Exhibition & Programming
Exhibition overview: As a professional educator and life-long naturalist, I draw upon research and direct observation in the New England, Southwest, Midwest, and Texas landscapes to realize my picture book characters. While the book’s primary purpose is entertainment, the exhibition will also model for children and adult audiences my research process, storyboards for sequencing page layouts, and illustration techniques to inspire viewers to tell their own visual narratives.
Greater Denton Arts Council Exhibition
Empowering through Visual Storytelling:
Rascally Ravens Picture Book Process
SEPT 16 – NOV 29, 2025
Patterson-Appleton Arts Center • Gough Gallery •
400 E Hickory St, Denton, TX 76201
FREE & open to the public.
The exhibition features the visual-storytelling process of illustrator and educator Sheli Petersen, Texas Woman’s University Professor of Graphic Design & Illustration, for the picture book Rascally Ravens of Greystone farm, written by Patricia Petersen. Sheli and Patricia are life-long birders and a daughter-mother team who based their book on their direct observations of ravens in the wild.
Learn about the step-by-step process of designing and illustrating a picture book. This includes designing characters and world-building from photographic references and life-sketches, storyboarding for planning and sequencing layouts, and applying traditional and digital techniques to finish the illustrations.
Participate in the Rascally Ravens maker space and have one of your wildlife drawings included in the exhibition!
Read the Rascally Ravens picture book.
View the video version of Rascally Ravens, with motion graphics by Texas Woman’s University graphic design majors Shayan Bangash and Ayah Shalabi, voice over by author Patricia Petersen, and soundtrack by Jon Petersen.
OPENING RECEPTION: Rascally Ravens Exhibition
THURS SEPT 18, 6–8PM
Patterson-Appleton Arts Center •
400 E Hickory St, Denton, TX 76201
FREE & open to the public.
Meet illustrator and educator Sheli Petersen.
Hear Sheli’s Artist Talk about her picture book process and resources for self-publishing.
Enter a raffle to win Rascally Ravens sticker sheets and picture book.
Network with Denton creatives and story-tellers.
GDAC Current Exhibitions
dentonarts.com/currently-on-display
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Racally Ravens picture book
Rascally Ravens Programming
Denton Public Library Reading
Picture Book Reading & Drawing Workshop with Rascally Ravens illustrator Sheli Petersen
AGES 5 & UP
SAT OCT 18, 11AM – 12PM
Denton Public Library • Emily Fowler Central Branch • 502 Oakland St, Denton, TX 76201
FREE & open to the public.
As part of the programming for the Greater Denton Arts Council exhibition Empowering through Visual Storytelling: Rascally Ravens Picture Book Process, illustrator and educator Sheli Petersen, Texas Woman’s University Professor of Graphic Design & Illustration, will read her picture book Rascally Ravens of Greystone Farm and give a step-by-step lesson on how to draw local wild birds.
You will:
•Hear the Rascally Ravens picture book read by the illustrator
•Learn about some of the wild birds that live in Denton
•Draw a local wild bird, with step-by-step lesson
•Get a free Rascally Ravens sticker sheet
•Receive an invitation to participate in the Rascally Ravens picture book exhibition maker-space
-Have one of your wildlife drawings included in the exhibition!
-Location: Greater Denton Arts Council • Patterson-Appleton Arts Center • 400 E Hickory St, Denton, TX 76201
-FREE & open to the public.
Rascally Ravens of Greystone Farm Story Synopsis
Carmen and Angelo, a pair of rascally ravens, descend on Hattie Greystone’s farm stead and take whatever they want from her garden. They tease her dog, Buster, steal kindling from her wood pile, and “borrow” her scarf to line their nest. But when Dink, the last of their chicks to hatch, falls out of the nest, Hattie and Buster nurse him back to health. The ravens must then ask where Dink really belongs, with them or with his new-found friends?
Denton Public Library Event Calendar
library.cityofdenton.com —> Classes & Events
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Racally Ravens picture book
Greater Denton Arts Council Workshops
Self-Publishing Workshop with illustrator-educator Sheli Petersen
SAT NOV 8, 11:30AM – 12:30PM
Greater Denton Arts Council • Patterson-Appleton Arts Center • 400 E Hickory St, Denton, TX 76201
FREE & open to the public.
As part of the programming for the Greater Denton Arts Council exhibition Empowering through Visual Storytelling: Rascally Ravens Picture Book Process, illustrator and educator Sheli Petersen, Texas Woman’s University Professor of Graphic Design & Illustration, will cover an introduction to self-publishing basics.
TOPICS will include:
•Setting your goals and choosing your format—book, zine, website, etc.
•Understanding audiences—picture book, middle grade, young adult, adult
•Resources for learning about self-publishing standards
•Understanding distribution options
•Overview of copyright logistics
•Prompts for sparking inspiration
•Opportunity to share your story idea/book-in-progress for tips and advice
Link to Self-publishing Workshop Registration will be posted shortly.
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Racally Ravens picture book
Character Design Workshop with Rascally Ravens illustrator Sheli Petersen
AGES 12 & UP
SAT NOV 22, 11:30AM – 1PM
Greater Denton Arts Council • Patterson-Appleton Arts Center • 400 E Hickory St, Denton, TX 76201
FREE & open to the public.
As part of the programming for the Greater Denton Arts Council exhibition Empowering through Visual Storytelling: Rascally Ravens Picture Book Process, illustrator and educator Sheli Petersen, Texas Woman’s University Professor of Graphic Design & Illustration, will cover an introduction to the basic principles of character design.
TOPICS will include:
•Using references to create relatable, authentic characters
•Applying Shape & Proportion to convey the age, personality, and gender of your character
•Drawing with 3D Thinking to capture believable poses for your character
•Adding Distinguishing Details to your characters for audience appeal
•Opportunity to share your characters and story ideas
Link to Character Design Workshop Registration will be posted shortly.
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Racally Ravens picture book
KUZU Radio • 92.9FM • Denton, TX
KUZU interview with Sheli Petersen, illustrator-educator
on IN FORMED, hosted by Rachel Weaver
AIRING: SUN SEPT 14, 11AM • SUN OCT 12, 11AM • SUN NOV 2, 11AM
As part of the programming for the Greater Denton Arts Council exhibition Empowering through Visual Storytelling: Rascally Ravens Picture Book Process, illustrator and educator Sheli Petersen, Texas Woman’s University Professor of Graphic Design & Illustration, will talk about the behind-the-scenes process for designing and illustrating picture books and share resources for getting started on your self-publishing journey.
EPISODE will include:
•Inspiration and process for the Rascally Ravens picture book
•Development of the video version of Rascally Ravens
•Excerpts from the Rascally Ravens video soundtrack, with voice over by author Patricia Petersen and original music and sound FX by Jon Petersen
•Prompt to spark inspiration for your story-telling
•Resources for self-publishing and developing your own story
•Invitation to Rascally Ravens exhibition and workshops, free & open to the public
•Field recordings of wild ravens
•Nature-inspired ambient music
TO LISTEN
kuzu.fm
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Racally Ravens picture book
