Archives for category: Visiting Artist
« Older Entries

NEW SVA MFA in Visual Narrative

April 16, 2013 //
0
Art by Nathan Fox © 2011 detail from GQ essay on the hunt for Bin Laden

Art by Nathan Fox © 2011 detail from GQ essay on the hunt for Bin Laden.

Nathan Fox will direct the new Visual Narrative MFA program at NY’s School of Visual Arts. Nathan is a comic book artist and illustrator. Like me, he is a grad of SVA’s MFA Illustration as Visual Essay program.

Nathan Fox's covers for Pigeons From Hell, Dark Horse Comics.

Nathan Fox’s covers for Pigeons From Hell, Dark Horse Comics.

Nathan is juiced about what he calls “the future of storytelling.” I asked him how this new MFA is different. For one thing, it is low-residency with an emphasis on the concept of “Artist as Author.” In fact, writing will account for a full 50% of the program. Every student must create a digital version of their narrative. A narrative created for this MFA program might be a graphic novel, but it might also be an interactive game, an animation, or a mix of time-based and traditional media.

SVAdiagram

Visiting lecturers naturally include stellar comics artists and graphic novelists. Animators J.J. Sedelmaier and John Canemaker are on board. The program promises some unusual perspectives from game developers, typographers, copyright lawyers, and a neurologist.

Students will work in the studio in Manhattan for three intensive eight-week summer residencies. Nathan tells me the Chelsea area studios will have magnetic walls for slapping up storyboards of work in progress. There will be smart classrooms and pop-up studios and where each artist gets an individual workspace.

mfacard008

Between summer sessions students go home, but continue their projects online. Nathan envisions eight to ten hours work days, six days a week during the summer sessions.

How Much? If my math is right, the tuition will be near $70,000 for the three summers and two “winters.” I asked my junior level illustration class what they thought of this tuition. Several gasped, our instate undergrad tuition is about $8,500 a year. Hannah Stephey was the exception, she said, “Hey, it is a very specialized and really cool degree! It’s like -You want to be an astronaut?  -You have to go to astronaut school! It’s very specialized; and that’s going to be expensive!”

Tit for Tat © Jennifer Daniel

Tit for Tat © Jennifer Daniel (detail) from Latina Magazine

Jennifer Daniel, known for her witty iconic illustrations and infographics will be on the faculty. “Tit for Tat” piece above is a part of a page of slang terms for women’s breasts appeared that in Latina Magazine. Ross McDonald, whose humorous illustration appears below, is also a faculty member.

Art by Ross McDonald, Faculty member.

Art by Ross McDonald, SVA MFA Visual Narrative Faculty member.

Stellar faculty. Presuming he gets similarly stellar students, Nathan Fox may well be onto something as he races towards the future of storytelling with the MFA Visual Narrative. Apply here if you want in.

For God and Country (detail) drawn by Nathan Fox, ©2010

For God and Country (detail) drawn by Nathan Fox ©2011

By the way, the full visual narrative “For God and Country” on the death of Osama Bin Laden (detail above) can be found at GQ.com. Give it a minute to load. The writing is by Matt Fraction, ably illustrated by Nathan Fox, and superbly colored by Jeromy Fox.

Tags , , , ,
Categories cartooning, Faculty, illustration, Visiting Artist

Attention K’town Shoppers: Please Report to the Gallery

January 19, 2013 //
2
A prior clothing installation from jarodchazewski.com

“SCARP” A prior clothing installation from jarodchazewski.com

Kutztown University will host Canadian artist Jarod Charzewski as he transforms the Miller Gallery into a “site-specific installation based on the consumer culture of Kutztown shoppers.” What’s that mean? Come find out. Based on his past installations, Charzewski’s work is likely to be colorful and eye-pleasing, yet also thought-provoking.

