Catching Up With Jaime Molina This Year's Breckenridge Brewery X Never Summer Artist Series Snowboard Designer
We had a chance to catch up with Jaime Molina the designer of this years Breckenridge Brewery Artist Series Snowboard. Each year the brewery sets out to choose a designer to come up with an amazing design for their upcoming snowboard in partnership with Never Summer Industries. This year local favorite (one of ours) Jaime Molina got the distinct honor. Molina goes by the moniker Cutty Up on Instagram and you have probably seen some of his work all over town. With a unique style it was only fitting to come up with this years amazing board. The board will be on hand at the Opening Day Party to take place on Saturday November 10th at Punch Bowl.
U5280: How long have you been doing art?
Jaime: I've been making things my whole life I guess. It's been a long road to making a living off of my art solely, but it's been worth the wait.
U5280: How did you get started?
Jaime: Like I said, I've been making art in various forms my whole life, but eventually I studied art at Metro State and got a BFA with an emphasis in printmaking. After that I started having art shows around town and I just kept building things from there.
U5280: If you weren’t doing art, what other passions or professions would you have chosen?
Jaime: I really enjoy cooking. Maybe Culinary school? I used to do home remodeling and I really enjoyed that as well. The process of tearing things down and seeing how things are made has always fascinated me. I used to take apart electronics and other appliances when I was little to see how they worked. It's kind of a similar process. With the home remodeling I had the chance to build it back up in a new way which is pretty gratifying.
U5280: There seems to be a rebirth in street art in Denver, how does it feel being part of that movement?
Jaime: There are so many great artists and makers here in Denver. I'm super grateful that I get to make art in an era where artists here are getting recognition for their work from a much broader audience. The high visibility and impact that street art and graffiti have is a valuable tool for artists to reach people that may not otherwise discover art in traditional formats. These new additions, in the forms of murals and other street installations, are valuable assets to the culturural landscape of Denver. I always point out to people that question whether it's worth it for the city of Denver or private businesses to invest in these types of works, that this is the kind of thing that people will remember when they visit our city. No one will go home and tell their friends about the fantastic billboards and advertising we have here. They will share photos of vibrant art and culture and think of the connection they had to it. This not only spreads the artwork of local artists, and opportunities for them, but it also shows what we are about here.
U5280: You have some amazing pieces all throughout our city, what has been your favorite and why?
Jaime: Thank you for the compliment! I don't have a favorite piece. They are each my favorite until the next one haha. By that I mean that they are all different specifically because each piece is in a different location and each design is based on that unique site. What I enjoy the most about making work in the street is that you get to know each location so well. Each corner or pocket in this city has it's own vibe and getting to connect with that particular spot is to me what it's all about. As an artist, the people you meet while you are installing the work are the same ones that live with the art everyday after you pack up and leave. For me personally, it's important to have a connection to the community so that they will have a connection to the art. That's the goal anyway.
U5280: How did the partnership with Breck come about?
Jaime: Ryan over at Breckenridge Brewery contacted me a while back about doing a design for their artist series board, but due to some schedule conflicts I wasn't able to participate. Fortunately we were able to circle back and make it happen this year! They have been super awesome to work with.
U5280: If you could collaborate with any artist who would it be and why?
Jaime: Leonardo Da Vinci because I feel like he's equal parts artist and inventor.
U5280: How did the theme for the Breck Brew come about, it seems like every board in the series so far has told a story?
Jaime: Snowboarding has always been very special to me. It's given me some of the most physically surreal moments in my life as well as some of the best memories with my friends and family. In light of this special connection, I wanted to create a design to honor everyone that holds winter in a high regard. Every year I start seeing people get anxious for winter to come posting tons of antsy social media posts about missing snowboarding and stuff like that. I had this idea of illustrating Old Man Winter conjuring up snow. Kind of like a Santa Claus specifically for winter people creating a blanket of powdery snow to warm their hearts.
U5280: Finally what is your favorite Breckenridge Beer?
Jaime: Hmmmmm really tough call. I think it changes depending on when you ask me. A couple months ago I would have said the Agave Wheat. At this moment it's the Vanilla Porter.
2016 Denver Comic Con Beer Release Party | Friday May 20th | Stoney's
Breckenridge Brewery once again joins forces with Denver Comic Con. Since the inaugural convention in 2012, Breckenridge has brewed a special con beer and hosted a "Name the Comic Con Beer" contest. And each year what follows is a wonderful deluge of creative input, street cred for the winners, a beer release party preceding the con and other events in and around the Colorado Convention Center.
Breckenridge Brewery congratulates Noah Eisenman and Greg Nuccio, who both suggested "Snape-ricot" as the name for this year's refreshingly crisp apricot lager. The name honors actor Alan Rickman, who played Severus Snape in the Harry Potter film series and recently lost his life to pancreatic cancer.
“It’s become a wonderful Denver Comic Con tradition to launch these pop-culture themed beers in the weeks leading up to the con,” said Christina Angel, Denver Comic Con director. “This year’s brew takes on a special significance as a tribute to Alan Rickman, who so masterfully brought Snape to life on the silver screen.”
Although the name was chosen by popular vote, the brewery found it to suit the beer quite perfectly. Ryan Workman, Breckenridge Brewery Brand Manager, describes the beer to be more complex than one would guess upon first impression. "The apricot our brewers added to their American lager recipe produced surprising ambiguity, much like Snape himself. It's pale and crisp, but spend a little time with it, and you'll find unexpected layers of interesting personality." Finding more parallels in Snape and Snape-ricot, he shares that the beer is "bitter and cold, yet the fruit magically transforms Snape-ricot into something not sweet, but certainly a little softer than one would've imagined."
Snape-ricot will make its first public appearance at Stoney's Bar and Grill on Friday, May 20th, at 7:30 p.m. The first 200 people to order a Snape-ricot will be given a limited edition pint glass featuring the beer's custom label artwork.
The beer and pint glasses will also be available at the 3-day Denver Comic Con, which kicks off on June 17th and features such pop culture notables as Stan Lee (Marvel Comics), Lena Headey (Game of Thrones) and Ralph Macchio (the Karate Kid) . Tickets are still available at www.DenverComicCon.com. Additionally, local pubs around the conference will feature the beer with additional pint giveaway promotions.
Past winning entries for Breckenridge's Name the Comic Con Beer contest are:
· 2012 Fantastic Pour
· 2013 Caped Brewsader
· 2014 Brews Wayne
· 2015 Hulk's Mash