
" Sometimes a picture is a message to reach others where words fail."
​​ - Andrew Loomis
Messages: An Illustration Exhibition
An illustration requires subtlety, no matter how loud or vibrant the message.
Illustrators use their skills to convey the vision of a client or to manifest their own concepts.
Conversely, tech companies offer image-generation as "innovation." Devotees of this tech proclaim it the democratization of art. However, the results are simply an image that lacks content and is devoid of any message.
With this exhibition, we look at artists who craft these messages with their hands, hearts, and minds. Artists who offer content and context.
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- Devin McCurley, Curator of Messages
The Artists
Elana Barron
My pursuit of visual storytelling culminated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Maryland Institute College of Art, specializing in Illustration—a domain where my passion for narrative and children's illustration thrives. Now, as a Freelance Illustrator, I bring characters to life with my digital and traditional illustration skills, adeptly crafting engaging visuals for a diverse range of clients.
The softness of watercolor and the intricacies of expression found in my portraiture and hand-lettering reflect the depth of my work. My proficiency with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Procreate complements my graphic and logo design capabilities, enabling me to deliver compelling stories through art.

By Elana Barron Watercolor and Gouache 10"x10"

By Elana Barron Watercolor and Gouache 10"x10"
Kellen Savannah Johnston
Kellen Savannah Johnston hails from Madison Wisconsin originally, but fled the Midwestern weather at 18 to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan where she obtained an Associates Degree in Illustration. While in New York, Savannah did freelance illustrations for Our Town; Down Town newspaper, and worked with emerging theatre company Lunar Energy Productions on set design and fundraising.
She graduated from the Maryland Institute College of Art Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelors in General Fine Arts. Since graduating she has interned at the costume department of Punchdrunk's Sleep No More in NYC. These days, she mainly does medical illustration, and worked with the Medical Education Institute to illustrate a number of books, including the 6th and 7th editions of Core Curriculum for the Dialysis Technician.

The original poster for the 2018 feature film Ask for Jane. Gouache on paper. By Kellen Savannah Johnston

The original poster for the 2018 feature film Ask for Jane. Gouache on paper. By Kellen Savannah Johnston
Laura Langston
Hi, my name is Laura Langston and I'm a freelance illustrator and colorist who loves designing fun products! I create cute, silly creatures and scenes inspired by nature and childhood. I really love to explore color and shape combined with bold surface design. I like to put the fun in functional art, and I draw for the young and the young at heart.
I was born and raised in Maryland and still currently reside north of Baltimore. I graduated from Harford Community College(2012) with an Associates in Fine Arts and transferred to Maryland Institute College of Art (2015), where I earned my Bachelors in Illustration.
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I wanted to explore light and color while being able to draw some of my favorite weirdos from the deep sea. Our world is full of a bunch of strange creatures, and how lucky we are to be able to share the planet with them! By Laura Langston Digital Illustration

Mangroves are a vital part of our ecosystem. Not only are they home to a wide variety of animals, they can help prevent flooding! This is based on the mangroves of Florida. By Laura Langston Digital Illustration

I wanted to explore light and color while being able to draw some of my favorite weirdos from the deep sea. Our world is full of a bunch of strange creatures, and how lucky we are to be able to share the planet with them! By Laura Langston Digital Illustration
After college, I colored comics for a couple of years for Boom, Archaia, and Disney. I started shifting to running my own business and designing my own products fully during the start of the pandemic in 2020. My husband and I now run Laura Illustrates, our small business based on my work. We travel to conventions to sell in person, as well as running an Etsy store. It’s a lot of work, but very rewarding.
I work digitally, using Adobe Photoshop and a Wacom tablet. I am influenced by the Golden Age of Illustration, with my main inspirations being Mary Blair and Charley Harper. I also draw influence from the Japanese Super Flat and Kawaii movements, which focus on all things cute and stylish with bold colors. I like the design style of Mid-Century Modern work that focuses on shape language. Nature is the main inspiration for all of my work, and I am always looking how conservation fits into my work and also towards my next adventure!
Emma Plunkert
Emma Plunkert is a sculpture artist currently based in Baltimore. Her main body of work, Tiny Friends, consists of 140 unique figurines that each stand no taller than two inches. Every small-scale detail is hand sculpted in stoneware clay, fired, and then painted with acrylics. With an appreciation for all things tiny, she uses photography and stop motion animation to build narratives around these small creatures.

By Emma Plunkert Bisqueware, acrylic

By Emma Plunkert Bisqueware, acrylic

By Emma Plunkert Colored Pencil, sketchbook

By Emma Plunkert Bisqueware, acrylic