Art Inspired by Music

I put out the call to my social media friends and followers once again, this time asking for music-inspired art and/or poster and album art. What I got was a rad and eclectic mix of poster designs, paintings, and photography. Check it out.

This painting is Sam Aplin's translation of Florence + the Machine's "Only if for a night" for the Secret 7" competition. © Sam Aplin Art 2012

The cover of "The Pattern Act" by M E D I A, submitted by @PunkSoda

From the "Envy" set (inspired by NIN's "Reptile"), as part of a photography series based on the 7 Deadly Sins. Shot and submitted by @AmberGhosh

A poster for Mixed Use Media & 22Thoughts in San Antonio, TX. Submitted by @PunkSoda

"Tangerine Trees and Marmalade Skies" - One of 2 lovely Beatles-inspired floral paintings submitted by Brandi Solomon.

"Sky of Blue and Sea of Green" - Beatles-inspired floral painting submitted by Brandi Solomon.

And, though this submission isn’t fine art, is certainly is creative design and would make an awesome gift for any music lover. Plus, I can’t pass up an opportunity to show off the seriously cool work my friends are doing. These coasters by Melissa Stewart at Crab Apple Designs are made from upcycled vintage sheet music.

(Click the photo for a link to the Etsy listing, where you can purchase this mega-cool coaster set.)

Next post theme in this series of curated art, just in time for Valentine’s Day: LOVE!
Send your submissions via Twitter to @JenHeartsArt.

Street Art

Hey, there! It certainly has been awhile, huh? In an attempt to resume keeping this blog current and force myself to maintain the habit of adding relevant content, a new series is born:

Each week, I’ll put out the call via Twitter (@jenheartsart) and Facebook (Jennifer Hearts Art), defining a new theme for the week. Ideally, friends and fans will then post photos for the next several days, the best of which will be compiled into a corresponding post here. Let’s call it curating a collaborative collection (I like alliteration. Duh.) of themed mobile images.

Here’s the first: STREET ART.

(I intend to call for more street art on a fairly regular basis as the number of readers and contributors grows. There’s a great deal of amazing and occasionally profound street art in Austin and beyond, and I’m itching to show it off.)

Spotted on S. Lamar by Kay Marley-Dilworth

Spotted by Greg Ackerman

Rogue poster placement, spotted by Jessie Riley

More unexpected posters, submitted by Jessie Riley

And, last but certainly most significant, Esme Barrera memorial street art:

R.I.P. Esme - spotted by Kerissa Bearce

 

If you see any notable street art, or have a topic you’d like to see curated in a future post, please send it my way via a Twitter mention or email jen@jenheartsart.com.

Awesome mustache necklaces: JenHeartsArt’s contribution to Movember

As we draw near the end of the month, if you’re unaware of — or have simply not taken then time/money to support — Movember, now’s the time to jump on the wagon before  it’s too late! Movember is a month-long campaign for awareness and fundraising to benefit men’s health organizations. This year, I got involved.

Several of my friends and colleagues are avid supporters and directly involved with producing the wonderful events throughout Movember, so I had to find a way to contribute. My last post talks about a painting I donated to the silent auction at the Mo-Tie Affair earlier this month. But then I began making these fab mustache necklaces. PERFECT!

Keep Austin Stylish’s Joanna Wilkinson wrote a lovely post about my Movember necklaces, so read more about them and find out how you can get your hands on one of these eye-catching, money-raising, charity-supporting, health-encouraging totally awesome pieces!

http://keepaustinstylish.blogspot.com/2011/11/perfect-movember-necklace.html

Movember necklace by JenHeartsArt, proceeds from which go to the Movember Austin team. photo: KeepAustinStylish.com

Movember-themed mustache painting on red rose background

On Friday, November 4, 2011, I will be getting all dressed up and going to the Movember Austin Mo-Tie Affair, where this painting will be a part of the evening’s silent auction. The cocktail party and fundraiser takes place at LIVESTRONG HQ, and benefits Movember, funding multiple men’s health organizations. To bid on this painting (among many other awesome silent auction items!), and for what is certain to be a great time, register at http://amotieaffair-eorg.eventbrite.com/.

My art contribution to the silent auction is this 12 x 12″ gallery-wrapped canvas, with red floral all-over design and a black mustache. The sides are painted as well, so the buyer doesn’t necessarily have to frame it, but I do think this painting would look sharp with a sleek black frame. One detail I couldn’t capture with a camera is the presence of pattern in some of the roses. I used other similar shades of red for a monochromatic effect, and the result is a multi-textured and visually rich painting, without the background patterns being overpowering or excessively busy.

Check out Movember Austin’s event page, where you’ll find tickets and more info about the Mo-Tie Affair and other upcoming events!

Brass Knuckles Media and Austin Details Art + Photo team up to teach Austin artists about marketing

Austin is well known for being a city where artists, designers, and musicians can thrive. Of course, to do so takes marketing skills in addition to whatever special talent you’re trying to sell.

