The Happiest Valentine: Our New Artist Dylan Mierzwinski!

If you haven’t noticed, we are expanding our roster at Jennifer Nelson Artists!  Always striving to meet the market’s needs, while simultaneously honoring the niches of our amazing artists, it is challenging to find just the right fit...  Well, challenging until you come across an artist like Dylan!

Dylan’s work is singular and fabulous.  From her hilarious cartoon-like drawings to her sophisticated florals, she manages to create a broad range of art while keeping the thread of her personality and skill running through.  Seeing her art for the first time, the color palette and sketchy lines struck me.  In Dylan's work, I immediately saw skill, imagination, drive, joy, and potential.

Which, as is often the way with art, are the very words one could use to describe Dylan.  A self-taught artist, Dylan’s drive is clear.  She has carved out a prominent space not only as an artist but as a top Skillshare teacher.  Her joy comes across in her passion for sharing knowledge with others through teaching and through wholehearted Instagram posts which always elevate the online community.  Dylan is a supporter through and through.  As for potential, we cannot wait to see what Dylan comes up with next!  Every new piece she sends us is a delight.  

Dylan's work is available for licensing and full-buyouts and, if your interested in seeing what she can come up for you, she is also available for commissions!  Check out some of her amazing work below and visit her bio to find out more!

Introducing Malin Gyllensvaan!

The first time I saw Malin’s art, it sparked my imagination.  Her combination of graphite and paint was so unique, her sensibility so lavish and refined.  I felt surrounded by opulent beauty.  I traveled into the graceful curve of her lines.  I swam in her florals.  I said to myself, “I must sign this artist!”  That was back in August.  Every step along the way has been a confirmation of that decision; from her wonderful sense of humor and warmth on our artist retreat in Lake Como, to the glee I feel each time we pour over a new piece of Malin’s work.

Malin comes with an incredible arts background.  She graduated college in 2001 and immediately began working as an employed textile designer for a variety of companies, including Ikea, H&M, Wrangler, and many more.  When she had her first chid in 2013, she decided to start freelancing and has not looked back since (lucky for us!). We are simply thrilled to be included in her impressive roster of experience!

As I got to know Malin better, I came to understand the roots of her unique style.  She is a self-proclaimed “sucker” for old textiles, especially embroidered silk, and she finds inspiration from the art and crafts movement.  Most of her work starts with florals because they contain all the aspects of art that Malin loves.  They are rich in color, texture and shape.  Painting them puts her in a relaxed, meditative state of mind.  It amazes me to think how these things translate onto the page and could cause me, living thousands of miles away, to feel that same sort of meditative enchantment from just seeing her work.

We could not be happier to introduce this wonderful artist to you today and to be representing her!  Below are some of our favorite pieces.  If you’re interested in licensing her work and seeing more of what she has to offer, please feel free to request a gallery.  

I hope you enjoy her delicious images as much as I do.

-Cathy

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

Our newest artist draws inspiration from quiet, still moments in an otherwise chaotic world.

Jennifer Nelson Artists is proud to present Rachel Grant! Please join me in welcoming our latest artist to the fold. 

Take one look at Rachel’s art and you can imagine her working in an old terraced house in the north of England somewhere… listening to music as she paints… knitting, gardening, baking bread, sewing clothes or snuggled under blankets watching great films in her spare time. And you’d be right!

Rachel is based in North Staffordshire where she draws inspiration from time-worn surfaces and the consistency of the natural world around them. As she says, “Quiet, still moments in an otherwise chaotic world."

Incorporating a range of media in her artwork, include drawing, painting, collage and print, Rachel brings them together digitally at the end. Her portfolio of evocative images embodies her love of a slow, peaceful life. “My overall aim is to capture an atmosphere of peace and harmony,” she says.

If you would like to see a custom gallery of Rachel's work, just ask! We have loads of her utterly charming work and I really do love to share! —Jennifer

It’s BIG Announcement time again!

We’re just bursting with joy to announce that we have added another amazingly talented artist to our roster. Please join me in welcoming Rae Ritchie to Jennifer Nelson Artists!

Rae started out just about 10 years ago, designing fashion accessories for women and kids. Although she liked doing creative work for major retailers, it was creating prints and graphics for her products that made her feel most alive.

Since Rae was always painting on the side anyway, she decided to take the next step and shift her focus to fabric design and illustration for greeting cards, stationery, gifts and apparel. And we’re glad she did!

These watercolor and gouache illustrations are created in a sunny little room in Rae’s home, at what must be the tiniest desk in Minneapolis. How can such big art come from such a small desk? That’s where Rae’s enormous talent comes in!

Inspired by the lushness of nature, classic children's books and old photographs, Rae lives with her husband and their cat Sméagol. 

To see some of Rae’s gorgeous illustration work, visit our site here.

Welcome Miriam Bos!

I love my job for many reasons: The fun of seeing fresh new artwork come in, the sense of pride when we meet a new client who wants to work with us, the satisfaction of a job well done.

But the absolute best-est part of the job is welcoming a new artist to the fold! Today I would like to introduce – Ta-daa! – Miriam Bos!

If ever there was an artist who fit right in with our talent group it’s Miriam. Take a look at these samples of her work and see if you don’t agree.

Come see Miriam and all the JNA artists' fantastic work at BLUE PRINT!
8-10 AUGUST in NYC!