Army Man Made of Books about War © Jarod Charzewski

Army Man Made of Books about War © Jarod Charzewski

Charzewski’s winning artist residency proposal was one of nearly 125 that came from all over the world. His Kutztown U gallery installation will be in progress from Jan 21 – Feb 7.  Artists (students or not) who would like to assist him in the project can contact Karen Stanford via the Miller Gallery webpage. The exhibition will be up until St. Patrick’s Day.

Detail showing Books about War.

Detail showing Books about War.

Born in Winnipeg, Charzewski graduated with a BFA from University of Manitoba. He got his MFA at U on Minnesota. He is currently teaching at College of Charleston, S.C. I emailed him a few questions:

Q. How important is drawing to your process of visualizing an installation?

Jarod Charzewski: Drawing has always been an important part of what I do. I have always drawn. It’s the first creative thing I did when I was growing up. I don’t really think I was very good at it. I could blow my friends away with drawing, but that was only copying things from photographs. I wasn’t very spontaneous with my subject matter.

Many of the drawings I do today are schematics for planning my installations. My wife is an architect so I frequently bounce ideas off her as far a traffic flow and the height of things.

installation sketch © Jarod Charzewski

installation sketch © Jarod Charzewski

Q. What tools do you use to draw?

J.C: Right now I am using Sketchup to do drawings of all forms. Everything from detailed schematics with dimensions, vegetation and pedestrians to doodles and scribbles. It’s a very fun tool to play with.

Sketchup drawing © Jarod Charzewski

Sketchup drawing for a project at Ohio University © Jarod Charzewski

Q. What is the best advice you got in art school? From whom?

J.C: The best advice I got was from Alex Bruning. He taught advanced drawing in my BFA program at the University of Manitoba.  It was one class when he gave us some instruction and then turned us loose to work. I sat in front of my drawing board with a blank piece of white paper on it for – I guess – ten minutes, wondering what to draw. Meanwhile, my buddy Richard Wlodarczak just jumped right in, without hesitation or evidence of a single thought and started drawing.

I was amazed. Alex Bruning came by and said to me. “Richard trusts himself…. You must trust yourself”.  I think about that a lot. I can’t say I remember what I did at that moment but I recognize now the things I trust myself with. It’s also fun to see students in my classes that trust themselves.  By the way, Richard Wlodarczak is an accomplished painter living in Vancouver, B.C. 

Jarod Charzewski borrows, then returns, clothing from Goodwill for installions like this.

Jarod Charzewski borrows, then returns, clothing from Goodwill for installions like this.

Q. Is Canada more supportive of the visual arts than the US?

J.C: It is and it isn’t. It’s common for anyone with BFA to get provincial and federal artists grants as soon as they graduate.  There are many that make a living doing just that. What is rare is a chance to exhibit the work you make with the grant money, as there are so few galleries, compared to the US.  I feel it’s the opposite here in the US. Even before students of mine graduate they have shows in commercial spaces and are selling their art in one way or another.  It’s the grants that are few and far between.

Jarod Charzewski’s artist statement and many more images of his artwork can be found at jarodcharzewski.com. If you are near Kutztown, visit the Miller Gallery. The artist will be talk about his work, free and open to the public, Feb 7 at 7pm. The official installation opening is the same day, 2/7/13, from 4-6pm. Details here.

Tags , , ,
Categories Visiting Artist

César Chávez: Drawing on Clay, Printing with Glass

December 14, 2012 //
1
"Un Gran Consejo"or "Great Advice," César Chávez, 2011

“Un Gran Consejo” or “Great Advice,” César Chávez, 2011

Our 2011 visiting artist César Chávez of Oaxaca, Mexico left a great impression on Kutztown University. He also left a number of plates.

El Chamuco drawn by Cesar Chavez.

“El Chamuco”  by César Chávez, 2011.

Ceramics Prof Jim Chaney formed a half-dozen red clay plates, then iced them with a coat of white slip, or diluted clay. He invited César to the ceramics studio to draw. Prof Chaney speaks some Spanish and once did a ceramics workshop at the University of Azuay in Ecuador. Even though César spent most of his time at Kutztown in the printmaking studio, he was happy to spend one very productive afternoon in the ceramics studio.

