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Student illustrations inspired by holiday songs showcased at Symphony, Dec. 7

goersab — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 18:37:34 +0000

Student illustrations inspired by holiday songs showcased at Symphony, Dec. 7goersab November 20, 2025

'Music in Motion' to feature pieces from 'The Polar Express,' classics like 'Sleigh Ride,' 'Sailing with Whales'

The comfort of holiday music will be paired with festive visual art at “Music in Motion,” presented by University of Wisconsin-Stout ��. Symphonic Band at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 7, in the Memorial Student Center Great Hall.

The concert will feature music about various kinds of transportation, including a train ride with music from “The Polar Express,” an ocean voyage with Rossano Galante ��. “Sailing with Whales,” and a holiday favorite, “Sleigh Ride.”

Jay Holtz's illustration for "Sailing With Whales" / Erik Evensen

Each musical piece will be paired with illustrations created by �� students, projected on the screens in the Great Hall. The illustrations are a visual representation of the music, based on the composers’ theme or musical expression.

Purchase tickets at uwstout.universitytickets.com.

Kaleigh Kahl's illustration for "Sleigh Ride" / Erik Evensen

Illustrations inspired by music

The collaboration was developed by symphony Director Erika Svanoe and Professor Erik Evensen, program director of B.F.A. in illustration. The series of images were produced by illustration, animation and digital media and graphic design and interactive media students in Evensen ��. Digital Illustration class.

Featured student artists include Erin McKinley, Jay Holtz, Jenna Good, Kaleigh Kahl, Renee Smith, and Harper Leighton, whose piece is a tribute to her grandfather, a WWII veteran and �� alum.

Harper Leighton's illustration for "Moorside March" / Erik Evensen

When Leighton first listened to “Moorside March,” images of planes flying over the English moors flashed through her head. As she listened, she thought of her Great Grandpa Lee Roy Bedsted, a member of the 546th Bombardment Squadron in the United States Air Force.

“My great grandpa was the top turret gunner and engineer of a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress airplane, 'Aces & Ates,'” Leighton said. The plane ��. name is reflected in her illustration. “On the last of his 28 combat missions, he was shot down over Germany. He spent 10 months as a prisoner of war, with three of those months on a 500-mile, forced march across northern Germany in the winter. If he hadn't survived his ordeal in WWII, I literally would not be here today. I am so thankful for his bravery and dedication, while serving this country.”

As a benefit of the GI Bill, Bedsted earned a Bachelor of Science in education from �� in 1950. He also met and married his wife, Beverly, a fellow student. He returned to �� to earn a master ��. in counseling in 1962.

“Lee Roy Bedsted was an incredibly kind and loving person, who did so much for his family and community. He also started a long family tradition of �� education; I will be the 11th person from my family to graduate from Stout,” said Leighton, an illustration junior from Excelsior, Minnesota.

Jenna Good's illustration for "Ride" / Erik Evensen

McKinley, a GDIM senior from Little Falls, Minnesota, chose to illustrate “Sleigh Ride” because it brings her a sense of nostalgia and comfort. “My family would listen to the song when visiting our extended family for the holidays,” she said.

Her artwork captures the joy and excitement of the winter season, even in the midst of winter flurries, rosy cheeks and foggy breath. She was inspired by the color palettes of artist and animator Mary Blair, intentionally selecting bright colors.

“Winter can be dark and gloomy. I wanted to balance the cool gray tones of the sky with magenta and warm greens,” McKinley said. “There is a joy and energy to the song. The horses emulate the energy, movement and intensity of the song. It ��. like they are dancing.”

Renee Smith's illustration for "Still Here" / Erik Evensen

Listening to “Sailing With Whales,” Holtz felt a powerful forward movement, he said, “along with the story behind the song, talking about sailing out for whale watching, specifically orcas. Somewhat inspired by ‘Treasure Planet,’ it ��. mainly an original concept from my head.

"I like the highlights from the sunrise, and the form of the clouds. I hope others can feel the movement and power of the song,” added Holtz, an illustration junior from Rhinelander.

Erin McKinley's concept art for "Sleigh Ride" / Erin McKinley

Introducing children to music

Seven members of the Symphonic Band performed for preschool students at the university ��. Child and Family Study Center recently in a short concert coordinated by Rachel Larson, an early childhood education major, with the help of Senior Instructional Specialist Marica Wolf, afternoon lead in the four-year-old classroom.

Symphony students gather at the Child and Family Study Center / Erika Svanoe

Larson, of Cameron, is in her second semester of lab experiences at the Child and Family Study Center, learning from the head teachers and teaching her own lessons, including playing her flute for the children. She also plays the alto saxophone and piano.