Miriam lives in The Netherlands where I was lucky enough to live a long time ago. Her last name “Bos,” pronounced close to our english "boss," and is Dutch for “forest.” She and her husband love the woods and take bicycle trips to explore the area around their city of Apeldoorn. You can sense her love of nature when you see her gorgeous renderings of plants and animals.

Starting out as a children’s illustrator, Miriam jumped into surface and pattern design a few years ago and hasn’t looked back. She already has two fabric design collections to her name with many more to come, I’m sure.

Miriam has a quirky style mixing both traditional and digital techniques. The result is sheer delight! Please join me in welcoming Miriam Bos to Jennifer Nelson Artists!

As always, if you would like us to put together a custom gallery request, just ask! Send an email, or follow our daily posts on Instagram. Kindly, Jennifer

Attention world: Jill Howarth is here!

We’re pleased as can be to announce that a charming new illustrator has joined us here at Jennifer Nelson Artists. Just take one look at Jill Howarth’s work and you’ll see why.

Jill Howarth has a background in children’s design for the toy industry, and you can see she has a real knack for it. There’s a palpable joy to her work along with that child-like sense of wonder that makes her illustrations perfect for a wide array of products. Now that Jill Howarth is on board I’m eager to start making deals for greeting cards, wrapping paper, bedding, and so much more.

One in a series of Old Maid Cards

Join me in welcoming Jill Howarth to the fold! You may have noticed that I’m using her full name rather than just “Jill.” That’s because we already have the amazing Jill McDonald working with this small agency and I want to avoid confusion. It’s like a first grade class that has four Jennifers and everyone is called by her first and last name. (Actually, we have two Jennifers here, too!)

Although the name’s the same, both of our Jills and all of our other artists create artwork that’s delightfully different and equally great. Each illustrator has a unique vision that sets her apart and brings sheer joy to every project.

Who will be the first to commission a piece of gorgeous illustration from Jill Howarth, or to license one of her lovely existing works? Will it be you? Contact me to see more! - Jennifer

Welcome Jill McDonald!

What agent wouldn't be delighted to have the renowned Jill McDonald join their already stellar roster?  I am absolutely gleeful to represent Jill starting today!

Jill brings a portfolio rich with decades worth of stunning illustration. Her color palette and cut paper/paint work is striking and unique. I adore her lettering and the whimsy she finds in the very smallest detail of her work.

Jill's archive is crammed full with sugar-plum-wonderful Christmas illustrations, florals like you have never seen, and narrative composition that makes for the sweetest dreams. You'll notice that Jill also has a particular knack when designing for boys - a rarity in this corner of the market.

Oh, and did I mention - stunning florals for grown ups too?

Please join me in welcoming Jill to JNA. We are so very pleased to have her with us! To see Jill's brimming archive, just send me a request. Enjoy! - Jennifer

Welcome Anisa Makhoul!

What can I say? I am simply overjoyed to announce Anisa Makhoul has joined us! Anisa has a talent like no other in the industry. Her quirky sensibility married with this cozy home style is simply irresistible to me and I hope to you as well!

You can see more of Anisa's work here and by requesting a private gallery of her work. Welcome, Anisa Makhoul, we are SO GLAD you are here! - Jennifer

The Six Secrets Of Selecting An Artist

I’m frequently asked, “What do you look for in an artist?” Since you asked nicely, I’m going to reveal my secret system.

Secret 1) Of course, not every agent handles this important decision the same way, but I look for three main ingredients in an artist: Excellent work (obviously), talents that match the needs of art buyers I work with (and those I hope to work with soon) and kind-heartedness, both in business and personal behavior. Yes, it’s nice to be important but it’s important to be nice.

Secret 2) Regarding style, I seek out artists with a unique eye and a personal perspective. I love a quirky sense of design myself, and my customers tend to like what I like. I look for someone who understands color and design, who has a vision for the overall composition, and who pays attention to the finest details. It’s about seeing the Big Picture while dealing with the small stuff.

Secret 3) I always keep in mind the needs of art buyers. I look for excellent artwork with a different take on readily licensable content. That means popular subject matter like florals, winter holiday themes, hand lettering, etc. The art buyers I work with are looking for clarity, mastery of color and an image that will, in turn, appeal to their customers.

Their company will invest a lot of money in making products with that art on it. Art buyers look to me to help them discern what is marketable. Tip: Flowers are in most years, snakes are not in very often. ;)

Secret 4) Being dependable is as essential as being talented. I have been in business for many years and have worked with oodles of gifted people. The ones who are committed, timely and accurate get hired time and time again. Among those, the artists I remember and want to work with are those who are also decent human beings. If an artist is good to me and the online community, they will in turn be pleasant toward our clients. This reflects well on the artist, the agency, and on me personally.

Secret 5) A successful artist needs to be have good work habits. That means being organized (knowing where to find that piece of art we need), neat (art can get messy but digital files have to be clean), friendly and easy to talk with, and ready and willing to collaborate with clients. In short, an artist has to have the same standards as anyone in business.

Secret 6) As opposed to fine art, commercial art is about solving problems. How do we want to design this pillow to make it marketable? What image should go on this Mother’s Day card? How do we make this ordinary object more desirable with art? Self-expression and creativity are wonderful, but we still need art that does what it’s required to do. I look for artists whose approach to illustration includes problem-solving skills.

So… now that the secrets are out, they’re not really secrets at all! Just good common sense and smart business practices. Pretty obvious, really. - Jennifer

BIG NEWS: coming up on Friday, we will announce our seventh artist! Like the six that came before her, she fits all the criteria above. I love her work and I can’t wait to share her amazing art with all of you.