On the Brink: Art, Poetry & a Little Otherworldly Company in Ramsey, NJ
Somewhere between “everything is changing” and “what happens now?” there’s a place most of us know quite well.
Perhaps you’ve recently left a job, lost someone you love, or found yourself becoming a person you haven’t quite met yet. Perhaps the shorter days have simply stirred something you can’t name.
There’s room for that here. Pull up a perch.
On the Brink: Living in the Liminal brings New Jersey and New York artists, poets, and musicians together at 7 Souls Tattoo and Piercing in Ramsey, NJ, for an exhibition exploring life’s in-between spaces. Presented by Raven’s Ink Printing & Gallery and 7 Souls Tattoo of Ramsey, artwork will be on display October 25–November 1, 2026, with a showcase reception and meet-and-greet on Wednesday, October 28, from 7–9 p.m.
Expect paintings, photographs, poetry, live music, tarot readings, and a gathering of people willing to get a little curious about what lies between endings and beginnings.
RSVP for the October 28 reception. Your fellow creatures await.
What does “living in the liminal” mean?
“Liminal” describes a threshold: the space between what was and what comes next.
It’s the strange stretch after a goodbye, before a new beginning, or during a change you’re still trying to understand. These moments can feel unsettling. They can also leave room for discovery, connection, and a different way of seeing.
On the Brink gives those experiences somewhere to land.
Across paintings, drawings, photography, mixed media, and poems, participating artists explore the seasons of our lives. You might recognize something of your own experience in a photograph, hear a feeling finally put into words, or find yourself lingering in front of a piece without knowing why.
No art-history vocabulary required. Curiosity will do nicely.
Why gather as Samhain approaches?
Late October has a particular talent for making us notice change. The light shifts. The leaves let go. Even familiar places begin to feel a little otherworldly.
Samhain, a Gaelic seasonal festival associated with the beginning of winter, offers a fitting backdrop for an exhibition about thresholds. The National Museum of Ireland explores Samhain’s relationship with Halloween, including traditions of gathering, fortune-telling, and marking the turning season.
For On the Brink, the imagery of a thinning veil becomes an invitation to reflect on our own boundaries: between grief and hope, uncertainty and possibility, the selves we’ve known and the ones taking shape.
When did you last feel connected to nature? To spirit, however you understand it? What helps you through the moments when your old reality no longer fits?
Bring the questions. Answers are welcome to arrive in their own time.
Meet the artists, poets & musicians
The exhibition brings together a range of creative voices, with some works displayed throughout the week and additional pieces appearing at the reception.
Featured visual artists and contributors include:
Julia Pickard, whose work includes The Path We Never Walked, an accompanying zine, and reception pieces Sunrise and Sunset.
Naomi, presenting Solace and The Couple in the Fire during the reception.
Dr. Massiel Torres Ulloa, contributing mixed-media work.
Eve N Dawn, with mixed media and photographic works including The Indescribable Search for Self in the 21st Century Dark Age, Love Alive, Sunset at Ramapo, and A Moment of Peace through the Hedge.
Diane Zenn, contributing visual work and spoken-word poetry.
Carol Wolf, whose Butterfly Box and Day from Night will be displayed throughout the exhibition.
Bill Wolf, presenting three framed silkscreens throughout the week.
Joe Maruschak, contributing the poem The Gap, accompanied by an AI-generated image.
At the October 28 showcase, the words leave the page. Diane Zenn, Topaz Winters, and jason b. crawford will perform spoken-word poetry, with a musical performance by Tom Clancey. Poetry books by Topaz Winters and jason b. crawford will also be available for purchase.
Our gathering includes oracles Robert Alvarez and Sabrina, with event photography by Steve Garelick.
Come meet the people behind the work. Sometimes the conversation beside a piece becomes part of how you remember it.
Art on the walls. Ink on the skin.
A tattoo studio makes a fitting home for an exhibition about transformation. Art can hold a memory, mark a turning point, or give visible form to something deeply personal.
Our hosts at 7 Souls Tattoo and Piercing bring that connection into the everyday work of their Ramsey studio.
During the exhibition, discounted themed flash tattoos will be offered during normal business hours. Tattoo availability is separate from the evening reception; contact 7 Souls directly for booking details and requirements.
Admire something on the wall. Perhaps find something you’ll carry a little longer.
Why Raven’s Ink brings people together
At Raven’s Ink Printing & Gallery, we believe people need places to gather, create, rest, and find one another.
That belief shapes our work in Bergen County: seasonal exhibitions, creative collaborations, and community programming that makes room for conversation. On the Brink brings that mission into a shared space, connecting artists with audiences and neighbors with people they might otherwise never meet.
It also connects to the wonderfully tangible side of what we do: printing.
Through Raven’s Ink Printing, we offer commercial, personal, and archival art printing. From business cards and posters to artwork and meaningful keepsakes, we help ideas take physical form. Our printing business helps support the gallery’s community vision and programming.
Have a local business to introduce? A piece of art ready to leave your screen? A wonderfully peculiar project that needs paper?
Tell us what you’re dreaming up.
You can also explore our sister charity, the Crafty Crows’ Coven, and its work supporting access to art supplies, creative spaces, and arts education. There are many ways to help a creative community grow its wings.
Plan your visit to On the Brink
What: On the Brink: Living in the Liminal
Where: 7 Souls Tattoo and Piercing, 2 E Main St, Ramsey, NJ 07446
Exhibition: Sunday, October 25–Sunday, November 1, 2026
Showcase reception and meet-and-greet: Wednesday, October 28, 2026, 7–9 p.m.
Flash tattoos: Offered during normal studio business hours; contact 7 Souls for details
Reception RSVP: Reserve your spot on Luma
If you’re looking for an October art event in Bergen County, an evening of live poetry in Ramsey, or a reason to step out and meet your local creative community, consider this your invitation.
Bring a friend. Bring your curiosity. Bring the version of yourself that’s still figuring things out.
We’ll meet you on the brink. 🐦⬛