GJ Gillespie
Menu Current Volume Archive About Us Submit Categories GJ Gillespie GJ Gillespie is a collage artist living in a 1928 farmhouse overlooking Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island, WA. A prolific artist with 22 awards to his name, his work has been exhibited in 65 shows and appeared in more than 167 publications. Beyond his studio practice, Gillespie channels his passion for art by running Leda Art Supply, a company specializing in premium sketchbooks. Whether conjuring vivid collage compositions or enabling other artists through exceptional tools, Gillespie remains dedicated to the transformative power of art. Artist Statement: Blood Orange GJ Gillespie, artist statement corrected In “Legend Of Xanadu” and “I Go to Pieces,” GJ Gillespie explores the rich legacy of mid-century abstraction through a contemporary mixed-media lens. These works draw inspiration from two distinct masters of the era: Arshile Gorky and Paul Burlin, respectively. “Legend Of Xanadu,” influenced by Gorky’s biomorphic style, features cryptic figures and glyphs emerging from a layered composition. In contrast, “I Go to Pieces” channels the spirit of Burlin’s work, offering a different interpretation of mid-century abstraction. Gillespie’s artistic process unifies these diverse influences through a thoughtful amalgamation of materials: charcoal, collage tissue, spray paint, and unconventional elements like spackle and repurposed newspaper advertisements. This approach not only pays homage to the abstract expressionist tradition but also infuses it with a distinctly contemporary sensibility. As both an award-winning artist and the founder of Leda Art Supply, Gillespie’s work reflects a lifelong dedication to the transformative power of art, whether through his own creations or by providing tools for other artists to realize their visions. Website: jgjgillespieartistic.com Instagram: @garygillespie7 I Go to Pieces Legend Of Xanadu
Holly Willis
Menu Current Volume Archive About Us Submit Categories Holly Willis Holly Willis is a writer, photographer, and filmmaker who moves between Maine and California exploring landscape, color, movement, and material. Her writing and photography have appeared in journals such as River Teeth, carte blanche, Ponder Review, and The Normal School. Website: hollywillis.com Instagram @hollylwillis Camera Obscura: Afternoon Flowers Island Grasses
k kuulz
Menu Current Volume Archive About Us Submit Categories k kuulz k kuulz, legally Kaden Umaña, is a queer latine multimedia artist born and raised in Los Angeles California. As a multimedia artist, kuulz enjoys taking an interdisciplinary approach by collaging multiple disciplines into their work. A lover of learning, kuulz enjoys exploring various mediums from drawing to dance and incorporating education into their work whenever possible. kuulz’ work, as a whole labeled as kuulz wrld, utilizes principles of storytelling to weave concepts and individual pieces together into a larger realm of work. kuulz wrld explores the multifaceted relationships between the artist’s marginalized identities and experiences that result from the spaces in-between identities and stages of life. Website: keuofficial.my.canva.site/kuulz-wrld Instagram: @k.kuulz Cuddlebuddy
Jennifer Mones
Menu Current Volume Archive About Us Submit Categories Jennifer Mones Jennifer Mones (b. 1993, Pacoima, CA) creates deeply personal and evocative oil paintings that explore themes of psychology, philosophy, spirituality, and humanity’s complex relationship with nature. Influenced by artists like Soey Milk, Artemisia Gentileschi, and Remedios Varo, her work delves into the surreal, often touching on the occult feminine and figures such as Persephone and Artemis. A lifetime of searching for belonging and healing has left an indelible mark on her artistic practice. It’s actually what got her interested in art, philosophy, and psychology. Connecting and learning about the world this way has been her go-to solution to navigating the grief that comes with the human experience and gaining a deeper spiritual relationship. Over the past two years, Jen has exhibited in over 40 shows throughout Detroit- including three solo exhibitions at Congregation in Detroit, New Dodge Lounge in Hamtramck, and Two James in Corktown. Her work has been featured in venues such as Playground Detroit, Gallery 46, Garage Cultural, and the Detroit Artists Market. Jen’s oil paintings, marked by her technique of translucent, layered colors, bring light and vibrancy to dark and deeply emotional subjects, offering a window into both the beauty and pain of human existence. The vibrant colors and tropical flora in her work are influenced by her roots in Colombia and the Dominican Republic, where her parents are from. She looks forward to growing her career and artistic practice. Artist Statement: My work delves into the deep currents that shape the human experience— psychology, philosophy, spirituality, and our ever-evolving relationship with nature. Influenced by thinkers like Diogenes and Emile Cioran, I explore the existential themes of death, interconnectedness, and the profound mystery of existence. Central to my practice is a fascination with the occult feminine, particularly through the figures of Persephone and Artemis, whose stories embody cycles of life, death, and rebirth. My paintings also engage with feminism, honoring the strength, mystery, and wisdom inherent in these archetypal female figures. Through the lens of surrealism, I weave together elements of dream and reality to confront urgent environmental issues, portraying humanity’s strained yet intrinsic bond with nature. My vibrant color palette brings these themes to life, offering both tension and harmony in their juxtaposition. I work with thin layers of oil paint, sanding in between each layer to create a translucency that allows colors and forms to interact subtly through sfumato, evoking a sense of depth. The smooth, luminous surfaces invite viewers to look closer, revealing hidden connections and layers of meaning, much like the subjects I portray. In every piece, I aim to explore the fragility and resilience of life, highlighting the delicate balance between destruction and renewal, chaos and order, individuality and universality. Website: jennifermones.com Instagram: @senomneart Roscian Fantasma
James Kelly Quigley
