Fine Press Book Designer and Illustrator, Schanilec, at Groveland

Now we can go to Groveland Gallery Annex and see the beautiful engravings of Gaylord Schanilec on the walls instead of in the pages of books.  We can stand and take in successive prints in one sweep of the eyes.  Here you will see a variety of his works from various books: cross-sections of lumber from Slyvae, New York street scenes from The Bicycle Diaries, detailed close-ups of insects from Mayflies of the Driftless Region, small town buildings from House in the Country, and water overflowing cliffs from Waterfalls of the Mississippi.  His work is exquisitely rendered and haunting, which makes it easy to understand how he has won the Carl Hertzog Award and The American Institute of Graphic Arts Award of Excellence.

You may be familiar with his books or have seen his illustrations for writers, such as  W. P. Kinsella, Anthony Bukowski, Meridel Le Seur, Thomas McGrath, Mary Logue, Bill Holm, Jon Hassler and many others.  In our library you may have seen any of the six books we have, four of which are in our Artists' Books Collection.  Whether you have seen these and loved them or are unfamiliar with his work, you now have an opportunity to see his color wood engravings in a different way.  Observing them in a gallery will change your experience of viewing and appreciating the images because they will exist without words, as an entirety of their own.  Go and see what happens when you gaze at "Cherry long-grain", "Lilydale Ice Falls" or "Lexington Avenue".  Then come back and look at the his books in our collection for an intimate viewing with texts.

Eva Hyvarinen, Visual Resource Assistant
Minneapolis College of Art and Design