Longmont resident M.J. Star has been making art since she was a teenager, but she had longed to be involved in the arts since even earlier in her life.
"I remember throwing a temper tantrum because I wasn't allowed to take art classes when I was 5 or 6 years old," she said.
Star, whose real name is Jasmine Mann, started painting on a regular basis shortly after she relocated to the Rocky Mountains from Seattle in 2019.
She initially began work in the coding industry after moving to Colorado, but Star eventually found her way back into the arts. Her love for food inspired her to begin creating artwork that illustrates signature items from some of her favorite breweries and restaurants in and around Longmont.
This week, three of Star's best pieces will be shown for the first time outside of Longmont. They'll be on display in New York's Times Square as part of the East Village Art Collection’s art exhibition “Exploring the World,” which features the work of artists from around the world on digital billboards in Times Square.
"I was kind of in shock because I had almost forgotten that I had applied for this opportunity," Star said of receiving the news that her work was selected. "I had to double check to make sure that this was really happening."
One of the portraits that will be on display is titled "Longmont Halloween." It depicts some famous Halloween characters standing at a bar enjoying drinks from some of Longmont's breweries.
Another is titled “Left Hand Peanut Butter Milk Stout," which features a woman with orange hair hoisting a glass filled with stout in an image reminiscent of the iconic woman holding a torch from the Columbia Pictures logo. In Star's illustration, however, the woman is surrounded by peanut butter cups, coffee hops and wheat.
Although Star considers herself a 'foodie,' she said her artwork will feature beverages only for now.
"Food tends to not be as recognizable," said Star. "It's more of a business decision to focus on the drinks because they're more standardized and people feel they have a connection to the region."
Star said her artwork will be shown twice daily in Times Square during a two-hour block through Friday, April 27.
Her pieces can also be viewed and purchased online.
