In Place Artist Discussion and Book Signing!

Magers & Quinn Bookstore
January 19th from 2pm-4pm
Artist Talk and Discusison

This past year, we have had the honor of celebrating a group of incredible concept artists and illustrators through out In Place Art Book and Exhibition. In Place is filled with a collection of full-color illustrations of some of the most breathtaking, sacred, and interesting real-life places around the globe.



From the legendary mountain range in the Bavarian Forest to the Illuminated Caves in Japan, a bustling city center in Lisbon, Portugal to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, In Place takes you on a journey to some of the most exotic locations, the landscapes that inspire us to explore and move us to create - it is the places we yearn for and dream of.


Kelly Smith

It is not just these magnificent views that make this project special, but all of the artists who made this project possible. January 19th from 2pm-4pm, we are hosting an artist talk and discussion at Magers & Quinn Bookstore. The Light Grey team will lead the discussion, sharing insight about the process, collection of artwork, and inspiration, as well as ask some of the participating artists about their experience in creating and understanding these places. We would love for you to attend and spread the word about this event!


Sam Bosma

You can see more information and invite friends and family on our Light Grey Events Page You can also see the listing for this event on the Magers & Quinn Calendar or facebook page.

Thanks and we hope to see you here!


Angela An

You can see the full list of participating artists and more about the In Place Book here on the Light Grey Shop.

Artist Interview with Jenn Tran

Meet Jenn Tran, a concept artist, developer, and creative, living and working in Seattle, WA. Jenn graduated from the University of Washington with a triple focus in Political Science, Art History, and Human Rights, and then went on to attend the DigiPen Institute of Technology for animation and concept art. She is currently an environment artist at Harebrained Schemes, working on projects such as Shadowrun Returns. Jenn is a terrific concept and freelance artist, sharing her work through video games, exhibitions, and children's books.

Jenn is one of the current artists Light Grey's 6 Degrees Exhibition, and we are pleased to celebrate all of her work and accomplishments! Through this interview, we get to know Jenn Tran, her personal trials and breakthroughs in creating, and some of her biggest sources of inspiration.


We are continually impressed with your professional work and environments. Could you describe your role as a visual developer?

Currently I'm the environment art lead, so most of my work is comprised of original concepting, making sure the art style stays consistent, and producing/managing our environment team. I mostly focus on environment work and high level concepts, design, the look and feel, and game asset creation. I also do a lot of world building for game levels which include set dressing and lighting.


Can you tell us about your studio practice and how you make time for all of the projects you want to do?

I'm honestly still trying to figure out exactly what my "studio practice" is. I love my job and the work I do there, but I guess what drives me to create art outside of work is trying to find a voice in my personal work. It's something I feel like I'm still developing. However, I am always gathering references/inspiration, studying, going to figure drawing, and continuing to explore more illustration and ideas.


What are some of your biggest considerations? Color, theme, types of landscapes, types of characters?

As an artist in games I see a lot of amazing concept art. At the same time I'm discovering and starting to fall in love with visual development for feature film animation. I’m inspired by both, and it sometimes feels like a vicious tug-of-war because they are immediately so different. I admire the technical skill and complexity of concept art both in games and film, however I'm drawn to the design, simplicity, and clear storytelling of animation vis dev. I'm starting to experiment with elements in that realm in my personal work.



Could you talk about the piece you created for the 6 Degrees Exhibition? What were your sources/stories/motivation?

Originally, I wanted to do an illustration of my favorite coffee shop in Seattle. But when it came time to create my piece for 6 Degrees I was in a different mood. I was super busy with work and at the same time trying to sort out some personal feelings regarding relationships, where I was with my art, and having just received news that my parents wanted to separate. At the time I was also reading Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain. A quote in the book by Charles Darwin stood out to me - “A shy man no doubt dreads the notice of strangers, but can hardly be said to be afraid of them. He may be as bold as a hero in battle, and yet have no self-confidence about trifles in the presence of strangers". It seemed to describe my mood perfectly and the image I created for 6 Degrees came from that. I wanted to share the idea that home and comfort can just be a little quiet time in a really busy world.


The 6 Degrees Exhibition is all about promoting other artists, sharing and connecting within our world, and about the influence of places we call home. You spend every day developing new worlds and places for games. Can you share this process? What considerations do you have to make a place special, memorable, and feel real?

Working at a small game studio, you have easy access to the art director, environment artists, character artists, writers, and level designers, to help develop what a place should look and feel like. In that way, we are able to easily share ideas and connect with one another. In terms of process, I'll usually start by brainstorming with the art director or receive an initial brief to work with. I will then go onto researching/exploring/concepting out ideas either on my own or with the environment team. After we have a high level concept, the environment team will generate content for implementation into the level. This would be game assets such as props, decorative elements, architecture sets, etc. When we start integrating content for art level passes, we'll work more closely with the team to really nail what we want the world to feel like.


What is the most monumental project you have worked on?

The most monumental project I've worked on is Shadowrun Returns. Shadowrun Returns was an indie game that was funded through Kickstarter and came out in July. I'm proud of this project because it's an example of what can happen when a group of smart, talented, passionate people get together to make something cool. It is a really good feeling seeing everyone's hard work pay off and having the opportunity to be a part of it.


What are some of your biggest sources of inspiration?

Right now my biggest source of inspiration is CTN Expo (Creative Talent Network). The convention was more than a month ago but it exposed me to a lot of new art/artists. While I was there I went on a tour at Walt Disney Animation Studios. It was amazing being able to see the work that goes into creating a feature animation, both in the past and present. But I think the highlight of the Expo was just meeting a bunch of artist I admire online. I got a lot of great feedback and advice on my portfolio. Everyone was incredibly kind. Seeing all the talent at CTN made me want to work harder, but actually meeting them inspired me to be more humble and helpful to others.

This time of year, especially, we are thinking about deadlines, new goals, motivation, and changes. Do you have any goals or projects for the new year?

Be more organized, meet more deadlines, make more art. Be a nice to people. Don't adopt anymore cats.

Thanks Jenn! It is great to hear about your inspirations and methods of making! You can check out more of Jenn Tran's work on her website or blog here. You can also see Jenn's work on the Light Grey Shop and Digital Gallery along with all of the 80+ artworks in the 6 Degrees Exhibition.

