diff --git a/elements/containers/document.go b/elements/containers/document.go
index 3e12bea..13b36dd 100644
--- a/elements/containers/document.go
+++ b/elements/containers/document.go
@@ -219,7 +219,6 @@ func (element *DocumentContainer) NotifyFlexibleHeightChange (child elements.Fle
 	element.core.DamageAll()
 }
 
-
 // SetTheme sets the element's theme.
 func (element *DocumentContainer) SetTheme (new theme.Theme) {
 	if new == element.theme.Theme { return }
diff --git a/elements/file/directory.go b/elements/file/directory.go
index 9dbe8a9..cdf559a 100644
--- a/elements/file/directory.go
+++ b/elements/file/directory.go
@@ -1,22 +1,44 @@
 package fileElements
 
 import "io/fs"
+import "image"
 import "path/filepath"
-import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/elements/basic"
+import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/theme"
+import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/artist"
+import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/canvas"
+import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/config"
+import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/elements"
+import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/elements/core"
 
-type ReadDirStatFS interface {
-	fs.ReadDirFS
-	fs.StatFS
+type fileLayoutEntry struct {
+	*File
+	fs.DirEntry
+	Bounds image.Rectangle
 }
 
+// DirectoryView displays a list of files within a particular directory and
+// file system.
 type DirectoryView struct {
-	*basicElements.List
+	*core.Core
+	*core.Propagator
+	core core.CoreControl
+
+	children []fileLayoutEntry
+	scroll   image.Point
+	contentBounds image.Rectangle
+	
+	config config.Wrapped
+	theme  theme.Wrapped
+
+	onScrollBoundsChange func ()
 
 	filesystem ReadDirStatFS
 	location string
 	onChoose func (file string)
 }
 
+// NewDirectoryView creates a new directory view. If within is nil, it will use
+// the OS file system.
 func NewDirectoryView (
 	location string,
 	within ReadDirStatFS,
@@ -24,17 +46,21 @@ func NewDirectoryView (
 	element *DirectoryView,
 	err error,
 ) {
-	element = &DirectoryView {
-		List: basicElements.NewList(),
-	}
+	element = &DirectoryView { }
+	element.theme.Case = theme.C("files", "directoryView")
+	element.Core, element.core = core.NewCore(element, element.redoAll)
+	element.Propagator = core.NewPropagator(element, element.core)
 	err = element.SetLocation(location, within)
 	return
 }
 
+// Location returns the directory's location and filesystem.
 func (element *DirectoryView) Location () (string, fs.ReadDirFS) {
 	return element.location, element.filesystem
 }
 
+// SetLocation sets the directory's location and filesystem. If within is nil,
+// it will use the OS file system.
 func (element *DirectoryView) SetLocation (
 	location string,
 	within ReadDirStatFS,
@@ -42,32 +68,231 @@ func (element *DirectoryView) SetLocation (
 	if within == nil {
 		within = defaultFS { }
 	}
+	element.scroll = image.Point { }
 	element.location   = location
 	element.filesystem = within
 	return element.Update()
 }
 
+// Update refreshes the directory's contents.
 func (element *DirectoryView) Update () error {
+	defer element.redoAll()
 	entries, err := element.filesystem.ReadDir(element.location)
 
-	listEntries := make([]basicElements.ListEntry, len(entries))
+	// disown all entries
+	for _, file := range element.children {
+		file.DrawTo(nil, image.Rectangle { }, nil)
+		file.SetParent(nil)
+		
+		if file.Focused() {
+			file.HandleUnfocus()
+		}
+	}
+
+	element.children = make([]fileLayoutEntry, len(entries))
 	for index, entry := range entries {
 		filePath := filepath.Join(element.location, entry.Name())
-		listEntries[index] = basicElements.NewListEntry (
-			entry.Name(),
-			func () {
-				filePath := filePath
-				if element.onChoose != nil {
-					element.onChoose(filePath)
-				}
-			})
+		file, err := NewFile (
+			filePath,
+			element.filesystem)
+		if err != nil { return err }
+		file.SetParent(element)
+		element.children[index].File = file
+		element.children[index].DirEntry = entry
+		element.OnChoose (func (filepath string) {
+			if element.onChoose != nil {
+				element.onChoose(filePath)
+			}
+		})
 	}
-	element.Clear()
-	element.Append(listEntries...)
 	
