CONTRAST

CONTRAST

Difference defines everything. That is what holds it all together. The very particles that build creation are complicated balances of positive and negative. It is only logical that the way we perceive our environ-ment is filled with the same nuances of right and wrong, dark and light,...good and evil. Woman defines man. Hot defines cold. Death defines life. This is the thought pattern that led me to devise the artists’ book you are holding called CONTRAST. It is a major component of any visual communicator’s vocabulary. Contrast is what we use to define our subjects in a two dimensional space. It is intrinsic to how we see. It is the push that makes us pull.

The images within CONTRAST are hodgepodge of various images that I have created over the last three years. Their subject matter ranges across many boundaries from the fanciful and macabre to the delicate and political. It is truly ironic that, even though we are defined by the dual-istic natures of ourselves, nothing is ever truly black and white. Even in the images within there are subtle textures and highlights that give the images even more resonance; even more meaning. This is the nature of our lives. We are creatures of absolutes but we always have the grey areas that make our lives worth living.

I have been interested in the starkness of graphic works of this naturefor a very long time. As a child I marveled at Warren Publications largeformat magazines like EERIE, CREEPY, and VAMPIRELLA. These beautiful anthologies were packed with the black and white images of illustrators who are now known as legends. Artists like Richard Corben, Boris Vallejo, Frank Frazetta, and Joe Tuska. These were a few of my teachers. Later, the images of Lynd Ward, Egon Scheile, and Gustav Klimt would influence how I saw the world. Now I marvel at the works of comic book geniuses such as John J. Muth, Ben Templesmith, Dave McKean, and Alex Maleev. There is always more to learn from these masters of pen and ink. They challenge us to look at the frightening reflections in the twisted mirror of our psyche. This is one of the reasons that I adore art. As Picasso said, “Art is a lie that reveals the truth”.

So, inside these six by nine-inch pages are shards of truth for all to see. The remnants of childhood fantasies, teenage angst, and adult hopes and fears. CONTRAST has something for everyone. They alwayssay that “diversity is our strength”. However, unlike “them”...I reallydo believe that. Enjoy the journey.

Difference defines everything. That is what holds it all together. The

very particles that build creation are complicated balances of positive

and negative. It is only logical that the way we perceive our environ-

ment is filled with the same nuances of right and wrong, dark and

light,...good and evil. Woman defines man. Hot defines cold. Death

defines life. This is the thought pattern that led me to devise the artists’

book you are holding called CONTRAST. It is a major component of any

visual communicator’s vocabulary. Contrast is what we use to define

our subjects in a two dimensional space. It is intrinsic to how we see. It

is the push that makes us pull.

The images within CONTRAST are hodgepodge of various images that I

have created over the last three years. Their subject matter ranges across

many boundaries from the fanciful and macabre to the delicate and

political. It is truly ironic that, even though we are defined by the dual-

istic natures of ourselves, nothing is ever truly black and white. Even in

the images within there are subtle textures and highlights that give the

images even more resonance; even more meaning. This is the nature of

our lives. We are creatures of absolutes but we always have the grey

areas that make our lives worth living.

I have been interested in the starkness of graphic works of this nature

for a very long time. As a child I marveled at Warren Publications large

format magazines like EERIE, CREEPY, and VAMPIRELLA. These

beautiful anthologies were packed with the black and white images of

illustrators who are now known as legends. Artists like Richard Corben,

Boris Vallejo, Frank Frazetta, and Joe Tuska. These were a few of my

teachers. Later, the images of Lynd Ward, Egon Scheile, and Gustav

Klimt would influence how I saw the world. Now I marvel at the works

of comic book geniuses such as John J. Muth, Ben Templesmith, Dave

McKean, and Alex Maleev. There is always more to learn from these

masters of pen and ink. They challenge us to look at the frightening

reflections in the twisted mirror of our psyche. This is one of the reasons

that I adore art. As Picasso said, “Art is a lie that reveals the truth”.

So, inside these six by nine-inch pages are shards of truth for all to see.

The remnants of childhood fantasies, teenage angst, and adult hopes and

fears. CONTRAST has something for everyone. They always

say that “diversity is our strength”. However, unlike “them”...I really

do believe that. Enjoy the journey.

Printed and bound by lulu.

Written, illustrated, and

designed by John Jennings of

Sum28 Studio

Difference defines everything. That is what holds it all together. The

very particles that build creation are complicated balances of positive

and negative. It is only logical that the way we perceive our environ-

ment is filled with the same nuances of right and wrong, dark and

light,...good and evil. Woman defines man. Hot defines cold. Death

defines life. This is the thought pattern that led me to devise the artists’

book you are holding called CONTRAST. It is a major component of any

visual communicator’s vocabulary. Contrast is what we use to define

our subjects in a two dimensional space. It is intrinsic to how we see. It

is the push that makes us pull.

The images within CONTRAST are hodgepodge of various images that I

have created over the last three years. Their subject matter ranges across

many boundaries from the fanciful and macabre to the delicate and

political. It is truly ironic that, even though we are defined by the dual-

istic natures of ourselves, nothing is ever truly black and white. Even in

the images within there are subtle textures and highlights that give the

images even more resonance; even more meaning. This is the nature of

our lives. We are creatures of absolutes but we always have the grey

areas that make our lives worth living.

I have been interested in the starkness of graphic works of this nature

for a very long time. As a child I marveled at Warren Publications large

format magazines like EERIE, CREEPY, and VAMPIRELLA. These

beautiful anthologies were packed with the black and white images of

illustrators who are now known as legends. Artists like Richard Corben,

Boris Vallejo, Frank Frazetta, and Joe Tuska. These were a few of my

teachers. Later, the images of Lynd Ward, Egon Scheile, and Gustav

Klimt would influence how I saw the world. Now I marvel at the works

of comic book geniuses such as John J. Muth, Ben Templesmith, Dave

McKean, and Alex Maleev. There is always more to learn from these

masters of pen and ink. They challenge us to look at the frightening

reflections in the twisted mirror of our psyche. This is one of the reasons

that I adore art. As Picasso said, “Art is a lie that reveals the truth”.

So, inside these six by nine-inch pages are shards of truth for all to see.

The remnants of childhood fantasies, teenage angst, and adult hopes and

fears. CONTRAST has something for everyone. They always

say that “diversity is our strength”. However, unlike “them”...I really

do believe that. Enjoy the journey.

[email protected]

217.419.1071

www.eyetrauma.net

www.front40press.com