"Mescal" by Cesar Chavez 2011

“Mescal” César Chávez, 2011

César is a happy fellow who often draws moody, morbid sketches of the human condition. The plate above suggests mescal, Oaxaca’s agave-based alcohol is “Good for Nothing and Good for Everything.”

"Mojado" by César Chávez

“Mojado” by César Chávez, 2011

Interestingly enough, César is back in Mexico and working in another new material, glass. He has been working with artist Jason Pfohl who founded the international art glass and jewelry studio, Gorilla Glass, in Oaxaca. César’s one-man show “Peste” (Pestilence) opened at Gorilla Gallery this week. He is printing multiple impressions from etched and melted glass. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. César is also continuing his ongoing experiments in computer animation and image projection.

César Chávez, photo courtesy of Gorilla Gallery

César Chávez, photo courtesy of Gorilla Gallery, Oaxaca, Mexico

César told Gena Mejia of the Imparcial newspaper that he is excited by the infinite possibilities of working in glass. It appears fragile, but can be a strong and very versatile material. If you can read Spanish the full story can be found here. César Chávez is an inspiring artist, a 21st century renaissance man, always searching for new materials in pursuit of his artistic vision.

EXPOCESAR-01

Tags , , , , , ,
Categories drawing, illustration, printmaking, Visiting Artist

Russ Spitkovsky: The Pigeon Has Landed

September 23, 2012 //
0

Rostislav “Russ” Spitkovsky by Kevin McCloskey 2012

Russ Spitkovsky makes things happen. He came to Kutztown as one of the 9 artists in the 2012 Print Invitational at the Miller Gallery.  The founder of the cutting edge art magazine Carrier Pigeon hung artwork from the latest issue at the Eckhaus Gallery on Main St. He circled back this week as a visiting artist to spend time with students.

oil monotype illustration by Russ Spitkovsky for “Hall of Mirrors”

Carrier Pigeon is an artist-driven publication. Russ and friends began it after grad school at SVA’s Illustration as Visual Essay MFA Program. Each issue has works by six fine artists, plus six writers, and six illustrators.

Carrier Pigeon cover by Cannonball Press, Martin Mazorra & Mike Houston

The magazine has included original etchings and woodcuts by Russ and guest artists including Marshall Arisman, Bruce Waldman and Frances Jetter. KU Prof. Evan Summer has contributed to several issues.

Russ speaking to overflow crowd in KU Print studio. Photo by Evan Summer

Russ shared some mind-boggling stories. Like the one about a meth addict who tells his wife he’s spending their life savings importing alpacas, but the alpacas are being held up in customs. There are no alpacas; he’s building a giant meth factory. The factory bursts into flames and meth maker gets encased in glass and, well, I don’t want to ruin the ending. The full story by Ryan Scamehorn called “Hall of Mirrors” can be found in Carrier Pigeon #3. It is fiction; I hope.

Illustration by Marshall Arisman for “Good Dog” by Erin Browne, Carrier Pigeon #7

Digression: Many years ago I sent a book idea to Lawrence Ferlenghetti’s City Lights Press. A few weeks later I got the best rejection letter ever. It said, ‘Your project is so interesting, you should publish it yourself. We are swamped publishing our own friends. Start your own press. Here are some resources…‘  Russ Spitkovsky never got that memo from City Lights, but certainly he embodies the D.I.Y. publishing spirit.

Kevin McCloskey, Moe Tierney, Russ Spitkovsky. Photo by Evan Summer

Russ was born in the Ukraine. Why do so many amazing printmakers come from Eastern Europe?  KU’s Print Invitational includes Michael Goro from Russia, Ivanco Talevski from Macedonia, Endi Poskovic from Sarajevo, and Russ. It occurred to me perhaps these artists find core concepts difficult to express in English and are therefore driven to excel at graphic communication. Russ provided a better insight into why so many extraordinary artists come from places once under the Soviet sphere of influence. Growing up in the Ukraine he showed a precocious talent for art. He was plucked from preschool and put in an art academy. He was drawing the human figure from plaster casts at the age of four.