 	return err
 }
 
+// OnChoose sets a function to be called when the user double-clicks a file or
+// sub-directory within the directory view.
 func (element *DirectoryView) OnChoose (callback func (file string)) {
 	element.onChoose = callback
 }
+
+// CountChildren returns the amount of children contained within this element.
+func (element *DirectoryView) CountChildren () (count int) {
+	return len(element.children)
+}
+
+// Child returns the child at the specified index. If the index is out of
+// bounds, this method will return nil.
+func (element *DirectoryView) Child (index int) (child elements.Element) {
+	if index < 0 || index > len(element.children) { return }
+	return element.children[index].File
+}
+
+func (element *DirectoryView) redoAll () {
+	if !element.core.HasImage() { return }
+	
+	// do a layout
+	element.doLayout()
+	
+	maxScrollHeight := element.maxScrollHeight()
+	if element.scroll.Y > maxScrollHeight {
+		element.scroll.Y = maxScrollHeight
+		element.doLayout()
+	}
+
+	// draw a background
+	rocks := make([]image.Rectangle, len(element.children))
+	for index, entry := range element.children {
+		rocks[index] = entry.Bounds
+	}
+	pattern := element.theme.Pattern (
+		theme.PatternPinboard,
+		theme.State { })
+	artist.DrawShatter(element.core, pattern, element.Bounds(), rocks...)
+
+	element.partition()
+	if parent, ok := element.core.Parent().(elements.ScrollableParent); ok {
+		parent.NotifyScrollBoundsChange(element)
+	}
+	if element.onScrollBoundsChange != nil {
+		element.onScrollBoundsChange()
+	}
+}
+
+func (element *DirectoryView) partition () {
+	for _, entry := range element.children {
+		entry.DrawTo(nil, entry.Bounds, nil)
+	}
+
+	// cut our canvas up and give peices to child elements
+	for _, entry := range element.children {
+		if entry.Bounds.Overlaps(element.Bounds()) {
+			entry.DrawTo (	
+				canvas.Cut(element.core, entry.Bounds),
+				entry.Bounds, func (region image.Rectangle) {
+					element.core.DamageRegion(region)
+				})
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// NotifyMinimumSizeChange notifies the container that the minimum size of a
+// child element has changed.
+func (element *DirectoryView) NotifyMinimumSizeChange (child elements.Element) {
+	element.redoAll()
+	element.core.DamageAll()
+}
+
+// SetTheme sets the element's theme.
+func (element *DirectoryView) SetTheme (new theme.Theme) {
+	if new == element.theme.Theme { return }
+	element.theme.Theme = new
+	element.Propagator.SetTheme(new)
+	element.redoAll()
+}
+
+// SetConfig sets the element's configuration.
+func (element *DirectoryView) SetConfig (new config.Config) {
+	if new == element.config.Config { return }
+	element.Propagator.SetConfig(new)
+	element.redoAll()
+}
+// ScrollContentBounds returns the full content size of the element.
+func (element *DirectoryView) ScrollContentBounds () image.Rectangle {
+	return element.contentBounds
+}
+
+// ScrollViewportBounds returns the size and position of the element's
