The Warwick Center for the Arts will open “Comics, Cartoons & Graphic Novels,” an exhibit dedicated to the art of New England cartoonists, on Aug. 5. The exhibit will be on display at the Center for two weeks, showcasing the work of about 15 artists, Executive Director Danielle Salisbury said.

Sydney Austin, who worked for the Center last summer, pitched and curated the exhibit. Austin majored in digital illustration and animation at Salve Regina University and now attends the Center for Cartoon Studies graduate program in Vermont.

“After learning more about comics, I realized how much depth they can carry,” Austin said. She has completed three volumes of her original graphic novel, “The Phoenix of the South.” “I feel like they are rarely seen in an art gallery setting. It’s usually fine art, so why not try it out with comics, graphic novels and illustrations?”

Austin hopes to “shed more light on the importance” and versatility of comics. Her curated selection will also include illustrations, graphic novels outlines and character design sheets to “show the audience the artist’s thought process behind the idea.” Some featured artists worked with traditional media like paper and ink, while some used digital tools.

“Comics are for everyone,” Austin said. “They’re not all light and funny, many of them can be graphic memoirs, serious and educational.”

The exhibit coincides with the end of one of the Center’s youth art camps, “Create a Comic Book.” Campers’ comic book covers will be on display alongside the work of professional artists.

The two-week-long comics show will operate as a “test pilot,” Salisbury said. Larger art shows at the Center are typically four to eight weeks long and offer cash prizes.

“It's definitely a draw for a younger audience,” Salisbury said. “There's almost a renewed interest in the nostalgia of comic books… I don't know if it's any kind of reaction to everything being so digital.”

The artists selected for the show range from young adults to over 50, Salisbury noted, while other exhibits tend to feature artists that are 40 and up.

The show will open in early August for all to attend. On Aug. 17th, the Center will hold a closing reception to award prizes, including “best in show.” Select artists will have the opportunity to display their work on the Beacon’s website, with one artist’s work appearing in print.

“I have always had a personal connection to the focus. Ever since I was young, I loved to write stories but felt like the writing would be supported by visuals. Even today, if I have an idea that I'm invested in, I think, ‘What would this character look like? What would this scene look like?’” said Austin who curated the show.