ESCONDIDO Walking into the “Art Illustrated” comic art exhibit is like stepping right into the funny pages — and then some.
Are you a fan of “Luann,” the comics-page sweetheart of teen angst and frivolity? Then you’ll enjoy lingering over more than two dozen original gems from creator and longtime San Marcos resident Greg Evans’ personal collection. Discover The New Yorker-esque quirk and wit of Encinitas artist Jim Whiting. Chuckle — and squirm — over a week’s worth of parental favorite “Baby Blues,” in which the family of five battles head lice.
Beyond, you’ll find Chuck Jones (Looney Tunes) sketches, Disney sericells, early Theodor Geisel advertisements and political cartoons, and Bart Simpson in comic-book form.
The works are among 288 carefully selected pieces of comic and cartoon art that comprise a something-for-everyone exhibition at the museum of the California Center for the Arts, Escondido.
“Art Illustrated: Celebrating Comic Art”
What: Museum exhibit with more than 250 pieces of comic and cartoon art from celebrated artists, featuring some of the most popular characters. | When: Through July 28. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Saturday; 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday. | Where: California Center for the Arts, Escondido, 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido.Admission: Members, free; general, $8; seniors, military and students, $5. | Phone: (760) 839-4138 | Online: artcenter.org
“Art Illustrated: Celebrating Comic Art” curator Andrew Farago set out to assemble an introductory comic art exhibit that would appeal to all ages, whether aficionados or casual fans.
What resulted is a mix of popular funny page favorites and artists for which the exhibit would serve as a good introduction.
“Maybe you read the comics every day, or maybe you watch movies based on superheroes, or maybe you watch cartoons with your kids,” Farago said. “The goal was finding enough cartoons (that) people would recognize on some level, and hopefully adding some surprises.”
— California Center for the Arts, Escondido
Center officials approached Farago, who’s curator of the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco, after winning a $25,000 Escondido Charitable Foundation grant last fall. The grant proposal from the center’s Jerry Buckley, vice president of external affairs, centered on an art festival that would engage residents and attract visitors through comics — one of the most popular, accessible art forms.
Perfect timing
And what better time to hold such an exhibition than during the buildup to San Diego’s Comic-Con International, the annual four-day, larger-than-life pop culture convention.
The center’s timing for approaching Farago turned out to be fortuitous, as well. Syndication giant King Features had contacted Farago about exhibit ideas, but the San Francisco museum’s calendar was full.
But when Farago told King Features about the Escondido exhibit, the syndicate was happy to reach out to cartoonists, yielding a gold mine of original prints from classic strips like “Beetle Bailey” and “Hagar the Horrible.”
The center also called Evans, who was eager to participate. He lent 12 “Luann” strips, and 15 strips by other cartoonists, including a “Peanuts” inscribed to Evans and signed “Sparky” (Charles Schulz’s nickname).
— California Center for the Arts, Escondido
Evans also gave the center a drawing of Luann’s dog, Puddles, to use in the exhibit’s promotions.
Article source: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/jul/05/exhibit-escondido-shows-comic-art-treasures/