Landscapes and Lore

Artwork from Landscapes and Lore exhibit

Russel H. Kirkhof Center Gallery
Russel H. Kirkhof Center

 

 

 

August 22 – December 17, 2016





For directions CLICK HERE

Storytelling is deeply rooted in the human psyche. Long before recorded history, people recounted tales and legends as part of an oral tradition. Lessons in consequences evolved into morality tales. Sebgugugu the Glutton is a morality tale paralleling contemporary issues relating to free choice, the environment, and resource management, with a little mysticism thrown in for good measure.

Published in 1993, Sebgugugu the Glutton: A Bantu Tale from Rwanda, by the late Michigan writer Verna Aardema, is the retelling of a classic African folktale. The children’s book recounts the story of the poor – yet greedy – Sebgugugu and the many misfortunes his bad choices bring. His repeated, poorly reasoned attempts to increase his fortunes ultimately bring disaster and starvation to his small family. In the end, Sebgugugu is left completely destitute and alone. 

Grand Rapids artist and educator Nancy L. Clouse illustrated Verna Aardema’s children’s book with graphically colorful African landscapes created with construction paper. Each illustration – while simple in appearance – is in fact carefully and intricately layered and composed.

Twelve of Clouse’s original compositions for the book reside in the art collection of Grand Valley State University. A selection of the paper panels is reproduced here.
Nancy L. Clouse also authored or illustrated four additional children’s books including Puzzle Maps U.S.A., Pink Paper Swans, Mapas Rompecabezas de Los Estados Unidos, and Perugino’s Path: The Journey of a Renaissance Painter.



Page last modified September 13, 2016