Quarterly Artistic Activism
I’m excited to share my newest project with you all–the Non-Human Neighbors Mini Zine! If you’re not familiar with zines, they are independently published booklets typically made via copy machines.
For years, I’ve been wanting to launch a zine series. I finally got the motivation to do so after participating in a zine workshop with Taxonomy Press in Detroit, Michigan. The zine I created highlights and honors the non-human neighbors who live amongst us—the beings we share spaces with that are often overlooked.
I will release a new edition of my zine each quarter which you can subscribe to on my all new Patreon page. My hope is that this zine will inspire you to further recognize and appreciate your non-human neighbors and interactions with them.
This zine is produced using a risograph machine. A risograph is a digital duplicator that prints in spot colors using much brighter inks than a typical toner copy machine. The first edition of this zine is printed in a gorgeous burgundy ink. Above you can see the master sheet that was scanned and burned to a drum in the machine in which ink then passes through.
Vol 1 – Fall 2021 Sneak Peek
The first volume of Non-Human Neighbors revolves around my own neighborhood, the west side of Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The first non-human neighbor featured in the issue is the majestic Octotree, an eight trunked willow that grows next to a pond in a local nature preserve. When I visit the area, I always climb up and rest on them, especially in the winter when there’s a bit of sunlight to bathe in. They are a reliable grower of winter oyster mushrooms, so I assume that they are an old tree near the end of their life.
Second is the Cooper’s Hawk family that lives in the tall, old trees on my street. I honestly didn’t recognize them until about a year or so ago, despite living in my apartment for ten years. Since then, I have seen them almost daily. Imagine how many times they flew by me before and I didn’t even notice! My front living room windows face the tree where they roost and nest, and they often visit my garden plot looking for small prey. I am very thankful a homeowner down the street kept the trees alive and created such a great ecosystem for them to thrive in.
The third and final neighbor of the issue is the Blonde Bun. They are a wild hare with very light fur, so they stand out against the dark green grass and trees where they love to roll around. I saw them this summer while participating in a Kung-Fu class outside.
How to Subscribe
If you are interested in supporting my art or subscribing to the zine, check out my all new Patreon page, where you can sign up for one of three affordable options, starting from a dollar a month. To get a mailed copy of the quarterly zine, consider the second subscription tier, “Compassionate Co-Dweller”, which in addition to the zine, includes a sneak peak into my artist process, among other benefits. If you’re looking for even more benefits, consider the top tier, “Happily Housemates”, which entails the benefits just mentioned as well as a perpetual discount in my Etsy Shop! Finally, if you don’t want a mailed copy of the zine, but would still like to support me and see exclusive behind the scenes content, consider the first subscription tier, “Nosey Neighbor.” After subscribers receive their editions, extra editions will be available in my Etsy Shop.
Also, I am excited to announce this first volume will be featured in Taxonomy Press’ Floral Observer subscription. My next step is to take the Press’ two-color workshop in the winter to design future issues with two inks!
Lite collegiate reading
As a side note, my partner, Mark, is a sociologist focused on environmental and animal relationships. Upon hearing about this project idea, he “assigned” me homework to read Animals as Neighbors by Terry O’Connor because this project reminded him of the message in that book. I’m throwing that out there in case anyone wants to read this along with me.
Ren S.K. Studio 