Artist Interview with Alexia Tryfon

Meet Alexia Tryfon, a talented visual developer and concept artist, living and working in Vancouver, Canada. Alexia is known for her interesting characters and imaginative backgrounds, as well as her completed works for gaming companies and exhibitions. Alexia is currently an artist in the Rolemodels Exhibition and in the upcoming 6 Degrees! We are in love with her mystical and playful style, and cannot wait to celebrate all of her work.



Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?

I grew up on a small island country called Cyprus. I was lucky to grow up in a place full of cultural history. In school, we'd go on field-trips to see churches built during the Byzantium era and visited museums filled with jewelry and statues dating back 3000 years. I think the history still affects my art.

I attended OCAD in Toronto where I got my Degree in Industrial Design. I loved Industrial Design but after working in the industry for a few years I needed a change and decided to get into concept design and visual development.

Can you tell me a little about your studio practice? What you are inspired by at the moment?

I work from home most of the time. In my studio i have a large collection of inspiring art books that both my husband and I have purchased over the years. I've collected books ranging from Dali, Van Gogh, Escher, Rockwell, Payne to the art of James Jean, Peter De Seve, Pascal Campion and James Gurney. The house and the studio walls are filled with artwork from my favorite artists. I love being surrounded by color and have paintings that tell a story or depict a moment.


In the Rolemodels Exhibition, your prompt was a little different than most in creating a landscape verses a character. Can you talk about your process in developing the Fire Kingdom? What were your considerations and mood you were trying to set?

Initially, the 'Fire Kingdom' was going to be depicted as a inhospitable desert. I decided instead to see fire for its beauty not for its destructiveness. Growing up in a place where snow was rare and rain was scarce, there was something about home that made it beautiful none-the-less. Here, the light is very different and everything has adapted to the heat of the sun. I thought of fire as something beautiful, full of life, dancing in the dark and the warmth that everyone wanted to be around.

The Fire Kingdom became that place. A place where the ground is lava, always changing, always moving. Where life grows out of it, uses its energy and blooms and bursts with blue flame. There, the animals have adapted to it. The stag you see in my piece takes the energy from the lava, igniting his antlers with blue flames in a vibrant courtship display. There are also jellyfish in this sky that float in the air from the heat rising up from the ground. Crystals that help the light travel further as the lava runs passed them. The ecosystem exists because it is fueled by the fire.



You are really talented at creating these dynamic and other worldly landscapes. Are you inspired by travel or your own landscape?

I love traveling! I was very fortunate to grow up in a family that loved art, and I was able to visit so many museums around Europe, although I don't think I appreciated them as much until I was older. I also loved exploring and finding new hidden places around our home. Snorkeling with my dad and going into caves and caverns in the summer. I guess I have always loved observing nature, so each piece I create I try to imagine what it would sound like, what it would be like.



Do you have different approaches in creating landscapes verses characters?

Creating landscapes is second nature to me. Honestly, no pun intended. I always have difficulty creating characters and I actually joined this project to push me out of my comfort zone! Character design takes me longer then any landscape piece and I get overwhelmed sometimes in what style of character to create and the technicalities behind it. But when I create a landscape it feels more natural. Okay, pun intended that time.

During Rolemodels, we are celebrating all of our real life heroes. Who are your mentors or art role models?

Role models, to me, need to be real people. People I can actually speak to and get feedback and advice. My first role model was my mother. She was always running me around getting art supplies, pushing me to be better, and was supportive of any decision- She kept me honest about it.

My husband is someone who I really admire. He helps me focus and has pushed me to pursue avenues I did not believe I could take, avenues I did not think I was ready for and he has been there to pick me up when I fall. And I fall a lot. I'm clumsy. And he continues to be my first line of defense for bad ideas.

On a professional level, a role model I have only recently met in person, Pascal Campion turned out to be everything he proved to be on paper and more. I had communicated with Pascal over email and finally got to meet him at San Diego Comic-Con. He is delightful and full of life. You can recognize his work anywhere. The simplicity in his rendering, his lighting and his subject matter and how each and every single piece he creates has so much heart is something I have always tried to perfect in my work. He is honest, friendly and gave me some wonderful advice that I'm still working through.

To every artist I'd say, it's not about having the role model, but having lots of them, who push you in different ways from different walks of life.


If you had the chance to create any project, what would you make?

Realistically, I'm creating this app with my husband that I am very excited about and have been working hard at it for everyone to enjoy.... but I've had a dream where each and every artist, young and old from around the world come together in a old city to paint the whole city, each and every inch with whatever they like, with any and every color under the rainbow, while drinking lemonade out of fountains and eating fruit from the trees. Whoa, I gotta stop eating goat cheese before bed!

What is upcoming for you? What can we expect to see in the coming months?

At the moment I am working on an app for kids. My husband and I created a company named 2BLoo Studio where we are creating a game for children. I'm also making a children's book with a friend about a little girl superhero. Starting in January I will be doing the backgrounds for Atomic Cartoons new IP called "Pirate Express Ship" with TELETOON Canada.



Thanks, Alexia! You can see her piece along with the other artists from the Rolemodels Exhibition on the digital gallery here. You can also check out Alexia's upcoming work for the 6 Degrees Exhibition on the online shop and digital gallery here. Or check out her own website.

Artist Interview: Joe Lillington

This week, I had the opportunity to talk with artist, illustrator, and student, Joe Lillington. Joe is one of the many artists in the Rolemodels: The Battle for Vyk' Tornaahl exhibition, and has contributed works in several past Light Grey shows, such as Station Zero, Macro + Micro, and SMART. Hailing from London as a current illustration student at Falmouth University, Joe spends most of his time working on his studies and freelance, as well as collaborating with his fellow artists and friends on a zine collaborative called Fold. In the interview, Joe shares his thoughts and inspirations of childhood fairytales, collaboration, and his own personal rolemodels!



Can you talk about your process? What mediums to you tend to use the most, or absolutely cannot work without?

At the moment, the medium I use the most is digital, but to work that way I need scanned textures and marks made using painting and printmaking to give a bit more personality to the work. I also usually do the line work with pencil because it’s feels more natural and I think it stops things from getting too neat. Previously I was doing a lot of gouache painting, which is a medium I like to pair with my digital work.

