Interview with the Label Artist

Interview with the Artist

 

Autumn interviews Leila

 

A: Describe your background in art. How did you get started, who and what has supported/influenced you?

 

L: I am very blessed to be raised in an artistic family. My grandmother is a painter and former dancer, my grandfather a sculptor, my nana a writer and crafter and creative and talented parents. Art is important and I was encouraged to take part in it in one way or another from a very young age. I was taught by the artists in my life, but mostly I learned by doing. For a good portion of my childhood, we had a room dubbed “the art room” full of all sorts of supplies, always in a state of great disarray. I think that it was the fact that art was made part of my daily life from such a young age that gave me the freedom to push my limits and grow. 

 

A: You have made a wide range of styles of art for Eve's Cider labels. How does your approach differ with different labels?

 

L :Since I am still a young person, and still experimenting and growing with my art (not that I will ever stop doing that) I take a unique approach with each label, may it be based on the ciders name, apple variety, where that apple was grown, or the cider itself. I don’t commit to a specific style or medium, I do what I think will represent the cider best. And although some of the art may be sloppy or imperfect because it is out of my comfort zone, I think it is worth it as it relates to the individual cider. 

 

A: Making art for a label rather than putting already made art on a label is a different process. Can you describe the process of making art for a label such as the Golden Russet?

 

L: Me and my mother may talk about her vision for the cider, we may brainstorm, figure out the idea together. Once we've come up with a concept I may do a couple sketches, or describe specifically what I am thinking to her. I get the ok, and I make the label. The golden russet was an interesting label to make because we wanted to show the interconnectedness between place/environment, and how it relates to the apple and cider and just how everything is connected and such. We also wanted to make the different labels in this series distinct and unique to each cider because they are single varietals, while also showing the same key ideas. It ended up being a line art piece depicting an all seeing apple tree with its roots stretching deep into the soil and its branches reaching for the starry heavens. Included are two banners stating the apple variety and where it was harvested.

 

A: Visual art is a powerful communication tool. What can art on a label add to the experience of the cider?

 

L: Labels are good for catching the eyes of customers in a wine store, they can give you a taste of the beverage before you actually taste it. I think labels are also good for projecting the vibe of a cider, or the vibe of a brand. Art is capable of communicating things that words cannot. 

 

A: What keeps you inspired?

 

L: Nature, always. Also artists such as Stephen Mackey, Nola Wan, James Jean, and many more I actually don’t know the names of because I just follow them on instagram lol. Also music. Also art is a bit of a coping mechanism that helps me move through life so life itself inspires me.