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Autumn Buzz landscape for Northwoods Brewing

July 22, 2023 | James Cutler

Reading Time: 7 minutes

If my art elicits any type of emotional response from a viewer I’ve achieved my goal. I love when viewers connect one of my pieces to a memory in their own life. Hearing my art makes someone feel happy is one of the best compliments.

I wish more people would try their hand at painting or drawing or creating when they get the urge. I think a lot of people won’t because they’re afraid it won’t come out “good,” but that’s not the point to why we make things. You do it for yourself- art is therapy. More people need to lean in and stop worrying about critics (or acting like their own!).

The original piece was created in watercolor and ink with digital modifications.

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

What is your art background like?

Coloring and drawing were my favorite pastimes as a kid, and my art classes in high school were the highlight of my day. I minored in art at UNH, focusing primarily on figure drawing classes. I started teaching English shortly after I graduated and was drawing every night to wind down and eventually felt comfortable sharing my work. I started my own art business 5 years ago, and started for Northwoods helping with concept sketches for branding before ultimately becoming our resident artist.

What inspires you as an artist?

My art is largely influenced by nature and music. I like to try and capture how certain music makes me feel through my art. I’m addicted to color and the vivid imagery of our natural surroundings never leave me short on inspo. I love seeing animals through a lens of colors you might not instinctually label them as.

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

Does this particular piece have a backstory you could share? (Process, Inspiration, Changes of plans… whatever)

I love this particular piece because it was something I worked closely on with Greg Kretschmar. When Northwoods teamed up with The Morning Buzz to create a beer, one of the first things we established was that the label would be a piece of art based on one of Greg’s beautiful photos. I use reference photos a lot in my work and I was so excited to be able to work from one of his photos. Greg and I got to talk quite a bit about the different ways in which we approach our work, and what it means for us to be able to create. He ended up telling me that it was a photo he took in the field of our business that actually really helped grow his passion for photography. We had already chosen to create a label based on one of his recent (and also beautiful) photos, but on a whim he sent over that picture from the Johnson’s field. It just made immediate sense to me that we would base a label off of that shot as well- the whole thing felt very serendipitous.

What else would you like people to know about you, your art in general, or this piece?
I’ve gotten so many kind compliments about the art on our cans and it genuinely makes my day to hear that customers are enjoying it! I wish more people would try their hand at painting or drawing or creating when they get the urge. I think a lot of people won’t because they’re afraid it won’t come out “good,” but that’s not the point to why we make things. You do it for yourself- art is therapy. More people need to lean in and stop worrying about critics (or acting like their own!).

There’s even MORE to this story. This beer was brewed through a special collaboration with WGIR FM, The Morning Buzz. Here’s the story. CLICK

The completed label incorporating the artwork

The art, can, label, and caption

Artist Sarah Fenerty

@s.fenerty art

S.Fenerty Art

sarahfenertyart.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