A Menagerie of Sinister Ghouls: RYAN NIEVES’ Dark Illustrations @theartofpyramiddhead Occasionally an artist falls into our world, who ticks all the boxes for what we’re looking for here at GATA. Dark, surreal and creepy in all the right ways, the art of Ryan Nieves is such a creative force. Hailing from Staten Island, New York, Nieves is an illustrator, fine artist and writer who is creating his own dark and twisted world inspired by the Silent Hill video game series. Drawing influences also from Japanese folklore, his fine line illustrations feature vengeful spirits and violently contorted limbed creatures, bringing a new edge to these traditional horrors. To stare at his imagery is to get lost in a monstrous menagerie of unearthly constructions and we love him all the more for it. A mostly self-taught artist, he has spent years perfecting his craft in the medium of graphite. He was initially inspired to start creating his art after discovering the Japanese horror video game “Silent Hill” and hence his instagram tag [@theartofpyramidhead]; Pyramid Head being one of the most iconic and sinister creatures from the franchise. From time to time he has shifted his focus from horror, producing work that explores fantastical and surrealistic elements, yet his passion for exploring stories that resonate deeply in his viewers has remained constant. Check out his instagram profile [@theartofpyramidhead] to see his body of work in full.