It looks like you are currently working on a children's book!  Can you talk a little bit about your own childhood adventures, dreams, or ambitions?  Who are some heroes from your childhood that have continued to inspire you to this day?

The type of story I liked when I was younger are similar to the stories I like now. I especially liked Fantastic Mr Fox (I listened to the audiobook every night for a very long time), Asterix and The Hobbit which I still find inspiring and fun. I think these stories feed my interest in creating children’s books now, I want to make an interesting story set in a fun and engaging world.


Your work tends to invoke the style of a fairytale, and includes fantastical obstacles such as dragons and heavily guarded castles.  How do you overcome everyday obstacles, especially when it comes to being a current art student?

I think you just have to stay calm and not get too stressed about things, even if there’s lots to do or a problem with something. I make lots of to do lists to keep track of everything on post it notes, and if I'm really stuck I take a break and play a game or something.

You are part of a collaborative called Fold which includes you and a few other students from your university.  Can you tell us about this collaborative and what it is you all do?  Do each of you have different roles, or do you all work together to devise new ideas?  

Currently the Fold zine is a bit like a game of Chinese whispers. The first person is given a piece of text, which they use as a starting point to create an image. The second person then creates an image inspired by the first person’s image, without seeing the text. The second person then passes their illustration to the next person… and so on. We only see all the illustrations put together at the very end. We all work together to push new ideas and think of new content and developments for the zine, but also have certain jobs behind the scenes.


Are you continuously trying to network with other artists?  Do you feel that a sense of community and collaboration helps motivate you to work harder and take on larger projects?  Do you have any teachers or mentors that have inspired you or pushed you a long the way?

I like working around other people because it’s good to be able to bounce ideas. . .if you work by yourself and without any contact, I think your work suffers. I’m currently working with my friend Birdie Cheeseman on LillingtonCheese, creating collaborative artworks and an online shop.


Do you have any current role models of your own?  Who are some of your favorite artistic influences and how have they continued to inspire you to keep creating?  

I’m really inspired by older artists like Brueghel, as well as Medieval Manuscripts and woodblock prints. I like work that has a strong sense of place with lots of details. There are also tons of illustrators whose work I really admire, it’s good to see when other illustrators/artists are producing lots of work because it inspires me to do lots to keep up!

Thanks, Joe!

To see more of his work, you can find his website here. For process and sketches, check out his blog, and catch up with Fold Zine for zine giveaways! You can also purchase a print of his piece on the Light Grey Art Lab Shop.

Artist Interview with Matt Rockefeller

Meet Matt Rockefeller, an illustrator, animator, and student, living and working in Baltimore, MD. Matt has created work for several Light Grey Exhibitions such as Station Zero, Rolemodels, and the upcoming show 6 Degrees, and it has been an honor getting to know him! In this interview, we were able to ask about his style, sources of inspiration, real-life heroes, and creation. His work is wonderfully captivating and continues to instill a sense of wonder in us all!


Can you tell me a little about yourself? Your background, where you are from and what you currently do?

I was born in Tucson, AZ and grew up in the unique landscape of the Sonoran Desert. I lived there until I moved to Baltimore, where I currently attend the Maryland Institute College of Art as an Illustration Major with a concentration in Animation. This past year, I completed an internship at Zenimax Online Studios working as a UI Artist on their upcoming game The Elder Scrolls Online. Earlier this year, my friends (Leonard Peng and Xanthe Bouma) and I conceptualized an idea for a gallery show at MICA called “Small Creatures Such as We” which recently had its opening on campus featuring over 700 3x3 illustrations by 15 MICA illustrators.

Can you talk a little about the character you created for the Rolemodels Exhibition?

This character is actually a part of a story I’ve had brewing that involves a boy and his dog finding a portal that takes them to space and eventually other worlds. I thought it was a good fit for my fantasy alter ego (since the characters were initially based on my dog and I), and I developed him into a sort of mythical explorer who travels eternally through these different environments. I love exploring, seeing new people and places and stopping to see the small details, so I thought that a character who is in a constantly shifting environment would be perfect!


Matthew the Curious: Explorer of Worlds

What was your process like creating a character modeled after yourself? Did you give it off of real life attributes or enhance feautures? What do you think this says about your personality?

It was really interesting! I based my general appearance off of myself and focused more on the clothing and armor to define the character. I definitely heightened my physical coordination and build a bit though; I guess I wish I were more physically active, since I tend to sometimes forget to go outside instead of drawing. I also typically wear ordinary clothing from day to day, so the choice to draw such a complex outfit might reveal something about where my true confidence lies.

What are some of your favorite character types to draw? stories to create?

My stories usually involve extraordinary things happening to ordinary people. I find that I can relate to these types of stories, and they feed my inner thirst for adventure. I love to draw mysterious, isolated characters who slowly, over the course of the story, reveal their complex history and warmth of heart. At the center of all of my stories, though, are the places my characters travel to or live in, since the setting can often be just as rich in personality as the characters themselves.



You are also a great draftsman of spaces. Are there types of spaces you are attracted to? moods you are trying to set?

Growing up in Arizona, I was constantly shifting between different landscapes – the vast plains of dead grass, the quiet, pine covered mountains, and the unbelievable cactus ‘forests’. Everything was so vast and inviting, and I try to recreate that feeling in my work. There is so much about the world that is beautiful and mysterious, so I am constantly considering light, time of day, history, and a place’s unique biology when drawing the setting for a story. I want to draw attention to the place- that there is something more to it than what is seen.


How important is collaboration in the things that you do? Do you work as a team? Share ideas? Work on projects together?

Having recently put together a gallery show with 14 other illustrators, I have a reinvigorated appreciation for collaboration. We were able to create a staggering amount of work, and I was continually inspired by the variety of ideas and personalities. Working on projects with others allows something entirely new to come to the surface. There’s nothing like having a group of artists whose tastes and opinions you can rely on when you feel unmotivated or stagnant. I’ve learned so much from my peers, and I hope to continue working with them after graduation!

Who are your real life role models?

My freshman year at MICA, I had Kali Ciesemier as my first illustration professor. She’s definitely been a rolemodel and mentor for me as an artist. She is very dedicated and hard working, and also takes the time to answer questions and share information about her process. She’s very genuine and open, which I try to emulate. Daniel Krall, another one of my professors at MICA, has also been an incredible mentor. He’s hilarious, friendly, and honest, and his ability to generate ideas and talk through problems is unbelievable.

