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MEET THE MAKERS

visual art

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HOME 2-6 BY BEE LB 

BEE LB is an array of letters, bound to impulse; a writer creating delicate connections. they have called any number of places home; currently, a single yellow wall in Michigan.

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COLLECTION OF ABSTRACT ARTWORKS BY ROZA SANTINI @rozasantini

Roza Santini is an emerging abstract artist who works with various color palettes and materials. The paintings she creates are inspired by her vivid dreams and melancholic feelings, as well as a simple exploration of self. Using primarily acrylics, oil pastels, and charcoal on both linen and paper, Roza expresses what lies within her, aiming to evoke profound emotions without words. The artist is deeply interested in literature and dark psychology, particularly in the concept of never-ending melancholy and how it inspires creation. 

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FEIGNING MATURITY BY JADE DUNCAN-KNIGHT @jdkarts

​I'm Jade (She/They), a genderqueer lesbian who grew up on the fringes of North London. I'm of both English and Black Caribbean heritage, a 3rd generation immigrant through the history of the Windrush. In my day to day I'm an illustrator and a Creative Talent & Development Manager working in the animation industry.

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SELF PORTRAIT WITH CHOPPED HAIR, THE TWO OF US, I'VE GOT YOU YOU'VE GOT ME, BUY MYSELF FLOWERS BY AISLINN F @aislinn.art

An illustrator based in London that comes from Zambia and Northern Ireland. Her work focuses on aspects of feminitiy, race and identity using an Afrofuturistic lens to unapologetically place Black women at the centre, celebrating and representing their beauty, culture and power.

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MY INNER ARCTIC TUNDRA + OTHER CREATURES BY jdwoof @jdwoof

jdwoof/Jo Wood (she/her) is a self taught artist based in London. Painting/drawing/making are primarily a way for her to cope with life and connect to herself and others at her own pace. She loves making things with things she finds; in herself, other humans or objects discarded. She has exhibited in Applecart Arts, West Reservoir Centre, Spongleheim Outsider Art Gallery and Rosetta Arts. She has taken part in residencies in North Carolina, Wales, Scotland and London. 

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TIME TRAVELLERS BY JESSICA WHYTE @jesswhytecreates

Jessica Whyte (she/her) is a queer, disabled and neurodivergent mixed media/collage artist and writer from East Sussex. She often incorporates cut and paste poetry or words in her art. She is working on a series of collages on the theme of queer history and experience with a playful, surrealist vibe. 

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MIGRANT RAIN BY JUDITH GAO @judiththe.judith

Judith Gao is a trans migrant artist and art worker based in East London. They love painting, drawing, sewing, eating, cooking, complaining and engaging in activism. Their recent painting Buzz was shortlisted for Jackson’s Art Prize 2024 and showcased at Bankside Gallery.

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AFTER THE CASTLE OF THE PYRENEES BY NIV FRIDMAN @niv_fridman

As a queer visual artist, Niv Fridman (He/him) explores the fluidity and multiplicity of identity through sculptures that challenge historical and societal norms. His work delves into the intersections of gender, sexuality, and self-perception, using mixed media to reinterpret historical narratives and invite viewers to reflect on personal experiences. 

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UNTITLED BY ESS22 @lapis.hyperium

I am a female visual artist living in NY, USA. My focus is painting female figures with an edgy aesthetic (on paper and wood).

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'GIRL AND SNAKE' & 'MICE' BY IRINA TALL @irins.tall

Irina Tall (Novikova) is an artist, graphic artist, illustrator. She graduated from the State Academy of Slavic Cultures with a degree in art, and also has a bachelor's degree in design. The first personal exhibition "My soul is like a wild hawk" (2002) was held in the museum of Maxim Bagdanovich. In her works, she raises themes of ecology, in 2005 she devoted a series of works to the Chernobyl disaster, draws on anti-war topics. The first big series she drew was The Red Book, dedicated to rare and endangered species of animals and birds. Writes fairy tales and poems, illustrates short stories. She draws various fantastic creatures: unicorny the Exhibition is Irina s, animals with human faces, she especially likes the image of a man - a bird - Siren. In 2020, she took part in Poznań Art Week. Her work has been published in magazines: Gupsophila, Harpy Hybrid Review, Little Literary Living Room and others. In 2022, her short story was included in the collection "The 50 Best Short Stories", and her poem was published in the collection of poetry "The wonders of winter".

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GROW OLD WITH ME BY PRISHIKA @prish_xoxo

Prishika is a multidisciplinary artist based in London. Through her practice she explores the interplay between emotion and culture and identity.

