
For the second time in as many years, I was commissioned by the Mid-America Arts Alliance to create a board game for a traveling exhibition. Last year’s board focused on the American Bison; this time around, Thomas Cole, an English-born 19th century American artist, is our subject.
Play mechanics are simple: a path takes players on a walk through the woods which guides Cole back to his studio so he can begin another masterpiece. En route, players encounter trivia and obstacles. Positive spaces, such as capturing the sunset in a journal, boost players ahead; while those with negative items, like deforestation or railroad construction, knock players back a few spaces. My favorite elements are the alternative paths. These send players back the furthest distance and are reserved for events like rockslides, thunderstorms, or losing paint down the waterfall. Look closely and you can spot a paint bladder splashing down the falls. Together, they add a nice set of details to the illustration and help spice up gameplay.
The board was designed to fit within the overall stye of the exhibition, perhaps skewing a bit brighter and friendlier, to emphasize the gaming elements. I’m curious to see the whole exhibit, but it doesn’t visit its first stop (I’m not sure of the locations) until September. You can read more about it here and if you happen to come across it (the exhibit tours for five years), please drop me a note and let me know your thoughts.
Thanks to everyone at MAA for the chance to work on another fun project. And a big thanks to Erin for doing the final execution of the boards!