JNA's Trunk Show is just around the corner. Have you signed up yet?

I can’t believe the Trunk Show is NEXT WEEK! We’ve been busy bees, putting together this opportunity for art buyers to enjoy our artists’ work at special studio rates. The best part is that the show is exclusively online; you can join us from the comfort of your own computer!

Come peruse our curated art galleries! Organized so you can take a leisurely stroll or go directly to the categories in which you’re most interested. Options include holiday art, greeting card sentiments, florals, and much more! Additionally, art is available for full buyouts, flat-fees, and traditional licensing. We can’t wait to see what you pick out!

The Nitty Gritty

DATES: January 15 - 17

ACCESS: Click here to sign up. Passwords will be sent on January 14th.

Go West, JNA, Go West!

We are packing our bags, putting the final touches on the booth notions and sprinkling in some fairy dust for good measure! See you in San Francisco 2-4 October (Gallery 308 at Fort Mason Center). We get into high gear preparing for what will likely be our best show ever!

Here is a sneak peek at some of the great winter holiday art we will be featuring at Blue Print!

And some of the gorgeous florals, animals and the loveliest beach scene you have ever seen making a debut too!

We even have special handmade gifts for our Blue Print buyers! Reserve your appointment time today! I cant wait to see you there! - Jennifer

Kelly Angelovic strives for inspiration and joy

Our own Kelly Angelovic answers your questions about creating art for surface design. We asked the artist to select three questions pertaining to her art career. These are her fascinating answers.

Q. How do you integrate your art time into your daily routine?

A. I’m grateful every day that I get to do work that lights me up. As the mother of two high-octane little ones (ages 6 & 3), my schedule involves a lot of moving parts. In lieu of balance (is there really such a thing?), I strive for inspiration and joy. Some weeks are filled to the brim with exciting creative work and some weeks, motherhood takes center stage. There are also times when everyone is sick and deadlines are looming – weeks when my joy heads for the hills (as I watch, wishing with the whole of my being that I could run for cover too). My life is blessedly full, and following a heart-centered creative path isn’t always easy, but I can’t imagine doing anything else.

Q. Do you prefer working digitally or using conventional art media?

A. My background is in graphic design so I’ve always been a digital girl. Lately though, I’ve been playing with gouache. Mixing colors, smelling the paint, feeling the way different brushes move across the paper – it’s a sensual experience. Whenever I feel uninspired or stuck in a rut, exploring a new technique or medium is a surefire way to get my creative juices flowing. There is such delight (and frustration) in becoming a beginner again, especially when I’m able to completely surrender the outcome. This is the work I do for personal enjoyment. I believe that the key to a wonder-filled life is to keep learning and trying new things. My kids, who are filled to the brim with joy and never-ending curiosity, remind me of this everyday.

Q. Did you always want to be an artist?

A. My mom was a graphic designer, so I grew up in a household where creativity was encouraged. Despite my early leanings though, I strayed from a creative path for many years, initially pursuing a degree in marketing. A few years after graduating, finally heeding my own creative call, I went back to school for graphic design. I didn’t discover my path as an illustrator until my daughter was born though. The intensity of motherhood took me by surprise and in search of a new creative outlet, I started drawing while she slept. Illustrating lit me up, it fed my soul – and made me a better mom. I haven’t looked back since. 

Kelly's super smart spots for the Seal Press book, Equally Wed.

Anisa Makhoul's work reaches the home decor market

Anisa Makhoul loves to design patterns and loves to travel! She has lived in Amsterdam and travel extensively, most recently to Germany with the agency for Heimtextil. About Anisa recent work for the home decor market, she writes "I like that I can see these on a number of home decor products. I love a bright happy pattern. There’s a good amount of folk art invoked here, which helps to tell a story. I obviously love pattern on pattern and any opportunity to pattern clash.”

Fasten your seatbelts!

Thank you for making 2017 our best year ever. We couldn't have done it without you!

