Character designer on campus Friday

Los Angeles character designer Chris Ayers will be on campus today, Friday, Nov. 6, to speak to students and to attend the gallery closing.

Ayers and Maureen Costa, an Arizona sculptor, are displaying work at the Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries through Nov. 11.

Ayers’ film credits for character design include “Star Trek XI,” “X-Men: The Last Stand,” “Fantastic Four,” “Iron Man,” “The Incredible Hulk,” and “Men in Black 2.”

In the spring of 2005 Ayers was diagnosed with leukemia, a type of blood cancer. One year later, he started a sketchbook and drew one animal each day for a year to help with his healing process. His SMU show, “The Daily Zoo,” includes a variety of these sketches — published in the book, “The Daily Zoo: Keeping the Doctor at Bay with a Drawing a Day.”

His new book, “The Daily Zoo: Year Two” has gone to press and will be available this winter. An illustration of the new cover can be found at http://chrisayers.blogspot.com.

While on campus, Ayers will give an illustrated lecture at 1:30 p.m. in Room 156 of Saint Joseph’s Hall. Art students have been invited; there’s limited space for others who are interested in hearing this presentation.

The closing reception is 4 to 6 p.m. at the galleries. Copies of “The Daily Zoo” will be available for purchase. Have them signed by the artist! Children are invited as well. A portion of the proceeds is used to support cancer-related charities and research.