“There is something tricky about navigating how much of nothing one can get away with and still be noticed,” says March’s banner artist Tim Schade. Check out Chicago Publishes’ interview, in which Tim reades Tina Fey, paints balloons, and does not play music.
“When I draw Metropolis or Gotham City it’s definitely Chicago underneath,” says well-known comic artist Gene Ha. His work is featured in our banner this month, and he sat down with us to chat about Chicago as inspiration, working for DC, and his sources of inspiration.
“As for the comics community, I think it’s really impressive. There are a ton of talented cartoonists working in Chicago,” says Paul Hornschemeier, local comic and graphic novel artist. This month’s banner is taken from his novel Life with Mr. Dangerous. He chatted with us about Chicago, his work, and what’s next for him.
“Some people have a preconceived notion about what comics are or can be and I’m always eager to show them how eclectic this medium can be!” says Jill Thompson, award-winning Chicago comic artist and author of Scary Godmother, Beasts of Burden, and illustrator of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman. We’ve featured Scary Godmother in our banner this month, and interviewed Jill on her work.
“The flag book structure provides a great canvas to layer text and image, and a lot of opportunity for viewer involvement. They’re also fun to play with,” says Chicago binder, book and installation artist Karen Hanmer whose flag book “Bluestem” is featured in our banner this month. She talked with us about flag books, economics, and Audubon.
“I’m drawn toward the way that simple text and image can create a more complex and somewhat ambiguous narrative,” says Joseph Lappie, this month’s featured banner artist and graduate of Columbia College Chicago’s Interdisciplinary Book and Paper Arts MFA program. He spoke with us about his work, Peptic Robot Press, and letterpress narrative.
“I have always had a fascination with reference books, specifically dictionaries,” says featured artist Amy Rabas of her favorite books. “I read them leisurely for inspiration, starting and stopping at random places.” She chatted with us about book-binding, the deconstruction of nature, and finding time as an artist.
“Paper works really well conceptually for me, since I’m interested in impermanence and ephemerality,” says Laurie LeBreton, the paper artist featured in our banner this month. We sat down with her to chat about her craft, the process of making paper, and the trip to Laos that inspired her featured piece.
“Books and paper are where it starts. I can feel them coming to life in my hands, like clay to a potter,” says Miriam Schaer, whose work is featured in our banner this month. Schaer is a lecturer in the Interdisciplinary MFA Program in Book and Paper at Columbia College Chicago and a successful artist whose work is built out of books, paper, and other materials.
“In short, the work is about making peace with life’s disasters,” says Kaitlin Kostus of Accidental Slumber, the work of art featured in our banner this month. She sat down with us to chat about her development as an artist, the inspiration behind this work, and her love of Eastern European culture.