As we get ready for 2018, and our third year in business, we have plans to be even bigger and better.

First up: trade shows. This month, we'll be attending Heimtextil in Frankfurt (a fantastic home decor show and our first European trade show!). In May, we'll be at Blue Print NYC and SURTEX in Manhattan. And in October, see us at Blue Print San Francisco (our first time exhibiting on the West Coast). For this reason alone, 2018 promises to be an amazing year. I will send out flyers announcing dates, so you can book your appointments well in advance.

Secondly, we're launching two new newsletters. One will be just for clients in the Home Decor category. We'll include hand-selected art that lends itself specifically to that purpose. Every other week we will share trendsetting work from some of our artists. If you're not already on our list for Home Decor, just sign up to be included!

Anisa Makhoul's dramatic floral stripe available for home decor licensing or purchase.

And in this same vein, we're adding a regular newsletter intended only for clients in the publishing world. The new Books newsletter will spotlight recent book projects some our artists have completed, and include sample artwork that's particularly suited to books. Want in? Sign up for one (or both)!

Miriam Bos for Walter Foster

Thirdly, we have some big news! As our workload has increased (thank you!) we have added a new member to the JNA team. Please welcome Nanda Rust, a brand new Artist's Agent here with me. Nanda has a sparkling personality and lots of experience that make her more than qualified to keep things running smoothly in our newly-expanded office. An artist in her own right, and an accomplished photographer, Nanda is great at keeping our images organized, and providing service with a smile. Come by and meet her at Blue Print and SURTEX in May. 

Thanks to Nanda's help I'm now able to spend more time out of the office and on the road, such as my recent trips to visit publishers in NYC and artists in the UK. If you call the office and Nanda answers please give her a warm welcome. 

Last, but not least, I want to re-commit to serving you in the best way possible. If there's something we're not doing well, let us know. If you have an idea for a way to improve our service to you, we're all ears. Suggestions? We would love to hear them.

Thanks again for being part of this journey, from being a start-up in 2015 to becoming a successful (though intentionally small) agency in the past two years. And thanks for joining Nanda, myself and our ten wonderful artists as we venture into an exciting new year, filled with promise and lots more gorgeous artwork ahead. Happy New Year.

Kindly, Jennifer

Have a Very Rae Ritchie Christmas

Hello dear friends! I’m excited to share some timely holiday art to celebrate this fine season! Lately, I’ve been channeling lots of winter foliage, traditional imagery, things you’d find on a wondrous winter walk, as well as a sly reindeer to name a few! Please enjoy and have a wonderful holiday season everyone! - Rae

Ho, Ho, Ho Holidays with Howath!

It's that time of year again, when designers can embrace the actual season and share their seasonal art in the actual season! Sometimes I wonder what others must think of my seemingly obvious preference to make Christmas art. I think it can best be explained by my childhood. My parents both shared a deep love of the holiday, making it pure magic for their kids, a tradition I happily carried on with my own. My Gramma lived in an old victorian house, right next door to ours, so I spent many hours there. She had a stack of Christmas books, filled with poems and wonderful imagery that I would always ask her to read to me... all year round! So you see, the concept of embracing the holiday all year long was instilled in me at an early age. 

Whether it's Santa (a personal fav), or a lettering piece, or a wintery scene, I always try to capture some nostalgia and warmth with the hope that it will come through in the piece. 

Whatever you celebrate, I hope this season brings peace and joy with a happy New Year! - Jill

Jill Howarth ditches her mouse for a paint brush

As surface designers, we JNA artists delve into Christmas and winter-holiday imagery pretty much year-round. But when November comes, I always get a little excited. I actually feel like I'm on season!

With this in mind, I recently ditched my mouse for a paint brush and rendered a little Christmas piece. On the rare occasion that I go analog, I always end up doing a hybrid of cut paper and gouache -- because I just can't wrap my head around a finished painting in one piece!

