S7CAG is pleased to announce the first-ever public art exhibition of The Jade Pot, the collective pen name of artist and writer M and writer and editor R. This art exhibition, currently on display at Jones Coffee Roasters in South Pasadena (1006 Mission St, South Pasadena, CA 91030), features original production artwork from their book Heretic's Row: Volume 1.
The exhibition is open for viewing from Monday, October 6 through Sunday, November 16, 2025. Guests are invited to explore the collection during operating hours, 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily, with extended hours until 6:00 PM during the summer season.
Following this debut, the artwork will tour a network of third spaces where S7CAG presents artists to the public.
Introducing The Jade Pot
The Jade Pot is the collective pen name of artist and writer M and writer and editor R. Together, they began by creating two electronic music albums, along with the accompanying artwork. Following that, they produced two animated short films using old-fashioned, hand-drawn techniques rarely seen today.
During the making of one of these short films in 2020, they began developing what would become their greatest work to date — Heretic’s Row. In early 2023, M experienced a grand mal seizure, during which he broke his right shoulder, dislocated his left, and awoke in the hospital days later with severe amnesia. With the help of R, M relearned how to draw and paint. One year later, he completed all the artwork for Heretic’s Row: Volume 1.
Heretic’s Row: Volume 1 was released on January 24, 2025, at the Mooradian Gallery in Los Angeles. Since then, The Jade Pot have continued to exhibit their artwork and produce hand-drawn illustrations for both their own projects and various clients.
The next chapter for The Jade Pot begins at Sector Seven Contemporary Art Gallery, where they will exhibit original production artwork from Heretic’s Row: Volume 1.
Interview with M from The Jade Pot
For archival purposes, please note that this interview was conducted over email on September 23, 2025. Esteban Lopez was in South Pasadena, California, while M was in Los Angeles, California at their art studio.
Can you tell us a little about your background and how art became part of your life?
I’m originally from Santa Cruz, California, as is my partner, ‘R.’ I have always been interested in animation, fine art, and cinema. I got my start as an audio engineer for film and television post-production. From there came animation, then artwork and high content fiction literature.
When did you first start making art, and what were those early works like? How did it begin that you started making artwork? Is there a date or time frame of when it all began?
I’ve been drawing my whole life, but I started taking art more seriously as I got older. I didn’t get into sequential storytelling in my artwork until around the time I started animating, it was a very smooth transition.
Why did you start making sequential storytelling artwork?
I started making artwork like this because I want to tell and convey a story. Yes, all art tells a story, but I wanted to do it in the sequential style you would see in books like Watchmen and Akira. I knew Heretic’s Row was perfect for that exact medium, and the rest was history.
What materials or techniques are central to your practice, and why do they appeal to you?
I use Strathmore Bristol Boards, Blackwing pencils, Micron pens and Copic alcohol markers. I believe these tools and mediums brought together help give my work a familiar yet distinctive look and feel, especially for storytelling.
How has your educational and / or career background influenced your artwork?
I got my career started with doing post-production for films and streaming series. The more stories I had the privilege of working on, the more I wanted to work on my own stories. That’s why I draw my sequential artwork less like a regular comic and more cinematic in terms of detail and scale.
Can you describe how you select the colors you use?
I think about each scene I’m about to do like I would for color grading in film post production. I ask questions like, ‘what is the mood we want to convey?’ ‘What is the vibe and tone of the dialogue and action taking place?’ and ‘how does it make me, as the artist feel?’ The rest is intuition and instinct.
In your series of artworks, can you describe your thinking process or creation process that brings the artwork to life? How does it begin? How do you know when it’s complete?
I start my process with the manuscript story Me (M) and R wrote together. From there I storyboard what is in my head while I read each part. The storyboard drawings aren’t always the best quality, but they get the idea solidified for me to turn it into something polished and detailed. I know when it’s complete when I take a step back and see and feel how the page and its sequences all come together.
Are there emotions, questions, or stories you're hoping viewers experience when they engage with your artwork?
With this story (Heretic’s Row) I hope the audience takes away the idea of the folly of human nature. That no matter how advanced we become with technologies and philosophies, there will always be the theme of ‘us vs them’ and the consequences of perusing this mindset. Often, many civilizations become too advanced at the expense of innocent people who become marginalized and labeled as a scapegoat for that civilization's issues. This work serves as a word of warning for humanity. I also wanted to convey the beauty and influence of middle eastern art and culture through a new light.
Which artists, thinkers, or experiences have had the most impact on your development?
