In AQ Volume 5, Jessie Xu, a portrait artist and recent graduate from the School of Visual Arts, showcases her ability to merge traditional oil painting techniques with a profound sensitivity to color and detail. Drawing on her experiences across cultures, Jessie’s work highlights her remarkable skill in capturing the spirit of her subjects, emphasizing the eyes as windows to their essence. Explore her journey from childhood artist to accomplished painter, and see how her evolving artistic style continues to captivate and inspire.

Teri Hendrich C., a Los Angeles-based painter and AQ Volume V artist, blends fine art with astrology, using rich color and abstract forms to explore unseen energies and personal narratives. Drawing inspiration from celestial archetypes and esoteric symbolism, her work transforms the intangible into evocative, visual storytelling. In this interview, she shares her artistic journey, creative rituals, and the inspirations behind her latest series, Venus in the 12th.

AQ Volume 5 artist Kate McCammon creates deeply personal and immersive collages that explore memory, grief, and self-discovery. Inspired by family photographs, journals, and layered textures, her Journal Portraits series reconstructs moments of connection and vulnerability.

Deanna Gauthier, a self-taught artist, channels her journey across North America into abstract landscapes that evoke emotional responses rather than direct representations of nature. Featured in AQ Volume 5, Deanna shares her exploration of dualities in life and nature through a process of experimentation, emotion, and ritual. Learn how her work balances intuition with design principles and reflects her unique connection to the world around her.

Willow Heath, featured in AQ Volume 5, brings her vibrant watercolor paintings to life by capturing light and luminosity with the transparency of the medium. Known as the "Watercolor Witch of Seattle," Heath’s whimsical and technique-driven work explores reflection, color nuance, and the beauty of everyday objects. In this interview, she shares insights into her creative process, the challenges of balancing multiple artistic roles, and her latest solo show at Axis Gallery in February. Dive into the magic of Willow Heath's artistry and her passion for community-driven creation.

Kathryn D’Elia's vibrant and thoughtful oil paintings critically examine the pressures of modern American life, using familiar objects and cinematic settings to delve into themes of fear, humor, and wonder. Featured in AQ Volume 5, D’Elia combines post-impressionism, surrealism, and a playful approach to challenge perceptions of reality and self. Explore how her work invites viewers to question societal norms while reflecting on personal identity and contemporary struggles.

Ai Sogawa Campbell's abstract work is deeply inspired by nature's fluid dynamics and her cultural roots in Japan. In this feature from AQ Volume 5, Campbell shares her creative journey, discussing her experimental process and the emotional impact of revisiting her homeland. From intricate ink pouring to personal stories of home and identity, Ai’s work invites viewers to explore the unexpected connections that shape her artistic path.

Through intricate layers of oil and mixed media, AQ Volume 5 artist Lïlï Dauphinee explores themes of neurodivergence, isolation, and unity. Her signature tic-tac marks embody the unseen bonds that connect us all, challenging the perception of separateness. Based in Belize, Dauphinee’s practice is shaped by her environment and personal journey, offering a profound perspective on our place within the greater whole. Read her full interview to learn more about her inspirations, challenges, and artistic rituals.

Nellie Grey Eckert challenges traditional notions of embroidery by recontextualizing cross-stitch in her fiber-based artwork. As an AQ Volume 5 artist, she explores the overlooked history of feminine craft, transforming found textiles into evocative visual poetry. Through meticulous erasure techniques, Eckert highlights the intersection of gender, domesticity, and artistic recognition, elevating embroidery from “girlish handicraft” to fine art. Read her full interview to learn more about her practice and inspirations.

Crystal Villegas, a self-taught oil painter from Chicago, brings surrealism to life through her exploration of dreams, nature, and the complexities of human emotions. Featured in AQ Volume 5, Villegas’ debut collection, The Nature of Need, delves into themes of self-care, identity, and the profound connection between biology and psychology. Discover how her work continues the tradition of fine art storytelling in a contemporary way.

Haejin Yoo, a self-taught artist from Sydney, brings her surreal expressionist style to Issues 50, 51 and AQ Volume 5, showcasing her Woman in the Bath series. Known for integrating mixed media and vibrant imagery, Yoo’s work delves into themes of identity, introspection, and emotional vulnerability. Discover how her journey—from scientific studies to full-time artistry—shapes her compelling narrative.

Featured in Create! Magazine AQ Volume 5, Francesca Reina is an underwater photographer whose breathtaking images reveal the hidden magic of Mexico’s cenotes. Through her work, she not only showcases the surreal beauty of these freshwater sinkholes but also advocates for their preservation. Dive into her creative journey, where exploration, art, and environmental consciousness come together in a mesmerizing visual narrative.

Kelda Van Patten’s art plays with the boundaries between the artificial and the natural world, using layered techniques like collage and re-photography to create disorienting yet captivating visual spaces. In her latest interview, Van Patten reflects on her artistic journey, her process, and the influences that shape her practice. Get an inside look at her work and how she examines kitsch in her exploration of modern realities.

Jonathon Downing’s portraits blur the lines between fantasy and reality, using digital montage and oil painting to create complex characters that embody the emotional journey of basketball fans and the athletes they idolize. His work delves into themes of identity, success, and the dichotomy between internal emotions and external image. Read more to explore how Downing’s innovative approach creates an alternate universe where the athletes and fans are transformed into surreal, multifaceted beings.

Jennifer Peart's landscape paintings transcend the ordinary by blending natural elements with mid-century architecture and visionary science fiction. Based in Sacramento, California, Peart's works explore forgotten futures and abandoned possibilities, inviting viewers to reflect on humanity's connection with the planet. Her use of color, texture, and spatial inversions creates immersive portals to alternative realities, offering a hopeful vision for the future.

San Francisco-based artist Debra Cook Shapiro masterfully blends expressive brushstrokes and intricate collages to explore the emotions at the heart of social interactions. Her paintings celebrate both exuberance and quiet reflection, drawing inspiration from lush gardens, Mediterranean beaches, and intimate gatherings. Shapiro’s work invites viewers to experience the nuanced emotions of fleeting moments, as seen through the eyes of peripheral figures at these celebrations. Explore the joy, nostalgia, and complexity of human connections in her latest works.

Betsy Wild’s sculptural works transform animals into powerful emotional conduits, weaving narratives of connection, memory, and human experience. Drawing from a background in illustration and product design, her clay sculptures embody the delicate balance of relationships through expressive compositions and intricate storytelling. Discover how her work invites viewers to reflect on their own narratives in this feature on Create! Magazine.

From stained glass restoration to set design in Hollywood, Tara Aarons has forged a unique path as an artist. Her oil paintings, shaped by historical craftsmanship and her love of fantasy and sci-fi, are a testament to her dedication to traditional techniques and deep understanding of light and shadow. Explore how Tara's artistic journey, rooted in New York's rich culture and refined through her Los Angeles experiences, continues to inspire her work today.

Sikara Sokel, a contemporary painter from Harpers Ferry, WV, brings traditional portraiture to life through extreme contrasts of color and light. Her approach captures emotional depth through dynamic setups and vibrant color schemes, often collaborating with close friends as her models. Read more about Sikara’s artistic process and her upcoming projects in our latest feature.

Discover the breathtaking surreal works of Sarah Renzi Sanders, a contemporary artist whose paintings express the interconnectedness of the earth, femininity, and rebirth. Inspired by her meditations in nature, Renzi uses luminous colors and organic textures to create landscapes that evoke a sense of balance and life. Explore her artistic journey and the meaningful themes that drive her work, from motherhood to the sacredness of the natural world.