Symphony members played for preschoolers at the CFSC / Rachel Larson

“I hope to grow my musical talents and use them in my future classroom,” she said. “I think sharing music with the community is important, as it creates a powerful sense of connection — both within the band and beyond it. It brings us together as performers, forming our own supportive circle, while also inviting others to experience and celebrate our talents.

The small concert introduced children to different musical instruments / Rachel Larson

“I believe it ��. especially meaningful to introduce music to children early on, helping them explore their interests in a warm, inclusive environment that fosters creativity, confidence and belonging. I am incredibly grateful for Erika in devoting her time to being our conductor; she has made my experience in the �� band so fun, warm and inviting.”

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Student illustrations inspired by holiday songs showcased at Symphony, Dec. 7

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'Music in Motion' to feature pieces from 'The Polar Express,' classics like 'Sleigh Ride,' 'Sailing with Whales' Erin McKinley, Sleigh Ride

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In 2025-2026, �� is celebrating a Year of Design to highlight the innovation, leadership and impact central to Wisconsin ��. ��. Upcoming signature events include:

Wednesday, Dec. 10, 6 p.m.: Stout Game Expo, western Wisconsin ��. largest game developer exhibition.
Thursday, Dec. 11, 1 to 3 p.m.: STEMM Student Expo will showcase more than 250 students’ research in nearly 100 projects across a dozen fields of study.
Friday, Dec. 12, 6 p.m.: School of Art & Design Senior Show, featuring the works of more than 200 graduating seniors.

Search Keywords: Illustration degree�� Symphonic Band

Hero Caption: Erin McKinley's illustration inspired by "Sleigh Ride" will be one of many featured at the Symphonic Band performance on Dec. 7.

Erika Svanoe

Dr. Erika Svanoe (b. 1976) is a conductor and composer for wind band, known for her lyrical melodies, nods to classic literature, musical deconstruction, humor, and pastiche. Her works have been performed by "The President's Own" United States Marine Band, the United States Navy Band, the National Concert Band of America, featured at the Midwest Clinic, the American Bandmasters Association National Conference, and the Boston New Music Festival, and on Wisconsin Public Radio, in Bandworld's Top 100, and the Teaching Music Through Performance in Band series. Her first major work, The Haunted Carousel, won the 2014 NBA Young Band Composition Contest. Her first album, "The Music of Erika Svanoe," was recorded by Andrew Boysen, Jr. and the University of New Hampshire Wind Symphony, and released in 2022.

As a conductor, Dr. Svanoe has held residencies with the Manhattan School of Music, USAF Heritage of America Band, the Atlanta Freedom Bands, and numerous universities. She has held collegiate appointments at Augsburg University, Bemidji State University, and the University of New Hampshire. She is active as a guest conductor and clinician, appearing with high school, university, All-State and festival ensembles across the United States.

She earned a Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting from The Ohio State University under Russel C. Mikkelson, where she served as conductor of the OSU Collegiate Winds, assistant conductor of the OSU Wind Symphony, and taught undergraduate conducting classes. Her DMA dissertation included a critical edition of Aaron Copland's El Salón México for wind ensemble. She holds a Master of Music in Wind Conducting from Oklahoma State University and a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire.

Her music is published through Alfred Music, G.Schirmer/AMP, and self-published through Swan Maiden Press. She is a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP). She is also the creator and publisher of Marrying Mr. Darcy, the Pride & Prejudice card game, and occasionally advocates and speaks on the topic of arts entrepreneurship, with appearances at the XOXO Festival and in a variety of gaming-related media. Originally from Whitewater, Wisconsin, she currently lives in Menomonie, WI with her husband, designer and graphic novelist Erik Evensen.

Full Name: Erika Svanoe

Job Title: Lecturer

Include in Directory: Yes

Area of Expertise: Wind Band Literature Music Conducting Music Composition Music Education Arts Entrepreneurship

College: College of Arts & Human Sciences

Department: School of Art & Design Visual & Performing Arts Department

Education:

Degree: D.M.A. Conducting

University: Ohio State University

Degree: M.M. Instrumental Conducting & Pedagogy

University: Oklahoma State University

Degree: B.M.Ed. Music Education

University: University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

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Erik A. Evensen

Erik Evensen is Professor of Design and program director of the B.F.A. in Illustration. He teaches studio courses in illustration, design drawing, concept art, graphic design, and typography, and graduate seminars in design research and design education. In 2022, he was recognized with the College of Arts and Human Sciences Outstanding Teaching Award.

