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Pop culture connections

Andrea Tamme’s creative talents have been a source of income since she graduated from Alberta College of Art and Design last year.
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Innisfail’s Andrea Tamme and her boyfriend

Andrea Tamme’s creative talents have been a source of income since she graduated from Alberta College of Art and Design last year.

Last weekend, they also earned the Innisfail resident a meeting with Tom Felton, one of the stars of the Harry Potter movie series.

Tamme, and her boyfriend and fellow artist, Drake Tsui, exhibited some of their work at Fan Expo Canada, where Felton — who plays Draco Malfoy in the popular film franchise — was among the celebrity guests. She presented three posters of her and Tsui’s illustrations to Malfoy through his agent, and was escorted to the front of a long line to meet the blond actor.

“He seemed to like them,” said Tamme, adding that Felton asked about her and Tsui’s work as artists and turned out to be much more pleasant than his malicious character.

“He’s actually really happy and nice,” said Tamme, who was thrilled with the experience.

“I am a huge Harry Potter fan.”

Held annually in Toronto, Fan Expo Canada is a fan convention that focuses on pop culture themes like comics, science fiction, animation and video games. Tamme and Tsui have attended the last two years — selling copies of their illustrations and making valuable contacts.

At the 2010 convention, Tamme rubbed shoulders with comic book pioneer Stan Lee and actor Adam West, who played Batman in the 1960s TV series. She also earned an invitation to a private party hosted by Marvel Comics editor C.B. Cebulski after winning a costume contest dressed as Spider-Man comic character Gwen Stacy.

“It was really great,” said Tamme of the exclusive gathering and the resulting contacts she and Tsui made.

Developing relationships are a big reason Tamme and Tsui attend Fan Expo Canada and similar events. Both are self-employed freelance illustrators, with Tamme doing work for an online game company in France, and currently discussing comic and graphic art contributions with the developers of a new website. She’s also done illustrations for magazines and other clients.

Tsui produces an online graphic novel for an American company, and has art used by ImagineFX magazine and Cartoon Network.

“Your portfolio really has to speak for itself and you have to have the right contacts to get your portfolio even looked at,” said Tamme, who splits her time between Innisfail and Tsui’s home city of Calgary.

The couple sell copies of their illustrations and related material at Fan Expo Canada and several other conventions that they attend. This generates income, but hampers their ability to walk around and enjoy the sights and sounds.

“Most of the time we’re chained to our table,” said Tamme, who hopes to eventually settle into a full-time job in the industry.

“In the long run, I don’t want to freelance. I want to go work for a big studio like Disney.”

Samples of Tamme’s work can be found online at andreatamme.blogspot.com/

hrichards@www.reddeeradvocate.com