Admittedly, I'm pretty attached to Santa themes, but this time I tried to imagine just what goes on up there, inside his North Pole abode. Who knew he was so good at plunking out the holiday tunes? I hope this puts you in the spirit of the season! Enjoy - Jill

Jill Howarth tells all!

Our own Jill Howarth answers your questions about creating art for surface design. We asked the artist to select three questions pertaining to her art career. These are her fascinating answers.

Q. If you hadn’t become a professional artist, what kind of career do you think you would have chosen?

A. That's a tough question but my best guess would be a teacher. I come from a family of them, with my mom, three brothers and all three wives in the same profession. My sister and I seem to be the only ones not in the family business!

Q. Where do you find inspiration? Do you go for walks in town, look at nature shows on TV, or just start scribbling and see where your muse takes you?

A. I'm somewhat of a mid-century picture book collector, having amassed a pretty thick stack of Little Golden books, amongst others. I don't stop at vintage though. I always had a soft spot for buying beautifully illustrated books for my kids when they were small and now I just buy them for myself!

Q. How old were you when you knew you wanted to be an artist? Did you strive to get your art on the refrigerator as a child? Describe your earliest artwork. 

A. My earliest memory is drawing Peanuts characters on large, white paper that my mom brought home from her classroom. I had several Peanuts books that I could draw from with my trusty “El Marko” markers (penciled sketched first, of course). That evolved into redrawing cute Hallmark cards for my mom's bulletin boards in her classroom. Around age 10, I knew that I wanted to be a “commercial” artist. I saw this as hopefully a practical way to make money with art, vs. fine art. Eventually this evolved into getting a degree in graphic design.

Rae Ritchie's fascinating answers to your questions!

Our own Rae Ritchie answers your questions about creating art for surface design. We asked the artist to select three questions pertaining to her art career. These are her fascinating answers.

Q. What’s your favorite animal to draw and why?

A. I really enjoy drawing and painting red foxes. Because they are such majestic creatures with their little human-like hands and graceful movements, I find myself introducing them in my work quite often. Sadly, I have never seen one in the wild! They are rumored to hang around the creek by my house in the early morning, so I definitely need to go for some 5 AM walks to see some! Cats also have a special place in my heart and on my drawing table!

Q. What’s the life of an artist like? Do you work early in the morning? Late at night? How do you integrate your art time into your daily routine?

A. I feel incredibly grateful everyday to be a full-time artist who works from home. I have always been an early riser, so I often get to “the office” around 7 AM. I always feel more comfortable being awake and in the office before my clients get to work, so I can devote some time to licensable artwork before any assignments come in. Depending on the day, I may have time for personal work, or I’ll be booked with a client for the day or sometimes for the week. Every day is different, which I love!

Often, I’ll go for a run around lunchtime, then work until 6 or 7. They can be long days, but the work is always rewarding and enjoyable! I try to turn off in the evening and recharge for the next day. I must say that I should try to get out more, though I am a homebody for the most part and really do enjoy this set-up!

Q. Everyone can answer the question, “What’s your favorite color?” But only an artist can answer “What are your two favorite colors to put together?”

A. Hands down, my favorite color is dark blue, and I love pairing it with a warm/pinky lavender. The night sky has always been a huge inspiration for me. The cool cast the moonlight puts on tones that are warm during the day is fascinating and comforting to me.

Rachel Grant Answers Your Questions

Our own Rachel Grant answers your questions about creating art for surface design. We asked the artist to select three questions pertaining to her art career. These are her fascinating answers.

Q. If you hadn’t become a professional artist, what kind of career do you think you would have chosen?

A. It’s really hard to imagine doing anything that is not within a creative field of some description. When I do it all gets a bit random. If it wasn’t for the night shifts and the overwhelming responsibility I’d say a midwife... or a doula. Then of course I do very much like the idea of having a little antique shop full of old books and ceramics, with a stand outside selling plants... and fresh pies... and freshly baked bread! Perhaps I would have been a farmer... if I wasn’t scared of animals?! I would also have liked a little shop selling Fair Isle jumpers on an island off the Scottish coast... but I don’t think I could handle all that bad weather. Overall it’s probably a good idea I took the path I did. I can take myself off to different worlds in paint every single day, without the commitment to stay there!