+// viewport relative to ScrollBounds.
+func (element *DirectoryView) ScrollViewportBounds () image.Rectangle {
+	padding := element.theme.Padding(theme.PatternPinboard)
+	bounds  := padding.Apply(element.Bounds())
+	bounds   = bounds.Sub(bounds.Min).Add(element.scroll)
+	return bounds
+}
+
+// ScrollTo scrolls the viewport to the specified point relative to
+// ScrollBounds.
+func (element *DirectoryView) ScrollTo (position image.Point) {
+	if position.Y < 0 {
+		position.Y = 0
+	}
+	maxScrollHeight := element.maxScrollHeight()
+	if position.Y > maxScrollHeight {
+		position.Y = maxScrollHeight
+	}
+	element.scroll = position
+	if element.core.HasImage() {
+		element.redoAll()
+		element.core.DamageAll()
+	}
+}
+
+// OnScrollBoundsChange sets a function to be called when the element's viewport
+// bounds, content bounds, or scroll axes change.
+func (element *DirectoryView) OnScrollBoundsChange (callback func ()) {
+	element.onScrollBoundsChange = callback
+}
+
+// ScrollAxes returns the supported axes for scrolling.
+func (element *DirectoryView) ScrollAxes () (horizontal, vertical bool) {
+	return false, true
+}
+
+func (element *DirectoryView) maxScrollHeight () (height int) {
+	padding := element.theme.Padding(theme.PatternSunken)
+	viewportHeight := element.Bounds().Dy() - padding.Vertical()
+	height = element.contentBounds.Dy() - viewportHeight
+	if height < 0 { height = 0 }
+	return
+}
+
+func (element *DirectoryView) doLayout () {
+	margin := element.theme.Margin(theme.PatternPinboard)
+	padding := element.theme.Padding(theme.PatternPinboard)
+	bounds := padding.Apply(element.Bounds())
+	element.contentBounds = image.Rectangle { }
+
+	beginningOfRow := true
+	dot := bounds.Min.Sub(element.scroll)
+	for index, entry := range element.children {
+		width, height := entry.MinimumSize()
+		
+		if dot.X + width > bounds.Max.X {
+			dot.X = bounds.Min.Sub(element.scroll).X
+			dot.Y += height
+			if index > 1 {
+				dot.Y += margin.Y
+			}
+			beginningOfRow = true
+		}
+		
+		if beginningOfRow {
+			beginningOfRow = false
+		} else {
+			dot.X += margin.X
+		}
+	
+		entry.Bounds.Min = dot
+		entry.Bounds.Max = image.Pt(dot.X + width, dot.Y + height)
+		element.children[index] = entry
+		element.contentBounds = element.contentBounds.Union(entry.Bounds)
+		dot.X += width
+	}
+	
+	element.contentBounds =
+		element.contentBounds.Sub(element.contentBounds.Min)
+}
+
+func (element *DirectoryView) updateMinimumSize () {
+	padding := element.theme.Padding(theme.PatternPinboard)
+	minimumWidth := 0
+	for _, entry := range element.children {
+		width, _ := entry.MinimumSize()
+		if width > minimumWidth {
+			minimumWidth = width
+		}
+	}
+	element.core.SetMinimumSize (
+		minimumWidth + padding.Horizontal(),
+		padding.Vertical())
+}
diff --git a/elements/file/file.go b/elements/file/file.go
index 03a4e80..9db6731 100644
--- a/elements/file/file.go
+++ b/elements/file/file.go
@@ -1,24 +1,31 @@
 package fileElements
 
