The UW-Madison Department of Art is proud to present award-winning artists and illustrators, Mark Todd and Esther Watson. They will be speaking of their work to date.
Mark Todd: Like many kids raised in the 70's, Mark was influenced at an early age by Star Wars and comic books. Unlike many kids, he grew up just a few miles from the Vegas strip, it's neon and glitz looming over the city. He graduated with honors from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California and currently lives and works in the Los Angeles area with his wife, artist Esther Pearl Watson, their daughter Lili and Mr. Pickles, a lovely French Bulldog.
Esther Pearl Watson: Esther grew up in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Her family moved often since her father's hobby of building huge flying saucers out of scrap metal and car engines didn't always sit well with the neighbors. Esther's pieces are often overtly narrative, clear but mysterious, scenes of houses or figures, ornamented with snippets of prose telling just enough to get the viewer's own imagination engaged and wanting to know more. Some are about family and some about places, but all have a rich interior life. Her works without words are just as suggestive as a story, also exerting a deep emotional pull. Her work has been exhibited nationally and collected by Matt Groening, Cindy Sherman, David Byrne, Megan Mullally and Morgan Spurlock.
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