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GARDEN OF BLOBS BY DANA GOH @daiynar

Dana Goh (b. 2001, Singapore) is a multidisciplinary artist, based in London and Singapore. She endeavours to codify 'sweetness'—taste, character, or appearance—through a characteristic saccharine and cute aesthetic that simultaneously attracts and conceals deeper emotions. In her practice, Goh employs pastel colours to evoke the soft, subtle power of the cute—a gentle yet commanding influence. These colours, associated with child-like innocence and gentility, serve as a visual metaphor for the duality Goh seeks to express.

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ARTICULATE SILENCES BY JC ALFIER 

JC Alfier’s (they/them) most recent book of poetry, The Shadow Field, was published by Louisiana Literature Press (2020). Journal credits include Faultline, New York Quarterly, Notre Dame Review, Penn Review, River Styx, and Vassar Review.

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QUEER LATE BLOOMER BY ERIN CORK @erin_cor

My drawing practice references a range of historical sources, from 17th century botanical illustrations to 1980s fetish magazines. I use drawing as a tool to access past attitudes towards love, romance, queerness and sexuality and relate these to myself and contemporary attitudes. I live and work in London, UK.

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​A RESTING PLACE & MACHAR (MADNESS) by SABAHAT ALI WANI

Sabahat Ali Wani is a Kashmiri mixed-media storytelling artist and writer. Her artwork has appeared in many journals and magazines like Club Plum Literary Journal, About Place Journal (Black Earth Institute), the long con magazine, Maaje Zevwe, Blue Marble Review, Variant Literature, Metonym Journal, Josephine Quarterly, The Minison Zine and 805 Lit + Art.​

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GOLDEN BLACK & THE WEATHER REPORT BY SEAN BW PARKER

Sean Bw Parker (MA) is an artist, writer, and musician working mainly in cultural theory, poetry, art and justice reform. After gaining a Masters degree in Fine Art from the University for the Creative Arts in 2003, he lived in Istanbul for ten years. He was born in Exeter in 1975, and currently lives on the south coast of England.​

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AMSTERDAM PRIDE 2023 BY RORY @Rory.4946

My name is Rory, I am an 18 year old cis queer man. I grew up in a small village in Kent, a very safe upbringing, however very devoid of people with alternate self-expression. As such, when I discovered I was queer and began venturing into London I was very surprised and inspired by how wonderfully different and beautiful the queer community can be. This was the time I was able to use to discover myself. I believe this experience of discovering a brave new world of queerness happens to all people who begin to question their identity, however at drastically different times.

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A BOX, A BODY, MY FRIENDS, THE FLOWER PEOPLE BY MAYA @patheticsnowflake

Pathetic Snowflake (they/them) is a print maker and digital artist based in Whitstable, Kent. 

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MYSELF OR OTHERS BY LYDIA @lydiaintheskywithdiamods

My name is Lydia, Im 25 years old, just graduated from fashion design but always had an affinity in drawing and painting. I'm Greek and grew up in Brussels. I'm non binary, and realised this when I first came to London 5 years ago when I met my chosen family who let me be myself and explore myself freely. Every painting that I've made has been influenced by my time with these people and the feelings of acceptance but also of rejection, either from myself or others. 

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EMPOWERING WOMEN BY ZAIMA AHMED @zillustrates14

I've always been drawn to the interplay between imagination and reality. My work explores these themes through a variety of mediums, from graphic design to illustration. I believe that art is a powerful tool for self-discovery, and my pieces often tell stories of personal growth and exploration. Through my art, I aim to transform scattered thoughts and emotions into cohesive, meaningful narratives.

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INTER-MYCELIUM MURMURINGS BY SAMA HUNT @Sama_hunt

I am an interdisciplinary artist and art psychotherapist. This collection of drawings ‘energy allegories’ explore my interest in intersubjectivity and intrapsychic space and its sisterhood with the movements of mycelium.

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RUDE MONKEY BY DEBORAH NASH @deborahnashhasted​

Deborah Nash studied printmaking at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Bourges, France and traditional Chinese watercolour painting at Nanjing School of Art, China. She works as a freelance journalist and writer, with short stories published in Litro, Stand magazine and The Mechanics’ Institute Review. 

She has exhibited a series of doors painted with all the addresses she has ever lived at, as well as a careworker’s uniform with the names of the people she cared for, shown at The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition (2021). She has also illustrated several children’s picture books. 
Deborah is interested in combining text with image and creating playfulness between the two forms. She uses wording and colour on the clothes she wears, and is currently making a zine about a communal kitchen using a variety of media, including: sugar, sprinkles, foil, clingfilm, scot towel, eggshell, salt, photomontage, cut-up words, printed corks and bottle tops and grids.