He began his career as a graphic designer and illustrator in coastal New Hampshire and the greater Boston area. His comics industry credits include the “Ghostbusters” and “Back to the Future” licensed comic series from IDW Publishing, and the original graphic novels “The Beast of Wolfe ��. Bay” and the Xeric-winning “Gods of Asgard.” He is also the art director, game artist, and co-producer for the tabletop games “Marrying Mr. Darcy” and “Distilled.” His work has variously been featured in Graphic Design USA, The Washington Post, and The New York Times.

Erik has presented at and regularly reviews for academic conferences sponsored by AIGA, IDSA, MODE, M+DEV: Midwest Game Developers Conference, the Design and Emotion Society, IASDR, KEER, and the Global Polytechnic Summit. A student of Design Research pioneer Liz Sanders, his academic research on educational board game design is a featured case study in her textbook, “Convivial Toolbox: Generative Research for the Front End of Design.” His creative work with myth and folklore frequently yields citations, appearances, and speaking engagements about history, culture, and comparative literature.

Erik holds an M.F.A. in Design from Ohio State University, graduating Phi Kappa Phi. He received a B.A. in Studio Art from the University of New Hampshire, and a Post-baccalaureate Certificate from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University.

Full Name: Erik A. Evensen

Job Title: Professor / Program Director

Include in Directory: Yes

Area of Expertise: Design Drawing & Visualization Illustration Graphic Design Design Research Comics Graphic Novels

College: College of Arts & Human Sciences

Department: School of Art & Design Design Department

Program

All Degree Programs

Curriculum Vitae: Erik A. Evensen CV (617.93 KB)

Website: Erik Evensen

Education:

Degree: M.F.A. Visual Communication Design

University: The Ohio State University

Degree: P.B.C. Studio Art

University: School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University

Degree: B.A. Studio Art

University: University of New Hampshire

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PHOTO ESSAY: A City Built of Art

goersab — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 15:15:00 +0000

PHOTO ESSAY: A City Built of Artgoersab March 7, 2025

Discover the far side of Chicago ��. history with students in a comics course

Abbey Goers

Photos by Erika Saindon and Mary Climes

Calvin and Hobbes. Batman. Snoopy. What comical, heroic or nostalgic characters spring into your mind with a * POW! * when you hear the word “comics?”

Does Chicago come to mind? If not, it should. Characters like Dick Tracy, Little Orphan Annie, Jimmy Corrigan and so many more were born in Chicago.

Between 1880 and 1960, the publishing industry in the Windy City played a large role in the development and transformation of comics as a legitimate art form.

To discover the rich historical and contemporary comics scene, 13 �� students ventured around the city as part of an inaugural faculty-led study away Comics in Chicago course, led by School of Art and Design Assistant Professor Mary Climes.

“My goal is for students to be immersed in the culture and history of one of the best comic cities in the world,” Climes said. “Each space we visit allows students to broaden their knowledge of comics, visual storytelling and illustration.”

Erika Saindon, of Albert Lea, Minn., has a concentration in comics and working in a Chicago gallery is her ultimate dream.

She joined her studio art peers, as well as graphic design, animation and illustration students on an eight-hour Amtrak ride from St. Paul to Chicago, spending a week in January visiting museums, cultural spaces, libraries, galleries and artist studios.

“When I first saw the city, I knew that this was the place for me,” Saindon said. “As a girl from a small town, you grow up realizing how undervalued art is.

“But in Chicago, there is art everywhere. Whether at different museums we visited, our daily outings or murals on buildings, like the nine-story mural of blues legend Muddy Waters. Chicago is entirely built of art and the artists in their communities.”

The class stayed in downtown Chicago, within walking distance of all their destinations, allowing them to take in the whole city, a new experience for Saindon.

They wandered through the Art Institute of Chicago, taking in centuries of artwork, including “Project a Black Planet: The Art and Culture of Panafrica,” exhibiting more than 350 works by artists from Africa, the Americas and Europe, spanning nearly a century of art.

In the museum ��. Prints and Drawing Study Collection, they viewed original comic pages and were lucky enough to look at some drawings unprotected by glass, as well as unfinished works before going to print.

A walk to Wicker Park led the class to a cache of bookstores, including a huge Barnes & Noble and Quimby ��., a local indie comics store – a favorite to many. They read comics set in and by Chicago cartoonists, including Chris Ware, Emil Ferris and Ivan Brunetti.

They saw lithography, relief, etching and screen print examples at Hoofprint press shop, and attended a risograph workshop at Spudnik Press, a community print studio, creating their own risograph printed comic books inspired by the city.