I also have endless respect for what Hayao Miyazaki has done with his vision for animated films. I strive to some day have a fraction of his imagination and storytelling ability.



What is the best piece of advice you ever received?

“Never give up! Trust your instincts!” –Peppy Hare from Starfox 64. This one’s stuck with me for a while.

In all seriousness, the suggestion to always remain curious sticks out to me as being particularly relevant, to art and life in general. There are so many interesting people, creatures, places, and ideas to be uncovered; it would be a shame to lose that sense of wonder that makes life so exciting.

What are some of your favorite resources for inspiration?

I find most of my inspiration from books/comics, animation/film, and videogames- anything that can immerse me in a different world altogether. I find that I am drawn to visual storytelling due to its expressiveness and flexibility. I also have a book featuring woodblock prints by the Japanese artist Kawase Hasui, and I constantly reference these when I’m searching how to convey a mood in my environments.

In addition, being outside, hiking, camping, breathing, all of these things can pull me out of a rut and bring my motivation back.


Can you tell us about any projects that you have in the works or things we can look forward to seeing?

I am currently finishing the first half of my senior thesis, which involves narrative illustrations featuring folklore from around the world. Next semester I will be developing my own folktale/ legend of sorts that is inspired by these stories and draws from my own experiences. Perhaps I will develop this or another story into a book or graphic novel in the future, so you can look forward to that!

Thanks Matt!

You can check our more of Matt's work on his website here or purchase his piece for the Rolemodels Exhibition here.

Artist Interview: Hannah Christenson

I very excited to introduce Hannah Christenson, a freelance illustrator based in Arizona, and a graduate of the Brigham Young University - Idaho in 2011. Hannah has worked with Tor.com, Fantasy Flight Games, and Galileo Games among others. Her favorite jobs have always been fantasy related, and she has been generous enough to talk to us today about world building, strong heroines and heroes, and of course, her piece in the current Rolemodels: The Battle for Vyk'Tornaahl exhibition!

Can you tell us a little bit about your Rolemodels persona? What elements of their personality and class traits are the most reflective of yourself?

I chose a warrior with lots of armor and a ridiculously huge shield. I'm a very quiet person who probably puts up a lot of armor around myself. My personality isn't very sneaky or graceful like I imagine other classes to be. I can see my imperfect, lumbering self in the warrior class. I'm sure I was influenced at least in some way by all the cool fantasy stories and fairy tales that I've ever read, but perhaps what I was thinking of the most was "What is the opposite of a bikini-clad warrior in the snow?" and I kind of went with that and had some fun. There is a time and a place for bikinis, but it wasn't this time or place!

You mention going on many great, yet sometimes perilous adventures while you were growing up.  Do still find your self taking on risky yet exciting challenges, especially when it comes to your art?

I grew up in the country in south Texas where there were rattlesnakes and alligators literally in my back yard. When I went outside to play my mom would tell me to watch out for snakes instead of to watch out for cars. It was great and it taught me to be cautious and prepared, but also to take risks if you want to go play. I suppose you could say that's helped me in the art world with doing my best and not being afraid to email that art director I've always dreamed of working with.  

When it comes to world building and creating environments and persons, what resources do you tend to look to?  How much research goes into designing your characters and building scenery? What are some places, books, or websites that you go to for a jump start?

I love going to the used book store and finding all kinds of books on armor and the stuff that goes under the armor, weapons, photography of environments, various anatomy books, animal books. Of course you can use the internet to research all these cool things, but books are always around to inspire you later on as well. I like to go to Parka Blogs for art book reviews. 

Can you tell us about your process?  How do you go about making decisions on creating such expressive figures within consistently dynamic compositions?  How do you make sure that each element is convincing and suitable for the stories that you try to tell?

My process probably doesn't differ from that of any other artist in that I start with a thumbnail and go from there. It's important to thumbnail and get your good and bad ideas out. Personally, if I myself were to be convinced of the believability of a character in any story, I would look at the environment first and see how the environment has shaped the character. What is the environment? Does the character dress appropriately? Live in an appropriate house? Have the items that one would need in order to live in that environment? What's her job? Does she dress and have the right equipment for that job? It's easy to fall down the details rabbit hole, but it's important to at least consider those basics.  

Much of your work seems to deal with themes of high fantasy and powerful female characters.  Is there a reason why these subject matters take such a significant role in your work?

I try to make what I want to see more of. There weren't a ton of female role models for me in fantasy when I was a kid. My local library was very small and they would only have one copy of a particular book (I had to wait FOREVER to read Harry Potter) so sometimes I'd imagine that all the good books were out. I want to see more ladies in lead roles, powerful roles, roles where they're given names and pasts. They don't all have to be armor-clad warriors either. I just want to see female characters that are written and depicted as people.

When it comes to obstacles such as art block or a lack of motivation, how do you conquer them?

Just keep working. Work on your own stuff, that secret project you dream about. Personal projects are incredibly important. They help you in so many ways. They help you improve your abilities, it's cathartic, you're producing something you love and you're passionate about. You can put it in your portfolio to get more work that you love. Cory Godbey wrote a great post about personal work, go read it! My own personal project that I've been tinkering on for a long time has helped me get jobs, break down art block, and helped me find bits of myself that I'd hidden away. 

What are some things that you arm yourself with before jumping into new projects?  How do you psych yourself up when embarking on a new illustration, or maybe there are some artistic tools or supplies you simply cannot work without?

I prefer to work digitally, so it'd be pretty hard to work without my Wacom 4 and some version of Photoshop. One thing that helps me start and finish a new illustration is a checklist. Even a very small one! My current checklist says things like gather reference, paint owl face, block in colors. It helps me stay on task and not get distracted by the shiny internet.
Tell us a little bit about your own role models; who are your artistic influences or even people who simply inspire you to keep creating?

Bear with me, this is cheesy, but my husband is my biggest supporter. When I create something I feel is incredibly stupid, I don't meet my goals, or I fail at something I had secret high hopes for he's there to push me back up above the waves. He does a good job at helping me keep my chin up. As far as artistic influences, there are so many amazing, truly inspiring artists out there that set such a wonderful example of hard work, persistence, and determination. Of course their individual work is amazing, but their sheer willpower is inspiring.  
Can you tell us about any new projects that you are currently working on, or are excited to start working on?

