When illustrator Eva Wrzesinski BFA’22 first encountered the story of Toby, a stray orange cat navigating Portland’s streets, they saw an opportunity to transform how children understand and engage with one of the region’s most pressing challenges: homelessness.
Wrzesinski’s illustrations for “Toby Finds a Home” do more than just tell a heartwarming tale about a cat finding shelter. Through Toby’s journey to Blanchet House, a Portland nonprofit providing vital services to those in need, young readers meet characters who challenge some of the stereotypes about homelessness – from a former professional living in a tent after losing his job to a young seamstress from the foster system living in her van.
“Children living in the city witness people experiencing homelessness every day,” Wrzesinski says. “Giving them context and getting them comfortable and informed is a top priority, and doing it through an exciting visual way in a picture book makes this information much more accessible.”
The story was written by Julie and Marie Showers, but the collaboration with Wrzesinksi emerged from a connection made at PNCA. Wrzesinski first collaborated with Julie Showers as a student in a Center for Design course led by Associate Professor and Chair of Graphic Design Kristin Rogers Brown. “Julie remembered me and the work that I did a few years back, and she contacted me about the project while they were working on the mock-up with a new group of students,” Wrzesinski said.
Wrzesinski, who had developed a middle-grade graphic novel addressing social issues for their senior thesis, said their internship experiences as a student helped prepare them for the project. Through PNCA's Center for Design, Wrzesinski completed internships with community organizations including Blanchet House itself and Art Zero, developing a nuanced understanding of how art can drive social change.
Wrzesinski still volunteers at PNCA to stay connected with the community. They said they felt confident as a freelance illustrator because of their experience working in a professional design studio as an undergraduate. “I learned how to do pretty quick turnarounds as a freelance digital artist, which I think is why people have reached out to me for projects like this,” they added.
“Faculty like Professor Martin French and Zachary Rau encouraged me to pursue projects we cared about when I was a student at PNCA,” Wrzesinski says. As they continue their career as a freelance illustrator, Wrzesinski keeps this driving principle at the forefront of their art and activism.
