This exhibition is on display in the Trinity Gallery for Arkansas Artists at the Historic Arkansas Museum in Little Rock, through May 25, 2025.
Graphic novels combine the aesthetic sensibility of comic books with the academic legitimacy of literature. And while graphic non-fiction is a more recent addition to this genre, it’s an extremely effective form for memoirs and documentary-style storytelling. The combination of words and images produces an almost cinematic effect, transporting readers into an immersive space that feels relatable and real.
Fayetteville-based artist and author Sean Fitzgibbon uses visual storytelling to explore unusual places and strange (but true!) events. For his most recent graphic nonfiction book, What Follows Is True: Crescent Hotel, Sean investigated the tragic history of the Baker Hospital, a Depression-era cancer treatment center that was briefly housed in the Crescent Hotel. Using moody, atmospheric imagery, each hand-painted panel sets the stage for the tale of Norman Baker, a real-life con man whose deadly lies were more
frightening than any ghost story.
Kasten Searles employs a few digital tools in her art practice, but her latest foray into nonfiction storytelling still relies heavily on her expert drawing and painting skills. Kasten’s current project shares a harrowing personal account of the tornado that ripped through Little Rock on March 31, 2023. She depicts the tornado’s aftermath with a survivor’s sensitivity, juxtaposing delicate linework with tempestuous ink and watercolor washes to evoke the chaos of displacement and recovery efforts.
You can pick up a copy of What Follows Is True: Crescent Hotel in the HAM Museum Store. Sean Fitzgibbon’s upcoming work includes a graphic nonfiction book about the history, folklore, and science surrounding the Plum Bayou Mounds site.
Kasten McClellan Searles is an artist, illustrator, and educator living in Little Rock. She serves as the head of the Art Department at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, where she teaches illustration, design, and studio art. Her artwork is regularly published in magazines, and Kasten’s illustrations are included in HAM’s Collecting Arkansas Made and Knife Gallery exhibits.
Special thanks to Curator of Exhibits, Carey Voss.
Through May 25 • Historic Arkansas Museum • 200 East Third St • Little Rock, AR
