Back in late December I was greeted by a super sized order from my Etsy shop for a large variety of prints. All monkeys. I noticed that the buyer was Ben Chestnut, one of the co-founders of the Atlanta based company Mailchimp. Additionally I was proud to learn that he planned to pass them out as Christmas presents to his company’s employees. Monkey like!
A few weeks passed and then I was contacted by Mailchimp’s video impresario extraordinaire Joshua Rosenbaum with details of a project they thought would be just right for me. And how! The job was for a 12 foot by 40 foot long mural banner. This artwork was to be used for Mailchimp’s presence along the front of a building across from the convention center in downtown Austin for the annual South by Southwest conference. It would serve as a very large announcement to the world of some of their “Automagic” services. Their art direction was simple and straightforward: Invent a whimsical environment with a Rube Goldberg sprinkling of silly devices, add in some monkeys, Steampunk flavor to taste and… a unicorn. The resulting sketch composition was greeted with happy chimp screams. Working with Joshua and receiving input from their meetings to work out the details for the finished image was a true pleasure. The 500MB+ digital file was delivered to a large format vinyl wrap printing company and the site installation went up yesterday.
The art is also the centerpiece of the new “Automagical” landing page, replete with clanky, bubbling soundtrack. (shiny!) In addition, Mailchimp worked out a sponsorship with Austin’s Intercontinental Hotel so that for the duration of the event the hotel key cards will be a special edition ChetArt card.
And the mural was designated as an official Gowalla point of interest:
Absolutely stunning. Didn’t know about the hotel cards, too. Wow! As I’ve said before, “You’re big time!”
Way cool Chet! I love it. Nothing like seeing your work BIG and everyone getting to enjoy it too. You rock.
Well done! That is so cool. I need to go to Austin and photograph that wall! GREAT Job!
And by the by – Etsy Dallas is proud to have you on our team this year! Monkey magic, indeed.
That’s awesome, Chet! Congrats. I used to live on San Jacinto. It’s great to see my old ‘hood improved with your mural.
Whoo! Chet, you rock. Discovered you through Steampunk Tales cover art. Masterful.
CHET! YEAH BUDDY!!! LOOK AT THAT WALL!!!!!
Super !!! Merci beaucoup 🙂
Amazing! Magical, and so imaginative. I love the steampunk element! What great technolgy allows this 500mb image to transform into one that fills the side of a building!
Great story!!! Inspiring!!!
what an incredible story! walking past that mural would definitely put a smile on my face 🙂
That is incredible! I bought a couple of your art cards last year and they were wonderful and hilarious and I am SO glad you got to do this amazing project.
Unbeleivable. What an amazing sotry!!!!
And what a talent, simply breathtaking!!!