Jen Stark

At Las Jaras you are our most prolific label artist, with the Waves canned wine now added to the repertoire your art is on three of our wines! What is your process for creating each label?

I'm so excited to have my artwork on 3 bottles of Las Jaras wine now! I usually start my process by getting a feel for the style and taste of the wine, and then brainstorm up with a design to suit it. I'll draw some ideas out in my sketchbook, then show Eric & Joel for feedback. Once we figure out the direction, I create the final design on the computer. For the Pét-Nat, I wanted to have something sparkly and bubbly feeling, but also a design that would blend in with the color of the bottle. For the Trousseau Gris and the latest 'Waves' canned wine, I wanted to create designs that were unique to the wine world and featured my signature 'drippy' design oozing down. The canned wine design is really fun because the sparkly dots that peek out between the colors make the wine look extra cold, refreshing, and crisp.

What’s it like to see your art decorate wines? 

It feels amazing! And the best part is, the wines taste incredible. I'm a big wine lover.

You’re an artist for the people!  You are well known for your large art installations - how does creating large public art contrast with creating a small piece that reaches the masses in a different way via small format viewed from the palm of our hands like a wine label? 

The process of creating both large and small works usually begins in the same way - as a small sketch inside of my sketchbook. I find creating both large and small artwork equally fun but very different from each other. Painting large murals is exhilarating because there's a lot of problem solving. It can be very physical and we get to drive big machinery like scissor & boom lifts. The small artwork is more about fine tuning. When it reaches the hands of the public, it becomes an art object that they will drink which is really cool. Either way, I love making artwork easily accessible -- whether that means artwork on a wine label, animations you can watch online, or public sculptures in parks. It's important for me to make artwork that is democratic, that can be viewed inside of a gallery setting as well as out in a public space.

Your art has been described as hypnotic. Our wine can also have the same effect -- with the two paired, is it quite possibly the perfect transcendent experience?

Oh yes, the combination of the two definitely makes me feel like I'm floating on a cloud when I drink it!

You like culinary adventures, have you discovered a favorite food pairing with a particular Las Jaras wine that you could share with the people?

Cold, bubbly Las Jaras Pét-Nat and spicy Thai food!

You have really given back to the people in a big way this year: in the beginning of quarantine you made available for free a Jen Stark Coloring Book PDF used to entertain bored kids and adults alike; your art graced shelter in place's most popular drink, wine; and now you have a new mask collaboration with Vistaprint to make mask wearing a little more fun.  Why is art so important to soothe the soul during turbulent times and what motivates you to give back to your community?

Art is very important, especially in strange times because it has the power to uplift and inspire people. I try to create work that helps bring positivity and color to people's lives. Hearing that I've inspired someone or brightened up their day is the best feeling in the world!

We love you, Jen!