Exhibition of Artist Brent Engstrom Continues Through March 11

The Gallery in Sams Hall of Fine Arts at Kansas Wesleyan University is hosting an exhibit called “Garbage Paintings,” featuring artist and illustrator Brent Engstrom, from Tuesday, Jan. 12 through Friday, Mar. 11, 2016. Gallery hours are Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. –7 p.m., and weekends by appointment. Admission is free.

[ILLUSTRATION: Fox - for "Garbage Pail Kids"]

“Garbage Paintings” is a comprehensive view of Engstrom’s body of work from his years as a freelance illustrator working for Topps trading cards, MAD Magazine and Nickelodeon Magazine. His main focus is drawing comics and painting surrealist-esque illustrations.

A Salina, KS, native, Engstrom started drawing with his twin brother around the age of three and never stopped. He received a BFA with concentration in painting from Kansas State University in 2003. While attending K-State, he created the comic strip called “Monkey Boy,” which was featured daily in “The Collegian” for three years. He has worked for Topps for more than 10 years, painting hundreds of “Garbage Pail Kids” and “Wacky Packages” trading cards.

Engstrom shares, “As a little kid collecting comics and Garbage Pail Kids cards, I always wanted to somehow make a living creating the things I loved, and now I get to do that.”