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Monsters, Aliens, Robots, and Teenagers…

The works of illustrators Jerzy Drozd and Sara Turner in IPFW exhibit

By Jack Cantey

Fort Wayne Reader

2006-10-09

An alien crash-landing in ancient times. Teens with strange marks and even stranger abilities. A museum filled with monsters.

These events are the catalysts for three graphic novels from Make Like A Tree Comics (MLAT), the brainchild of freelance illustrators Jerzy Drozd and Sara Turner. Since its inception in early 2005, MLAT has published Drozd and Turner’s individual and collaborative works in serial form on-line at www.mlatcomics.com.

The IPFW Visual Arts Gallery presents a wide range of these illustrators’ creations in Monsters, Aliens, Robots, and Teenagers: The Unlikely Protagonists of Jerzy Drozd and Sara Turner. The exhibition is on view through November 3.

Works on display include original pages and cover art from a number of works by Drozd, as well as digitally-colored giclee prints from Turner’s File 49. Several screen-printed posters from Cricket Press, a design company operated by Turner and her husband, are also featured. The posters include limited edition art prints and promotional gig-posters.

Drozd first fell in love with comics in 1985 after reading the third issue of Crisis on Infinite Earth. Since then, he has dedicated himself to the craft of comics. “I'm almost entirely self-taught,” Drozd stated. “I've mostly studied the work of other comics artists to develop what skills I have.”

His current graphic novel, The Front, is nearing the end of its on-line serialization. There remains months of work ahead for Drozd, however, as he prepares for its print publication.

“While it's an incredibly rewarding feeling to fulfill my contract with the readers and with myself, that sense of finality hasn't quite sunken in yet. I suppose the moment when I send the files off to the printer is when I'll be feeling either relief or anxiety. Probably both.”

Turner took a more circuitous route to the world of comics, working for years as a photographer and fine artist. Earlier this year, Turner completed a major solo work, File 49, a 240-page graphic novel about a group of mysteriously talented teens. She has recently begun work on a prequel, or “side-order,” called Graduation Day.

“The most exciting part about comics is creating a cast of characters and exploring the dynamics within that group,” Turner stated. “How would they interact, argue, bond, develop over time together…basically exploring human nature based on relationships and the established world around them.”

Drozd and Turner were both in the early stages of The Front and File 49, respectively, when they met in 2003. They instantly connected and began work several months later on The Replacements, which features a heroic triumvirate of a mousy museum registrar, a time-warped 1950s greaser, and a malfunctioning robot cowboy.

“That project worked so smoothly that we quickly agreed to work on other collaborations, like Silver and the Periodic Forces,” Turner explained. “Again, working together went so well we understood that we’d probably be working together for some time, on a range of projects. It was inevitable.”

Make Like A Tree Comics was formed shortly thereafter to publish their solo and collaborative works, as well as a gift store and informative and entertaining blogs and tutorials. Almost two years later, Drozd and Turner's partnership shows no signs of letting up. “We each bring a unique perspective to our collaborations,” Drozd stated. “Sara will often challenge comics storytelling conventions that I'll take for granted. Our creative sensibilities are sometimes vastly different, which results in stories and page designs neither of us expected or even intended.

“We're always pleasantly surprised with what we come up with together.”

Turner believes their success as a team begins with a shared passion.

“It’s extremely hard to find, not only artists, but people who are willing to totally devote themselves to their passion,” Turner explained. “Jerzy is one of the most hard-working creators I’ve ever met. For that reason alone, we match perfectly.”

Drozd and Turner will be in Fort Wayne in November to present a lecture and workshop, both of which will be open to the public. On November 3, at 5pm, the duo will share their individual and shared experiences as freelance illustrators and discuss their MLAT collaboration. The following day, at 9am, Drozd and Turner will lead a two-hour workshop dealing with storytelling and page layout techniques. For more information on these events, call the IPFW Fine Arts offices at 481-6705.