3 Questions

with Raya Golden

When 'Game of Thrones' mastermind George RR Martin calls something the "most twisted thing" he's ever written, fans stand up and pay attention. Set in a collection of planets known as "corpse worlds," Martin's words in 'Meathouse Man' are highlighted by illustrator Raya Golden's art. She presents the graphic novel on Saturday afternoon at Big Adventure Comics.

Illustrating a graphic novel for GRRM is a big deal. How did you begin the process?
I just started with George's original story and walked through the text with a highlighter and a black Sharpie. First, I highlighted the most visually engrossing scenes as they play in my head, then blacked out all the text I knew I wouldn't have time to illustrate given the project had a deadline.

Did he have any particular requests in how to approach these characters?
George often said that Meathouse Man is 'the darkest, bleakest, sickest, most twisted thing' he ever wrote. I sort of rolled with that. George is famously open to illustrative interpretation and besides a few technical requests, he pretty much let me run with it and said he was well and happy with the results—disturbing though they may be.

What's the reality of being an illustrator in Santa Fe?
It's the reality of being an artist anywhere in America, really. The Internet and digital techniques have opened the world and tightened our deadlines and payout rates. Each and every one of us has to work hard constantly to get noticed, keep our technique in check as well as make a decent living. We each strive to be the best creative force we can be, and although we most often get lost in the current, sometimes we can keep our heads above water long enough to catch a break. 

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