IUK art students show off final projects in the campus gallery

Apr. 19—Vibrantly illustrated children's books were lined up in Indiana University Kokomo's art gallery Wednesday.

Nearby, IUK New Media, Art and Technology senior Elizabeth Byrum spoke to visitors about becoming an author.

Her book, "Pack a Snack," is meant to help 3- to 7-year-olds learn the importance of healthy eating, how to follow instructions and how to safely operate in a kitchen. She wrote and illustrated the book.

While the book was initially created for a publication and editorial design class, it was on display in the gallery as part of the IUK art program's Senior Thesis Exhibition.

Byrum also had the book's sequel, "Pack a Snack: Special Plates," which includes recipes that are more friendly to people with dietary restrictions, on display during the gallery's opening reception. A corresponding board game with simple recipe cards sat on a children's table nearby.

"I really think it's important for young children to have an outlet like this, where they can use their hands and be creative and make something instead of just looking at a screen all day," she said.

Byrum added she was inspired by the authors of children's books she grew up with — people like Dr. Seuss, Shel Silverstein and her uncle.

"I decided to create my own and hopefully make the same kind of impact," Byrum said.

Byrum added she reached out to several publishers, and RoseDog Books agreed to publish the first volume of "Pack a Snack." Several gallery visitors asked to be notified when they could purchase the book.

Alex Guldi also had to do a bit of writing for his art. He created a graphic novel, titled "Dublin Black Sheep."

Visitors scrolled through pages of the novel on touchscreens during the opening reception, and read about mutant characters on blocks of concept art that hung on the gallery's wall.

Guldi had been working on the story, which is based on his experiences in therapy, for about two years. There are a few super heroes in the story, but the main focus is on relationships and anxiety.

It's the longest project Guldi has worked on. Spanning roughly 45 pages, he had to learn how make a comic book layout, write realistic dialogue and, like many other college students, work on his time management and pacing. It took about four months to finalize the concept art and make the comic book.

He plans to publish "Dublin Black Sheep" online after the senior exhibit closes May 16, but would like to make a few changes before doing so.

"I consider this more like a pilot episode of a cartoon or a movie now," Guldi said. "It's something that I want to rewrite, but I'm still really proud of all the effort that I put into it."

Toward the back of the gallery, temporary walls formed a cave-like shell. The exterior displayed Abigail Carman's name.

Rounding the corner toward an opening in the walls, visitors were able to pick up small flashlights. Inside the dim, makeshift room, they shined their lights on Parisian blue photographs and nocturnal imagery.

Carman explained the images were produced via cyanotype, a cameraless photography technique that employs chemical solutions and the sun's ultraviolet rays.

Going into her senior year, the artist explained, she wanted to create an immersive experience for the senior exhibition. She spent the summer learning about cyanotype and decided to base her thesis on her fascination with nocturnal themes and the interaction between manmade objects and the environment.

Luna, Spanish moon and tiger moths flutter around lanterns in the exhibit. An audio recording of bugs plays inside the makeshift room, too.

"I've always been really drawn toward the night and I love incorporating various light sources in my work," Carman explained. "I wanted to add a nostalgic feel to it, so I went with something that everybody could resonate with and remember — exploring the night with flashlights."

Gregory Steel, chair of the New Media program, addressed the opening reception roughly an hour after visitors began to arrive.

Surrounded by students and other faculty members, he told the crowd it takes courage to put your work on display.

"All these students had to look at their own souls and say, 'What am I doing?' 'Why am I doing this?' I'm always humbled by that when I think about it," he said.

With a chuckle, he added, "They all have done terrific work. They're all going to be wildly successful. Hopefully they won't forget us when they're all famous and rich."

James Bennett III can be reached at 765-454-8580 or james.bennett@kokomotribune.com.