JAKE THE RIPPER

The work of artist Jake Keeler, featured on this edition’s cover and spotlighted in an encompassing feature, is powerful, refined and sometimes, completely unhinged. Keeler’s fish portraits are beautifully realized representations that portray both the power and beauty of his subjects. His “Necromancer” images are something entirely different and entirely unexpected. Taking hints from heavy metal and horror movies these paintings combine images of the skeletal undead and fishing hero shots into some weird/awesome/crazy monster. Yes, really.

Words: Gregory Fitz.


At the end of the day, a couple things seem true. First, Keeler can draw—he has killer chops. Every time I look at these works I find myself marveling at some small detail of precise line work or a complex pattern woven through an image. Secondly, for all their energy and abstraction, these works manage to convey Keeler’s life-long love of the fish and fishing. The solitary fish images are compelling and the Necromancers are crazy, but they do the work of art: Every time I look at these paintings I am reminded of how amazing it is to chase these fish…


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