Illustration by Russ Spitkovsky from Central Booking, his self-published visual essay.

On the night of January 3, 2009, Russ was walking down a Brooklyn street. The police stopped and searched him and found he was carrying a knife. It was an ordinary knife purchased at Home Depot. The NYPD decided it was a lethal weapon, “a gravity knife,” and threw him in jail. He spent the next 32 hours in an overcrowded holding cell at Brooklyn’s Central Booking. Charges were dropped, but Russ made art from the experience. Upon his release, drawing from memory, he transformed that grotesque night into a visual essay in book form. He published “Central Booking” via the print-on-demand publisher Blurb. The book was not a financial success, but led him to explore other self-publishing options.

Russ loves working with the likes of Martin Mazorra and Mike Houston of Brooklyn’s Cannonball Press. Russ calls Cannonball Press the pioneers of the indy press and affordable art movements. Russ advises art and illustration students not to hole up in their studios after graduation. “Find a co-op print shop; work among other artists.” He said the community of Robert Blackburn’s  NYC printmaking studio saved his sanity. He was able to get instant feedback on his art and stay in a creative loop.

Today, Russ works not only with graphic artists, but an ever-expanding community of playwrights, jugglers, Coney Island sideshow performers and puppeteers. Strange doors keep opening for Russ. Recently someone gifted Carrier Pigeon with a building in Gutenberg, NJ. To keep up with Carrier Pigeon news and events visit their Facebook page.

Justin Sanz, Eckhaus workers Nicole and Megan, Russ. Photo from http://www.eckhausgallery.org/

If you are fortunate enough to be in Kutztown, PA, get to Eckhaus to see the original art from Carrier Pigeon. There are copies of the latest issues for sale. Each issue costs $25. Twenty-five bucks is a lot of money for a magazine, but not a lot for a work of art.

Tags , , , , , , , , , , ,
Categories drawing, Faculty, graphic design, illustration, printmaking, Visiting Artist

Experimental Drawing: or How Marshall Arisman Saved My Life in Mexico

July 12, 2012 //
0

Monkey face drawn with a comb and diluted acrylic by Lazaro.

This week I taught a 3-day experimental drawing workshop at UABJO, University Benito Juarez, Oaxaca. I love the rainy season here in the mountains of southern Mexico. The workshop was in conjunction with the Kutztown Print exhibit that opened with much fanfare and mescal.

Students at UABJO. Left of me is my co-teacher, Maestro Memo Rito.

Fortunately, I got help from my old Maestro from the School of Visual Arts, Marshall Arisman, chair of SVA’s MFA Illustration program. Months ago, during a busy Spring semester Maestro Miguel Angel Ojeda at UABO asked me to teach a summer workshop. Without much thought, I picked a topic: Experimental Drawing. Thank heavens, I recently bought Marshall’s DVD, Modern Mixed Media.

The video is far superior to most how-to paint or draw videos. Marshall shows his process of internalizing his subject matter through sculpture, drawing, and painting. I must say I had to improvise with materials. Marshall uses paper-mache, india ink applied with bits of cut comb, and oil paints. He even uses gold leaf and a powdered pastel painting product that comes from a Kutztown-based business, PanPastels.

Oaxacan student at work using a piece of comb to draw.

I had one sample of PanPastel to share. Paper-mache, -they got plenty, but gold leaf is out of the question. Here in Mexico, even india ink is a luxury item for art students. The india ink I carried down leaked in my luggage on the plane (stuff happens), so we substituted diluted acrylic paint. The class was over-enrolled, so I went to the Oaxaca’s central market to get some more combs.

Carter at work.

The Oaxacan students watched portions of Marshall’s sacred monkey drawing demos each morning with rapt attention. Then we adjourned to the gallery for our drawing workshop. We substituted powdered graphite for PanPastels to recreate Marshall’s subtractive drawing exercise. The results were, of course, far less colorful, but we managed to explore the process. For our gold leaf halos, Cesar Chavez lent a can of gold spray paint from his graffiti supplies.

