MFA WORK
COLLEGE
Vermont College of Fine Arts
LOCATION
Montpelier VT
CONCEPT
My MFA work centers on the concepts of abandonment of responsibility and impermanence. Dog & Rhino, despite constantly being together, have abandoned each other emotionally. Emile has created an actual barrier between himself and his family. Unger and Ursula choose greed over each other. And Alice and Greg are adrift in their father's secrets and lies. When we meet them, all of these tenuous relationships threaten to erode into the dust of nostalgia and regret. Their impermanence, their ultimate demise is challenged by hope, and perseverance, and a willingness to leap into the unknown.
These themes, these characters (and many more) are presented both visually and through the writing in whimsical and fantastic ways. They answer the question, "Can amusing visual storytelling (in the form of comics and illustration) help us handle loss, responsibility, and the impermanence of life?"
PROCESS
Chris Ware has said that "comics are a working class art form" and Will Eisner suggests that comics, in their truest form, should be from the hand of a single creator. These perspectives resonate with me and are in keeping with the way I work.
From script writing and breakdown, to page and panel layout, to image creation, and typography, I explored and learned all the components of comic creation. I have become familiar and comfortable with the vernacular of comics not as a fan, but now as an artist and designer.
Additionally, I created an interface design that honors impermanence and helps us make impressions, recorded voiceover and original songs, and made photographs – all in service to the narrative of the human experience.