 import "io/fs"
+import "image"
 import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/theme"
-import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/elements/basic"
+import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/artist"
+import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/config"
+import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/elements/core"
 
-// File is a 
+// File displays an interactive visual representation of a file within any
+// file system.
 type File struct {
-	*basicElements.Icon
-
-	// we inherit from Icon directly because it is not our responsibility
-	// to draw text. this will be the responsibility of the directory that
-	// contains the file. we don't handle mouse events on the file label
-	// text either because when the user clicks on that we want to rename
-	// the file.
-
+	*core.Core
+	*core.FocusableCore
+	core core.CoreControl
+	focusableControl core.FocusableCoreControl
+	
+	config config.Wrapped
+	theme  theme.Wrapped
+	
+	iconID     theme.Icon
 	filesystem fs.StatFS
-	location string
-	onChoose func ()
+	location   string
+	onChoose   func ()
 }
 
+// NewFile creates a new file element. If within is nil, it will use the OS file
+// system
 func NewFile (
 	location string,
 	within fs.StatFS,
@@ -26,17 +33,22 @@ func NewFile (
 	element *File,
 	err error,
 ) {
-	element = &File {
-		Icon: basicElements.NewIcon(theme.IconFile, theme.IconSizeLarge),
-	}
+	element = &File { }
+	element.theme.Case = theme.C("files", "file")
+	element.Core, element.core = core.NewCore(element, element.drawAll)
+	element.FocusableCore,
+	element.focusableControl = core.NewFocusableCore(element.core, element.drawAndPush)
 	err = element.SetLocation(location, within)
 	return
 }
 
+// Location returns the file's location and filesystem.
 func (element *File) Location () (string, fs.StatFS) {
 	return element.location, element.filesystem
 }
 
+// SetLocation sets the file's location and filesystem. If within is nil, it
+// will use the OS file system.
 func (element *File) SetLocation (
 	location string,
 	within fs.StatFS,
@@ -49,19 +61,79 @@ func (element *File) SetLocation (
 	return element.Update()
 }
 
+// Update refreshes the element to match the file it represents.
 func (element *File) Update () error {
+	element.iconID = theme.IconError
 	info, err := element.filesystem.Stat(element.location)
 	if err != nil { return err }
 
+	// TODO: choose icon based on file mime type
 	if info.IsDir() {
-		element.SetIcon(theme.IconDirectory, theme.IconSizeLarge)
+		element.iconID = theme.IconDirectory
 	} else {
-		element.SetIcon(theme.IconFile, theme.IconSizeLarge)
+		element.iconID = theme.IconFile
 	}
-	
+
+	element.updateMinimumSize()
+	element.drawAndPush()
 	return err
 }
 
 func (element *File) OnChoose (callback func ()) {
 	element.onChoose = callback
 }
+
+func (element *File) state () theme.State {
+	return theme.State {
+		Disabled: !element.Enabled(),
+		Focused:  element.Focused(),
+		// Pressed:  element.pressed,
+	}
+}
+
+func (element *File) icon () artist.Icon {
+	return element.theme.Icon(element.iconID, theme.IconSizeLarge)
+}
+
+func (element *File) updateMinimumSize () {
+	padding := element.theme.Padding(theme.PatternButton)
+	icon := element.icon()
+	if icon == nil {
+		element.core.SetMinimumSize (
+			padding.Horizontal(),
+			padding.Vertical())
+	} else {
+		bounds := padding.Inverse().Apply(icon.Bounds())
+		element.core.SetMinimumSize(bounds.Dx(), bounds.Dy())
+	}
+}
+
+func (element *File) drawAndPush () {
+	if element.core.HasImage() {
+		element.drawAll()
+		element.core.DamageAll()
+	}
+}
+
+func (element *File) drawAll () {
+	// background
+	state  := element.state()
+	bounds := element.Bounds()
+	element.theme.
+		Pattern(theme.PatternButton, state).
+		Draw(element.core, bounds)
+
+	// icon
+	icon := element.icon()
+	if icon != nil {
+		iconBounds := icon.Bounds()
+		offset := image.Pt (
+			(bounds.Dx() - iconBounds.Dx()) / 2,
+			(bounds.Dy() - iconBounds.Dy()) / 2)
+		icon.Draw (
+			element.core,
+			element.theme.Color (
+				theme.ColorForeground, state),
+			bounds.Min.Add(offset))
+	}
+}
diff --git a/elements/file/fs.go b/elements/file/fs.go
index 812333b..85572e3 100644
--- a/elements/file/fs.go
+++ b/elements/file/fs.go
@@ -3,16 +3,23 @@ package fileElements
 import "os"
 import "io/fs"
 
