Do you know Stephanie Price? She’s the mastermind behind NUMiNOUS Magazine. And do you really know NUMiNOUS Magazine? Chances are you know something. Whether it’s every detail of every page, or just that it’s a magazine filled with art and fashion, you know that NUMiNOUS Magazine is an act of passion, dedication, and exists for artists and by artists.
The pages of NUMiNOUS Magazine are filled with a variety of art forms and expressions from artists around the globe. NUMiNOUS inspires, encourages, and enlightens the reader. But before you take the time to appreciate the pages and the creations in each issue, take a minute to get to know Stephanie and NUMiNOUS Magazine.
What did you have in mind for yourself while studying graphic design in college? Where did you want to go with the skills and degree?
SP: I always have known that I wanted to do something creative with my life, but I was a terrible illustrator so I sought out other ways to utilize my artistic side. I enjoyed flipping through magazines and reading books as a kid – I found it all fascinating from the publication structure and layout to the images and stories. When I started taking classes at Moore College of Art and Design, I reconnected with this fascination of books and layout. I was most fond of my classes that were heavily involved with typography and bookbinding. With the guidance of my amazing instructors at Moore, I learned how to layout, print, cut, fold, and bind.
What are your other hobbies or favorite downtime activities?
SP: I work full time as a designer at an apparel company during the weekdays and spend my evenings and weekends working on NUMiNOUS related tasks. There is not much room for other hobbies at the moment. But I do my best to give myself a day or two a week to relax, binge watch movies and TV shows, and spend time with family and friends. I also really enjoy cooking and travelling. If I had a little more time on my side, I would certainly do a lot more of those two.
Before NUMiNOUS began, how were you contributing to the artist community? What were you doing for yourself and what were you doing to help out others? SP: Before NUMiNOUS, I was an art student involving myself in many projects. I dabbled in photography and started modeling. I knew many artists and photographers that were always in need of new faces to experiment and practice their art form. I had many opportunities to do runway shows, promo events, publication and other print shoots. The continuous collaboration with so many local artists was how I built professional relationships with so many talented people – and most of them have and still continue to contribute to NUMiNOUS magazine.
What does NUMiNOUS mean? Not just as a direct definition, but what does it mean to you and why does the name resonate with you?
SP: The dictionary definition states it as having a strong religious or spiritual quality; indicating or suggesting the presence of a divinity, or the unknown. I like to interpret NUMiNOUS as an unknown spiritual urge to create. Art, in a sense, is a religion. As an artist, you dedicate yourself to an art form. You devotedly practice and study that form. We don’t always understand why we have this sudden desire or passion; It is an overwhelming feeling that inspires us to design, paint, draw, write, etc. Which sums up my experience with NUMiNOUS perfectly; it is like something is guiding me on this path which is both terrifying, yet mesmerizing.
How is each issue’s theme chosen. Does something you see/experience urge you to explore a certain theme more or are they themes you've wanted to see portrayed through art more, but haven't yet? Or other reasons? SP: The main aspect I look for in a theme is if the idea is diverse enough for artists from many different mediums to create a piece for it. Is the theme so versatile in nature that artists can interpret the concept in multiple ways? A successful theme will result in artworks created by different artists with very different styles, yet when you flip through an issue everything relates and appears to be one cohesive art collection.
NUMiNOUS features art from all across the globe, not just Philadelphia. But what is it that makes Philadelphia an important city for artists? Why is it important to put Philly on the map when it comes to the arts?
SP: Philly has a great art and fashion community. The city is continuously growing and moving up in the art world. Not only are there so many talented people in the area, but also there are many supporters out there that are encouraging the art community to expand. Even places like Toile Atelier, The Boyler Room, Tattooed Mom, Danger Salon, and The Barbary are a few of the amazing establishments in Philadelphia that NUMiNOUS has had the privilege to collaborate with.
What do you see for the future of NUMiNOUS and for yourself?
SP: NUMiNOUS will continue to publish art and fashion magazines, and host various events in the Philadelphia area for 2016. There has even been some talk about hitting the road, and setting up art and fashion shows in different cities in the near future. In addition to that, we will be taking many crossroads to determine the future of the magazine, such as transitioning from 3rd party publishing to self publishing and becoming a non-profit for the art community. We want to continue to grow the NUMiNOUS brand and go in whatever direction is best for the artistic community built around it.
What are some of your proudest or most memorable moments with NUMiNOUS? SP: Every moment of NUMiNOUS makes me proud. The very fact that NUMiNOUS has come as far as it has makes me smile. But if I have to pick one moment, I would say the day I hosted the very first NUMiNOUS art and fashion release party in January 2014 at 3rd & Girard Bar. That night was the scariest and most exciting moment for me. It was the first time I ever did anything of that stature; hosting an art show and a fashion show with circus performances. It was a lot of hard work and dedication, but it was well worth it. I never thought the very first event would have been as successful as it was. That night is what started the fire under NUMiNOUS magazine.
What do you hope the readers of NUMiNOUS will gain from picking up an issue? SP: I hope they will be moved and even inspired- whether they are inspired to see things differently or inspired to make their own art and see the world their own way.
What is in store for NUMiNOUS this year In 2016? SP: First off, we have an art show happening on March 11th at Jerry's Bar in Philly to celebrate the release of the Elemental issue on March 1st. And then we have the Fetish issue releasing in June, Dystopia releasing in September, and the Black&White issue releasing in December. We will definitely be having more art and fashion shows for each issue release, as well as more happy hours for our artists and contributors.
Links:
www.stephanie-price.com to see more of Stephanie's work.
www.numinousmag.com/submit for more info about submitting your artwork. www.numinousmag.com/issues for purchasing issues in print and digital.
Interview by: Brenda Hillegas