Flotsam by David Wiesner

The Foster Gallery is hosting a show appealing to fine artists and media junkies alike. It features five artists whose works have brought to life stories featured in children’s books, television, movies, and theater productions. It is process oriented, allowing viewers to see works evolve from initial sketches to finished pieces. “The focus of the show is authorship,” says Ned Gannon, the assistant professor of illustration who organized the Genesis show. “The idea was to offer a show of storytellers who have mastered more than one genre. … The notion that all of the accomplishments begin with drawing and sketching, the basic language for visual artists.” Artists featured include: James Gurney, known for his plen-air paintings featuring fantastical elements; Bill Joyce, whose Rolie Polie Olie children’s books sparked a series on the Disney Channel and who also made significant contributions to the movies Toy Story, A Bug’s Life, and Robots; Shaun Tan, who creates detailed works of the surreal with a humor that will engage followers of Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean and who was a concept artist for Pixar’s WALL-E; prolific illustrator and Caldecott Medal winner David Wiesner, most recognized for his wordless storybooks such as Tuesday, about a squadron of flying frogs; and Adam Rex, known for his quirky children’s books like Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich. If the nationally acclaimed artists don’t “draw” you in, at the very least stop by to create art for yourself on special temporary walls put up for the show.

    Genesis • Jan. 28 to Feb. 18, with an opening reception on Jan. 28 at 7:30pm • Foster Gallery, Hass Fine Arts building, UWEC campus • FREE • all ages • 836-2328 • www.uwec.edu/art/foster