Cover Art

On the Cover | Sept. 29, 2011

learn about this issue's cover art by Sarah Denis

“Best of the Chippewa Valley” by Sarah Denis
(2011
, digital illustration)

Sarah Denis
 
Sarah Denis

“For the ‘Best Of’ issue, I chose to reference local favorites and take them to a fantastical level. So you’ll see TV reporters covering an alien invasion, a girl riding a bear downtown, and people with jet packs above the confluence. I wanted to keep these images as colorful as possible, so I painted them all in gouache. I hope you enjoy this whimsical view of what the Chippewa Valley has to offer.” Sarah is an illustrator, painter, and serigrapher. Visit her works at SarahDenisArt.com and FirstNamesOnly.blogspot.com." – The Artist – The Artist

What we were thinking: For the past several years we've utilized the talents and aesthetics of local illustrators to create a cohesive and relevant theme through out our "Best of the Valley" issues. This year was no different as we employed the genius of Sarah Dennis from Lena, Wisconsin. She was also featured on the cover of our August 4 issue this past summer. For this whimsical representation of the Chippewa Valley Sarah has painted illustrations in gouache in order to keep the brilliant colors and images full of life. The downtown skyline of Eau Claire with the surreal blimp over head indicates that the city is a big deal. The placement of this helium filled giant was perfect for the negative space to be filled with the 2011 "Best Of" tag-line as well as the masthead.” – V1 Designer Josh Smeltzer.
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Volume One finds its cover art in a number of ways, from local art shows to random emails to knowing someone who knows someone who knows a great artist. The art always originates from a current or former Chippewa Valley resident. If you'd like to submit cover art, send us a letter.