We had a great mix of students, from teaching assistants to street artists, and the results were amazing. For me, it was a wonderful experience. Artists and teachers are held in high regard here in Mexico. Oaxaca, in particular, is a mecca for the graphic arts. I was interviewed on radio, TV, and both daily newspapers. If you read Spanish or want to view a slide show of the workshop check this story in Noticias.

By the way, this is not the first time Marshall Arisman saved me. Long ago, when I applied to SVA’s MFA program I didn’t have my Bachelor’s degree. Marshall let me in on one condition: that I complete my Bachelor’s pronto. He changed my life, for the better.

Tags , , , ,
Categories drawing, Faculty, illustration, Visiting Artist

KU Print Show travels to Oaxaca, Mexico

June 23, 2012 //
3

Good news from Mexico! Our shipment of 28 prints arrived safely in Oaxaca, Mexico from Kutztown, PA. The self-portraits in a wide variety of media (including woodblock, etching, serigraphy, and lithography) will be exhibited at Benito Juarez University in the month of July. The prints are by Kutztown University faculty, students, alumni, and friends.

Self-portrait, a Lithograph, by Prof. James Rose

Sending prints to Oaxaca seems odd, like sending flowers to Longwood Gardens. Oaxaca has a great tradition of printmakers from Rufino Tamayo to Rodolfo Morales. Living artists Damian Flores, Shinzaburo Takeda and the ASARO collective continue the tradition. Oaxaca’s best known printmaker is Francisco Toledo. His IAGO, Institute of Graphic Arts of Oaxaca, is the largest public print collection in all Latin America, and a mecca for printmakers.

The Resurgence of Printmaking in the U.S.

Kutztown’s printmaking studio is part of a bigger picture. In recent years many U.S. universities tossed their printing presses to make way for computer labs. Today there is growing interest in traditional printmaking. Young artists are rediscovering the pride and joy of working with their hands. By the way, for dispatches from the trenches of contemporary printmaking there is no better source than Printeresting, and a Kutztown grad, Jason Urban, is one of the creators of that site.

Fortunately, Kutztown University’s printmaking studio thrives under the leadership of Prof. Evan Summer. Evan has won international acclaim for his etchings. The studio is also equipped for lithography taught by Prof. James Rose. Evan opens the studio to visiting artists whenever he can. In 2011, Cesar Chavez of Oaxaca came to demonstrate Oaxaca-style woodblock printing. Cesar was impressed by the artwork he saw and suggested this exhibition to continue the artistic exchange.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

There are prints by KU Professors Evan Summer, James Rose, Miles DeCoster, Kevin McCloskey, and Elaine Cunfer. More are by grads and current students. Pennsylvania is not that different from Oaxaca in one respect. Rare is the artist fortunate enough to make a living from her art. Some KU printmakers are teachers. Others work in shops or offices. Our most recent grads may still be looking for meaningful work. However, all maintain a passion for self-expression through the enduring medium of printmaking. And we are grateful to Cesar Chavez and the Escuela de Bellas Artes, UABJO, for this opportunity to share our art with the people of Oaxaca.

Near Oaxaca?  Visit the exhibition at UABJO, University of Benito Juarez Centro Cultural on Avenida Universidad. Opening Reception: Friday July 6, 7pm. Free and open to the public. The exhibition runs to the 19th of July. If you are not in Oaxaca, you can get an idea of the variety and quality of KU prints from the slide show above.

Tags , , , , , , ,
Categories Faculty, KU alumni, printmaking, Visiting Artist

STAN MUNRO Artist & Toothpick Engineer

June 11, 2012 //
12

I met Stan Munro at the Reading Museum. He is an interesting guy. He was seated in the center of the museum’s lobby with a case of toothpicks and a container of Elmer’s glue. He was building the Eiffel Tower.

Stan Munro at the Reading Museum, sketch by Kevin McCloskey.