Q. Where do you find inspiration?

A. I spend a lot of time looking back for inspiration. I am obsessed with history, nostalgia, time-worn surfaces, patterns and ephemera. I love the way that the aesthetics of the past influence trends; and the way that those trends resurge in cycles is also fascinating. These kinds of interests lead me to antique shops, second-hand book stores, museums and anywhere where history comes alive. So here in the UK we have lots of stately homes, castles and other places of interest, like factories and mills that are open to the public and are full of inspiration. I also love to relax in front of films and TV dramas that mix historical reference with fiction, or even science fiction and fantasy. I love to see the way a director plays with colour and style to create exciting visual interplays between past/present/future. Wes Anderson’s colour palettes for example are absolutely divine and I spent the whole of the film “Brooklyn” geeking out about the way that John Crowley and his team had beautifully coordinated the knitwear with the wallpaper in each scene!

Q. Thinking back to art school, what’s something you learned in a classroom that you still use to this day?

A. I followed a very clear path into the arts from high school to a BTEC Art and Design foundation course at college, and then on to a Textile Design and Surface Pattern degree course at University. The most prominent and transferrable skill I learnt during those years was about layering and manipulating surfaces to create texture and depth. Since graduating I have worked on all kinds of different projects, from original art, site specific installations, collaborations with performing arts groups and architects, through to the illustration and licensing work that I do now. In one way or another all of the work I create has been underpinned by those first years of experimentation in mark-making and surface manipulation.

Come and see Kelly Angelovic’s work at BLUE PRINT + SURTEX next week!

With BLUE PRINT + SURTEX just around the corner I want to share the artists' portfolio books!  Kelly's work will take your breath away. Take a look! If you would like to meet Kelly at the shows and see her terrific work, just ask!  Enjoy - Jennifer

Jill Howarth’s stunning work, ready for review!

With BLUE PRINT + SURTEX just around the corner I want to share the artists' portfolio books!  Jill Howath's lettering and gorgeous illustration promises to thrill! We are not booking appointments - want yours? Just ask! Enjoy - Jennifer

We keep our little agency small on purpose.

It allows us to really focus on our artists and to give personal attention to our clients. That's why it's a REALLY BIG DEAL when we add a new artist to our roster. Today I'm proud as can be to introduce Janna Krupinski!

Janna joins our awesomely talented team to bring us to a total of ten amazing illustrators. Just check out her work to see why I'm so pleased to bring Janna into the fold. Please join us in making her feel welcome.

Come see Janna's debut at Blue Print and SURTEX this month!

And there's more where those came from! If you want to see what else Janna Krupinski has been up to, just let me know.

Kindly, Jennifer

Sweetness + cozy domestic bliss = Rachel Grant's portfolio book!

With BLUE PRINT + SURTEX just around the corner I want to share the artists' portfolio books! Rachel Grant brings it all home with her mesmerizing work - a first timer at the shows and she promises to delight! Want to see work before the show, just ask! Enjoy - Jennifer

Rae's terrific 2017 portfolio

You will just FLIP when you see Rae Ritchie's astonishing work in person! Come visit us at BLUE PRINT + SURTEX in May! To get a sneak peek, just ask! - Jennifer

Anisa's stunning portfolio book!

As we are getting ready for BLUE PRINT + SURTEX in May, I want to share the artists' portfolio books! First up, the über-talent, Anisa Makhoul! Want to see work before the show, just ask! Enjoy - Jennifer

New cards from Kelly Angelovic!

Hello! Kelly here. You may know that last summer, I launched my own line of soulful paper goods. The journey of creating this collection was the realization of a long held dream--and so much FUN! Recently, I doubled the size of my line, and I'm over the moon to share my latest designs with you. 

