DESIGN & ILLUSTRATION




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Review | SAFETY! Swings Big But Falls Just Short

WARNING: This review contains baseball metaphors.  Cadence Theatre’s Pipeline New Works Program is at the plate again, with its last batter, Witchduck, staring at home from third base. It is literally the first swing ever for the new musical, SAFETY!, at Firehouse...

Before Anyone Was Watching

I went to Virginia MOCA expecting to hear Andy Howell talk about skateboarding. Instead, I left thinking about community and how people find each other. Howell's installation opens Seamless, the museum's new exhibition exploring the overlap between art and design. At...

The Strange Afterlife of Virginia’s President Heads

Editor's Note: Reminder, the sculptures are located on private property and are not open for general visitation. Access is available only through scheduled guided tours, with Labor Day weekend currently expected to be the final tour on the calendar. Tour information...

Review | ‘As You Like It’ is Just How I Like It

If you’ve been reading these reviews for a while, you’ll notice I love me some context. Especially surrounding William Shakespeare’s plays. One of my favorite things about the existence of Richmond Shakespeare is that they’ve forced me to go back to the English Lit...

IllumiNATION Tells America’s Story on a Monumental Scale

Editor’s Note: RVA Magazine is partnering with the Virginia Museum of History & Culture on coverage related to America’s 250th anniversary, including Richmond SailFest and IllumiNation. It's hard to impress people with just a building. Yet standing in front of the...

Blöthar: “GWAR Didn’t Change. The World Freakin Changed.”

Richmond metal band GWAR says the Secret Service contacted the group following a recent performance at the Vans Warped Tour in Washington, D.C., that featured the mock execution of a Donald Trump effigy. Video of the performance, which showed band members...

Galfie: Spreading Love, Acceptance, and Queer Pride Through FLAGS

It's noon on a Friday. I'm sitting in Blanchard's on Broad Street, sipping a cappuccino and chatting with the founders of Galfie about life, love, queerness, and, of course, their business. Hannah and Jade Sullivan are partners not only in life but also in their flag company, Galfie. They're truly wonderful people. Galfie was conceived during a...

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galfie flags

Dissociative Gaze Into The Abyss: A Sunday Essay

Is the revival of the 2014 Tumblr girl how the internet copes with the end of the world?  The dissociative pout, also referred to as the dissociative gaze, was first coined by i-D Magazine in the 2022 article “The cult of the dissociative pout” by Rayne Fisher-Quann, and is characterized by staring dead-eyed and pouty lipped into a ring light....

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A Peek Into Someday

Not just an abstract concept, Someday is an actual store in downtown Richmond, one with a focus on sustainability and local community. Located in the heart of the Richmond Arts District, Someday is a sustainable shop with a homegrown aesthetic. Owner Audie McDougall tries to fill her store with goods that tell a story, and the resulting goods...

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Apparel With Purpose

With Van Herten Outerwear, designer Cate Latham creates rugged outerwear with an artistic flair drawn from her background in ballet. From ballet costumes to rugged outdoor wear, Cate Latham has climbed a fashion mountain. After leaving the costuming department for the Richmond Ballet, she began her own clothing and accessory business, Van Herten...

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Inside the Retro Goldmine of Justin Blyth’s Blog

So here's the scoop on Justin Blyth - he's been busting out some seriously cool TV commercials lately. You can totally check out his big-time creative chops at www.jblyth.com. But, let me let you in on something even cooler: his blog. Picture this - a world made up entirely of images that stir up inspiration like you wouldn't believe. This isn't...

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OURA X

Oura Sananikone is a mad scientist. Forget lightning, biodiesel, and solar panels—his imagination could propel the world on its axis. I was lucky enough to spend a lazy Monday morning sipping PBR with Oura in his makeshift factory of a home. Surrounded by technicolor creatures, I began to feel like I’d somehow stumbled onto the set of Darby...

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Oura Sananikone interview by Kimberly Frost_RVA Magazine 2005

The Quietly Amazing Dash Shaw

Dash Shaw’s work has appeared in anthologies and independent newspapers across the country. His books include Garden Head (Meathaus Press), Love Eats Brains (OddGod Press), Live with Passion (Sequent Media), a collection of his short stories titled Goddess Head (Hidden Agenda Press), and the...

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Dash Shaw Interview by Jane Samborski_RVA Magazine 2005