Families came to watch him work. Sometimes Stan handed wide-eyed kids wooden nickels he had individually handcrafted from toothpicks. Kids love his work. When Stan was in 5th grade at Wayland Elementary School in upstate New York, his art teacher gave the class a toothpick assignment. They were challenged to build a protective tower for an egg. Not everyone took the assignment as seriously as Stan. His tower, he says, “was basically a three-story pagoda form, about ten inches tall, built with lots of triangles, strong shapes.”

Maya Temple, Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico

Some kids balanced books on top of their egg holders. Around the room eggs were cracking as Stan worked on. He finished his pagoda and placed it on the floor beside his desk. Stan put a book on top of his tower and it didn’t even creak. Stan piled on all his 5th grade textbooks. It still held. Then came an “aha moment.” With help from classmates Stan lowered his overturned desk onto his toothpick pagoda. It held. The crowd went wild.

King Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca, Morocco (detail) by Stan Munro

That was over 25 years ago. Stan still remembers that moment as the highlight of his school career. Stan did not study toothpicks in college. He went on to become a journalist. He married a doctor, the love of his life, Suzi. One day, Suzi became very ill. She became bedridden with a rare kidney and liver disorder. Suzi was put on a waiting list for organ transplants. She was able to stay in their home much of the time, but needed specialized hospital equipment in the house, including a dialysis machine. Stan gave up his jobs to stay by Suzi’s side.

Sometimes he got frustrated. What could he do? Suzi had heard the story of Stan’s pagoda many times. She asked Stan to build her a toothpick tower of her favorite skyscraper, New York’s art deco masterpiece, the Chrysler Building. Stan remembers this as the most difficult thing he ever built. By trial and error Stan found the right sort of toothpicks (square with round ends) and the right sort of glue (Elmer’s).

“I ♥ Suzi.”

Stan also rediscovered the path of his life. He began building toothpick towers from around the world.  “Towers are easy,” he says. Next he began creating toothpick temples, sacred buildings, from all cultures. Somewhere on every piece Stan leaves his mark, not his signature, but “I ♥ Suzi.”

The Vatican by Stan Munro and The Raising of Lazarus by Tintoretto.

Stan told me he is most proud of his version of Barcelona’s Catholic cathedral, Sagrada Família, the Sacred Family. The architect Antoni Gaudí worked on this church from 1883 until his death in 1926. The actual Sagrada Família is still under construction. It may not be completed for years. Stan based his finished toothpick cathedral on Gaudí’s original sketches, even though present-day architects have been accused of altering Gaudí’s vision.

Toothpick World opened last week and will be on view at The Reading Public Museum through the end of 2012. There are toothpick towers and temples throughout the museum. The Reading Museum is to be applauded for the brilliant placement of the toothpick St. Peter’s Basilica in front of Tintoretto’s Jesus raising Lazarus. It is inspiring to see the myriad houses of worship side by side. The Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas stands beside Mecca’s Grand Mosque. Jewish, Muslim, Protestant, Catholic, Baha’i, Maya, all coexist peacefully in Toothpick World. Watching Stan build the tower in the lobby I noticed how he controlled his breathing for the delicate placement of each gluey toothpick. His measured breathing is a sort of meditation. His towers, especially his temples, are visible manifestations of his meditations. Is it too much of a leap of faith to call these towers visible prayers?

Stan Munro’s Sagrada Família, Barcelona, Spain, original by Gaudí.

Stan is clearly a storyteller, a visionary, an educator, and a business man with a plan. Toothpick World, LLC, is a traveling exhibit corporation. I asked Stan if he thought of himself as an artist. “Artist? –No,” he said, “I call myself a toothpick engineer,” and he handed me his card.

Stan Munro’s business card.

In my book, Stan Munro is an extraordinary artist. By the way, he can travel more now because Suzi is doing much better. She got double organ transplants at the Mayo Clinic, and her surgeons say that her recovery is nothing short of miraculous.

