Jamie Sunyak is a local artist and the owner of Labrottie Creations. She loves designing custom art pieces that capture the personality of an animal. Each piece is customized with love, warmth and detailed craftsmanship. She is inspired by the love of her Chocolate Lab Scout and Rottweiler Harley, the love of summer, waves and the beach.L
Who or what inspires you and your creative process?
Generally speaking, I am inspired by a love of animals. 9 times out of 10 there is an animal in my art. I would say that love has also expanded to places in general. The beach, for instance, is a place that I love and it shows up thematically in my work. But the consistent theme in my art is driven from my pets, my Chocolate Lab, Scout, and my Rottweiler, Harley Kwinn, are the sparks that sent me down the route to bright eyed, bright colored, ‘pop pet’ art.
Tell us about your favorite product from your collection.
I love working with wood and reclaimed materials. My favorite pieces are the North Carolina Dog Whiskey Barrels and the sign paintings I do on smaller slabs or squares of wood with two dogs at sunset. All of my wood products are special because I love being able to take wood that’s already been used and turn it into something new. I love hand picking and touching the materials.
“All of my wood products are special because I love being able to take wood that’s already been used and turn it into something new.”
Tell us something exciting that you have planned for Labrotties in the next year.
Labrottie Creations is incredibly busy in the festival and arts and crafts market scene and we have expanded our market to include several retail locations and arts councils. I hope to continue that expansion and include more re-use products and some cool new designs.
What kind of creative patterns, routines or rituals do you have?
I have a full time job so my patterns and routines and rituals can vary greatly. Painting on wood is something I work in with every chance I get because it’s a very relaxing and focusing and settling process for me. Each piece is very different than the ones that came before. The same is true with my digital art. I would say I work really hard to center any custom project or work around the eyes. Once I get an animal’s eyes right, it’s like the heart of the project comes to life around them. I do tend to work with a little music or a quiet space but I like working art into any nook or cranny of my life that I can.
Name one resource that your label could not live without.
To name one is hard. First are my pets. They are my inspiration for my art and my company. Second are my customers. I love working to make people happy. My art inspires smiles and laughter. Also, the artist and markers community is another thing I could not live without. I am constantly in awe of the creativity around me and have learned so much from my friends and colleagues. I would also say our vendors. I try and stick local and although a few of our products come from far away from very small speciality shops, the majority of what we sell comes from vendors in our state and in our own back yard. That was something that made it all special from the very beginning, to use things that came from right around our area. Whether it was mugs from a vendor near Boylan Heights or T-shirts from a little shop in downtown Chapel Hill or being able to walk into a local re-use supply center and select ten feet of recycle walnut, it’s being able to walk in and touch these things that drives us and keeps us “us”.