Outside of freelancing I'm currently working on my own secret project after hours. I can't share a ton about it but I'm excited about it. It involves a lady, some magic, some adventures and dog all in a webcomic format!   

Thank you so much Hannah! 

To see more of her work, take a peek at her website as well as her blog! Her piece is also available to purchase in the Light Grey Art Lab Shop!

Make My Holiday- Artists Announced!

Wow! Thanks to everyone who applied for this year's Make My Holiday! It was a fantastic turn out and we are excited to see what you make for one another! This is such a great time of year for giving and making a new art friend! Good luck and have fun everyone!



We just finished selecting partners- all of the artists pairings were made by the luck of the draw! So take a look at the instructions below and look for your partner in the listing.

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1. Say hello to your new art friend! - send a quick hello email and introduce yourself!

2. Request your new friend's postal address! Remember that this is a postal swap, so be prepared to ask for all the details!

3. Make something special for them!

4. Send it on over by DECEMBER 9th so they receive it in time for the holidays!

5. Once you receive it, send us a photo of you and the gift you received! You can send it to hello@lightgreyartlab.com! I'd love to post the great things that everyone gets on the blog!

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Amelia Grace Gossman
amelia-grace-illustration.com
ameliagossman @ gmail.com
+
Mercedes Benjaminse
Lacus2887@hotmail.com
wafflelele.tumblr.com

Sara O'Brien
sara.o.illustrator@gmail.com
earthboundsatyr.tumblr.com
+
Gino Pambianchi
http://ginopambianchi.com
gpambianchi@me.com

Rosana Iarusso
rosana.iarusso@gmail.com
+
Joshua Nelson
joshua@funnylookinghorse.com

Stephanie M.
s.matos@yahoo.com
http://stephaniematos.tumblr.com
+
linda thiltgen
LTcre8s@gmail.com

Bridie Cheeseman
bridiecheeseman@gmail.com
+
Jahna Vaughan
jahna.vaughan@gmail.com

Kristin Nohe
kristinnohe@gmail.com
+
Nick Bensch
nickbensch@gmail.com

Shannon Kao
skao127@gmail.com
+
Brittany Seiveno
tofutonic@gmail.com
www.biddoodles.com

Jeran Schmidt
jerandschmidt@gmail.com
+
Hannah Ploechl
Hannah.Ploechl@gmail.com
Hannahploechl.com

Michael Perez
michael.perez.illustration@gmail.com
+
john randazzo Jon Renzella
JRenzella@inbox.com

Nick Nazzaro
TheNazzaro@gmail.com
NickNazzaro.com
+
Kat Michaelides
tinderkindle.tumblr.com
k.i.michaelides@gmail.com

Linda Winder
lindadraws@gmail.com
www.lindawinder.com
+
Maryam Shari'ati
shimmersilkillustration.tumblr.com
shimmersilk@gmail.com

Allison Ranieri
allisonranieri@gmail.com
+
Matthew Spencer
mspencerillustration@gmail.com

Nicole Gustafsson
nicole(at)nimasprout(dot)com
www.nimasprout.com
+
Andy Krueger
andykrueger@gmail.com

Ana Marta Huffstot
amhuffstot@gmail.com
+
CM Ringor
cmringor@gmail.com

Taylor Kirstan
taylor.vanseveran@gmail.com
+
Pablo Leon
http://artsypabster.com/
http://pabster.tumblr.com/
pablo.j.leon@gmail.com

Francine Denise
h.francine@gmail.com
+
BreeAnn Veenstra
bree@lullafly.com

Sarah Hayes
SHAYES@pnca.edu
sarahhayessketch.tumblr.com
+
Regina Stanton
ginastanton@gmail.com

Megan Fisher
meg.fish2@gmail.com
+
Phoenix Chan
http://phoenixchanillustration.webs.com
phoenix0.72@gmail.com

Jose Miguel Amante
jm_amante02@yahoo.com.ph
+
Chris Harrington
cshillustration@gmail.com

Vaimiti Tragin
vaimiti.t@hotmail.com
+
Mary Closner
1964minx@gmail.com

Vân Tran Monnier
rhymeswithfun@gmail.com
+
Kessler Robinson
kesslerrobinson@gmail.com

Lisa Imas
imas.lisa@gmail.com
hashtag-art.tumblr.com
+
Chelsea Auernheimer
spcalover@gmail.com

Kelly Arnold
Vulfolaic@gmail.com
http://www.behance.net/Vulfolaic
+
Jack Rook
wukong7272 @ gmail

Amelia Allen
ameliaeverest@hotmail.com
+
Alexia Tryfon
alexiatryfon.com
alextryfon@yahoo.ca

Jon Marchione
jonmarchione@gmail.com
jonmarchione.tumblr.com
+
Nicole Caggiano
http://chocolatechip-tarot.tumblr.com/
Ncaggianoart@gmail.com

Karina Rehrbehn
phyllobates@web.de
+
Chris Hajny
hajny.com
chris at hajny dot com

Emily Muschinske
emily.muschinske@gmail.com
+
Justin Buenaflor
buenaflor.justin@gmail.com

Sam Lorang
slorang@gmail.com
+
Savannah Schroll Guz
savannahguz@gmail.com

Angi Pauly Llobet
Angi.pauly@gmail.com
Angipauly.com
+
Sandra Brandstätter
sbrandstaetter@hotmail.com
http://brandstaetter.tumblr.com

Amarilys Henderson
watercolordevo@gmail.com
+
Alex Endsley
alexandra.endsley@gmail.com

Mariah Llanes
llanesmariah@gmail.com
+
Randy Bishop
www.randybishopart.com
rdalebishop@gmail.com

Michelle Volansky
michellevolansky@gmail.com
+
Erika Rier
erika@erikarier.com

Liz Gollner
liz.gollner@gmail.com
+
Deb Thompson
justshortofcrazy@gmail.com

Katerina Friday
katfriday@gmail.com
katfriday.blogspot.com
+
Amanda Ritchie
twitchyritchie@gmail.com
http://twitchyritchie.com/

