Pacific Northwest College of Art    Portland, OR

Illustration Success: Molly Mendoza

Please join PNCA in congratulating Illustration major Molly Mendoza ’14 – two of her works have been accepted into the 2014 Society of Illustrators Student Exhibition. Congratulations, Molly!

Every year since 1981, the Society of Illustrators in NYC has held their Student Scholarship Competition. From more than 8,700 entries submitted, approximately three hundred works are chosen by a jury of professional peers, including illustrators and art directors. Pieces are accepted based on the quality of technique, depth of concept, and skill within a given medium and the selected pieces represent some of the most sophisticated, well-crafted, and original examples of student illustration from around the country.

The Society of Illustrators is a professional society based in New York City. Founded in 1901, the mission of the Society is to promote the art and appreciation of illustration, as well as its history. The Society’s juried exhibitions and publications have a reputation for presenting the most cutting-edge artwork in today’s print and digital media.

Mendoza’s inclusion into the 2014 Society of Illustrators Student Competition Show is a significant achievement. This is the sort of competition that can kick start a career.

“Bus,” by Molly Mendoza ’14.

Both illustrations – Bus, and a piece from her series Jungle Gym – were created in PNCA’s Design + Image class. This is a new class, focused on expressive mark-making and experimentation, where students engage in symbolic image-making methodologies alongside classic graphic design sensibilities. In her image “Bus,” Molly explored the formal considerations of patterns and textures within an editorial illustration based on the themes of public transportation and community. Her second illustration is a page from her picture book “Jungle Gym,” a playful, dynamic interplay of image and text.

Mendoza is thrilled by the selection: “I owe so much to the professors in the illustration department at PNCA and my peers for always motivating me to keep going. Thank you, judges of Society of Illustrators – this means the world to me!”

PNCA’s Illustration program is one of the fastest growing illustration programs in the country. The program’s students, faculty, and alumni are regularly recognized regionally and nationally for excellence in illustration.

Mendoza’s work will be on display at the Museum of American Illustration (128 E 63rd St, NYC) from May 7 – May 31. All winning entries are reproduced in book format, printed annually, which will be available in the PNCA library later this spring. Her work is currently on display in the Illustration hallway in PNCA main building. You can also view more of her work on her Tumblr site.

“Jungle Gym,” by Molly Mendoza ’14.

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