Ruby Culp shows off her artwork, as seen in the second issue of “Lab Waste.” Credit: Samantha Harden | Lantern Reporter
Thomas Worthington High School 2023 graduate Ruby Culp said while touring the Columbus College of Art and Design — also known as CCAD — in October 2022, she knew she wanted to have her work published in local art zines — self-published magazines featuring original artwork and stories created by local writers and artists.
However, Culp saw very few fliers advertising zines while on her tour of CCAD. For those zines she did submit work to, she had no luck getting any artwork published.
That was until Culp heard about Lab Waste.
“I messaged them and they responded promptly with a list of requirements,” Culp said. “I’m just a high schooler, so it was really nice that they let me submit my work and took me seriously.”
Culp said she submitted a drawing of an original character named Gobby Dude, who wears an “I Love Columbus” T-shirt and shreds on an Ohio-shaped guitar next to the message “Gobby Dude Says: Support Local Music!”
Culp’s piece was published in the second issue of Lab Waste, released Jan. 27, along with artwork created by three additional local artists.
Garret Richey, owner of an Ohio State campus house show venue called The Lab, worked with artist Jacob Ramírez to create Lab Waste. The self-published magazine features information about local musicians and upcoming concerts accompanied by Columbus artists’ work. Its third issue will release Wednesday.
Richey and Ramírez met while studying comic art at CCAD, which Ramírez said led to their friendship and the conception of Lab Waste.
Ramírez said they struggled with the name more than anything else, as they wanted a name that grabbed people’s attention without being too conventional.
“We were originally going to call it Lab Manual but decided that sounded too scholarly,” Ramírez said.
Ramírez said Richey eventually came up with Lab Waste, and in the first issue they decided to address readers as “wasteoids” in an attempt to create a strong sense of community.
Ramírez said he and Richey had little expectations when they developed the concept. They started the zine for themselves and their friends as a fun side project, but soon realized there was a growing external demand for Lab Waste.
“It did better than we thought it would,” Richey said. “We sold out at Used Kids and Prologue, and Prologue even asked us to bring more copies for them to sell, which is unheard of for a zine.”
Richey said issues of Lab Waste” include stories contributed by not only friends but also Columbus-based artists and writers.
“We had a friend who took amazing photos after following a band around the country. So, we asked him to write a piece about his experience,” Richey said. “Another friend of ours said he wanted to do something about skateboarding so we let him do what he wanted with that.”
Richey and Ramírez said the second issue of Lab Waste proved to be a turning point for the zine. They said a number of local creators expressed interest in contributing, causing the magazine to become a true community collaboration.
“We still have a long list of people who want to work on Lab Waste,” Richey said. “We plan to give everyone a chance to share their work with other people.”
Ramírez said Lab Waste is currently available for purchase at many local businesses such as Used Kids Records, Prologue Coffee Shop and Laughing Ogre Comics. It will soon be sold at The Book Loft in German Village as well, though no starting date has been announced at the time of publication.
Richey said he and Ramírez plan to continue expanding the list of stores where Lab Waste is being sold and allowing local creators to share their work with Columbus art lovers.
Culp said she would love to get the opportunity to submit more artwork to the magazine but also thinks it is important to give other local creators the opportunity to share their work.
“I am so glad I got to share my art with the community,” Culp said. “It is so important to have something like Lab Waste that is made by the community and for the community.”