For more info visit: www.toothpickworld.com

Tags , , , , , ,
Categories Visiting Artist

Mr. Fish Will Not Get Tenure

May 2, 2012 //
1

© 2012 Mr. Fish, used with permission

Mr. Fish recently came to the Kutztown University’s Rohrbach Library. He also visited my illustration class. Students are lucky to have visiting artists like Mr. Fish in the classroom. His topical artwork savages our social system. Biting social satire is not the sort of thing a tenured professor (like myself) is likely to get away with. It is safe to say Mr. Fish will not get tenure. An Ivy League college dropout, he could not even get hired to teach at a state university.

Mr Fish, photo by Kevin McCloskey

Even though this blog is unofficial, Mr. Fish’s work is so radioactive, I don’t think I should publish much of it here. It is a shame, as he gave me permission to use as many images as I like. Fortunately, my friends at Commonsense2.com, the progressive web magazine offered an outlet to share more of his work. If you are ready for a direct hit, visit Mr Fish’s own website, www.clowncrack.com.

His new book Go Fish is on sale at the Kutztown U Bookstore or from the publisher, Akashic Books.

Tags , , ,
Categories cartooning, drawing, illustration, Visiting Artist

5 questions about illustration for Matt Phelan

April 17, 2012 //
2

Matt Phelan is coming to Kutztown this weekend for the 2012 Children’s Literature Conference. Even if you can’t make the conference you might go to the KU bookstore to pick up his books at a discount. He is a prolific and popular illustrator. He writes as well. A piece of Matt’s original artwork from his award-winning graphic novel, A Storm in the Barn, was in the Dornish collection show last year at KU’s Miller Gallery. I emailed him five questions and here are his replies.

Art from Storm in the Barn, courtesy & © Matt Phelan

1. Do you recall an author or illustrator visit your elementary school when you were a kid?

Matt Phelan: I don’t recall anything that remotely cool happening at school. I don’t think author visits were a thing back then. It’s a shame because Lloyd Alexander (author of the Chronicles of Prydain and many other books I loved) lived in my town and might have been open to a school visit. Many years later, I ran events at a Borders store and I would invite illustrators in for signings mostly so I could ask them questions.

pencil sketch © Matt Phelan for cover of Around the World

2. Are more children’s books headed in the graphic novel direction, like your recent Around the World?

Matt Phelan: The children’s publishing industry is definitely interested in putting out more graphic novels for kids. The great thing is, like all of children’s publishing, they are open to many different kinds of graphic novels. So there’s room for superheroes, talking mice, and creepy historical fiction set in the Dust Bowl. I believe there will be more picture book illustrators like me trying graphic novels in the near future. It’s already happening with people like Dan Santat (“Sidekicks”), Jarrett Krosoczka (“Lunch Lady”), and multiple Newbery Honor-winning author Jennifer Holm (“Babymouse”) putting out fantastic graphic novels for kids. Eric Wight came from comics and animation and is now creating a hybrid of prose and comics for his Frankie Pickle young reader series. Innovations like that and the variety of stories makes me think that children’s publishing is the most exciting place for comics today.

3. Any advice for aspiring illustrators?

Matt Phelan: The only thing you have compete control over at the beginning is your portfolio. And that’s really the one thing that will get you work. Before you worry about mailings, contacts, or any of that marketing stuff, concentrate on making the strongest portfolio you can. Other than that, I recommend that illustrators take an acting class or two or at least read some books on acting. I studied acting in college and it has proven to be the most useful training I’ve had for my work.

"Niles" watercolor © by Matt Phelan from his blog.

4. Often students say they met/know someone who has written a kid’s book and wants illustration. I give them the standard warning that publishers prefer “unencumbered projects.” What do you think, are they better off coming up with their own original story?

Matt Phelan: Publishers do not want to see illustrations in manuscript submissions unless the author and illustrator are the same person. If you want to write, then submit a sketch dummy of a book you have also written. If you want to illustrate other people’s books, then all you need is a strong portfolio. I’d say that illustrating someone’s unsold manuscript (even if they offer to pay you) is time that could be better spent elsewhere.

