What a privilege to push/pull a talented senior class to the finish line in their last semester at Maine College of Art. I’m so proud of them! It’s been long, and yet a blink of an eye. Here’s a flicker of what’s transpired in IL 423, Illustration Majors Studio:
Maria Antuna tackled 20 portraits of MECA faculty and staff, stacked according to the floor in which they work. At every crit, more faces appeared.
Maria considered many options for how to pull these all together. Watercolor? Digital?
During class critique, the majority liked the watercolors. But Maria had a distinct vision, much more graphic. Her final installation for the BFA thesis exhibit, In Habit, featured a drawn facade with windows of portraits.
I’m honored to share the third floor with colleague and Illustration Department Chair, Scott Nash, below left.
CeCe Cassidy worked on a visual sequence that illustrated a pilgrimage to Cute. Her explorers fall victim to the inexorable pull of cuteness, as detailed in a Field Guide, with specimens for proof.
After wrangling mightily with traditional media, she presented her final art in digital techniques. Here, the Cute deity.
CeCe brings a wry smile to every illustration, making them irresistible. Watch out for her latest design, new t-shirts for Holy Donut!
Miles Cook tackled an epic endeavor: a 24-page comic. From scripting to storyboarding, to penciling panels and wayward planes, he steadily accumulated a pile of pages. He’s still at it, creating crisp illustrations about a mysterious world, to be fully unveiled at the upcoming Maine Comic Arts Festival on May 18. Look for this splendid cover:
Morgan Cremins created illustrated portraits of six significant people in her life by painting boxes inside and out with allegory and ephemera. Each critique unveiled new secrets.
In her final installation, they hang in a starry environment, open for interpretation.
Hana Firestone created a hand-lettered alphabet to parallel a picture book story about a girl, Ingrid, who bears a resemblance to Hana’s childhood self.
She strung the whole whimsical set for display along with a printed book, accompanied by dear objects.
Kiah Gardner created dolls representing composites of hysterical women from history, an early phase shown here.
They grew bodies and personas as the weeks went on. Kiah gathered objects to flesh out the backstory of subjugation and quackery countless women endured during the Victorian era of strict codes of behavior.
In her installation, they become symbols of another time.
Liz Long doubled her duties. She created paintings and embarked on a 3D installation beyond the school, sourcing materials, and mixing media and metaphor in her evocative narrative about Charlotte, a young girl who wakes up in a world sprouting magical forms.
Her installation in the June Fitzpatrick Gallery creates wonder.
Meanwhile, she found materials to give Charlotte presence.
Check out the window at Longfellow Books!
Midway during the semester we explored illustrators around Portland. Here Declan McCarthy, a fiercely dedicated sketcher, finds a sweet spot at Mary Anne Lloyd’s studio.
He worked on multiple comics and endeavors, including his signature, Rascal and Spats. You’ll find Declan at MECAF also!
We squeezed in a blast to Boston to visit Cloud Kid and the ICA.
Molly Steinmetz totally sweetened a 3 hour crit with her cupcake recipe, part of her birthday party-themed project.
From invitations to birthday cards, treat boxes to bags and banners, she had the circus theme DOWN.
Step right up, test your ‘stache strength here!
Ten professionals in the publishing/design fields came to review the 10 seniors’ portfolios one busy morning, providing timely feedback for these ready illustrators.
Chris Vales tackled a game design with environments, levels, and a monkey nemesis, and reviewers became beta players.
He’s lacking sleep but not ambition. During crit, he demonstrated his Project Element in a big way.
Find his installation on the second floor at MECA and play!
We wrapped up the semester with a trek to my home studio. Thanks to Molly for this still life.
A windy walk to the island beach proved a perfect respite from the pressures of thesis work.
The illustration department gathered this week to celebrate our incredible class of 2014 at Mary Anne Lloyd and Russell French’s home, both alums.
We salute you, new illustrators! Stay wild! I’ll be at Commencement on Saturday applauding.
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