(left to right) New Barbarians + Vigil + Gnome Stump are just three of 20 works by prolific artist Andrew Ritchie up at the Volume One Gallery.

If you think 2020 is otherworldly, Andrew Ritchie’s art exhibit, which is now hanging in the V1 gallery, may be even weirder. “Somewhere Else” comprises out-of-this-world artwork that is rooted in speculative fiction. “Maybe it’s because I’m constantly creating, but the ideas for these just come to me,” Ritchie said. “I may see the whole image in my head, or it can be just an idea for a starting point.” Inspiration come from anywhere, he said, including a movie Ritchie saw at age five that scared the bejeezus out of him, discovering the music genre “space rock” on Pandora, or watching a great cloud while driving. He begins his illustrations on cheap copy paper. Then he digitizes them, combining the drawings to make the final composition. When he’s satisfied with the outcome, he draws the line work and finishes with color. “I’ve always enjoyed fiction’s ability to transpose time and place,” Ritchie said. “I hope people are able to take away a bit of a story from each piece.” “Somewhere Else” concludes on Oct. 25. Learn more on The Local Store website.