Those taking painting instructor Jim Marxen’s class were given a challenge: tell a story that uses a series of painted canvases. The catch: the objects in the paintings must start very small and “zoom” out with each successive painting to tell the story.

The concept is based on the children’s book Zoom by author Istvan Banyai, which explores the tiniest of worlds and takes the reader into the vastness of space, showing how everything is ultimately related.

The students’ works in this show use a variety of visual twists and turns to bring to life whimsical and amazing worlds.