When I create a new collection, it is a process.  It's one thing to create one piece of art and poof put it up for sale.  It's another to try and create a mood, a setting or in better terms to imagine a space and build towards it.  Having designed many, if not hundreds, of kids room since starting my studio, I can't help but envision the reveal.  What will the client not just see but feel?

So, I've been working on designing more ingredients to add to a space.  While there may seem to be some matchy, matchy going on when you first glance, realize the most people will pick a couple items from a collection and then build from there. Maybe they like a particular fabric for pillows that may go with one piece of art. 

So the goal that I've set for myself is to give customers some options.  Give them choices that they can incorporate into their existing space or create a whole new one.  A piece from Aaron, a homemade craft, a piece from Home Goods, an antique thingy and that one gift from the mother-in-law (you have to display it...ha!).  Put them together to create the vibe or feel that's desired for the space.

So, in this latest collection, I first decided on a general idea.  I wanted something in my vintage vibe but refreshed with a little modernism or lean towards trend.  The elements of the current trend-o-sphere I plucked for this collection are use of a limited color palette, boho vibe watercolor washes, stains, paints, heavier textures, handwritten type lettering, rustic finishes and to no surprise beads and tassels.  They are concepts that could work within a modern farmhouse, that mid century minimal pad or a rustic converted warehouse condo.

While I'm excited for all the pieces, there is a concept I was stoked to bring to life.  I wanted a piece of wall decor shaped like a baseball home plate.  Well, that's not original you say.  And of course you are right, it is not.  But I wanted a piece that eluded to baseball without being so literal, emblazoned with red baseball stitches and painted white.  I'd be one of a million with that old concept.  I wanted something a little more wall decor less baseball.  So has it, last year I bought the studio the equipment to do some fabric printing.  Not screen printing, but actual infusion of ink into fabric.  It's called sublimation.  I can print out art and imagery and using heat I can transfer it by chemically fusing it with the fabric's fibers.  Sounds cool?  It is!  The image doesn't sit on the fabric it literally becomes the fabric.  It won't fade, it won't peel, it won't wash out.  Even if you tore the fabric apart you would end up with fibers and thread with the image intact.
By fusing the inspirational phrase - It's always good to be home to the "inspired by trend" heavy texture, open weave linen look fabric, I have the perfect print to staple over my stretcher bar home plate shape.  It took a little trial and error to figure out how to wrap and staple the fabric around that shape.   To update it, I added some ever popular washed wooden beads, tassel and a burlap twine hanger.  I hope you like it.  While some little league outfielder may look at it and shrug, a mom, dad or interior designer who wants an updated look on the tried and true baseball room hopefully will enjoy it.

The studio introduced pennants a few years back to complement the wall art I create and they have been welcomed with open arms by our customers.  So for this collection I gave a wink to the golden oldie days with a swoosh, a ribbon a non-text thingy ma-bob that acts as a tail off the end of a word.  Such a classic Coke thing.  Added to that is a handwritten style font that we use to personalize them.

Fabric is a huge part of room design.  It often sets the tone for everything else.  One builds a nursery or bedroom around the bedding, it's rarely the other way.  So, to take the lead on the collection, I created 29 prints and variations for this collection.  It explores the baseball theme with classic shapes and patterns but updates them with a limited color palette, modern use of "white space" and yet still has a vintage appeal.  While I'm still on the hunt for someone to produce my bedding and home dec ideas directly for my site customers, I maintain a Spoonflower.com shop to vend my patterns and sell some of their finished goods with my designs.  I'm a stickler for quality and the accuracy of the reproduction of my imagery.  Spoonflower does a great job with the printing and offers a wide variety of fabrics.  They offer finished goods like pillows, tablecloths, duvets and such with my designs on them.  It's a win, win for now until I have my own produced.  I can see so many combinations of the pieces that would make wonderful crib or boys room bedding.

Pushing myself out of the usual size ratio I work within on my paintings, I decided to go with a tall and skinny version of a baseball player.  His popped collar, wooden bat and probably not very comfortable heavyweight fabric uniform are definitely vintage, but I made it more modern by keeping it painterly, in a limited color range and as minimalist as portraiture can be.  I guess it's still portraiture sans face or is it torsotraiture ?  Ha!

What would my baseball collections be without a new scoreboard?  I realized the other day that it's been almost 18 years since Pottery Barn Kids launched a line with my very first scoreboard.  As far as I was told, it was the first painted depiction of a scoreboard anyone had offered in the retail catalog industry.  Now, years later with Pinterest, Etsy, DIY'ers and knock off bloggers, they're a little more common <eye roll>.  I spot the occasional too close for common sense copycat who forgets to change the scores.  What are the odds that our games had the very same scores...<double eye roll>. Ha!  Well, flattery being what it's not, all's good.  I'll just keep painting more until I don't.  In this version, I wanted the charms of what a scoreboard might look like back in the early mid 1900's.  I envisioned it painted on some old fence in a dirt field where rag tag leagues played on the big nights and broom handle and homemade ball wielding children filled in the gaps.

