Our first exhibition of 2024 brings together fine art and narrative storytelling. “The Art of Storytelling,” which is on display from February 10 to March 30, features illustration paintings from five artists who use their art to tell visual narratives. This exhibition includes nearly 40 original illustrative works from Gui Huilin, Jennifer Hudson, Alexi Natchev, Laurence Schwinger, and Lynnette Shelley.   

 

    While traditional painting and drawing simply show a scene or object for what it is, storytelling illustration intentionally imposes characters, settings, and actions into an image, encouraging viewers to ask who or what the subjects are, how they are tied to their environment, and what may happen next within this constructed world. Attendees of this exhibition are invited to look at the work of each artist and create a narrative that speaks to them, using the artwork to spark their imagination.

 

    Gui Huilin is a New York-based illustrator from China. She combines various mediums in her creative process, taking inspiration from everyday moments, nature, memories, and everything that brings nostalgia. She doesn’t work in one specific medium, but, rather, selects the mediums based on the project’s need, finishing each piece with digital enhancements. For “The Art of Storytelling,” Huilin illustrates the day in the life of a young Asian girl. The story’s protagonist spends the day with her grandmother, running errands at the local farmer’s market and experiencing the togetherness of her neighborhood’s community. Huilin’s charming and warm-hearted images are rudimentary in design and evoke the style of artists like L. S. Lowry and Helen Layfield Bradley. 

 

    Jennifer Hudson is a Maryland-based cut paper artist and painter. She graduated from the Baltimore School for the Arts in 2014 in painting, but soon after was introduced to the world of contemporary paper art. Jennifer uses various-sized knives to hand-cut each fantasy-inspired image, crafting a delicate work of art. Her three-dimensional work is achieved by combining several layers of the cut paper to create movement, texture, and dimension. Jennifer’s pieces feature various woodland animals — like foxes, wolves, and sea birds — placed in lush natural environments. Her works summon a child-like wonderment and bring to mind fairytale stories. 

 

    Alexi Natchev was born and educated in Sofia, Bulgaria. He works in the field of children’s book illustration, printmaking, and drawing. Since moving to the US in 1990, he has published more than fifteen books with major publishing houses like Penguin and Random House. For “The Art of Storytelling,” Alexi is showcasing four tarot card illustrations that mimic the ancient design of the historic activity. His scenes feature images of the macabre — reaping skeletons, aggressive wild animals, and mystical creatures — and grand figures from the Middle Ages. 

 

    Laurence Schwinger received a BFA from Philadelphia College of Art with a major in Illustration and an MFA in Illustration from Marywood University in Pennsylvania. In addition to being a freelance illustrator for 30 years, Laurence has worked in advertising and is an Instructor at the Art Institute of Philadelphia. Equal parts medieval, Arabian, and dystopian, Laurence’s oil paintings evoke historical imagery and actions. While some of the scenes are grounded in reality, others embrace elements from ancient legends, bringing mortal combats and adventure lores to life.  

 

    Originally from Delaware, Lynnette Shelley is an award-winning artist specializing in contemporary mixed media animal and nature paintings. Her highly detailed and complex compositions are created using a buildup of multiple layers of ink and acrylic and incorporate techniques in both drawing and painting — from crosshatching and mark-making to ink splatter and linear painting. On display in “The Art of Storytelling” are Lynnette’s acrylic and ink whimsical animal paintings. She crafts a narrative through the placement of the creatures, showcasing how the different breeds interact with each other in nature. Some of the featured pieces use her unique “fauxsaic” technique, which is a type of collage made from hand-colored and cut watercolor paper that is placed on the image to resemble mosaic tile.