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Six questions for Mountain Fair poster designer Jade Meyer

Each spring, Carbondale Arts holds a Mountain Fair T-shirt & Poster Design Contest encouraging local creatives to “create a time capsule design to remember this historic time.”

The 49th Annual Mountain Fair theme is “Confluence/Confluencia” — a confluence of ages, cultures, identities and Carbondale as a confluence of rivers.

This year’s winning design was created by artist Jade Meyer. I asked her about what inspired her design, its symbolism and her journey as an artist:



Jade Meyer

Jeff Bear: What inspired you to design your poster?

Jade Meyer: I designed this poster when COVID began — I had to leave school, my friends and all the things I love most. That’s why the theme of “Convergence” and coming together, was perfect. My inspiration came from the pain and separation I felt from leaving my friends. I attend a boarding school in California, Idyllwild Arts Academy, and have friends from all around the world; Germany, France, Mexico, Japan, China, and the U.S. I miss my friends who have become my family more than ever. The design for the poster was for them and inspired by the love they all give me.



JB: Your poster includes symbolism. What do these symbols mean to you?

JM: The images I used in my design were hands coming together, colorful sky and flowers. For me, hands coming together was the root of the drawing. This felt like what we are all lacking at this time. Because of COVID, we were separated from our everyday lives… and for me, I was separated from a place I call home. Holding hands is what I miss most — the people filling my life. The multi-colored sky represents our community’s ability to be welcoming to all. Carbondale has a special way of accepting everyone for who they are, no matter their gender, race, age, or beliefs. The flowers resemble the growth our community has gone through. Even after all of the struggles, our community can continue to grow, and experience the light in all of the darkness.

JB: Tell me about you as an artist.

JM: I have been drawing and creating art as early as I can remember. I was exposed to art while at Waldorf on the Roaring Fork in Carbondale but I have grown as an artist while attending school at Idyllwild Arts Academy in California. Although I’ve had little to no formal training in drawing, I spend most of my time sitting with a notebook in hand. I have shown my art in galleries, illustrated a published children’s book and have been working on commissioned portrait work.

JB: What kind of art do you like to create?

JM: I enjoy creating art on the Adobe Fresco drawings app, drawing on basic pads of paper and painting larger images. I really like to create portraits. Recently I have been working with people around town creating portraits of family members, loved ones, or a portrait of themselves that they enjoy. 

JB: What are you working on now?

JM: Currently, I am exploring offers for artistic jobs and commissions but I’m also taking the time for me to create on my own. I have many ideas and plan to continuing creating and I hope to be able to share my creations with the community.

JB: What are your future plans for creating art?

JM: As long as I can remember, I’ve always thought that it would be amazing to have my own art gallery. Other than that, I’m staying open to where life takes me and I’ll take up opportunities when they come.

jbear@postindependent.com


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