Beyond The Page:
Weird Dreams & Nightmares
The concept for this exhibition started with a conversation during a studio visit where the seed of the idea that there should be a bigger version of the works presented was planted.
The works were a collection of illustrations, paintings on newspaper, collages created using photographs with hand drawn elements, and intentionally collected materials peppered with random whispers from thoughts and bits of conversations with others.
My goal for this exhibition was to create a world filled with all of the things that I loved and loathe then share them with others so that they could interact together. Much like an isekai manga, it is meant to feel like you walked into a graphic novel and found yourself transported to another world.
When I’m not creating a mural, teaching my comic class, or hosting a workshop, I spend a lot of time working on ideas in my sketchbook. The artwork of this exhibition was created with the intention that they feel like they were ripped from those private pages and placed within the space for all to enjoy.
By making use of everything available to me, this exhibition is the result of the collision of weird dreams, subtle nightmares, random ideas, sharp minds, insightful conversations, and skilled hands.
Justin Ransburg
Visual Artist & illustrator
Justin creates illustrations, comic books, mural paintings, and mixed media artworks. Since 2014, Ransburg has created numerous public murals in Jackson and surrounding areas in Mississippi.
His work is often filled with lively character designs that tell stories and usually are a reflection of specific personal interests or societal events reimagined in a new form. His work has been featured in group and solo exhibitions in Houston, Texas, is in the private collection of world renown art collector Lester Marks, and has been featured alongside legendary funk musician George Clinton as part of a two artist exhibition at Gallery1 at Jackson State University.
In 2016, he co-founded the Jackson Drawing Club as an effort to bring artists together to share techniques, improve their ideas, collaborate, and develop the mindset necessary to thrive as an artist. Currently, Ransburg teaches drawing and comics creation classes at 601 Studios while maintaining my artistic practice.