Menu Current Volume Archive About Us Submit Categories James Kelly Quigley James Kelly Quigley oscillates between a writer who paints and a painter who writes. Instagram: @jameskellyquigley She Knows
Belle Dorcas
Menu Current Volume Archive About Us Submit Categories Belle Dorcas belle dorcas is a collage artist from Michigan. Her work is meant to visualize feminine chaos. Website: belledorcas.com Instagram: @belledorcasandfriends And She Flowers Camera Head
Patrice Sullivan
Menu Current Volume Archive About Us Submit Categories Patrice Sullivan Patrice Sullivan lives and works in Phoenix, AZ. She received her BFA from Massachusetts College of Art and an MFA from University of Pennsylvania. She has exhibited extensively nationally and internationally – including Gracie Mansion, Jim Kempner and Robert Miller Galleries in New York City, as well as the Gallery of Vaclav Spala in Prague, Czechoslovakia, and Castiglion Fiorentino in Italy. Recently, she has shown at The Shin Gallery in New York City. Museum and university shows include Carpenter Center at Harvard University, Somerville Museum, Somerville, MA, and Fort Collins Museum of Contemporary Art, Fort Collins, CO, and Rhode Island College, Providence, RI. Sullivan has attended residencies at Lower Manhattan Cultural Council’s “World Views” Program, Alfred & Trafford Klots International Program, Léhon, France, Edna St. Vincent Millay Colony, Scuola Internazionale Di Grafica Venezia, Venice, Italy, and Chalk Hill Residency in Healdsburg, CA. Recently, she was awarded a scholarship for the Manhattan Graphics Center in NYC for the Fall of 2022. Sullivan’s artwork has been reviewed by The Huffington Post, Artscore Magazine, Southwest Magazine, Westword magazine. Her work is in many private collections. Patrice is an Emeritus Professor of Painting at Colorado State University where she taught for twenty-five years. In addition, she was a Lecturer at Harvard University from 1988-1991. Patrice pioneered and taught a study abroad program in Italy through Colorado State University in Tuscany. Please visit my website: www.patricesullivan.com Artist Statement: The figure is the embodiment of the human experience. It is the site of courage, joy, and love; of compassion, fear, and pain; of struggle, loneliness, and frustration, or sorrow; of loss. As a narrative, figurative painter, I use the figure to depict these universal emotions. The images in my paintings are twice removed from reality. In their transfer from the tonal and spatial qualities of the photograph to the textural, gestural, and light qualities of the canvas, the figures acquire a new life. Spatial relationships are altered; details prominent in the photograph become irrelevant. The once poised and fixed portrayal is re-created as a natural and fluid image. However, a component of the photographic nature of the image remains: in the stance of a figure, its engagement with the camera, a certain poised consciousness of being observed. This subtle quality provides a compelling backdrop and removes the facades for the viewer. The family environment is the primary focus. The synthesis of the photographic and the painted image, within the familiar context of the family, invites viewers to explore their emotions and transcend worldly barriers: perhaps recalling a moment from parent- or childhood, perhaps renewing a quest to understand the meaning of our existence. Website: www.patricesullivan.com. Endless Chatter Backyard Pool
Judith Skillman
Menu Current Volume Archive About Us Submit Categories Judith Skillman Judith Skillman paints expressionist works in oil on canvas and board. She is interested in feelings engendered by the natural world. Her paintings have graced the covers of Thin Air Magazine, Pithead Chapel, The Awakenings Review, and other journals. Work appears in The Penn Review, Artemis, Raven Chronicles, and elsewhere. Skillman has studied visual art at McDaniel College, Pratt Fine Arts Center, and Seattle Artist League (SAL). Shows include The Pratt, Galvanize, and Seattle Artist League. Visit judithskillman.com, www.etsy.com/shop/JkpaintingsStore, www.saatchiart.com/account/artworks/823323 Website: www.judithskillman.com. Red Sea
Mickey Haist
Menu Current Volume Archive About Us Submit Categories Mickey Haist Haist came to visual arts in his mid-thirties, originally creating abstracts in pursuit of the therapeutic aspects of the process. Having worked through all his feelings, he has transitioned to representational pieces. He is now working on a new series organized around the idea of nostalgic objectification of the midcentury. He works as a teacher. Website: www.mickeyhaistjrart.com. Instagram: @mickeyhaistjrpaintings Second Cold Night
Morgan Auten-Smith
Menu Current Volume Archive About Us Submit Categories Morgan Auten-Smith Morgan Auten is an abstract painter and elementary art teacher from northeast Georgia. She is an art educator with 12 years experience under her belt. Art education is not just a means to an end for Morgan, but also a passion. She loves teaching creativity to kids and showing them all that they are capable of. Morgan’s work is bold, calming, thoughtful, filled with intention, and beauty. Through her own joyful take on color and shape, she explores the intersections between individuality and womanhood, and power and patriarchy. Currently, Morgan resides in Gainesville, Ga with her partner Joshua and twin children. Artist Statement: My work expresses the sacrifices made when struggling between the artistic self and the self that exists outside of the studio. As a woman, wife, teacher, I am reduced to fit into certain molds and must cull elements of myself. There are parts of my life that I sacrifice in order to create. Similarly sacrifices occur to complete artwork, layers sacrificed to find compositional conclusion, colors offered up and covered over in the name of balance. The sacrifices that are made in my work bring forth a language of light, color, edges, weight and shape. All of these come together to create a dialog that is arresting to the viewer. These sacrifices result in color fields of expressive geometric abstraction that are both powerful and delicate.There is always something under the surface in my paintings, something that makes the viewer pause over the subtleties and consider what has been sacrificed. Website: morganautensmith.com Instagram: _morgan_auten_ The Furies The Blue Train Devil Details