Meet Abby!
She's a Bronze Age girl exploring her world with a tiny goat sidekick.
In Abby's first comic misadventure, "Mix, Mold, Fire!" Abby is an apprentice potter in training. She's assigned to the Pottery Workshop's order window - let's be honest, it isn't the most exciting job. But, when Abby receives a rush order for a special jug, she hops to it! Accompanied and sometimes thwarted by her playful goat, Abby races through the steps to create the jug and runs the order home! Through classic comic visuals such as speech bubbles, colorful bursts, and dynamic character poses, the steps of Bronze Age pottery production are elevated to new heights.
The "Mix, Mold, Fire!" storyline is inspired by real-life archaeological excavations of Early Bronze Age III layers (circa 2200-2150 B.C.E.) at Seyitömer Höyük in inland western Anatolia (modern day Turkey). The comic illustrates the steps of pottery manufacture, including an innovative technique which utilizes semi-spherical molds to form standardized vessels. The artisan-client trade relationship depicted in the comic reflects Seyitömer's position as a key pottery supplier along an overland trade route connecting the Aegean with Syro-Cilicia.
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Meet Kristin: The Artist
Abby the Apprentice was created by California-based artist, Kristin Donner. She's a 21st Century girl exploring her world with a trowel and a pencil. In the summer of 2014, Donner joined an international cohort of volunteers (led by American archaeologist Laura K. Harrison) and hundreds of Turkish archaeologists, artists, and local workers to rescue artifacts from the endangered Anatolian site of Seyitömer Höyük. As she excavated, restored, and illustrated artifacts from Seyitömer's Pottery Workshops, Donner gained an impression of life - and work - in the Early Bronze Age. |
Photograph of the artist working on a Cintiq with stylus at Nickelodeon Animation Studio.
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When site director Dr. A. Nejat Bilgen discoverd that Donner also worked in cartoons, a jovial discussion ensued. What if Donner created a cartoon highlighting Seyitömer's innovative clay-molding process? Donner was invited to return the following summer and she did! Her 2015 artist residency at nearby Dumlupınar University included access to precious artifacts in storage and on display, a unique library of Anatolian publications, and a database of photographic reference. With the support of an amazing department of archaeologists and collaborators, Donner illustrated Seyitömer's ancient pottery production pipeline and created Abby and friends - a trio of colorful characters - to populate it.
The "Mix, Mold, Fire!" comic (completed in 2018), made Abby the apprentice and star of the most famous pottery production pipeline in the comic world! That same year, Donner joined forces once again with archaeologist Harrison to develop school lessons, which utilize the "Mix, Mold, Fire!" comic as a jumping off point for kids to explore Early Bronze Age art & archaeology.
Donner continues to find inspiration in how material & digital culture connects us all. Her portfolio includes art for Nickelodeon Animation Studio, Warner Bros, the Society for American Archaeology, and the Seyitömer Illustration Project. Donner is currently an adjunct faculty member at Laguna College of Art + Design and the supervising educator for Nickelodeon's The Dozen high school internship program.
Free Comics Day
In March 2020, the world stayed home to battle COVID-19; work and school went virtual and a new era of information sharing began. Donner believed it was time to make educational materials free and accessible online and began exploring ways to achieve this goal. Abby the Apprentice in "Mix, Mold, Fire!" joined the online community of comics via this website on May 2, 2020 in celebration of Free Comics Day.
Appreciation
Much gratitude goes to the professors, staff, and students at the University at Buffalo (U.S.A.), Dumlupınar University (Turkey), and the Seyitömer Höyük Rescue Excavation for providing the context and encouragement to realize this project. Special thanks to archaeologists Dr. A. Nejat Bilgen, Laura K. Harrison, Semra Kaygısız, Zerrin Erdinç, Çağım Özcan, Ashley Cercone, and Oliver Storgaard, storyboard artist Kyle Neswald, ceramic artist Marlena Clark, and teacher Melissa Berlant - your collaboration, support, and creative ideas continue to inspire. Thanks to the many sponsors who supported the 2014 expedition that started it all and the new friends made along the way. And, of course, thanks to YOU for visiting Abby the Apprentice online today!
Permissions
Materials on this website may be used and reproduced for educational purposes. For inquiries, please contact Kristin Donner.
The "Mix, Mold, Fire!" comic (completed in 2018), made Abby the apprentice and star of the most famous pottery production pipeline in the comic world! That same year, Donner joined forces once again with archaeologist Harrison to develop school lessons, which utilize the "Mix, Mold, Fire!" comic as a jumping off point for kids to explore Early Bronze Age art & archaeology.
Donner continues to find inspiration in how material & digital culture connects us all. Her portfolio includes art for Nickelodeon Animation Studio, Warner Bros, the Society for American Archaeology, and the Seyitömer Illustration Project. Donner is currently an adjunct faculty member at Laguna College of Art + Design and the supervising educator for Nickelodeon's The Dozen high school internship program.
Free Comics Day
In March 2020, the world stayed home to battle COVID-19; work and school went virtual and a new era of information sharing began. Donner believed it was time to make educational materials free and accessible online and began exploring ways to achieve this goal. Abby the Apprentice in "Mix, Mold, Fire!" joined the online community of comics via this website on May 2, 2020 in celebration of Free Comics Day.
Appreciation
Much gratitude goes to the professors, staff, and students at the University at Buffalo (U.S.A.), Dumlupınar University (Turkey), and the Seyitömer Höyük Rescue Excavation for providing the context and encouragement to realize this project. Special thanks to archaeologists Dr. A. Nejat Bilgen, Laura K. Harrison, Semra Kaygısız, Zerrin Erdinç, Çağım Özcan, Ashley Cercone, and Oliver Storgaard, storyboard artist Kyle Neswald, ceramic artist Marlena Clark, and teacher Melissa Berlant - your collaboration, support, and creative ideas continue to inspire. Thanks to the many sponsors who supported the 2014 expedition that started it all and the new friends made along the way. And, of course, thanks to YOU for visiting Abby the Apprentice online today!
Permissions
Materials on this website may be used and reproduced for educational purposes. For inquiries, please contact Kristin Donner.