Community comments about Juniper Rag…

“Once again, I am wowed by your creative energy, fabulous projects and enthusiastic support for artists. Also gobsmacked by your very kind descriptions of my work. Many thanks.” — Kathryn Shagas, Artist from Belfast, Maine ❤️

“As a figurative oil painter who began working seriously in 2019, I was still finding my footing when I discovered Juniper Rag through a call for art in 2022. At the time, I was submitting to the occasional local show and navigating the art world with more questions than answers. Juniper Rag changed that.

Their platform opened doors I hadn’t imagined, from gaining collectors in Newton, Worcester, Boston, and Newport, to building lasting relationships with artists across the globe. What sets Juniper Rag apart is not just their reach, but their heart. The support and guidance I received from how to approach submissions, to articulating my work, to navigating social media and applications was generous, strategic, and deeply human.

Their curatorial vision is on fire. I’ve watched their exhibitions evolve with increasing depth and sophistication, culminating in the current show Delirium, a cinematic, emotionally charged triumph that’s their best yet.

Michelle and Payal, the visionary co-founders, have created more than a publication or a platform. They’ve built a community. One that is ambitious yet inclusive, high-level yet grounded in real connection. I now count them as friends, and I’m endlessly grateful for the role they’ve played in my growth as an artist.

If you’re an Artist looking for a place that sees your potential and helps you rise into it, Juniper Rag is that place.”

— Simone Scholes, Artist from Mansfield, Massachusetts

“I am a professional visual artist working full time since 2014 and living on Skidaway Island, Georgia. I had met Robin Reynolds in the MFA Grad Program at SCAD (Savannah) and we reconnected about 8 years ago on Instagram. Robin is a highly successful painter living and working in Massachusetts and told me about a start-up mag called Juniper Rag. I responded to an open call and was received nicely with all the appropriate write-ups, advocacy, and social media plugs. At this point in my career, I was only interested in competitions and museum shows that were regional...not galleries. Sales were limited and word of mouth. As I moved forward I started expanding to connecting to national Galleries in Florida, Colorado, Memphis, Hilton Head and now California. Juniper Rag became the impetus to measure audience response to my work and through that encouraged me to branch out and even focus on more specific content. They always featured my upcoming shows and new work consistently on Social Media as well. The Magazine founders have always been outstanding advocates for the Arts and their reach extends to the West Coast and beyond. I have become Instagram "friends" with several of the artists featured on Juniper Rag. The editors also did a piece on a Residency I attended in Ireland, which became sort of an international outreach. I am pretty proactive in my approach for new audiences and Juniper Rag has been the positive impetus to make many of those needed connections. My relationship with Juniper Rag and the founders has been very organic, but also something I highly value and treasure. It will be very interesting to see where they and their audience go from here."

— Randy Akers, Artist from Skidaway Island, Georgia

“Working with Juniper Rag to curate an art collection at Spectrum Health Systems did not just provide us with a beautiful collection of art, it transformed our space into a place of healing and connection. The Call for Art for Artists Touched by Addiction reached a broad range of artists and the resulting curated collection has created such meaning and purpose for our staff, for the broader community, and most importantly those that we support in our program. The art pieces create a lasting opportunity for beauty and hope for all who view them. I would highly suggest any program creating spaces of support, recovery and healing consider partnering with Juniper Rag for a collaborative art installation. The impact of personal, original art rooted in purpose aligns perfectly with our mission of building better lives, one step (and one art piece) at a time.”

— Lisa Blanchard, MA, LMHC, Pronouns: she, her, hers, Chief Clinical Officer, Spectrum Health Systems

"JUNIPER RAG is an outstanding offering for artists and audiences, both those in New England and farther afield. Its content and production quality are of the highest standards, and it affords serious artists a great new venue to showcase their work. I strongly encourage those that are eager for career advancement and new audiences to submit. Even the best exhibitions are temporary--but print is forever." — Juliet Feibel, Executive Director of ArtsWorcester

“When I received my copy of Juniper Rag Magazine I was blown away by how gorgeous, glossy and gratifying a visual art and lifestyle magazine could be. I really loved reading the inspirations and thought processes behind artists that I knew while discovering the amazing and diverse work from artists and designers that I was being introduced to. Whether you are a passionate creator of art, an art enthusiast or a collector--this publication is a beautiful way to see what is happening in art and design around you and around the world. — Rebecca McGee Tuck, Sculpture Artist , V.2

“JUNIPER RAG magazine is such a welcome addition to print media focusing on artists, designers and their practices. It exceeded my expectations in quality, layout and content and is a magazine that I will gladly include as a part of my portfolio and display as a staple on my coffee table. I was honored to be included in the inaugural issue welcoming the opportunity to have my work beautifully and permanently displayed in print. As an artist who is fortunate enough to show in many galleries, the paintings shown in Juniper Rag will be forever on display and always accessible to a new and much wider audience, including potential collectors. I paint for myself initially, but ultimately want others to enjoy what I have created and lose themselves in the work’s color, line and sense of place. JUNIPER RAG offers the unique opportunity to ever expand my reach and increase the opportunity to excite and engage the art loving public.”— Robin Reynolds, Artist, V.1

"In a time of absolute malaise and uncertainty in the arts, triggered by political dissension, foreboding Covid-19, and in the midst of profound social movements around the globe, an arts magazine emerges astoundingly with great promise. The premier issue of JUNIPER RAG, is a mind-boggling oasis, printed with the highest production values, profiling a vast range of arts and artists. A democratic indication that the art world is as vibrant as ever and thriving." — Stephen DiRado, Professor of Studio Arts at Clark University

“The emergence of JUNIPER RAG will fill a space in both the local and larger art worlds. It’s coming at a very appropriate time given the restrictions the Covid-19 pandemic has imposed on previously “live” receptions and exhibitions of the visual arts, events necessary for any artists to gain exposure and boost their already tenuous incomes. Michelle and Payal are the ideal founders to accomplish this task given their long experience in the printing industry and will to achieve success for artists as well as themselves, not to mention the entire community. Everyone benefits from exposure to the arts!” — Peter Wise, Artist, February 20, 2021