Co-­Create (at Austin Details Art + Photo) and Brass Knuckles Media  are teaming up to present a seven-part education series on how to market and sell yourself as a creative professional. Classes start October 5, 2011, and run every Wednesday through November 16, 2011. Each class will run from 6:30-­8:30 with time to meet and greet from 6:00-­‐6:30 at the CoCreate offices located at 106 East 8th Street in Austin (just east of Congress Ave).Each installment will feature a 2-­hour hands-­on, interactive workshop on topics such as basic branding (and what it means for you), how to build a community around your work, social media marketing for busy creative professionals, how to leverage your work, and how to make and use your own videos.

This series of classes will be packed full of valuable information for anyone with a creative business — fine artists, photographers, designers, and crafters alike. At $45 per individual session, the price is great, too. You’ll finish the course armed with the know-how and skills to handle most of your marketing tasks yourself, wherein many creatives haven’t got the slightest clue and end up having no choice but to pay someone else oodles of cash to do it for them.

To view class details and register visit http://austindetailsart.com/calendar/workshops. Austin Details Art + Photo is a visual arts flex space and gallery that offers coworking and meeting space at CoCreate, with business amenities for
creative professionals; and art services, wideformat archival printing, and event rentals for visual artists, designers and photographers.

Brass Knuckles Media provides comprehensive PR & marketing strategy and implementation for socially conscious  ventures. Just like brass knuckles, they expect their clients to “leave their mark” by taking a stand, forcing conversations, and doing something to make the world a better place. Learn more by visiting www.brassknucklesmedia.com. For  questions you can contact Shennandoah Diaz, CEO and Master of Mayhem of Brass Knuckles Media, at sdiaz@brassknucklesmedia.com or at 512-551-4023.

I won’t be able to make it to every session, but certainly wish I could. I’ll be there for at least a couple of the workshops, though, soaking up the info and expertise of some of Austin’s best and brightest creative businesspeople. See you there!

New paintings at a killer presale price!

Looking for some fresh new art to spice up your home for the fall season? You are totally in luck! I have two brand new paintings in progress, both of which will be ready to deliver next week, sold separately OR as a set, available this week only at a special presale price.

Each painting is a 12″x12″ original floral piece on gallery-wrapped canvas. No frame needed, as I’ve carried the design around all sides to the very edge, although it could completely transform the feel of each piece if you do happen to have the perfect frame laying around. Once complete, these paintings will contain more detail and color variation in each petal, but will retain the same composition and vivid pop-art feel.

One is yellow, and the other red. Again, they look fabulous together, but could each make a lovely and bold statement individually. I’m offering a 25% discount for presale orders, and would recommend this option to anyone seriously considering obtaining one of these pieces. Each finished painting will cost $100, so reserving one for $75 is a steal (and ensures that no one else gets his/her grubby paws on your new art)!

 

Want one? Awesome! Email me at austinartevents@gmail.com for payment options and availability. ❤

 

EasyCanvasPrints.com makes it easy to create professional art prints on canvas

Whether you are an artist looking to print replicas of your work, or a person with a loved one for whom you’re seeking the perfect customized gift, EasyCanvasPrints.com may be your answer!

Canvas print by EasyCanvasPrints.com of an original painting by Jennifer Cunningham

Based in Austin, EasyCanvasPrints.com (brought to you by the awesome people at Build-A-Sign) offers reasonably priced printing on canvas. The process is pretty simple, too. You just need a high-resolution image of the design you wish to have printed, and that can be anything from original artwork to photos of friends or family. Through the company’s website you can complete the order and pay, then have it shipped anywhere in the country. Although this is a locally-based business, they serve customers all over.

As an artist myself, I recently tried out the canvas printing and must say I am quite impressed with the quality of the finished piece. EasyCanvasPrints.com is also very user-friendly and responsive, providing excellent customer service.  I would absolutely recommend them to any artist, photographer, or gift-seeker who wants to have a custom canvas printed locally at a great price.

For my first order, I chose a 16″ x 20″ teal version of one of my floral paintings, with gallery-wrapped edges. Check out the photo below of it hanging on the wall at Cypress Vanguard!

Canvas print by EasyCanvasPrints.com, designed by Jennifer Cunningham, and shown hanging at Cypress Vanguard with handbags by Anne Marie Beard.

Blog post about JenHeartsArt!

Ever had a chance to read a concise, informative, and flattering description of yourself from another person’s point of view? I hadn’t until very recently, and I love it! Writer Susan Lahey and I met during a Freelance Austin meeting at which I was the guest speaker, and we hit it off right away. She came to visit me at Cypress Vanguard shortly after, and THIS awesome post illustrates her (impressively accurate) grasp on what I do. Very interesting shift in perspective for me…

Here’s the url, in case that link doesn’t work in your browser- http://www.fishpondcontent.com/2011/08/pop-art-social-media-finesse-jenheart/

Love it! Thanks, Susan! ❤

RCF sneak peek: wearable art by SavannahRed, Simmang Design, and LaLa

By now you probably know that Renegade Craft Fair will be THE place to go this weekend for cool handmade art and crafts. But don’t forget about the fashion! Many of the vendors who will be at RCF Austin 2011 make clothing or accessories, and there’s one booth in particular you won’t want to miss if you’re in the market for something cute, unique, and made from the heart. Three lovely local designers are joining forces to bring you a variety of fun, functional pieces to complete your entire look — SavannahRed, Simmang Design, and LaLa.

