Hannah Graber is fascinated by squares – drawing or looking at them.
And a square, to her, is a shape of “things which are exciting”: books,
boxes, windows, blank pieces of paper.
As Hannah repeatedly drew individual birds in rows and columns for the
piece “Some Red Birds” as well as other artwork for her senior show in
April, she saw patterns of squares emerge.
“I like art which is based on a simple idea elaborated by
determination,” the 2006 graduate and an art major from Delavan, Ill.,
said. “The action of drawing one shape repeatedly can be monotonous and
numbing, or create space for clearer thinking.”
After seeing Hannah’s artwork, Angie and Jeff Stillson of Stillson
Studio in Nappanee, Ind., requested her to contribute two illustrations
to a children’s book project based on the song, “The Hardest Part of
Love,” by Stephen Schwartz, who writes music for musical theater and
Disney movies. The song is about a father watching his son grow up, and
includes a verse about a little bird, for which Hannah offered
illustrations.
“Some Red Birds”
By Hannah Graber
Gouache paint and ink
22x30 inches