As I write this and think about baseball nostalgia, I would love a trip to yesteryear with a little box of Cracker Jack to indulge in.  It used to be sold in little cardboard boxes that you immediately tore open to find a prize.  Prize first, eat second.  That sweet popped corn and caramel smell fills my mind.  I wonder if I should ever include tasty treats or confections in a collection?  Heck, a Cracker Jack scented candle would suffice, I'm hungry...ha!

In closing, I'd love to think that the market will continue to steer me.  That I'll continue exploring new things, trying new techniques all for the sake of expressing my creativity.  Please know that I couldn't do it without the fans of my work.  Without you it would be a failed business venture obviously, but it's the comments, the sharing, the photos you provide that keep me inspired.  Feel free to offer suggestions, critiques, comments and ideas.  Please continue to share, post, Pin and tag with wild abandon, it truly does help my and other small businesses.  Thanks for reading. - Aaron

I'm happy to reveal my latest collection entitled "Cosmos".  It's available now in my shop.

Are you hosting a birthday party, decorating your astronauts room or looking for some fun space themed activities?  Be sure to follow me and visit my Space Themed Pinterest Board.

I'm excited to share new additions to my vintage sports wall art line.  These three new scoreboards round out my selection to include more color schemes and types of sports.

The images are available as archival paper prints and stretched canvases.  If you have a favorite sport that's not represented in my collection send me a message.  I'm always happy to receive feedback and inspiration!

Okay Lax lovers, here we go...  I proudly present my lacrosse wall art series collage.  Available as a one piece, nine image design or you can pick and choose any of the nine as individual prints in canvas and on archival paper.

According to Thomas Vennum Jr., author of American Indian Lacrosse: Little Brother of War "Apart from its recreational function, lacrosse traditionally played a more serious role in Indian culture. Its origins are rooted in legend, and the game continues to be used for curative purposes and surrounded with ceremony. Game equipment and players are still ritually prepared by conjurers, and team selection and victory are often considered supernaturally controlled. In the past, lacrosse also served to vent aggression, and territorial disputes between tribes were sometimes settled with a game, although not always amicably." 

With it's rich history and evolution into one of the fastest growing sports here in the States, it's time to be wall proud and art up!  I hope you enjoy them, I'd love to hear your feedback.

Need some inspiration for your lax loving walls?  Here are three style mood boards to give you ideas and inspire.  Feel free to pin, post and print!

By popular demand, I've added a new series to my Speedway Racing Collection of wall art.  The new pieces explore the thrill of speed with images of a race car, mx motorcycle, mechanic type ephemera, vintage signage and more.  The works are available as individual images or combined into a nine image collage with either a cream or black grid border. 

Visit my shop's Transportation category to see this piece and many more race inspired pieces perfect for boy's rooms, teen spaces and of course the man cave. 

You know him, the beer drinking, pool playing country boy.  Here I've created him the man cave that will make him the envy of his band of bad desperadoes.  My Outlaw from Tombstone art was inspired by those campy old 40's - 50's pulp western movie posters.  And look, the curled up mustache is making a comeback.  

I've been know to crank up the Cash while I'm painting.  His rugged voice and story telling lyrics are the epitome of a bad boy.  While prison cells, gun fights and thievery inspired his music, it's nice to know that his love, June Carter changed him for the better.  Yes, bad boys can be changed.  Good luck with that!  The whole dark black rockabilly honky tonk vibe is evident in my Diamond brand Silver Tipped Boots art.  I could so see it as a mural on the side of some ghost town mercantile or on the back of a leather jacket.  Am I right?  

There's that guy, that one that could smooth talk his way into your life, heart and maybe  your sheets (Bad Girls need love too).  Well this guy is the perpetual bachelor, his 50 shades of desert gray inspired him to go industrial with a bit of slick, potion peddling art.  My Snake Oil piece was inspired by a combination of modern day tattooed carnies and the twisted mustache barkers of days gone by.  I like that it has an edge to it.  There's something bad about wanting to believe in snake oil.  This slick guy has fantastic grooming habits and loves a bit of luxurious living.  What else is he going to spend your four easy payments of 99.95 on?  Act now!

This guy doesn't have your Mom worried because she dated his clone back in high school.  This guy has your Dad all freaked out.  That tattoo wearing, motorcycle driving would-be rockstar is up to no good.   He swept you off your feet and wants to show you his ultra cool urban loft.  Did he mention it's actually in the basement of a brewery?  My Vixen Strings and Straps painting speaks to that character.  It's part tattoo, music poster with a bit of Betty Page.  I hope you can get a cell phone signal in his under dwelling man cave.  You'll need your best friend to talk you out of being the Bad Girl.

I'm an equal opportunity rebel finder.  I thought I'd toss in the Bad Girl.  I know her, you went to high school with her and every man from 16-60 watches her walk by.  Of course they're looking at her tattoos...maybe.  She's a bit more colorful than the brooding Joan Jett rocker.  She knows what she likes when she sees him... I mean it, ya, it!  I'd love to see her tattooed #&@#?^!}+%  that bears the likeness of my Rebel Records piece.

Whew, now go wash your hands, it's been dirty on the blog today!   If these inspire you to do some Bad Boy redecorating don't blame it on me.  You knew when you met me that I'm a bad influence!  Ha!