October 15, 2022

Art passes our eyes more times a day than most of us realize. It is used to inspire, sell, distract, and convince. Sometimes it is easy to let it just wash over our consciousness, consume it without intent. That is one of the values of dedicated gallery spaces: the chance to experience art intentionally, carefully, thoughtfully. The Infinite Page: Drawings by Armando Veve at the Blue Bell Art Gallery at Montgomery Community College is a perfect example, showcasing artwork that deserves more than a passing glance.

You have almost certainly already seen artwork by Veve, most likely many times. His illustrations have been featured in everything from The New York Times to The Atlantic, accompanying stories on Tor.com, or on the covers of books.  They are detailed, intricate works that push the boundaries of what our brain can comprehend—the literal inner workings of a mind, a mythological creature staring out from a martini glass, Mrs. Potts alongside Thor’s Hammer atop a lightsaber cutting the cheese. Some of the images are tied inexorably to the viral articles they accompanied, instantly recognizable as the visual representation of the topic.

What separates Veve’s work from other illustrators is the detail, the complexity, and the playfulness inherent in each piece of art. “While the current events he’s illustrating can seem weighty or contentious or complex, I hope people also experience the joy he takes in drawing and the sense of fun he injects into his process,” says Patrick Rodgers, Galleries Director, Montgomery County Community College. He found Veve while researching an exhibition of contemporary illustrators back in 2019, “and was just blown away by it.” It took a few years for the solo show to come together, but it is worth the wait.

“I’m always drawn to illustrators who have their own voice and vision that stand out above whatever topic or text they’re illustrating,” says Rodgers. “I love to see how their work tells a story all on its own, and I see that in Armando’s work. I see recurring themes, patterns, even characters.”

Many of Veve’s illustrations are commissions for various venues, everything from middle grade fiction covers to serious think pieces for worldwide publications to playful takes on scientific illustrations. His artwork takes subjects which can seem far outside our daily purview—or indeed, outside of our realm entirely—and vividly connects them to some of the most important conversations of our time.

The Infinite Page does not shy away from the subject matter behind the lines of Veve’s illustrations. “And yes, some themes that he investigates can be contentious, or come out of a contested

cultural context,” Rodgers notes. “There’s a piece that references the murder of George Floyd, for example, and other pieces that wade into debates about stem cells or internet privacy.”

These illustrations, on a larger scale than they are often seen while reading an article on our phones, have a dramatic impact. “One of the pieces I’ve always been drawn to is a massive 6-foot drawing titled Crown Vic & the Atlantic Flyway,” says Rodgers. The eye dances over the artwork, searching for detail while taking in the larger picture. “There’s so much going on there you could discover something new in that piece every time you look at it.”

It is a difficult thing, to capture a viewer’s attention while also relaying a point of view, a message, or an entire story. “But I think a lot of Armando’s wit is on display with these pieces, so you get to see how a very talented artist frames some of these questions in his work through his own distinctive style,” Rodgers adds. “I hope people can see the sense of playfulness that Armando gives much of his work and tries to find in whatever topic he’s illustrating, whether it’s a scientific, historical, medical, or literary piece.”

Combining humor, wit, and world news is no easy task. However, Veve’s art on its own has a meritorious point of view. “While the current events he’s illustrating can seem weighty or contentious or complex, I hope people also experience the joy he takes in drawing and the sense of fun he injects into his process,” Rodgers says. “More ambitiously, perhaps some people might even approach the complexities of modern life with as much creativity and vivacity as Armando Veve does in his drawings.”

The Infinite Page: Drawings by Armando Veve is on view at the Blue Bell Art Gallery at Montgomery Community College from Oct.13 through Jan. 27, 2023. The Philadelphia native will be in attendance for the opening reception taking place on October 13 from 5 to 7 p.m. The Fine Arts Gallery at MCCC is located at 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell, PA. More information can be found at MC3.edu.