Lindsay Nohl
lindsaynohl.com
hello@lightgreyartlab.com
+
Nooree Kim
nooree_k@hotmail.com

angela an
loveangelaan@gmail.com
+
Ann Macarayan
acmate00@gmail.com

B Paul Patterson
cacrinolas@gmail.com
+
Chicherova Olga
alex-servantes@yandex.ru

Delia Evin
deliaevin@aol.com
+
Katie Wincek
katie@illuminaryart.com

Caleb Olson
calebaolson.com
calebaolson@gmail.com
+
Amy Liu
amliu88@gmail.com
amliu.com

Irina Levin
x@paperaffinity.com
+
Anna Grabowska
www.cargocollective.com/toeslikebeans
anna.grabowska@hotmail.co.uk

Shanti Rittgers
shanti.rittgers@gmail.com
+
Nic ter Horst
nichole(dot)th@gmail.com

Courtney La Forest
laforest.courtney@yahoo.com
+
Tyler Parker
theartoftylerparker.com
tfparker@gmail.com

Kyle Cahill
kemora2128@gmail.com
cahilldraws.tumblr.com
+
Kayla Wasil
kaylawasil.com
wasilkayla@gmail.com

Nneka Myers
nnekamyers@gmail.com
+
Jocelyn Anderson
ande8495@gmail.com

Katharina Netolitzky
katharina.netolitzky@gmx.de
+
Adam Vass
adamxvass@gmail.com

Frances Alvarez
hello@francesalvarez.com
+
Laura Moreno
lmoreno@mcad.edu

crystal shephard
crystal@crystalshephard.com
+
Cone Corbett
Coner.Corbett@gmail.com
ConeCorbett.com

Teressa Ong
teressaong@gmail.com
+
Ashley Masog
ajmasog@gmail.com

Stephanie Gott
moosemooseawyeah@gmail.com
+
Ashlyn Anstee
ashlyn.anstee@gmail.com

Alexxander Dovelin
alex-xander.com
xander@alex-xander.com
+
Angela Rizza
Angela@Angelarizza.com

Christoph Kwon
Chris@christophkwon.com
+
Kristina Makousky
kristinamakousky@gmail.com

Irene Dose
irene.dose@gmail.com
www.irenedose.it
+
Allison Affourtit
allison.affourtit@gmail.com

Jenny McKeon
tozoku@gmail.com
+
Rachelle Reyes
rachjreyes@yahoo.com

Charlotte Mao
charlotte.mao@gmail.com
http://cargocollective.com/charlottemao
+
Jenny Bookler
jennybookler.com
jennybookler@gmail.com

Patricia Duchesne
patricia_duchesne28@hotmail.com
+
Kim Ku
kimberly.t.ku@gmail.com

Jon Renzella
JRenzella@inbox.com
+
Jackie Williams
http://dessinez.tumblr.com
http://behance.net/jmieldesigns
jmieldesigns@gmail.com

Leslie Pederson
resubee.tumblr.com
lespeder@nd.gov
+
Matt Hansen
m@matthansenart.com

Mary Wertz
mwcollage@aol.com
+
Karli Wade
karliwade@gmail.com

Dominique Pere
Dominique.n.pere@gmail.com
http://dominiquepere.tumblr.com/
+
Ten Wendlandt
ten.wendlandt@gmail.com

DeAnna Yarbrough
dyarbrough@mica.edu
+
Jia-Ling Pan
http://jialingpan.com
http://jialingpan.tumblr.com
jialing.p@gmail.com

Amber Vrsan
amberjvrsan@gmail.com
+
Grace Currier
gracecisme@gmail.com

Shermaine Tan
Shermstan@gmail.com
+
Janna Morton
www.jannamorton.com
jannamorton@gmail.com

Cheryl Kook
chrylkk@gmail.com
+
Amanda Erb
amanda@amandaerb.com

Leslie Boroczk
leslieannbee@gmail.com
lb-lb-lb.tumblr.com
+
Anna Laura Jacobi
info@annalaurajacobi.de

Danielle LaCasse
danielle.lacasse92@gmail.com
daniellelacasse.com
+
Audrey Gonzalez
audrey@thatsaud.com

Eliz Tremblay
tremblay.elizabeth@gmail.com
+
Kaye London
kayemlondon@gmail.com

Aileen Meneses
columnnotes@gmail.com
+
Melissa McGill
mmcgillart@gmail.com
mcgillart.carbonmade.com

Make My Holiday 2013!! Sign up for our yearly art swap!

THIS IS OPEN TO LOCAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS!

***

We are happy to announce our second annual MAKE MY HOLIDAY art swap!

Would you like to give and receive something really super-special in the mail for the holidays and make a great art friend in the process?



Here's how it works!

Leave a comment with your name and email below before Wednesday November 13th and we'll pair you up another awesome creative person for (what we hope) will be a very memorable gift exchange!

Once the call is over Jenny and I will pair people at random and publish a new list by Saturday November 16th!
Then, all you have to do is find your person on the list, request their postal-mail address, and make something to send them via postal mail by Friday, December 6th!


There are only a couple rules to participate.

1. PLEASE ONLY SIGN UP IF YOU CAN PROMISE TO FOLLOW THROUGH! (We don't want to leave anyone hanging!)

2. The thing you send has to be made by you! It doesn't matter when you made it, how you made it, why you made it, or where you made it. Size doesn't matter. Shape doesn't matter. As long as you did it, that's perfect!

3. Once you're paired, it'll be up to you to request your partner's postal address.

4. Please be sure to send your packages out by Friday December 6th so everyone receives their packages before the holidays are over!

5. (Optional, but we would love you forever) Once you receive your package, please send us a photo of you with what you got from your swap-friend! We'd love to hear form you and we'd love to post a public thank you / show and tell from everyone involved over the weeks people receive things! We'll post a batch every week as long as we are getting photos!


Here's to the holidays and a happy new year!
Sign ups are open to everyone and everyone that signs up will be partnered with someone! :)
So spread the word and share that delightful holiday cheer!

xoxo
Lindsay

6 Degrees Artists Announced!

We are excited to announce the line-up for our newest exhibition : 6 Degrees!
Thanks to everyone that participated in our call for art!


The whole month of December is dedicated to making connections, giving and sharing, and thinking about our roots. We're going to be discussing the power of the collective voice through a ton of content on the podcast, in our interviews online, and through plenty of interesting moments that will make you think about how very small, and wonderfully intimate our world is.

