Author Archives: illustrationclass

Veronica Lawlor’s Way of Seeing

Veronica Lawlor is an artist who draws to document what she sees. When everyone carries a camera 24/7, why bother drawing? The new 1.5-micron pixel iphone is, according to Apple, “the world’s most popular camera.”  Has the iphone replaced pen and ink and human hand?  It is worth recalling Robert McCloskey’s observation, “Hands do playContinue reading “Veronica Lawlor’s Way of Seeing”

Steam-Powered Tinker, Chris Spollen

Chris Spollen is younger than me, but we both got our first illustration jobs for Crawdaddy. Crawdaddy was a NYC rock ‘n roll mag founded before Rolling Stone was born. Chris studied printmaking at Parson’s School of Design. His earliest published illustrations were etchings. With help from his mechanically-inclined brother Tom he built an etching press from the recycledContinue reading “Steam-Powered Tinker, Chris Spollen”

More Miracles of St. Patrick in Scranton, PA!

My grandpa Patrick McCloskey immigrated from Donegal, Ireland. I got the grand idea to have some fun with St. Patrick, the most sacred hero of the Island of Saints. Fortunately for me, the Irish, even religious fundamentalists, tend to have a sense of humor.  St Patrick: The Lesser-Known Miracles will be exhibited at the AFA Gallery, Scranton, March 5-28. The prints willContinue reading “More Miracles of St. Patrick in Scranton, PA!”

John K. Landis, Printer

Professor Emeritus John Landis returned to Kutztown University for the dedication of the Landis Press. It’s a rather small press in a very small room, but the event was large. Prof. Vicki Meloney recalled her days studying typography with Prof. Landis at Kutztown in the 1990’s. She saw the first Apple computers arrive on campus. The visionaries ofContinue reading “John K. Landis, Printer”

Illustrator Cheryl Sheeler Returns to Portfolio Class

Profs Summer Doll-Myers and Vicki Meloney invite recent grads back to show their portfolios to portfolio class. Cheryl Geiger Sheeler, BFA ’12, visited this week. Cheryl was a non-trad student, who returned to study illustration after raising her family. Her inspiring story of being an older grad was featured in Berks County Living. Cheryl’s portfolio is a hot red leatherContinue reading “Illustrator Cheryl Sheeler Returns to Portfolio Class”

Printmaking at Taller La Chicharra, Oaxaca, 2015

While ice storms hit the U.S. a group of Kutztown students spent 17 days of winter break in sunny Oaxaca, Mexico. We worked with a group of talented young printmakers in Taller La Chicharra (translates as the Cicada Studio). Alan Altamarino, who also goes by MK Kabrito, runs the studio. He is a recent graduate ofContinue reading “Printmaking at Taller La Chicharra, Oaxaca, 2015”

Oaxaca Sketchbook 2015

The Hostel Don Nino gave us a welcoming reception of flautas, which are like fried enchiladas, guacamole, Oaxacan cheese and aqua de Jamaica. It is not easy to post from my ipad here, but I will share student drawings and post more when we return from our 17-day Oaxaca tour. 13 KU students and Prof.Continue reading “Oaxaca Sketchbook 2015”

PYONGYANG on my mind.

I’ve been to Seoul and Pusan in South Korea, but everything I know about Pyongyang I learned from a comic book. Guy Delisle drew a marvelous book, Pyongyang, a graphic memoir of working there in 2001. Few Americans ever visit Pyongyang. Delisle is Canadian from Quebec, He was hired by a French studio to directContinue reading “PYONGYANG on my mind.”

BRAIN BUG: Gross-out Fun!

BRAIN BUG is a new kid’s magazine by three enterprising Kutztown University students. “It’s called Brain Bug because we wanted to incorporate something to do with the brain (to emphasize knowledge, understanding and giving kids REAL information) but we also want to be about things that are gross-out fun, and science related, like bugs.” Editor-in-chiefContinue reading “BRAIN BUG: Gross-out Fun!”