Exhibition of women illustrators reveals limitless possibilities in a growing field

From digital animation to traditional illustrated media, a new exhibition at the University of Indianapolis celebrates the work of female artists from around the globe who make their living as illustrators.

“Illustration: Women Making A Mark” is an invitational exhibition of contemporary, award-winning illustrators that examines the practice of traditional and digital illustration across various genres, including editorial, publishing, advertising and merchandising. The exhibition, which is co-sponsored by Talbot Street Art Fair, runs from Jan. 16 through Feb. 9 in the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center gallery, with an opening reception from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Jan. 22, followed by an Artist Talk with animator/filmmaker Jordan Bruner.

Randi Frye, assistant professor of art & design, curated the exhibition with the goal of creating an eye-opening experience for viewers. The featured artists boast an extensive client list, including news outlets such as The New York Times, Vanity Fair, and The Washington Post and book publishers like Harper Collins, Random House and Houghton Mifflin.

“The field of illustration has historically been a predominantly male-dominated field. However, many of these women included in the exhibition have decades of experience as prominent illustrators and have forged the way as leaders and mentors for the emerging artists who are part of the exhibition,” Frye said.

The exhibition also highlights the Department of Art & Design’s newest concentration within the studio art degree, animation/illustration, as it demonstrates the exciting possibilities for students who wish to blend their love for figurative art and storytelling.

“Animation and illustration are used to visually enhance narratives, which can range from advertising campaigns to graphic novels to animated films. With these possibilities in mind, the newest concentration offers our students the opportunity to leverage traditional and/or digital media and apply it to a broad range of genres and career possibilities,” Frye said.

The exhibition will feature animation reels, hand-painted art and mixed media from more than a dozen international artists from the United States, Italy and Canada, who range from emerging illustrators to women with decades of experience.

A discussion with artist Jordan Bruner will follow the reception, beginning at approximately 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 22 (Room 115, Christel DeHaan Fine Art Center). Bruner, an Emmy Award nominee based in New York, is a filmmaker and animator who has created music videos, commercials for Paul McCartney and Google, and animation for the documentary Waiting for Superman.

Prints will be available for purchase at the Jan. 22 reception.

See the full artist listing here.