In the Mood: Varieties of Valentine's Love

Whether you believe that love is a thief in the night, that love stinks, or is a battlefield, or that love means never having to say you're sorry, this is the time of year when love is in the air. Love can take many forms and expressions -- it can be an elevated spiritual experience, it can feel like a gut-wrenching ache, and everyone knows that a great love affair can change the course of history.

Perhaps no one is better suited to illustrate the amazing power of love, than our contributing artists and photographers. These images, collected from The Advocate's ongoing Artist Spotlight series, show the range of love: from sweet and tender, to raging, heart-racing, and all-consuming.

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Kris Knight

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Timothy Cummings

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Eugene Jansson

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Paul Jacoulet

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Hans Thoma

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Jamil Hellu

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David Trullo

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Jose Manuel Hortelano-Pi

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John Koch

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Jim French

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Paul Freeman

Ralph Chubb