6 Degrees
an exhibition about the power of the collective voice
a postcard exhibition

opening reception December 6th
7 - 10pm
runs through January 10th.

at Light Grey Art Lab
118 E. 26th Street #101
Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55404 USA

****


Congratulations to our 6 Degrees artists!:


Frances Alvarez
Courtney Billadeau
Justin Oaksford
Kathy de Castro
Bart Tiongson
Melanie Daigle
Erin McGuire
Rebecca Green
Nicolas Aznárez
John Lee
Sam Schetcher
David Aguado
Jardley Jean-Louis
Alexia Tryfon
Ashlyn Anstee
Sara O'Brien
Rory Phillips
Patrick Murphy
Taryn Gee
Fraeya Pinto
Tyler Parker
Kim Tomacruz
Victoria Fernández
Ulana Z
Alison McDole
Casey Crisenbery
Courtney Wirth
Kim Ku
Sarah Robbins
Shermaine Tan
Esther Hong
Audrey Gonzalez
Maria Vitan
Greg Wright
Irene Alfaro
Jo Yeh
Kate Thomas
Jenessa Mae Kundinger
Monica Esquivel
Gino Pambianchi
Karina Rehrbehn
Kelly Smith
Iori Espiritu
Simini Blocker
Lynn Scurfield
Camille Chew
Jessica Roux
Victoria Ying
Ami Moore
Xuancheng Zhang
Amanda Ritchie
Ricardo Bessa
Angela An
Matt Rockefeller
Phoenix Chan
Vân Tran Monnier
Laura Brown
Nooree Kim
Luisa Rivera Nahrwold
Anika Starmer
Leonard Peng
David Curtis
John Charles Cox
Angela Taguiang
Stephanie Matos
Nate Mathews
Bridie Cheeseman
Emilie Tromp
Jenny Bookler
Lindsay Nohl
Francesca Buchko
Chris Hajny
Anissa Espinosa
Courtney Bernard
Roman Muradov
Sophia Foster-Dimino
Natalie Andrewson
Leslie Hung
Jenn Tran
Annie Stoll
Jon Marchione
David Velasco
Nneka Myers
Amanda Hagemann
Benjamin Lam
Monika Grubizna
Kristen Fritsch
Matt Wentworth
Julia Lavigne
Wendi Chen

ROLEMODELS : The Battle for Vyk' Tornaahl PRE-ORDER!

We have been biting our tongues and keeping it in for the past couple months and we can't stand it any longer!
We just officially launched the pre-order for ROLEMODELS: The Battle for Vyk' Tornaahl, a limited-edition card game featuring all the incredible alter-egos from the 99 participating artists in our October exhibition! The deck is $25 and features 95 Hero cards, 4 Kingdoms, 1 handy rule card, a D20, and a small 100-page perfectbound book on the lore, land, characters and instructions on how to play the game.




We believe that the nuances of our personalities can be seen in the characters we choose to play. RPG games hold a special place in our hearts and for the upcoming ROLEMODELS exhibition, we've asked our creative role models to help show us their inner hero / heroine. From the righteous paladins, to the back-stabbing rogues --- ROLEMODELS brings you a look at the characters inspired by the personalities of the artists you know and love. While not a literal self-portait show, we find the decisions we make while crafting our characters to be very telling of how we see ourselves and who we long to be.

ROLEMODELS
Opening Reception & COSTUME PARTY!
Friday, OCtober 25th
7 - 10pm
118 E. 26th Street #101
Minneapolis MN 55406 USA
612.239.2047

We will be unveiling a slew of interactive extracurriculars, gameplay videos and plenty of goodies around one of Light Grey's biggest shows of the year! The ROLEMODELS opening reception falls conveniently on HALLOWEEN WEEKEND - where we'll ask our patrons to come dressed in their best mail, share a flagon of mead (or ranger beer) and party with us while we nerd out IN COSTUME.


THE GAME:

The realm of Vyk'Tornaahl is in a state of flux. Heroes battle for power in a strategic game of gathering allies, defeating foes, bluffing competing champions and ultimately vying for the rule of the realm of Vyk' Tornaahl. ROLEMODELS: The Battle For Vyk' Tornaahl is an easy-to-play game for 2 to 4 players.



The deck is available for $25 and can be pre-ordered through Friday, October 25th. The games will be shipped after the opening reception.
If you'd like to grab a deck, head to our shop and see the sneak-peek!

All the details are here!



For a full list of contributing artists, see this post!

More details on the upcoming exhibition and other fun things soon! :)

Autoptic Recap!

We had a really great time at Autoptic: meeting people, both at our booth and on the convention floor. The Aria building was a gorgeous location, the Autoptic crew and staff were friendly and helpful, and everybody, attendees and guests alike, was energetic and so happy to be there. That energy was definitely contagious!


The Gang's all here!


A view from our table at Autoptic

Between all of us at Light Grey we got to talk to a number of the artists tabling there. I was happy to see past teachers Barbara Schulz, Zak Sally, Vincent Stall, and James O'Brien.
We also met so many talented people that I've only known through their work. I'm certainly forgetting people (I don't mean to!), but Bart King, Sam Sharpe, Kevin Cannon, JP Coovert, the folks at Sparkplug Books, and Grimalkin Press are few of the people who gave us convention advice and talked with us about the ups and downs of book production.


Lindsay and Jenny chat about all the amazing things they're seeing


The In Place book!

And of course we're always happy to see artists who have exhibited with us, including Brad McGinty, Anna Bongiovanni, Erik Krenz, and Evan Palmer.


Local Artist Erik Krenz talks to other local artist, Jesse Riggle!


Fun was had by all!

One of these days (soon!) I'll post my Autoptic purchases–my highly cherished collection of zines, books and prints. And thank you and congratulations, Autoptic crew, for putting on such a great event! Here's to many more!

--Francesca

Nights & Weekends Artists Announced!

As I'm getting this post ready I'm listening to the Erasure station on Pandora and I'll be working til the wee hours of the morning with Jenny on a ridiculous list of things. I was thinking today about those of us that stay up all night, work hard on the weekends and continue to push through the day-to-day with things that inspire us, revive us and sometimes intimidate us.