+// ReadDirStatFS is a combination of fs.ReadDirFS and fs.StatFS. It is the
+// minimum filesystem needed to satisfy a directory view.
+type ReadDirStatFS interface {
+	fs.ReadDirFS
+	fs.StatFS
+}
+
 type defaultFS struct { }
 
 func (defaultFS) Open (name string) (fs.File, error) {
 	return os.Open(name)
 }
 
-func (defaultFS) ReadDir (name string) ([]DirEntry, error) {
+func (defaultFS) ReadDir (name string) ([]fs.DirEntry, error) {
 	return os.ReadDir(name)
 }
 
-func (defaultFS) Stat (name string) (FileInfo, error) {
+func (defaultFS) Stat (name string) (fs.FileInfo, error) {
 	return os.Stat(name)
 }
diff --git a/examples/fileBrowser/main.go b/examples/fileBrowser/main.go
index 34da5b0..6eea8e4 100644
--- a/examples/fileBrowser/main.go
+++ b/examples/fileBrowser/main.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package main
 
 import "os"
+import "path/filepath"
 import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo"
 import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/theme"
 import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/layouts/basic"
@@ -18,6 +19,7 @@ func run () {
 	window.SetTitle("File browser")
 	container := containers.NewContainer(basicLayouts.Vertical { true, true })
 	window.Adopt(container)
+	homeDir, _ := os.UserHomeDir()
 
 	controlBar := containers.NewContainer(basicLayouts.Horizontal { })
 	backButton := basicElements.NewButton("Back")
@@ -34,13 +36,17 @@ func run () {
 	upwardButton.ShowText(false)
 	locationInput := basicElements.NewTextBox("Location", "")
 	
-	scrollContainer := containers.NewScrollContainer(false, true)
-	homeDir,_ := os.UserHomeDir()
-	directoryView, _ := fileElements.NewDirectoryView(homeDir)
-	directoryView.Collapse(0, 8)
+	statusBar := containers.NewContainer(basicLayouts.Horizontal { true, false })
+	directory, _ := fileElements.NewFile(homeDir, nil)
+	baseName := basicElements.NewLabel(filepath.Base(homeDir), false)
+	
+	scrollContainer  := containers.NewScrollContainer(false, true)
+	directoryView, _ := fileElements.NewDirectoryView(homeDir, nil)
 	choose := func (filePath string) {
-		directoryView.SetLocation(filePath)
-		locationInput.SetValue(directoryView.Location())
+		directoryView.SetLocation(filePath, nil)
+		directory.SetLocation(filePath, nil)
+		locationInput.SetValue(filePath)
+		baseName.SetText(filepath.Base(filePath))
 	}
 	directoryView.OnChoose(choose)
 	locationInput.OnEnter (func () {
@@ -48,14 +54,18 @@ func run () {
 	})
 	choose(homeDir)
 	
+	controlBar.Adopt(backButton,    false)
+	controlBar.Adopt(forwardButton, false)
+	controlBar.Adopt(refreshButton, false)
+	controlBar.Adopt(upwardButton,  false)
+	controlBar.Adopt(locationInput, true)
 	scrollContainer.Adopt(directoryView)
-	controlBar.Adopt(backButton,     false)
-	controlBar.Adopt(forwardButton,  false)
-	controlBar.Adopt(refreshButton,  false)
-	controlBar.Adopt(upwardButton,   false)
-	controlBar.Adopt(locationInput,  true)
+	statusBar.Adopt(directory, false)
+	statusBar.Adopt(baseName, false)
+	
 	container.Adopt(controlBar,      false)
 	container.Adopt(scrollContainer, true)
+	container.Adopt(statusBar,       false)
 
 	window.OnClose(tomo.Stop)
 	window.Show()