Princeton Comic Makers presents: JERSEY ART MEETUPS (JAM), a weekly social event connecting creatives within the greater Central Jersey area through a shared passion for sequential art and new media.  Attendees may use this open workshop space to draw, write, and develop their own artwork, with an opportunity to receive peer review and feedback from other members if desired. Illustrators, animators, writers, and generalists are all welcome to join and discuss their art and career goals, share learning resources, promote current projects, or find friends and collaborators. Together, we aspire to cultivate a local community that keeps artists motivated towards achieving their dreams!

• Open to ages 16+ of any skill level interested in any form of narrative art and design (i.e. Animation, Concept Art, Comics, Game Design, Picture Books, etc.)
• Group meets weekly on Wednesdays from 7pm to 9pm. Casual attendance is accepted!
• Bringing own materials is highly encouraged. Some basic materials are provided – paper, pencils, etc. – but please bring any tools necessary to help you create (i.e. drawing tablets, sketchbooks, etc.)

Who we are: Sponsored by artist and educator Ronah Harris, Princeton Comic Makers is an artist collective founded in 2023 by local illustrators Christina Castro, Suyang Gong, and Masha Zhdanova after noticing a lack of in-person community spaces for NJ-based artists specializing in narrative arts and communications design. Although we create independently, we often exhibit together at events such as MoCCA Fest, Anime NYC, and Camden Comic Con. Our weekly study group motivated us to strive towards completing projects and working towards professional goals, so we hope more people can benefit from this club!

Christina Castro is a freelance illustrator and storyboard artist who graduated from Pratt Institute (2018) with a BFA in Digital Arts (2D Animation) and a minor in Creative Writing. Past clients include Smashbits Animation, gal-dem zine, and Bad Robot. Christina also currently organizes and leads the production management of several indie charity zines, collaborating with writers, illustrators, and musicians all around the world. Suyang Gong is a fine artist and illustrator who graduated from Rutgers (2021) with a BFA in Fine Arts. She has formerly worked as a teaching assistant at the Sharron Art Center for 3 years, tutoring students in refining technical drawing skills. Suyang also specializes in traditional media, often using materials like graphite, ink, and oil paint to create dynamic works. Masha Zhdanova is a freelance writer, editor, and illustrator who graduated from SCAD (2019) with a BFA in Sequential Art and recently completed her MFA in Cartooning at the Center for Cartoon Studies (2022). She was a teaching assistant for two Winter workshops at CCS and has taught comics classes for kids at the Princeton Public Library. Masha’s clients include Publisher’s Weekly, Women Write About Comics, and Polygon, and she also currently edits content for The Anime Herald.