Strip Mine

You don’t have to watch American Splendor or even Chasing Amy to realize the art that goes into producing a comic. Single-cell, strip or book, the amount of creativity that goes into developing characters, drawing expressions and writing dialogue is sometimes gut-wrenching. And sometimes, the scene is just inspired by real life and real people. Still other times, the content is both realistic and creatively moving (whether incredibly witty or touching). Jeremy Smith, cartoonist and creator of the Ropeburn comic, has tackled all of the above–from the State School’s “Harvey” to cursing deliverymen–with a simple stroke and a knack for drawing audiences in. The Public Trust hosts Looking Back: A Solo Exhibition of Jeremy Smith (featuring framed originals priced between $300 and $500). This is the final week to see this selection of Smith’s works in a gallery setting, so visit 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday or noon to 6 p.m. Saturday. Call 214-760-7170 or visit trustthepublic.com.

Wednesdays-Fridays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturdays, 12-6 p.m. Starts: Feb. 20. Continues through Feb. 28, 2009