The Books of Laura Eckroat: Introducing ....

K R I S T Y J A R V I S

Kristy - hard at work!

At the Funky Finds event in December, I had a little time before the show began, so I walked around and see some of the other vendors. I was intrigued by one of the artists I hadn't seen before. She had sweet watercolor paintings of adorable animals! I looked through all her super cute business cards, that featured many of her designs ... I admit to taking 3 of them because I couldn't choose! I spoke with her for a few minutes and she is a really sweet person as well! I've fallen in love with her work and have asked her to partner with me for some special items (featuring Muffin and Shadow) I hope to have them available in early 2014.
More details to come ...

but now I'd like for you to meet .... Kristy Jarvis ...

Tell us a little about yourself... I recently became a stay at home mom after working for several years as a Graphic Designer. I found that I still wanted a creative outlet during my downtime with the kids and that is when I rediscovered my love of drawing and painting. I started painting with watercolor because I loved the way the colors blended, and it was pretty easy to start and stop a project depending on the kids' schedule. Then I started experimenting with wood-burning and a little with acrylic on canvas and wood. Before I knew it, I was creating daily and had signed up for ArtsGoggle in Fort Worth, The Funky Finds craft fair, and a craft fair at my daughter's school. I enjoy graphic design, but I really have a passion for art that I can create without the use of a computer.

What is your background? I took art classes as a child but it wasn't until I started college that I realized I could make art a career. I attended The Art Institute in Dallas and after graduating with a degree in Visual Communications I worked as a graphic designer designing advertising and marketing material including flyers, brochures, invitations, posters, and anything else clients requested.

Have you always wanted to be an artist? I always knew that I wanted to do something creative. When I was a kid I drew a lot, but I also just liked making things. While I had plenty of toys, I remember making little figurines out of twist ties and yarn or thread; I was pretty resourceful. While I have taken breaks from art, it has always found its way back into my life. It is my passion.

One of Kristy's favorite art pieces by
Patricia DeLeon

Who is your favorite artist? I am always discovering new artists and there are just too many to choose from. I have discovered so many artists through books and Etsy. I realize art comes in many forms but I still find myself favoring art involving illustration. I love Stephane Jorisch's illustrations in the Betty Bunny children's book series. I also love a lot of work by Ashley Percival, Teagan White, and Patricia De Leon (her piece with a red-headed woman with an owl sitting on her head is my favorite).

Where do you get your inspiration?

I am inspired by my two young children and the many, many children's books we read together. I painted a little before having kids, but they have sparked my imagination. Now that I am home full-time, we make a lot more trips to the library where I tend to pick books based on the illustrations. I love reading them stories that bring animal personalities to life.

Do you enjoy showing your work at craft fairs? I haven't been to a lot of craft fairs but I do enjoy going. I appreciate the work that goes into handmade items and enjoy meeting local artisans. I participated in ArtsGoggle in Fort Worth in October but the Funky Finds Holiday Shopping experience was my first craft fair to participate in. It was such a great experience. I wasn't sure what to expect. I am introverted so putting myself out there was a bit daunting, but it was so much fun meeting other artists and hearing feedback about my work. It was rewarding seeing people enjoying my work as much as I enjoy creating it.

What medium do you use? At this moment I mainly use watercolor on paper, but I have been experimenting with other mediums. I have recently been working with watercolor and acrylic on canvas and wood, as well as wood-burned illustrations. I live near a wooded area so I have been using some salvaged wood slices from fallen branches for some of my paintings and wood-burned illustrations. I really like working with wood and plan on doing larger paintings using it in the near future.

Please share a few works with us and tell us about them
The moose knitting, squirrel in a knit hat, and owl in a cowl were 3 pieces I painted around the same time. It seemed funny to imagine a moose in the woods knitting gifts for his friends. From there I found that one of my favorite things to paint is animals in knitwear, so I later painted 2 owls, one in an over-sized hat and his friend seeming to look over at how ridiculous he looks. I have only painted a couple of dogs, but one of my favorite pieces is the curious grey dog (see above). I just find it so hilarious when dogs tilt their head in curiosity. These were all done in watercolor and ink on heavy watercolor paper. I recently painted a beaver and an owl with acrylic on canvas. I just started painting with acrylic paint - I really like how rich the colors get, especially with the backgrounds. It adds some variety to the mostly watercolor characters on white backgrounds that I have been painting.

How can people purchase your work?
A lot of my work is available for purchase in my Etsy shop or at upcoming craft shows. I don't have any craft shows coming up right now, but a link to my shop and any information on upcoming shows are frequently updated on my web-site KRISTY JARVIS . My work is also available at T. Beresford, a shop that is located in Waxahachie, TX.

Are you available for commissioned work?
I always welcome commissioned work as my schedule allows!

Kristy painting (above)
Kristy and her family (below)