Whenever I start something new, I start with a pencil and paper. Once I'm happy with my sketches, I scan them in and start to add color, typically in Illustrator. From there, I take everything into Photoshop to add texture and depth. 

I love being an artist, and as I follow the whispers of my heart, my biggest dream is to inspire you to do the same. Rise and shine. The world needs YOUR light, now more than ever. 

My cards are all printed on a heavy, uncoated (100% recycled) card stock. I'm so proud to be in 8 stores, with several talks in progress for more. You can find my cards here!

Thanks so much for joining me on this journey! - Kelly

Miriam Bos's the Hidden Garden Collection for Birch Fabrics

I am so happy to announce that the Hidden Garden collection made with Birch Fabrics is finally open for orders.

Last year Birch Fabrics approached me to create a fabric collection inspired by ‘The Secret Garden’. A classic novel (1910) by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It’s a beautiful story about the friendship of a girl and two boys, who find a secret garden and work hard to make it bloom again. Of course, this is only a very modest summary.  I’d love to encourage you to read it some time, if you don’t know it yet.

I was listening to the book when I was working on this collection, and it literally got me in the mood. It’s been such a dream project to work on. I love working with Birch Fabrics. These are real kind people who put great effort and love in producing beautiful fabrics.

A few weeks ago Birch Fabrics attended the International Quilt Market in Houston. They shared a few photos on their Instagram account, and I loved seeing my artwork making it to actual products like onesies for baby’s, dresses, pillows, and curtains.

Birch Fabrics also sent me a huge box of fabrics, and I really wanted to share some photos to give you an impression of their beautiful and intense colors and detail. I love the quality of their fabrics.

The fabrics are online available at Fabricworm.com and on the website of Birch Fabrics. Birch Fabrics also wrote a lovely blog about the collection!

Scroll through the gallery below for more imagery.

Enjoy - Miriam  

Ready, Set PRINTSOURCE - here we come!

After a very successful show last year, look for artist’s agent Jennifer Nelson to return to Printsource in New York City on January 10th and 11th, 2017. Jennifer will be there representing the terrifically talented illustrators of Jennifer Nelson Artists: Anisa Makhoul, Bee Brown, Jennifer Orkin Lewis, Jill Howarth, Kelly Angelovic, Lauren Lowen, Miriam Bos, Rachel Grant and Rae Ritchie. 

“This is one show that we come back to every year. It has been good for us before and now we have some new artists to introduce, so we expect it will be even better,” said Jennifer Nelson from JNA’s Boston office. “These days it’s not uncommon to do business with a client for years without ever actually meeting in person. So we relish these occasions when we can meet face-to-face with the wonderful people who buy our art. Sure, it’s business, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy ourselves.”

With an expanded roster that now includes nine amazing illustrators, Jennifer looks forward to dazzling art buyers with a wealth of stunning new images. JNA’s artists specialize in a kind of hand-crafted look that conveys a warmth and sincerity that’s hard to find in today’s digital world. Although each artists has her own unique style, all of them create works that are quirky, feminine and fun. 

“It will be great to see our favorite customers again this year, and to meet some of them for the first time. Of course, the best part is meeting new people and making new friends! The art attracts people to our booth and that naturally starts a conversation.” Attendees should make an appointment with Jennifer in advance, to avoid disappointment. “If we miss you in January we’ll have to wait until August, and that’s just too long!”

Jennifer Nelson Artists is still a relative newcomer to the surface design world. But since their launch in January of 2015 they have been creating piles of new art and making literally hundreds of licensing deals. “We’ve been busy!” said Jennifer.

Printsource is the main resource for surface and textile design for America's major manufacturers, retailers and catalogs, covering such industries as men's, children's and women's apparel, bed and bath, kitchen and tabletop, paper goods and stationery, wall coverings, window fashions and other surface and textile design applications.