5. Have you been to Ireland? or taken a trip abroad that’s influenced your art?

Matt Phelan: I actually went to Ireland on my honeymoon, Why do you ask? Does my work seem Irish? At any rate, I always bring plenty of sketchbooks on vacation. I think everything has potential to influence your work at some point. The important thing is to be open and observe as much as you can. Sketching forces you to slow down and notice. (I’ve included some Ireland sketches of one of the many walls of the Aran Islands and some sheep in County Galway.) I have taken some research trips for my work. I spent a week in Muskegon, Michigan which is the setting for my next graphic novel. Sadly, I didn’t have the time to circle the globe for Around the World. A missed opportunity there, I think.

Stone wall, Ireland, from a sketchbook. Courtesy Matt Phelan © 2007

Notes: I asked about Ireland out of curiosity after finding a web page where Matt explains the pronunciation of his Irish surname. If you haven’t read any of Matt’s work, I especially recommend Around the World. It graphically recounts three true stories of round-the-world voyages, by the reporter Nellie Bly, sailor Joshua Slocum, and bicyclist Thomas Stevens. It is like getting three good books for the price of one!

Courtesy Matt Phelan, http://www.mattphelan.com

More of Matt Phelan’s entertaining thoughts and lively sketches can be found on his own blog - planetham.

Tags , , , , , , ,
Categories cartooning, drawing, graphic design, illustration, sketchbook, Visiting Artist

Bruce Waldman: Fine Illustrator & Fine Artist

November 6, 2011 //
0

The Great Apes, etching © by Bruce Waldman

The Fine Arts Department is bringing Bruce Waldman to Kutztown. The Communication Design faculty and students are supporting this visiting artist event with a poster and pizza.

Waldman is primarily a printmaker and a friend of our notably friendly Fine Arts Professor Evan Summer. He teaches at SVA, the School of Visual Arts, NYC. His prints are in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, The New York Historical Society, The Bronx Zoo and The Library of Congress. The Queen of England also owns one of his artworks.

The Silent Conversation © Bruce Waldman

The Printed Image: Bruce Waldman presents his work in words and images. 7:00 pm Monday, Nov. 14, 120 Sharadin. Pizza for students at 6:15 pm in the Lobby outside SH120. Free and open to the public.

Monoprints and Etchings: Lecture/Demonstration, primarily for printmaking students. Mon. 11/14, 3:00 P.M. Printmaking Studio, Sharadin. See Prof. Summer for details.

"Vampires, Werewolves, and Zombies" illustrated by Bruce Waldman

An Illustrator’s Insight: Bruce Waldman is also a Society of Illustrators medal winner. His work has appeared in numerous publications including The New York Times, People, and The New Yorker. He will focus a bit more on this part of his career when he meets illustration students. Tuesday Nov.15, 9:30 A.M. 209 Sharadin (Illustration Studio)

For more information on Bruce Waldman see www.brucewaldman.com

from Vampires, Werewolves and Zombies, illustration © Bruce Waldman

Poster, above, by Frank Marsters

Illustration Concentration Site News: We reached a milestone: over 40,000 distinct visitors to this blog! This is the total for just over a year. WordPress has a special page of links for Illustration blogs. It features “the best in Illustration-related posts from around the WordPress.com community, updated daily.” Yesterday WordPress featured this Illustration Concentration blog again and we’ve been getting lots of new visitors. You are welcome to subscribe by putting your email in the box on the lower left corner. No salesman will call.

Reminder: You may see advertisements on the blog. We have no editorial control of those ads, and receive no compensation for ads. That money goes to WordPress for doing all they do. I don’t even get to see the ads when I log in on my computer, but sometimes see ads over other people’s shoulders for luxury cars, hammocks and vacations in Mexico. We must have a very upscale readership!

Tags , ,
Categories drawing, illustration, printmaking, Visiting Artist
« Older Entries
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 115 other followers