It’s springtime again which means that the KCAI Illustration department has assigned its seasonal Mystery Project.

Every year, sometime after Spring Break, the KCAI Illustration students are tasked with illustrating an image within a tight deadline of three hours. The assignment is always meant to challenge the students and to get them to think on their feet. Every year many students produce some of their best work through this project.

This year we heard Holocaust Survivor Sonia Warshawski (aka Big Sonia) speak to our students. Professor John Ferry was first introduced to Sonia Warshawski when he was a studio manager at Hallmark. Since then he has maintained a connection with Sonia and her oldest daughter Regina. Previously we had had Sonia give a presentation in 2017, and the students responded positively to her presentation. The presentation this year was the first time that Sonia Warshawski had spoken to an audience since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. Needless to say we are honored that she shared her stories with us.

Sonia Warshawski presenting to the KCAI Illustration students and faculty.

KCAI Illustration faculty posing with Sonia and her oldest daughter Regina.

In response to her presentation, the students in our illustration department came up with incredible illustrations that focused on the words ‘resilience’ or ‘conviction’. The illustrations that our students came up with captured the heart of Sonia’s messages to them. From direct imagery to abstract representation, it is safe to say that all of the students took something positive out of Sonia’s discussion. Here are some out of the many wonderful illustrations that our students created for the project.

For more information about Sonia Warshawski and her story of survival, visit bigsonia.com. Big Sonia, directed by Sonia granddaughter Leah Warshawski, is currently being shown on PBS in 90% of the country.

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Mystery Project 2022: Resilience and Conviction