Infusing handcrafted local art with handcrafted cider
May 16, 2014
With the grand opening of our new cidery quickly approaching, we decided to honor the occasion with a fresh makeover of our packaging! The new design prominently features a painting of our new cidery. Kathleen Kolb is the artist behind the new artwork. She lives in nearby Lincoln, Vermont and painted the incredible scene based off of pictures taken during a visit to the site. That painting now graces the six-pack of each one of our core cider styles. We are now proud to have not only handcrafted cider, but handcrafted packaging as well! We visited with Kathleen, (a fan of Woodchuck for 20 years!), recently to talk more about her process and how she came to be the artist she is today.
The Heritage of an Artist
While most kids in Kindergarten art class are just doodling in and around the lines, Kathleen Kolb was already honing her skills in what would become a lifelong passion. It led her to the Rhode Island School of Design, (otherwise known as RISD), where she earned a BFA in illustration. Over the next 5 years she continued to develop her personal style and craft. Kolb debuted as an exhibitor in 1981, and is still creating great works of art today. You can check out a variety of her work here.
Photo credit: Adam Frehm
Vermont or bust! Landscape of Inspiration
Kathleen first came to Vermont in 1974, driving up on Columbus Day with a group of art students. She recalls looking out that night, and seeing only “two lights in the vast expanse.” In that moment, the Green Mountain State captured her heart and she never looked back.
The incredible view from Kathleen’s painting studio!
Vermont not only became Kathleen’s home, but a platform of inspiration for her work. With the ever-changing seasons, the state provides a plethora of sights that trigger what she calls an “emotional ignition”. Kathleen explained that when she sees something in a landscape or object she feels a NEED to share it with the world. Even though all seasons can act as a catalyst for creativity, Kathleen said she has a particular fondness for winter. The “dynamics of light on snow” provide opportunities for amazing inspiration in her paintings.
Bringing ‘Chuck to life!
Although a slightly different project for Kathleen, she says was excited to collaborate with Woodchuck and jump right into the process. Kathleen used a combination of pictures, some aerials and other from the ground, as inspiration for different parts of her Woodchuck Cidery watercolor.
An important part of her artistic vision is seeing the scene in person and capturing a moment that she can draw from. This visual and emotional experience itself, acts as the jumping off point for where the painting will eventually go. We are absolutely thrilled with the results! Big thanks to Kathleen for bringing to life what we see as our commitment to the fast growing cider category. We Give a ‘Chuck about handcrafted cider and it’s great to have truly handcrafted packaging to match!