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PECULIAR BEINGS BY CHIDERA ​​

I’m Stationeri (He/They), aged 21, I’m a trans queer Nigerian born and raised in Ireland. I studied dance and drama for my undergrad in university. I love to express myself through the things I create in art, dance, music and theater. ​​

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poetry

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/ CREW CUT WORKMANSHIP \ BY TAYLOR KOVACH 

​Taylor Kovach is a transgender poet who lives in Lincoln Park, Michigan. They hold a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with highest honors, from Michigan State University. This fosters their dive deep into familial and societal adversity. Concentrations in creative writing, sociology, and social work assist to further this venture. Self-taught in the medium of the poetic arts that spans more than a decade. The artist keeps their work far from close to the chest. 

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FEELING IN THE DARK BY CLARA ABBOTT @clarabbott

I'm a teacher, writer, and education researcher at the University of Pennsylvania. I love to run, weave, make zines, cook for friends, and gossip! I support and research a youth-led literary magazine called NOVA, which inspired me to dive back into writing creatively. 

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WET GRASS BY EMMA WELLS @ewellswriting

​Emma is a mother and English teacher. She has poetry published with various literary journals and magazines. She writes flash fiction, short stories and novels. She is currently writing her sixth novel. 

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LET'S BE SOFT TOGETHER BY JANNAH @jannahart

Jannah is a multimedia artist whose work delves into the intricate themes of nature, magic, and human emotion. Her artistic journey is marked by a relentless curiosity and a passion for experimentation, leading to an ever-evolving and expressive style. Her desire to connect with others fuels her creativity, making her work a personal expression and a shared experience.

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ECHO SAW HER REFLECTION TOO BY MARY FOXX @maryfoxxwrites

Mary Foxx (She/They) is a poet, fabulist, and cabaret artist from South East London. Her work draws heavily on traditions of folklore and mythology, with particular fondness for the long-suffering women of those stories. They seek to challenge binaries and borders of all sorts, blending wild and urban, masculine and feminine, mundane and occult. 

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FAMILIAR BY ANNA BROOK @annaotheranna

Anna (she/they) lives and works in East London. They lecture in Creative Writing and English Literature at Kingston University, where they are also currently studying for a PhD in Creative Writing. Anna’s prose/poetry life writing practice, and research, centre around motherhood, haunting and failure, drawing on, amongst other things, disability theory, queer and feminist theory.

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SHIPRAH'S SOLUTION BY MERRYN RUTLEDGE 

Winner of Orison Books' 2023 Best Spiritual poem award, Merryn Rutledge's work is widely published and collected in Sweet Juice and Ruby-Bitter Seed (Kelsay Books). Merryn teaches poetry craft, sings, dances, and works for social justice causes.​

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MINE BY JENN ZUKO @jennzuko

​Body language consultant, fight director, intimacy coordinator. Author. Movement artist & burlesque badass. Ninja emeritus.

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RECOVERY BY JESS MOHER

I am Jess, she/her, queer writer and teacher who uses words to express pain, joy and connection to others 

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THE BURIAL BY LORNA WOOD @lornawoodz

Lorna Wood is a teacher, musician, and writer in Auburn, Alabama, and the author of the collection, The Great Garbage Patch: Reflections on Fascism (Alien Buddha Press). A featured writer in the erbacce-prize contest, she has published poetry in the U.S., the UK, Iceland, South Africa, India, and Australia.

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SO I HAVE TO CHANGE? & MY FATHER TELLS ME ABOUT A ROBIN BY ANNIKA WARRICK @adwarrick

Annika Warrick (they/them) is a current MFA candidate and graduate student teacher at the University of Central Arkansas. They are also the lead poetry editor for Arkana magazine, and run a local monthly poetry open mic at their favorite coffee shop, River City. When not teaching or writing, they can generally be found wandering around the close by state parks collecting cool rocks, or at a punk show, in the corner with a cheap beer and a book.

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NOTHING TO SEE HERE AT ALL BY ANGELA ARNOLD @AngelaArnold777

Angela Arnold lives in Wales. Published in print and online, in the UK and elsewhere, she is also an artist, creative gardener and environmental campaigner. Collection In Between (Stairwell Books).​

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I WANT TO STAY SOFT, DESPITE BY LOU BROWN @goodstrangevibes

I'm a non binary artist and run Goodstrangevibes, a small art business. My art is about mental health, queerness, body image and sex education. I do commissions, sell artwork at markets and host workshops.

