Xexilia O. Shadows is a “retro” webcomic artist who began her magnum opus Eternity Concepts in 1999, a mystery-romance. She has since continued and crossed into gallery and museum showings of her work, along with publishing her web-comic series in an ongoing collection of volumes. With an urge to express millions of unsaid moments, screams, and cries, Shadows’ works are both cryptic and emotionally deep, functioning as a storytelling medium. Using her own unique symbol language parsed within many wider meanings of imagery, she calls her pieces “visual mysteries” and maintains that most, if not all, works contain one, often several, puzzles. Far more complex than appearances let on, with the puzzles never publicly acknowledged or discussed, Xexilia has opted to present viewers with an intellectual test and allow curiosity, boldness, and willingness to accept failure all as solutions to help unlock the deepest meanings of each work.
This year marks the second edition release of her original first volume of Eternity Concepts, which was first announced and released at RavenCon 2015! She hopes to release the second volume this year. Eternity Concepts was also the subject of her solo exhibition at ArtWorks Gallery, featuring a collection of pieces of characters and themes from the series, and chosen as the subject as she wanted to ensure Eternity Concepts—and webcomics—crossed over into serious art pieces rather than being just a mere online hobby. Her pieces will show in London, Paris, Milan, Tokyo, and NYC over the course of 2026, and are always on display at ArtWorks Gallery in downtown Richmond at her resident studio space in studio 108.