A little bit about the designers you’ll meet at booth #4 and why you should love them:

Anslee Connell, the fabulous force behind SavannahRed, specializes in “Curvy Couture” — beautiful, vibrant, practical dresses custom-made for real women of all shapes and sizes. She makes bright, colorful pieces out of vintage fabric and bedsheets, making many of the items both one-of-a-kind AND eco-friendly! There will be dresses in stock at Renegade this weekend that range from size 12-26, and, as always, custom orders are welcome. If you can’t make it to the craft fair, you should check out SavannahRed’s boutique in the garden room at Cypress Vanguard sometime.

SavannahRed model Michelle with jewelry by Simmang Design. (The red floral fabric on the top part of this SavannahRed dress was designed by JenniferHeartsArt!) Photo: SavannahRed

Jillian (Simmang Design) modeling a SavannahRed dress and Simmang Design jewelry. Photo: SavannahRed

The awesome jewelry in the above two photos is by Simmang Design, so it makes sense to go ahead and tell you about that now. 🙂

In 2009 Jillian Simmang picked up some “retired” jewelry from a second hand store, ripped it apart and put it back together again more elegant and refined than before. Her degree in Graphic Design from Texas State University has definitely served her well. Her designs are meaningful, pull inspiration from themselves and each piece was once hanging from someone else’s earlobes, neck or wrist. Since she works with vintage materials, each earring, necklace, or bracelet is unique and one of a kind. Jill can be found at etsy.com/shop/JillianSimmang, The Studio Downtown, or Lovely Austin (and, of course, at Renegade this weekend). She takes custom work and contracts as well.

Bracelet by Simmang Design. Photo courtesy of Jillian Simmang.

And, while you’re there, you’ll get a chance to pick up your very own LaLa scarf shirt, as seen in a recent Statesman Style Matters feature by Marques Harper!

Creative and resourceful Austin designer, Laisa Chavez Macias, owner of LaLa, will be set up in booth #4 this Saturday and Sunday. Her versatile signature scarf shirts are made from vintage scarves, and some are long enough to be worn as mini-dresses. All three designers are independent business owners creating well-made, stylish clothing and accessories, making their collaborative pop-up shop inside the Palmer Events Center the perfect destination for anyone in search of cool, reasonably priced, original women’s fashion. Items from the LaLa line can also be found at Cypress Vanguard beginning next week!

The Madison. Photo courtesy of LaLa.

LaLa scarf shirt. Photo: Statesman.com

For more important details about the event, check out the Renegade Craft Fair Austin 2011 post on Examiner.com, and peruse my blog again next week to see photos from the show. Happy crafting!

Cypress Vanguard designer market and open house, 5/15 [PICS]

On the 3rd Sunday of each month, downtown Austin fashion house Cypress Vanguard opens its doors (&/or courtyard) to patrons who enjoy a classy, casual mix of the co-op’s regular house designers and outside guest artists/vendors. Mark your calendars so you don’t miss out, because each month there’s something new to see! Located 1/2 block from the Austin Convention Center and Moonshine, these recurring events are a great addition to your brunch or other weekend plans.

May’s guest designers were Dreaming In Craft, Apocalypse Wow Designs, Sugar Tooth Bakery, and Jennifer Hearts Art. Check out some photos I took of the temporary displays! ❤

Dreaming In Craft, a local business owned by crafter Marci Peterson, had these signature plushies for sale, among lots of cute wearable goodies, seen in the following 2 photos.

fabric button necklaces by Dreaming in Craft. photo: Jennifer Hearts Art

fabric button rings and felt flower hair clips by Dreaming in Craft. photo: Jennifer Hearts Art

Next to Marci’s table in the garden room at CV was Alex Parrish with her pretty, spooky Apocalypse Wow hair flowers and earrings.

Apocalypse Wow Designs specializes in retro-inspired hair flowers with a scary twist. Most pieces include skull or eyeball embellishments!

wearable art by Apocalypse Wow Designs. photo: Jennifer Hearts Art

We not only got to peruse a sampling of guest artists’ wares, but were also treated to some edible awesomeness by Sugar Tooth Bakery! Meghan, the proprietress of this south Austin business, brought in a selection of her vegan desserts — including Tiny Pinies (miniature pineapple upside-down cakes), cupcakes, and chocolate-covered donuts.

vegan baked goods by Sugar Tooth Bakery. photo: Jennifer Hearts Art

beautiful donut display by Sugar Tooth + a big paper mache cupcake! photo: Jennifer Hearts Art

To stay in the loop regarding upcoming events at Cypress Vanguard, become a fan of their Facebook page. You can find each of this month’s guest designers on your favorite social media websites as well. 🙂

(Psssst! Did you know? My line of wearable art will be part of the regular collective at CV soon! Details impending…)