Some of the works that I think inspired me the Most was Metropolis by Fritz Lang, Don Carlos by Giuseppe Verdi, Akira (Both the manga and movie) by Katsuhiro Otomo, On the Silver Globe by Andrzej Żuławski, The Holy Mountain by Alejandro Jodorowsky, as well as artists William Blake, Salvador Dali, Dave Gibbons, and Jean Girard (Mœbius).
Are there cultural, spiritual, or philosophical influences that inform your approach to creating artwork?
Absolutely. I love all things Middle Eastern, from the artistic styles like mosaics and sacred geometry in Mosques, Synagogues, Fire Temples and Churches, the food, the fashion, and of course the philosophical schools. Many people often forget that it’s the middle east that shaped the world into what it is today, and I believe that Heretic’s Row couldn’t take place anywhere else simply for that reason alone; although in addition to that we have the story take place in what is today Iraq, because of all of the scientific, poetic, philosophical, spiritual, and artistic innovations that came from this region. It’s only fitting that we come full circle to where it all began.
Along with exhibiting with S7CAG, it seems you are in the initial public art exhibitions, what does this moment mean to you? How are your approaching the art exhibition experience?
This moment is a big turning point in my career as an artist. This gives me an opportunity to share with the world my artistic vision through hand drawn hand colored sequential story telling. This is a chance to both amaze and challenge the viewers in terms of art style, themes, and storytelling. To me, comics and / or graphic novels, and the modern contemporary art scene should not be mutually exclusive. I believe they both have a lot to offer each other.
Why now? What made you feel ready to share your work with the world?
I believe this story greatly reflects the state of the world and political climate, as well as addressing where it could all lead of humanity is not careful. Though this work is open to interpretation, the story is a reflection of the beauty of humanities’ imagination as well as the horrors that can come with leaning too far into negative emotions.
Are there particular works in this collection that feel like milestones or turning points?
I would say ‘The Shrine of Zahhak’ was a big milestone for me. During that part of creating the story artwork I was going through a lot of changes in life and soul searching and was deeply engrossed in all things spiritual. That piece in particular plus the accompanying scene in general are by far the most spiritually reflective parts of this book. The scene is mysterious and confusing without much context, but this serves a purpose of challenging the readers and viewers to take time to reflect inwardly whenever they can. To understand the world through sights rather than spoken words.
For collectors, what do you hope they take away from living with your work day-to day?
Remember, every day is a new story. We are all tied to the cosmic stage. Let art speak to you. The more you look at it, the more you will get out of it as time goes on. Don't try to think too hard when actually looking at the pieces in front of you. Soak in the colors and sequences first. Let yourself feel the atmosphere. Then afterword reflect and think.
Third-spaces like Jones Coffee Roasters, Demitasse, and Rosebud Coffee have become increasingly important in the art world, providing a way for artists to connect with their local (and even global) communities. I've come across several galleries moving away from traditional gallery formats and embracing third-spaces to exhibit artwork. As an artist, what does it mean to you to be exhibiting your work in a community hub like Jones Coffee Roasters?
What Jones Coffee Roasters, Demitasse, Rosebud Coffee, and Sector Seven Contemporary Art Gallery (S7CAG) are doing is absolutely revolutionary. Although traditional art galleries are always good, this new method of exhibition is very communal, intimate, personal, and interactive. What they are doing is the future, and it is an honor and privilege to help write art history together with them.
Are you thinking about legacy, and if so, how would you want your work to be remembered?
The legacy I want to leave is telling thought provoking, innovative stories while using hand drawn, hand painted medium to do so. I want my legacy to be less about The Jade Pot itself, and definitely more about the works and art we have done and / or are doing (Heretic’s Row, etc.). One thing I’ve learned from my seizure experience is that I won’t always be around, but the art we share with others is immortalized.
Would you say this current body of work is part of a larger series or a standalone moment?
This current body of work is just one part of a greater series that will be coming out over time. There are going to be two more books in the Heretic’s Row series. After that, I have quite a few more stories lined up.
Where do you see your practice evolving in the next few years?
My work is gaining popularity in the United Kingdom and Western Europe. I see myself expanding my market out there as well as here in the United States. I can also see myself getting back into hand drawn animation too when the time is right.
You can follow The Jade Pot’s artistic journey on Instagram: @TheJadePot. For more information, or to purchase Heretic’s Row: Volume 1, visit TheJadePot.com or find the book on Amazon.
S7CAG is pleased to present the public art exhibition of original production artwork by The Jade Pot, currently on display at Jones Coffee Roasters in South Pasadena (1006 Mission St, South Pasadena, CA 91030). The exhibition is open for viewing from Monday, October 6 through Sunday, November 16, 2025. Guests are invited to explore the collection during operating hours, 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily, with extended hours until 6:00 PM during the summer season.