Shannon Collins stopped by the blog and dropped us a line. She won the Kutztown Senior illustration award when she graduated in 2006. She is now the editor at Bucks & Montgomery Living Magazine. The word ‘Living’ in the title means it covers everything but zombies in those two Pennsylvania counties. Shannon wrote an interesting travel story for the mag last month, a guide to the Brandywine Museum, a great place to savor the work of Pennsylvania’s great illustrator N.C. Wyeth.
Shannon is still doing illustration, and having some success as noted on her website. Her artwork and illustrated journals are on display an Urban Outfitters stores worldwide. She is fascinated with “old yearbooks, antique board games, vintage advertising, pop culture and furry critters. With colored pencils, markers, and acrylic paints, I attempt to translate these idiosyncratic preoccupations with pets, people and puns into obscenely adorable art.” Her favorite medium is colored pencils on wood. She has high-quality color prints like the ones above and below for sale for a little as $10 at her Etsy site.
A portion of the profits from her animal prints is donated to the Etsy for Animals charity of the Month. If these critters seem a tad familiar last year they were exhibited at the Philadelphia Airport Terminal Gallery.
Shannon asked if I remembered her. Of course I do, I was able to place a sample of her quirky illustration work in a 2006 textbook that I contributed a chapter to called Teaching Illustration, edited by Steven Heller and Marshall Arisman. It was page of a mini-comic about her on-the-job adventures refilling the salad bar in an all-you-can eat buffet restaurant. She has come long way!
Many thanks to Shannon for getting in touch. Calling all Kutztown Illustration alums, be like Shannon, and please get in touch. We’d love to showcase what you are up to!
Illustration Concentration 