Minnow is thrilled to collaborate with the very talented and inspiring Janelle Sing for our 'Morning Glory' print in our Resort 18 collection.
Brooklyn-based artist Janelle Sing, has always been inspired by the ocean. Growing up on the north shore of Long Island, she was surrounded by the rocky beaches near her family's home, and spent her time filling sketchbooks with watercolors of the landscape around her. To this day, her practice is very much the same - she can always be found near the sea, with her watercolor set in hand.
Janelle's pursuit of painting took her to New England, where she traveled up and down the coast while sailing for Brown and studying art at Brown and the Rhode Island School of Design. She then moved to the small island of Paros, Greece, in the Aegean Sea, where she honed her craft before moving back to New York.
Her illustrations and prints may be best known for adoring the footwear of the summer brand Soludos (where she was the design director for 3 years), and on special projects with Warby Parker, Rachel Antonoff, and Simon Miller. She's also a frequent collaborator with Apple's iPadPro and her digital fashion illustrations have graced the pages of TeenVogue, InStyle, and Harper's Bazaar.
Here's a look into the design of Morning Glory for Minnow.
"My mom would draw with me when I was little, and from an early age I was never without my sketchbook. I would take my paints down to the beach and draw the plants and people around me. My artwork and my surroundings have always gone hand in hand, it informs so much of my personality."
When looking for inspiration for the Morning Glory print, Janelle says, "I immediately thought of a painting I had just seen by Alex Kanevsky, of a woman draped in a gorgeous patterned blue and white blanket. It's the perfect amount of realistic + abstract."
"There's something really special about living on an island in the middle of the Aegean Sea, especially during the off season. It forces you to pay attention to your surroundings, and it provides a good excuse to turn inward and focus on your craft."
Recently, Janelle decided to venture off on her own to focus on her artwork and illustration full-time. We asked Janelle what has been one of her biggest career challenges? She says, "Trusting myself to venture off on my own and be a full time artist. My family was really supportive and helped give me the push I needed."