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The ArtWorks Center is opening a new Pride Show gallery exhibit running April 18 through June 6. 

Artwork from five regional artists is featured as part of the exhibit. Background on each artist and their work is as follows: 

Pen McVay, (they/them), is an illustrator and comic artist who specializes in whimsical  and dynamic digital art. Nature and fantasy are a huge part of their inspiration and  recreating the fantastical from their childhood to bring to others is part of their drive. McVay  is also a retail associate at the Austin ArtWorks Center. 

Geoffrey Tollefson is a visual artist from Mankato that primarily focuses on painting and  drawing. Geoffrey’s art usually depicts surreal creatures from another planet, shown in  bright colors and thick textures. While the end result may seem cartoony and  otherworldly, much of his inspiration comes from the natural world — the patterns on  animals, trees, flowers, and the way everything fits together in a quiet sort of logic. 

He  believes that admiring and understanding the physical universe isn’t just about seeing;  it’s a way of recognizing connections—between ourselves, each other, and the strange  universe we’re all a part of. 

Luca Trujillo is an emerging mixed-media artist working with paper mâché, textiles,  video, and painting. They are inspired by mask theater and puppetry and enjoy creating  paper mâché masks to include in filmmaking projects. Their masks’ bright colors and soft  textures create a playful cast with which to explore personal narratives and abstracted  stories. Luca is also drawn to oil painting to explore portraiture and intricate patterns  found in textiles and interior spaces.

 Luca grew up in Lawrence, Kansas, and moved to  Minnesota in 2019 to study studio art and film studies at St. Olaf College. Luca’s work  has been showcased in exhibitions at the Northfield Arts Guild and Flaten Art Museum. Their work has also been included in the Franconia Five Minute Film Festival and the  Austin ArtWorks Festival. They are currently completing the 2024-25 St. Olaf  College Emerging Artist Program. 

“Awcey,” otherwise known as Han Perez (they/he/she), is a queer Latina artist who  specializes in a multitude of mediums ranging from watercolor to jewelry design. They 

are heavily inspired by animated works that explore the depths of the human condition,  as well as the throes of their own life experiences. 

Sage Rose (She/They) is a lgbtqia+ multi-media artist. She loves finding new ideas and  experimenting with all sorts of mediums. Some of her favorites include, but are not  limited to; jewelry making, sewing, watercolor painting, and lino block printing. She is  greatly inspired by nature, creepy things, and the works of many other artists. 

The ArtWorks Center and 2nd floor gallery are open for public viewing Tuesday through  Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, visit  www.austinareaarts.org or call the Austin ArtWorks Center office Tuesday through Saturday during regular business hours at 507-434-0934.