Art from Beyond

May 2005

Beyond is an independent magazine that explores what it means to be truly human. Beyond collaborates with writers, poets, thinkers, activists, art lovers, philosophers, and readers to produce a visually-stunning and thought-provoking magazine. The exhibition "Art from Beyond" includes photographs and illustrations from the latest issue as well as highlights from past issues. The exhibition "Art from Beyond" celebrates the launch of its second ads-free issue entitled Possible Worlds.

Back issues and subscriptions are available through UPPERCASE and via Beyond's website.

CONTRIBUTORS

Chris Miller

Chris was born in the Pacific Northwest (USA), and as of late has transplanted to Madison, Wisconsin. He misses mountains and rain, but enjoys iced-over lakes, deep fried cheese curds and bratwurst. Has a design degree, but has a hard time separating design, fine art and illustration into separate packages. Chris makes art on everything from castaway drawers to computer screens. He obsessively collects antique paper and dead bugs and is responsible for one wife, one baby, one spotty dog and one furry orange cat with a funny haircut. Chris writes: “I like to think of my collages as extremely mixed metaphors. It’s usually the unintended things that I most enjoy – the way an ink spot overlaps a particular image, or how certain layers interact in surprising ways. This particular image was initially intended to be the biblical figure of Salome until I noticed that the figure was in the exact pose of Shiva. Add a bunch of circular references and gestures and you get Shiva’s dance of the universe – the music of the spheres. I think the ink washes can serve as nebulas if you’d like them to. These collages are assembled in Photoshop in lots and lots of layers with scanned elements of drawings, paint, ink, charcoal, and various other artsy textures added in. I think of this process very much akin to printmaking: considering, and even planning, the layers needed to get the final product you are looking for – and also looking for surprises and happy accidents – those unexpected moments that take the image a step farther than imagined.” Chris’ work can be viewed at www.cmiller.com .

Rachell Sumpter

Rachell Sumpter currently lives in Los Angeles, California. Her paintings recreate the complexities and nuances of human existence, merging strife with invention. Sumpter’s quiet figurative scenes of anthropomorphic animals, monstrous insects, and appropriated male ideologies are painted with a sublime palette and meticulous line quality, forming a uniquely distilled interpretation of reality. Rachell’s work has appeared in many fine publications and galleries and can be viewed at www.rachellsumpter.com.

James Jensen

James Jensen’s work utilizes the screen printing process. The strengths of screen printing lie in its ability to reproduce crisp, flat colour images in multiples. In order for complex images to be created, colours must be built up in a summation of layers. This process provides not only the means, but also the inspiration for James’ work. When he chooses a subject for a piece, it must be interpreted and transformed in order to work with the process. James’ most recent prints are concerned with the immediacy of drawing and the juxtaposition of seemingly unrelated images. These works borrow some of their aesthetic from comic books and sketchbook pages. The playful layouts allow for multiple interpretations. Some elements are mundane (such as buildings and electrical poles), and others are fictional (fantastical creatures). This is intended to simulate our true experiences as human beings: the constant blending of real and imagined, objectivity and metaphor. James attained a BFA in Printmaking from the Alberta College of Art & Design in 1996. For more information on James’ work, email burnttoast@atom-graphics.com.

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Jeremiah Ketner

Jeremiah’s paintings are an assemblage of muted tones, non-dimensional forms, flower-like shapes, and charming little creatures navigating through a sort of candy-land world. The paintings are created with no preliminary drawing; a composition is formed haphazardly and then outlined through the building process of layers. Ketner draws influence from pop-culture, such as Japanese aesthetics, packaging design, magazine ads, and urban graffiti. Overall, the artwork is open for interpretation. Ketner currently lives in Chicago and shares a sunny cozy apartment with his wife and two lovely kitties, Macha and Green Tea, where the people enjoy drinking kona coffee in the morning and listening to records. More of Jeremiah Ketner’s work may be viewed at www.smallandround.com.

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Janine Vangool

Janine has been designing Beyond Magazine since issue #2. Her photography and typography have been a strong influence on the visual direction of the magazine.