2017)
THE THREE GODDESSES - Watercolor zine of the goddesses witches worship. (2017)
WINDOWS - 40 pg zine about change and opportunity. Reprinted in risograph in 2018. (2016)
POLARIS - Watercolor and gold-foil comic about long distance relationships. (2016)
SPOOKS - Narrative Halloween mini-comic of a trickster ghost and his batty friend. (2015)
FLUFFY - Marker mini-comic on the struggles of being cute. (2014)
WALLFLOWER - Mini-comic about a little ghost, Hana. (2014)
THIRD SIGHT - 36 pg inkwash comic about the romance of Kit, the fox demon. (2014)
MUSE - Mini-comic about artist block. (2013)
HAWAIIAN HONEYCREEPERS - Educational zine about native Hawaiian birds. (2013)
GROUP PUBLISHED
PIKES PEAK ZINE FEST ANTHOLOGY 2 (ENCOUNTERS) - Contributed 1 pg comic and cover art. (2022)
PIKES PEAK ZINE FEST ANTHOLOGY 1 (COMEBACKS) - Contributed 1 pg comic and cover art. (2021)
FUCKING FORTY - Contributed 2 pgs of art. Written by Ed Siemienkowicz. (2019)
SIT BOY! - Contributed a 4 pg comic. Published by Ashley Franklin and Andrea Bell. (2018)
ROSEMARY ZINE VOL 1 - Contributed a 1 pg illustration. Published by Sarah Menzel, Katherine Wang, and Barbara Darko. (2018)
GROUP CHAT ANTHOLOGY - Contributed a 15 pg comic. Published by PomePress. (2018)
COMPOUND BUTTER VOL 8 - Contributed a 2 pg comic. Published by CB Magazine. (2018)
FYC ZINE - Contributed a 4 pg comic. Published by FYC Zine. (2015)
XEROX CANDY BAR - Contributed 2 pg comic (2015) and 1 comic strip. (2013)
MY SAIC STORY - Published by the Art Institute of Chicago. (2013)
AT ARM’S LENGTH - Self-published with Gabriela Cracraft. (2013)
TRUBBLE CLUB’S INFINITE CORPSE - Contributed 3 comic panels. (2013)
EXHIBITIONS+ events
LEAKYCON WORKSHOP - The Marauders Made a Zine and You Can Too! Hosted by Pikes Peak Zine Fest with Jennifer Eltringham. Denver, CO. (2022)
KIKA: YEAR OF THE TIGER EXHIBITION - Curated by ‘Umi Toys Hawai‘i. Virtual online art show. (2022)
CCAD STUDENT CHAT - Hosted by Director of Liberal Arts of Columbus College of Art & Design, Jeremy Stoll. Virtual speaker. (2021)
LEI DAY 2 EXHIBITION - Curated by ‘Umi Toys Hawai‘i. Virtual online art show. (2021)
ADVOCACY ART PARTY - Hosted by Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains. Virtual speaker for Pikes Peak Zine Fest. (2021)
YEAR OF THE OX EXHIBITION - Curated by ‘Umi Toys Hawai‘i. Virtual online art show. (2021)
HĀNAI KAIAULU FUNDRAISER - Curated by Nikki Oka. Donated work to support Hoʻokuaʻāina and Kilauea Community Agricultural Center. (2021)
NĀ MAKAKŪ: YOUNG CREATIVE HUI - Hosted by ʻŌlino Arts of the Lilʻuokalani Trust. Virtual Speaker. (2020)
LEI DAY EXHIBITION - Curated by ‘Umi Toys Hawai‘i. Virtual online art show. (2020)
