Among the list of artists who’ve designed Hint Mint tins are Audrey Kawasaki, Lola, James Jean, Gary Baseman, Shag, Glenn Barr, and most recently, Brandi Milne (featured in our exclusive book and print set). On Thursday, iam8bit Gallery brought them together for the first time in a special retrospective and launch of the limited edition artist series by Milne. Milne’s original paintings on display can also be appreciated as a singular new body of work, an extension of her candy colored wonderland. They are inspired by flavors like chocolate, pomegranate, and peppermint, as depicted by her signature fairytale characters. Here, her characters exhibit subtle visual cues through elements of fantasy and a fun, winter carnival-style setting. Each piece secretly places a mint leaf symbol throughout. On the new series, Hint Mint cofounder Cooper Bates shared, “Brandi’s artwork actually inspired us. Our interest in art stems from our backgrounds in entertainment. We’ve been doing this since 1999 and work with a new artist ever year. You could say this retrospective is also an anniversary for us.”
“You Need This Art” exhibits at iam8bit Gallery through April 27, 2014.