Switchback Brewing digital art for its rebellious cat series
The craft beer scene is ripe with incredible new art and being able to contribute to this national tapestry of work has been an amazing experience.
Digital ink, Procreate® brushes to simulate a rough ink quality
Every label tells a story…. Here’s the artist’s story
What is your art background like?
BFA, Graphic Design | Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York
What inspires you as an artist?
Random, fun, happy accidents, other creatives, pop culture, the digital landscape, and recently, generative art.
What do you hope viewers will feel/experience when they view your art?
El Dorado Cat is a rebel. She is a bold explorer and finder of lost treasures; of swooping aromas of dank cannabis land on nimble notes of candied passion fruit to create a legendary experience you won’t forget.
Does this particular piece have a backstory you could share?
El Dorado Cat is the fourth in a series of ‘Cat illustrations done to identify and differentiate Switchback Brewing Co’s line of Double IPA beers. The beer and character names are derived from the hop varietal used to brew each DIPA.
What else would you like people to know about you, your art in general, or this piece?
Lifelong creative, father of five awesome kids, and an amazingly creative wife that inspires me daily, love of the outdoors. This piece was a true collaboration between Interrobang Design Collaborative’s Mark Sylvester, and me. We both grew up living vicariously through amazing adventure-based movies like Star Wars and in this case Indiana Jones. I particularly loved the scenes where Indy had to make a mad escape or use his bullwhip to swing away in the face of some impending doom. The connection/ inspiration was immediate – a real fun interpretation of cat meets temple run and IJ.
Anything else?
As a collector of comics, and a pop culture fan, making consumer art on this level was extremely fun. I’ve always wanted to make art for beer labels and working with a friend and pro like Mark was a perfect storm. The craft beer scene is ripe with incredible new art and being able to contribute to this national tapestry of work has been an amazing experience. I continue to be really stoked to be a part of the Switchback journey and thankful to all that have been involved to create and produce this work.
The completed label incorporating the artwork
The art, can, label, and caption as part of the CANVAS exhibit
Artist Andrew Szurley collaborated with designer Mark Sylvester
Andrew Szurley / Sole Kitchen / 401-241-4403
Design, Art Direction, Branding, Illustration, Creative
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The labeled can
For our 45th 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
Amherst Label founded 1978 More
The complete CANVAS exhibit
Every label tells a story….
CLICK to learn more about Amherst Label’s commitment to helping breweries tell their stories.