As a studio course, each student kept a daily diary of comic sketches and scientific illustrations. They spent time studying the wildlife exhibits and the vast collection of scientific illustrations at the Field Museum.

Saindon painted birds, bison and more with watercolors as visitors watched and walked around the museum.

The subway in the Latinx District was the most colorful subway she had ever seen. “Going to this part of Chicago was my all-time favorite part of the trip. Mostly because this is my culture, and I love it being celebrated and recognized, especially throughout art,” Saindon said.

She stayed warm basking among the tropical plants at the Garfield Park Conservatory, taking time to smell the roses and paint the bright colored flowers.

At the National Museum of Mexican Art, they visited Cecilia Beaven ��. exhibition “Semilla” (Seed). “Semilla” incorporated elements of Aztec mythology and Mexican folk art, with magical beings created through many mediums, even comics.

The class was graced in winter sunlight under the Preston Bradley Hall Tiffany Dome in the Chicago Cultural Center, formally the first Chicago Public Library. The massive translucent dome, spanning more than 1,000 square feet, is the largest Tiffany glass dome in the world. Its glass panels are cut in the shape of fish scales, adorned by the signs of the zodiac at the dome ��. peak.

They also visited the Harold Washington Library, the Newberry Library, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Smart Museum of Art and the Renaissance Society.

Walking through Chinatown, they stopped for a bite to eat – steamed trays of dim sum piled high on the table was Saindon ��. favorite meal of the week.

They toured the neighborhoods of Hyde Park, West Town and Pilsen, visiting the Pilsen Arts and Community House.

Walking back to the hotel on the last night of their trip, the class stepped off the subway near the Chicago Theatre and strolled under the famous “CHICAGO” sign, illuminated in red and gold.

At Federal Plaza, they passed Alexander Calder ��. 53-foot-tall Flamingo sculpture – its red, elegant arcing neck sweeping downward to graze invisible shrimp off the pavement.

“Honestly, I don’t see how it would be a flamingo, but I guess it ��. up for interpretation. It was quite beautiful to see, especially at night,” said Saindon, who will graduate in spring 2027.

�� . School of Art and Design, one of the largest public art schools in the Midwest, offers bachelor ��. degrees in animation and digital media; game design and development-art; graphic design and interactive media; illustration; industrial and product design; interior design; studio art; arts administration and entrepreneurship; fashion design and development; and video production, as well as an M.F.A. in design.

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Discover the far side of Chicago ��. history with students in a comics course Comics in Chicago course. Photo by Erika Saindon.

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Mary Climes

Full Name: Mary Climes

Job Title: Assistant Professor

Include in Directory: Yes

Area of Expertise: Comics Sequential Art Illustration

College: College of Arts & Human Sciences

Department: School of Art & Design Visual & Performing Arts Department

Program

All Degree Programs

Curriculum Vitae: Mary Climes CV (490.19 KB)

Website: Personal Website

Education:

Degree: M.F.A.

University: University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Degree: B.F.A.

University: School of the Art Institute of Chicago

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Drawing card: �� . B.F.A. in illustration provides new pathway to visual storytelling

polingj — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 19:06:31 +0000

Drawing card: �� . B.F.A. in illustration provides new pathway to visual storytellingpolingj August 22, 2024

Degree, getting underway this fall, boosts School of Art and Design program offerings

Illustration has been a common thread uniting students in �� . School of Art and Design for many years. Now, they can pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts in illustration, the only degree of its kind in the Universities of Wisconsin.

The program, approved last spring by the UW Board of Regents, gets underway with the fall semester. Classes begin Wednesday, Sept. 4. Enrollment is open.

“This had been on our wish list for a while,” said Professor Dave Beck, who was director of the School of Art and Design through the spring. “We wanted to develop it in a way that reflects our own sensibilities in SOAD and the university's polytechnic mission.”

Students work on a gesture drawing project in a design class at ��. / ��

Erik Evensen, professor in the department of design, is the program director. “Being able to express ideas visually is a standard expectation in the art and design professions. We welcome students with an interest in visual storytelling,” Evensen said.

“I want this program to be something I would have wanted to enroll in as a student. Most of the coursework was already there. We just needed to imagine how it would come together as a new program,” he added.

Emulating industry practice and emerging trends, the program will include coursework from the departments of visual and performing arts, and design, which make up the School of Art and Design.

In the new B.F.A. in illustration at ��, students will learn drawing, painting, printmaking, comics and other areas of art and design. / ��

Illustration builds skills in drawing, painting, printmaking, comics and other areas of art and design. Graduates can expect to find work in industries such as advertising, publishing, entertainment and as self-employed artists and consultants.