REGENERATE! BOOK EXHIBITION - Curated by Minny Lee and Thad Higa. Donkey Mill Art Center, Holualoa, HI. (2019)
UCCS STUDENT TALK - Hosted by UCCS Department of Visual and Performing Arts. Colorado Springs, CO. (2019)
GOSH! + BROKEN FRONTIER DRINK + DRAW (THOUGHT BUBBLE EDITION) - Curated by Andy Oliver + Nora Goldberg. Gosh London, London, UK (2018)
PUNAHOU SCHOOL ALUMNI SHOW - Punahou School, Honolulu, HI. (2010-2014)
SUN PROTECTION FACTOR SHOW - Curated by Charlotte Cha. North Branch Projects, Chicago, IL. (2014)
LIVE IN ZINE SHOW - Curated by Michelle La Plante. Chicago, IL. (2014)
WOMANZINE - “Fluffy” featured in the first round of subscription service. (2014)
COMICS HANGOUT! - Curated by Brad Roloff. Saki Bookstore, Chicago, IL. (2013)
SAIC’S SPRING BFA EXHIBITION - Sullivan Galleries, Chicago IL. (2013)
festivals + Markets
PIKES PEAK ZINE FEST (PPZF) - Organizer and Exhibitor. Colorado Springs, CO. (2019-2023)
SMALL PRESS EXPO (SPX) - Bethesda, MD. (2022-2023)
FANEXPO DENVER - Denver, CO. (2022-2023)
VIRTUAL SICK AND DISABLED ZINE AND CRAFT FAIR (SAD FAIR/SADZCF) - Virtual. (2022-2023)
ÁYA CON DENVER - Denver, CO (2023)
K.C. ZINE CON - Regional Featured Artist in 2018. Kansas City, MO. (2018, 2019, Virtual 2022-2023)
CHICAGO ALTERNATIVE COMICS EXPO (CAKE) - Chicago, IL. (2014, 2016, 2023)
LIL MISS STORY HOUR’S AAPI MARKET - Colorado Springs, CO. (2022-2023)
VANCOUVER COMIC ARTS FESTIVAL (VanCAF) - Vancouver, CAN. (2023)
LEAKYCON - Denver, CO. (2022)
AUTOPTIC - Minneapolis, MN. (2022)
DENVER SMALL PRESS FEST - Organizer and Exhibitor. Denver, CO. (2022)
QUARANZINE FEST - Virtual. (2020)
OLIO MARKET - Colorado Springs, CO. (2019-2020)
WOMXN OF THE FUTURE MARKET - Colorado Springs, CO. (2018-2019)
COMIC ARTS LOS ANGELES (CALA) - Los Angeles, CA. (2019)
POMONA ZINE FEST - Los Angeles, CA. (2019)
ST. LOUIS SMALL PRESS EXPO (STLSPX) - St. Louis, MO. (2019)
PORTLAND ZINE SYMPOSIUM - Portland, OR. (2019)
TORONTO COMIC ARTS FESTIVAL (TCAF) - Toronto, CAN. (2019)
PIKES PEAK MARKET SPRING POP-UP - Colorado Springs, CO. (2019)
KELS CHOO POP-UP AT BLANK COFFEE - Colorado Springs, CO. (2019)
DENVER POP CULTURE CON - Denver, CO. (2018, 2019)
DENVER ZINE FEST - Denver, CO. (2018-2019)
WOMXN OF THE FUTURE MARKET - Colorado Springs, CO. (2018-2019)
HAWAII ZINE FEST - Honolulu, HI. (2018-2019)
L.A. ZINE FEST - Los Angeles, CA. (2018-2019)
DENVER INK (DINK) - Denver, CO. (2018-2019)
CHICAGO ZINE FEST - Chicago, IL. (2014-2019)
THOUGHT BUBBLE FESTIVAL - Leeds, UK. (2018)
COlORADO SPRINGS COMIC CON - Colorado Springs, CO. (2018)
PRESS FEST ATX - Austin, TX. (2017)
O.C. ZINE FEST - Los Angeles, CA. (2017)
BANGS! CHICAGO - Chicago, IL. (2016)
COS COMICS + ZINE FEST - Colorado Springs, CO. (2016)
ANIME CENTRAL (ACEN) - Chicago, IL. (2014-2015)
MULTIPLES - Chicago, IL. (2014)