I know you guys know what we mean because you came out to show us what you do when you have a free moment. And it was beautiful!
Thanks again for showing us what you do! The whole month of September is dedicated to exactly that : working hard and working on personal projects.
We are going to be celebrating tons of amazing projects by amazing people, including our final list of artists for Nights & Weekends!

Featured Artist, Campbell Whyte is coming all the way from Australia to hang out with us and show his epic collection of hundreds of pieces of work! A workshop, an artist talk and some more fancy surprises are in the works, so keep a sharp eye out!
We'll make sure to let you know more as we get closer!

Without further ado:

Nights & Weekends
An Exhibition About the Fever to Create
Opening Friday September 20th
alongside the Sketchbook Project: 1703 Miles and Back Tour
7 - 10pm
at Light Grey Art Lab


This show features a small, select group of individuals whose artwork inspired us. During the course of the show we'll be delving into the day-to-day creative considerations of each artist and getting to know what drives them to make the things they make. We're looking forward to a series of interviews, podcasts and process blogs, among other practice-related content!

Participating Artists:

Campbell Whyte
Miko Maciaszek
B Paul Patterson
Antonio Rodrigues Jr.
Anne Ulku
Neufundland Magazine
Kim Ku
Jesse Lindhorst & the Morning Commuters
Genevieve FT
Evan Palmer
Anna Bongiovanni
Henning Koczy

Thanks again to everyone that submitted for the exhibition!
We are looking forward to September!

Artist Interview: Courtney Billadeau

With Station Zero going on right now, we wanted to take a peek into the minds of some of the many talented artists participating in the show. We were blown away at the expansive knowledge (and interest) in sci-fi that many of the Station Zero artists possessed, and wanted to give them a chance to speak more on the topic!

Meet C. Billadeau- a Chicago illustrator with a widespread pool of interests, ranging from comic art to book binding and much much more. Her work utilizes bold shapes and dynamic compositions (with just the right amount of texture sprinkled on top,) creating dramatic and eye-catching pieces. Aside from her work in several of our shows here at Light Grey Art Lab, C. Billadeau has been featured in Illustration West 48 and 49, CMYK 49, and Creative Quarterly 22. She has worked with Bioware promoting Mass Effect, and most recently participated in a short fiction anthology titled "THIS IS HOW YOU DIE."


Sebastian Orr Photography

What’s one sci-fi book you’d recommend everyone to read, and why?

As an avid reader and huge sci-fi fan, it is difficult to narrow the list down!

My favorite classic sci-fi is I, Robot by Isaac Asimov. The book itself is a collection of short fiction built on the premise of Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics and a logical society that believes them to be wholly comprehensive, with each story upping the ante in showing us robots finding loopholes in those laws and explaining how completely flawed the laws are. His other books in the Robot series are also really great.

If 'hard' sci-fi scares you or you're afraid of being labeled as a nerd or something (but really, it's great, come to the dork side), I'd recommend either China Miéville's The City and the City or the most recent trilogy by William Gibson, starting with Pattern Recognition. They both definitely fall more into the 'speculative fiction' side of science fiction along with "The City and the City", but are just as solid as any other futuristic sci-fi.


Work in progress for Station Zero

If you had to pick a sci-fi world to live in, where would you live and why?

Probably the world described in the Shadowrun tabletop gaming franchise (fun fact: the books are heavily inspired on the earlier, more famous William Gibson novels). See, a lot of my favorite sci-fi is about worlds or societies that are horribly, horribly flawed and that's why I enjoy reading stories about them (but not necessarily living in them).

Did you read the book you were assigned, or pieces of it? If so, what’s your favorite part of the book? Did that moment get included in your redesign of the cover?

I…didn't actually have a favorite part of "Cage A Man" because I really didn't like it! As someone who eats trashy pulp sci-fi like this for breakfast, I generally have a high tolerance for poor writing or dated ideas, but this was not the case here. There wasn't a lot of real plot to follow, as literally three-quarters of the book follow the main character's obsession with coercing and eventually forcing his female alien lover to get futuristic plastic surgery to make her look more human, simply because how she looks is offensive to his sex drive. No, I'm not actually kidding. All done in the name of "true love".

It's exceedingly problematic from numerous perspectives--feminist, racial, and otherwise--so it was difficult to digest because of that.

As such, I wanted little to do with the original content and ended up not specifically depicting anything from the book. I ended up relying on more abstract metaphors, instead, to describe a persistent theme throughout the book that didn't immediately make me backpedal away from the book--the concept of captivity, in its various forms.



What’s a piece of technology that you’d love to get invented in the near future?

Effective interstellar communication and/or travel--for research and knowledge! When I was a kid (and everyone else around me wanted to be a firefighter or a doctor or whatever their parents were), I only wanted to be an astronomer. Mainly to explore the unknowns of space from the comfort of Earth. I eventually grew out of that and into an illustrator, but I still find a lot of inspiration in the mysteries of the universe and deeply believe in what resources and knowledge we could find by exploring it.

What’s your ideal workspace?

My process is both part traditional mediums and part digital mediums, so having a large, dedicated desk where I can roll back and forth from messily inking something to my desktop is a must. As well as a huge scanner and copier nearby. I really prefer working with others, too--mainly for motivation and bouncing and sharing ideas off of each other.

Right now, I work in a space in my apartment with my significant other, but I plan to open up my own studio space with friends someday!


Work in progress for In Place

Do you listen to any music while you work? If so, what kinds?

Anywhere from industrial grunge to low-fi electronica. Music works, for me, less as a source of inspiration and more of a barrier between me and everything around me. I really can only focus on creating if I shut out the outside world for a bit.

What is your favorite medium to work in, and why?

I love working with ink. I make a lot of my textures by hand, mostly by slinging around ink with brushes on rough bristol.


Limited edition run of C.Billadeau's Mass Effect print through Bioware

In the future, what are some things you’d like to be working on/where would you like to go with your art?

I'm currently in the planning stages for a historical-fiction, surrealist graphic novel I've been doing the research for some time. I'm a commercial illustrator through and through, so, while continuing to do editorial and marketing work, I eventually plan to do more conceptual work for independent game design while making comics that I will likely serialize online.

Thanks Courtney!

To see more of her work, check out her blog or website, and be sure to check out her piece for Station Zero!