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Alewives imagery for Austin Street Brewery

July 21, 2023 | James Cutler

Reading Time: 6 minutes

I’m heavily influenced by nature and the folklore of the places I’m lucky enough to visit. I have fondly dubbed myself an Adventure Illustrator for the past five years. As an artist who finds great joy in experiencing different cultures, hiking remote trails, and observing the natural world, it seemed an appropriate definition for what I do and the work I tend to make.

The original piece was created in Adobe Illustrator.

Every label tells a story…. Here’s the artist’s story

What is your art background like?I’m a freelance illustrator and designer specializing in travel and editorial illustration. Occasionally I’m able to work on fun packaging design projects or custom wedding invitations, but most recently I have illustrated a series of travel guides to the Maine Coast and Zion National Park for Wildsam Field Guides.

What inspires you as an artist?

I’m heavily influenced by nature and the folklore of the places I’m lucky enough to visit. I have fondly dubbed myself an Adventure Illustrator for the past five years. As an artist who finds great joy in experiencing different cultures, hiking remote trails, and observing the natural world, it seemed an appropriate definition for what I do and the work I tend to make.

What do you hope viewers will feel/experience when they view your art?

I try to evoke a sense of wonder that urges the viewer to seek out new experiences they never thought they’d have.

Does this particular piece have a backstory you could share?

When I was working with the incredible team at Austin Street to design this can for International Women’s Day we were excited to touch into the history of women making beer. Throughout history, you would have been able to go to the town market and the Alewife would be selling beer, a safe alternative to contaminated water. Her tall, pointy hat would easily identify an alewife in a busy crowd. Over time the images associated with alewives turned into what we recognize today as witches. When Ascendant was released, the brewing at Austin Street was completed exclusively by a female team, led by Lisa Kellndorfer, so the narrative resonated strongly with us. I love that we chose a design that isn’t instantly recognizable as “witchy” but when you look closely you can see the cauldron, filled with an inky night sky and issuing electric energy. It’s a design that grabs your attention and reflects the crisp finish of this crushable kellerbier.

What else would you like people to know about you, your art in general, or this piece?

I also run a small animation studio, Ginsu Media, in Boston with my partner, VJ Zombie. We split our time between the East Coast and India and together we hope to launch a travel residency for artists looking to explore some of the incredible places we love to visit.

Anything else?

Growing up I remember going to the local package store with my Dad every week and being drawn to all the different labels. It was a tiny shop with long narrow aisles and as a kid, those aisles, filled with so many little works of art, were fascinating to me. I still love browsing package stores and admiring the artwork that the average person doesn’t think twice about. These days it’s always a great surprise to see my work on a tall boy in the local shop.

The completed label incorporating the artwork

The art, can, label, and caption as part of the CANVAS exhibit

Artist Emma McCabe

@emmalucilleart
emmalucilleart.com

The labeled can

For our 45^th anniversary, we created an exhibit entitled “CANVAS” celebrating the art of the can…. Or more specifically, the label art ON the cans of our beer-brewing customers. More about CANVAS