The Aurora Public Art Commission, in association with Rotten Apple Studios in downtown Aurora, is presenting its latest exhibit, An Introduction to the World of Comics, beginning August 23 at the David L. Pierce Art and History Center, 20 E. Downer Place. The exhibit features the works of 22 comic book artists.
Rotten Apple Comics is an up and coming multimedia studio that centers on creating high quality print and digital comics, live-action and animated web shows, and video games. The studio creates content for a variety of audiences, ranging from the adult crowd to family friendly entertainment. Twenty of the twenty-two artists featured in the exhibit are members of Rotten Apple.
Also participating in the exhibit are artists Charley Krebs and Jon Stanicek.
After being the staff cartoonist for his high school and college newspapers in Cicero, Charley Krebs was hired by the Suburban LIFE Newspaper chain in 1978 as their editorial page cartoonist. He was the cartoonist for all of their newspapers at various times for the next 30 years. From 1996 to 2006 his work was recognized with one National Newspapers Association award, six Suburban Newspapers of America awards, and ten Illinois Press Association awards including first place IPA rankings in 1996 and 2001.
Krebs also has served as cartoonist for the Chicago arts weekly NewCity, the Copley newspaper chain and for the online AOL Patch among many other periodicals. For the past decade he has created a monthly music cartoon feature for Chicago Jazz Magazine. The Riverside resident continues his career in the arts as an illustrator for McKinsey and Company.
Jon Stanicek studied Graphic Art at the American Academy of Art and has been working as a freelance artist since 1997 mostly doing storyboard work, after working at the Leo Burnett Ad Agency in Chicago for nine years. Stanicek started his comic book career with the graphic novel “Jeremiah Cooper” in 2009 and has continued with the titles “Black Clover”, “Blossoming Bushido” and “Washington Year One”. Jon recently finished a comic book for Blue Water Productions following the history of the United States Air force.
An opening reception will kick off the exhibit from 5:00 to 7:30 on August 23 and will feature light hors d’oeurves, a cash bar, and live musical entertainment. The exhibit will be open from noon to 4 p.m., Wednesday to Friday through November 22. Admission is free. For information call (630) 256-INFO (4636) or visit www.aurora-il.org.
Also opening on Friday, Aug. 23 is Jen Evans at the Paramount’s Grand Gallery, and Cheryl Holz at Allen + Pepa Architects on Benton.