Before entering academia, Evensen was a graphic designer and illustrator in New England. He has also worked in the comics industry, on the “Ghostbusters” and “Back to the Future” properties from IDW Publishing, as well as his own independent graphic novels.

Alum, professors excited about program

For years, �� alumni have found themselves practicing illustration as a career without having a degree in the discipline. They include:

Eliza Wheeler, 2006 graduate, children ��. book illustrator and Sendak Fellow
Chris Grun, 1995 graduate, art director at DreamWorks Animation
Mitch Gerads, 2005 graduate, Eisner Award-winning illustrator for Marvel and DC Comics

Eliza Wheeler, a �� alum, illustrated and wrote the children ��. book “Miss Maple ��. Seeds,” which was on a New York Times bestseller list. / Contributed photo

They entered the industry after pursuing a different major at �� and had to learn some of their illustration skills on their own.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to hear that Professor Evensen has pulled together a new program plan and that students will be able to develop skills that are unique to the fields of illustration,” Wheeler said. “The �� art program continues to be an educational gem.”

Sam Kalda, a �� lecturer who has an M.F.A. in illustration from Fashion Institute of Design and who has worked with the New York Times, New Yorker magazine, Disney Digital, Barnes & Noble and more, said illustrators are “multihyphenate creators — artists, storytellers and visual communicators.

The focus of the illustration program is visual storytelling. / ��

“As such, the education of an illustrator is interdisciplinary, blending studio art practices and design processes. The faculty and programs within Stout ��. School of Art and Design are well-positioned to offer that breadth of knowledge,” Kalda said.

Students will be able to build portfolios with an emphasis on traditional areas such as advertising and publishing, as well as concept art for the entertainment industry. ��'s existing coursework in comics will be available.

“The B.F.A in illustration will give students a path to study, create and comprehend the vastness of visual communication,” said Mary Climes, assistant professor of studio art, who teaches the comics curriculum. “It ��. our job to expose our students to traditions of image-making like printmaking, comics, graphic design and digital drawing as well as prepare them for the future of illustration.”

Students will learn a variety of illustration skills in the program. / ��

The B.F.A. in illustration builds on the School of Art and Design ��. six other B.F.A. programs. The school is the largest in the Upper Midwest, serving more than 1,300 students. The program array extends to Graduate Studies with a Master of Fine Arts in design, which Evensen also directs.

Four other new programs

In addition to the illustration program, �� is debuting four other programs this fall: Bachelor of Science degrees in biology, chemistry and physics, and a Master of Professional Studies in design, entrepreneurship and sustainability.

“I am proud of �� faculty and staff that are working hard to continue to adapt and expand �� . polytechnic offerings to meet student needs and the needs of the workforce,” said Glendalí Rodríguez, provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs.

�� graduates are in demand. A new report found that 99% of �� 2022-23 graduates were employed soon after earning their degree and had a record average starting salary of $58,000, the best among higher education institutions in west-central Wisconsin.

###

Illustration has been a common thread uniting students in �� . School of Art and Design for many years. Illustration 2

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B.F.A. Illustration

Merge art fundamentals with specialized courses focused on visual storytelling.

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Erik A. Evensen

Full Name: Erik A. Evensen

Job Title: Professor / Program Director

Include in Directory: Yes

Area of Expertise: Design Drawing & Visualization Illustration Graphic Design Design Research Comics Graphic Novels

College: College of Arts & Human Sciences

Department: School of Art & Design Design Department

Program

All Degree Programs

Curriculum Vitae: Erik A. Evensen CV (617.93 KB)

Website: Erik Evensen

Education:

Degree: M.F.A. Visual Communication Design

University: The Ohio State University

Degree: P.B.C. Studio Art

University: School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University

Degree: B.A. Studio Art

University: University of New Hampshire

CACHSS SOAD

Exclude from Internal Site Search: No

Include in Directory: Off

Exclude from Internal Site Search: No

News

Student illustrations inspired by holiday songs showcased at Symphony, Dec. 7

Illustrations inspired by music

Introducing children to music

PHOTO ESSAY: A City Built of Art

Study Abroad

Full STEAM ahead: K-12 summer camps invite students to discover careers, build friendships

Drawing card: �������� ��������. B.F.A. in illustration provides new pathway to visual storytelling

Alum, professors excited about program

Four other new programs

B.F.A. Illustration

Drawing card: �� . B.F.A. in illustration provides new pathway to visual storytelling