A glimpse into a forest canopy reveals a rushing stream, orange butterflies, patches of mushrooms, a small town, and a handful of critters going about their daily lives. 

The cover of the 2018 board game “Everdell” is one glimpse into the serene artistic mind of Andrew Bosley. As one of this semester’s guests of Hillsdale College’s Professional Artist Series, Bosley brought a collection of his work from the woods into Daughtery Art Gallery. 

“I structured it based on some of the projects I was most proud of,” Bosley said. “Works that allowed me to explore a breadth of ideas and expand in some world-building elements through my art.”

Bosley is an illustrator, game designer, and writer, whose work appears in board and video games like “Everdell,” “Assassin’s Creed,” and “Ghost Recon.” After earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in illustration from San Jose State University, he became a concept artist for Ubisoft, a software developer. He worked for seven years as a concept artist before transitioning into full-time freelance work. With years of experience under his belt, Bosley wanted to curate Hillsdale’s exhibit to feature a range of his work. 

“I am creating new, finished artwork at a rate that in two months, I could fill an exhibit,” Bosley said. “Over the course of my career, I’ve got lots of things to choose from. I wanted it to kind of represent a little bit of a timeline. It’s not totally structured and set up in the exhibit that way, but I had brought pieces that represented earlier parts of my career.”

Some art students had the opportunity to attend a workshop with Bosley while he visited for the gallery opening last month. But instead of a rigidly structured how-to lecture, Bosley wanted to help students focus on being creative rather than pumping out content. 

“It was more of a ‘hey, here’s how to come up with ideas and be creative,’” Bosley said. “That was the focus of the workshop, and I hope everybody got a chance to stretch a little bit and exercise their creative muscles. It was a really cool experience.”

Senior Gillian Ruch, whose own art often features critters and nature, attended Bosley’s workshop. 

“I was struck by his eagerness to impart knowledge and help to a group of random students,” Ruch said. “He gave me a great piece of advice: he told me that ‘in your season of life it’s all about the mileage. Just draw as much as you can.’”

Ruch said she was skeptical about digital art, but said interacting with Bosley and his work changed her mind.

“His draftsmanship is so stunning that I am won over,” Ruch said. “Not only does he communicate that he knows how to draw form, line, and shape with a masterful hand, but his sense of light is terrific.”

Chairman and Associate Professor of Art Julio Suarez also commented on Bosley’s technical skills and world-building abilities. 

“Through his expert draftsmanship and painting skills, he is able to create fantasy worlds that feel extremely real,” Suarez said. “His use of light and color creates an atmosphere that invites the viewer to explore the picture.”

Although Bosley’s exhibit closes on Oct. 18, his affection for Hillsdale is as inviting as his work. 

“I very much appreciate the values and priorities of Hillsdale College,” Bosley said. “It’s been something that I’ve been following for some time. I’ve taken online classes and I love the mission of the school.”

Regardless of the medium, a career in art is a tough sell. Artists like Bosley have used modern tools to showcase their creativity and share their work with others. 

Hillsdale’s art department seeks to show students the possibilities of a career in the discipline by bringing in contemporary artists to speak to students and share their work, according to Suarez. 

“Our teaching is rooted in using traditional mediums to develop the fundamental skills of art making,” Suarez said. “An artist like Mr. Bosley shows students how these skills can translate to working digitally in a growing field like board game design.”