8 Local Artists to Shop This Spring
Whether you’re freshening up your spot at the start of this new season, completely redesigning your home, or just looking for a unique piece to “hang over there,” the creative and varied styles of these local artists are sure to offer just the right thing(s) to spruce up your space.
— Kelsey Heintz, Managing Editor
LittleGhosttCo
Pizza Bones and Together Vintage hosted a night market (as they do), where I found LittleGhosttCo — a local artist (Katie Gast!) who illustrates vintage Halloween girls and more. I scooped up this piece, and my eyes have been little cartoon hearts ever since. But by “and more,” we really do mean and more. Katie has festive pieces for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and everything in between and outside. Like, fan of Nope or not, when wouldn’t you want to look at that one (^) in your home office/bedroom/foyer/wherever, you know? It’s just too cute!
Evan Mooney Art
Colorful and whimsical, Evan Mooney’s pieces are happiness on the wall. Houston-born and Charlottesville-based, the talented artist “uses a variety of mediums to explore the balance between chaos and control,” creating vibrant works that she wants to “inspire hope and gladness in others.” So far, so good — we hope we can finally decide on a piece, and we’re glad we laid eyes on her work.
Hamilton Glass
You have undoubtedly seen this gifted muralist’s work all over RVA, but some of his pieces also fit through the door, so you can get them up on your own wall(s), too. Hamilton sells his bright and thoughtful work as prints and on stickers and T-shirts. To boot, the artist is the brains behind Mending Walls, “a public art project that brings together public artists from different cultures and backgrounds to create murals that address where we are now in society and how we can move forward through understanding and collaboration.” He’s curated a coffee table book’s worth of some of his favorite images and artists’ stories from the project’s first year.
HerrSuite
You’ll find Emily Herr’s work in tasting rooms, on garage doors (jealous), and elsewhere throughout the city. She’s a VCU School of the Arts alum who has been in the mural-painting biz for years. But if you’re not looking to commission a whole wall of work (although, you can, and we’d fully support the idea), Emily sells Tiny Paintings that would surely add a pop of color — and then some — to your space, as well.
MADE
Genia Rosenblum handmakes modern and playful ceramics for your blooms, beverages, and more. Her pieces feature bright patterns, fun textures, and even “itty-bitty handles.” If you’re not already a certified plant person or coffee drinker, her collection will have you becoming one (or both), simply to justify the insatiable need to shop all her pieces.
Molly Reeder
Molly Reeder’s stunning botanical and food illustrations are so realistically beautiful, we almost wouldn’t know whether to put them in water, on a plate, or in a frame. The talented painter and stylist creates large-scale, intricate watercolor pieces, highlighting the “unique shape and beauty” of her muses. Molly is as artful as she is philanthropic; she co-organizes Richmond Bakers Against Racism, and her artwork often serves to support LBGTQ+, BIPOC, and other minority-run orgs. And if you’re looking to learn a thing or two from the expert herself, she also teaches workshops — keep up with her on Instagram to catch the deets.
Ryan Myers Prints
Graphic designer Ryan Myers started his print shop in 2019 and has already crafted “nearly 100 posters and prints representing different places, events, and denizens of Richmond, VA.” He prints his own work, and you can find it in his online shop or out and about in favorite local spots, including Ashby, Rest in Pieces, and more.
RVA Coffee Stain
Doug Orleski is the talented illustrator behind RVA Coffee Stain, crafting delightfully whimsical art out of his home studio in Central Virginia. It’s truly hard to pick a favorite work of his, but we’re way big fans of the A Christmas Story-inspired VMFA print. He’s also created quite a collection of pieces that nod to other Richmond landmarks, characteristics, and icons — the Lucky Strike stack, quintessential front-porch details, and Richmond Flying Squirrels mascot Nutzy (to name just a few). Follow him on Instagram for more like that, and check out his Etsy shop when you (undoubtedly) find something you want to frame.
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