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WOMEN AT HOME | BEAUTIFUL THINGS BY KAREN QUICKLEY 

I’m an emerging bi+ American poet and writer. I live in Indiana with my two favorite pussycats. 

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A BAR STOOL IN YOUR LIVING ROOM BY LUCIJA PIJA @pijakralj

My name is Lucija Pija Kralj, a 23-year-old social work student from Ljubljana. I have authored three young adult novels (in Slovenia, Slovenian language): Nobody's (Nikogaršnja) (2015), Julia (Julija) (2016), and The Bassist Never Gets a Girl (Basist nikoli ne dobi bejbe) (2023). Notably, my second novel was adapted into the feature film Julija (2020). As a songwriter for the musical duo Younite, I penned the lyrics for our 2019 song submitted to the Eurovision Song Contest pre-selection EMAFREŠ for a song that would represent Slovenia (Although the song I wrote didn't make it to Eurovision, it was broadcast on national TV in the EMAFREŠ pre-contest).

Currently, my writing has increasingly gravitated towards poetry. In July 2024, I participated in an artist residency in London, sponsored by the Slovenian Ministry of Culture. 

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RIBBON BOY / RIBBON GIRL BY JAMIE MANIAS @jamiemanias

Jamie Manias is a poetry MFA candidate and instructor at Bowling Green State University, where they serve as an assistant editor to the Mid-American Review. Their work appears or is forthcoming in Rat's Ass Review, fruitslice, Apocalypse Confidential, and other journals. 

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prose

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BACK AT IT BY JUDITH SHAPIRO @judysmodernlife

Judith Shapiro is a writer who spends half the year on the opposite coast, confused about which way is north and marveling at the sun that sets on the horizon instead of rising. When the novel she’s writing looks the other way, she secretly writes anything else. A Pushcart Prize nominee, her work appears in The Citron Review, Moss Piglet, The New York Times, The Sun and elsewhere. See more at PeaceInEveryLeaf.com.

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WRONG PLACE, WRONG SIZE BY ANN McCANN @beegirlfriends

In the middle of a ven diagram between "Fran Fine," "Joan Didion," and "insufferable lesbian," Ann (she/her) finds herself waxing poetic about a California that maybe doesn't exist and women who have taught her how to love while kvetching about why the Moschino heart bag is still so expensive and the importance of a 90s animal print mini dress.

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CALENDAR OF HURT BY TOBI ALFIER 

Tobi Alfier’s credits include Arkansas Review, The American Journal of Poetry, Cholla Needles, Gargoyle, James Dickey Review, KGB Bar Lit Mag, Louisiana Literature, Permafrost, Washington Square Review, and War, Literature and the Arts.  She is co-editor of San Pedro River Review (www.bluehorsepress.com).

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IN LINE BY NATATLIE PIKNA @natspikks

Natalia is a freelance writer and student of Linguistics and English Literature. With roots in Slovakia, she currently spends most of her time between Belgium and Luxembourg. In her work, she likes to examine what it means to belong. Her creative writing is published or forthcoming in “The Storms Journal”, "Flare: An Anthology of Chronic Illness”, and “Life–A Series of (Un)Eventful Events - Young Voices from Luxembourg”. Books and museums are her favourite things to get lost in.  

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TRANS(FORMATION) OR: ORLANDO IN THE AGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA @AudreyTCarroll

Audrey T. Carroll is the author of What Blooms in the Dark (ELJ Editions), The Gaia Hypothesis (Alien Buddha), Parts of Speech: A Disabled Dictionary (Alien Buddha), and In My Next Queer Life, I Want to Be (kith books). Her Twitter/Instagram is @AudreyTCarroll and her website is http://AudreyTCarrollWrites.weebly.com.

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AN INTERVIEW WITH JANIS BUTLER HOLM: ON INSIDE STIMULI, LIGHT AND CREATING FROM ISOLATION 

​Janis Butler Holm served as Associate Editor for Wide Angle, the film journal, and currently works as a writer and editor in sunny Los Angeles. Her prose, poems, art, and performance pieces have appeared in small-press, national, and international magazines. Her plays have been produced in the U.S., Canada, Russia, and the U.K. 

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RIVER LINES BY SOPHY DROUIN @sophy_drouin

Sophy is a Québécoise writer based in Brooklyn, New York. Find her writing in Bending Genres, Deal Jam, 86 Logic, and The Creative Independent. Her play was featured at New York Theatre Festival's Summerfest in June. She is producing two plays and a short film, and loves trees.