Artist Collaborators Add Unique Talent and New Takes on Vintage Poster Art
Ever wonder what inspires ADG's collaborating artists? This article features some of the original works of Arden von Haeger, David Owens, Kai Carpenter, Kenneth Crane, and Mary Withers Kirkland, plus information about each artist.
Arden von Haeger
Anderson Design Group is proud to collaborate with master pastel artist Arden von Haeger to produce a series of vintage-looking poster art. Arden's classic hand-rendered illustration style conveys grandeur, romance, and nuance. His inventive use of color and his unique Art Deco styling conjure up a by-gone elegance as he celebrates some of America's most iconic destinations.
ADG founder Joel Anderson describes his friend's work: "Arden is a modern-day master. His handling of color, light, and shape evoke a feeling of timeless, historic beauty. His compositions remind me of the epic Works Progress Administration-era masterpieces of the Early 20th Century that moved America. Arden's creations are ingeniously stylized, artfully simplified, and powerfully amplified, enabling him to tell a familiar story in a whole new way."
David Owens
Joel enjoys collaborating with artists who share his passion for classic illustration and travel poster art. In 2020, Joel and David Owens decided to create a series of travel-themed art inspired by poster and magazine cover illustrations from the mid-to-late-20th-Century.
The David Owens Collection offers a fresh new interpretation to the iconic scenery that we at Anderson Design Group love to celebrate in our travel poster art. David's digital painting technique adds energy and movement, along with an adventurous feel to each of his creations. His passion for art and the outdoors is evident in all of his loose, painterly work.
Kai Carpenter
Joel has had a unique artistic partnership with oil painter Kai Carpenter. Their 3-year long-distance collaboration produced 100 paintings—an incredible body of work. Joel, as the poster designer and creative director in Nashville, and Kai, as the illustrator based in Seattle, are both fans of early 20th Century poster and magazine art. They enjoyed working together to create beautiful handcrafted images inspired by the Golden Age of Illustration. Once they built up the collection, they each moved on to other exciting pursuits.
Kai worked with Joel to produce oil paintings in poster format for several ADG collections, including American Travel, Classic Americana, the Illustrated 63 American National Parks Collection, American Travel Collection, and World Travel Collection.
Kenneth Crane
Kenneth Crane is a true artist and a brilliant visual storyteller. By using a dry-brush digital sketching technique, Kenneth creates beautifully emotive illustrations in a loose, chalky, hand-rendered style. Joel discovered Kenneth's artwork and the two hiking and nature enthusiasts quickly became friends and collaborators. The resulting National Park art series features all 63 Parks, plus other travel-related images in Kenneth's signature style. And as a Colorado native, Kenneth's excursions into the surrounding scenic parks continue to fuel his imagination for art and his love for the American landscape.
Joel describes his good buddy's work: "Kenneth Crane is a humble genius. His eye for color and composition rival the skill of the masters of the 20th Century. That's because Kenneth sees the world as an artist and a photographer, paying attention to the way sunlight kisses rocks, trees, water, and wildlife. His mastery of the color palette, and his skill at drawing just enough detail to convey meaning, yet leaving out everything that is unnecessary—his subtlety, sensitivity, and skill—all come together in each of his wonderful creations singing praise to the Almighty with every stroke."
Mary Withers Kirkland
Always with an eye out for other artists who appreciate vintage poster art and retro design, Anderson Design Group is pleased to announce its most recent artist collaboration. ADG has begun working with digital painter Mary Withers Kirkland on a series of classic National Park posters. Mary's unique stylization, emotive clouds, and lyrical sense of color captures the natural beauty of America’s most beloved public lands.
Mary is able to convey both the natural beauty and the timeless, wistful nature of the National Parks. Her art beckons people to these beautiful nature spaces while at the same time inspiring viewers to preserve, conserve, and protect America's natural lands.
Upcoming Artist Process Explorations!
While this article offers a taste of ADG's artists and their work, upcoming blogs will feature artist process interviews, photos, and renditions of art-in-progress, including deep dives into how the artists of Anderson Design Group render such incredible original illustrations, vintage-styled poster art, travel art, art of the National Parks, and retro designs.
Stay tuned, folks!
-Ren Brabenec
Anderson Design Group Staff Writer
← Older Post Newer Post →