Camano artist mixes flask, paintings for successful cocktail

Camano artist mixes flask, paintings for successful cocktail

Art flasks prove popular as bachelorette gifts, birthday presents and wedding favors.

CAMANO ISLAND — If art feeds the human spirit, then this art feeds humans spirits.

Bright, colorful images adorn flasks — cats flitting between high heels, a poodle with a woman in a little black dress and a rabbit lounging on the lap of a nymph.

The flasks are the creation of Shannon Judge, a Camano Island artist who works under the name Shano. It’s also become the artist’s second bestseller behind her prints.

“I’m always seeing things and wondering how I can incorporate my images onto that,” Shano said. “It was just one of those things, I was just in the mall, I saw a flask and I thought this would be a great gift.”

She’s sold thousands of the flasks through boutiques and on her own website like etsy.com. She’s found they’re popular for bachelorette parties, birthdays or wedding favors.

“They’re great girlfriend gifts, women like to buy gifts …” Shano said. “Women like to buy stuff and buy stuff for our friends.”

She has more than 15 years worth of images she can draw upon. All of the images are feminine figures in a contemporary pop art style made with bright blues, reds and purples.

“I like curves and softness and sensuality,” Shano said. “Masculine power is something you feel rather than you visualize. My paintings are how I see things in colors and softness and the feminine.”

She’s not the only artist who uses art to decorate flasks. And she puts her art on other items such as purses, tote bags and mousepads. She’s also made art pieces for wine bottle labels for Dusty Cellars Winery on Camano Island.

She originally trained to be a fashion designer, but she didn’t pursue that as a career. She began painting in 2000.

“I was trying to find a gift for my grandma and I saw a painting,” Shano said. “I thought I should just get her a painting. And then the wheels started turning, and I thought, ‘Why don’t I try painting.’”

Her art is so popular that it’s also been stolen. She was walking through a department store a few years ago when she spotted a jewelry holder, a statuette of a woman striding while holding handbags. The statuette was the image that Shano had created years earlier. She figures the company from India found her image online and copied it. She looked into fighting the company over a copyright violation but ended up dropping it.

“As far as me going after them legally, it’s nearly impossible,” Shano said. “Can you imagine shopping just randomly and seeing your image like that?”

She started making the flasks about a decade ago. The prints are fashioned in a durable vinyl and she puts it on top of background that includes zebra stripes, tiger stripes and leopard prints.

“I sign them and date them so they are collector’s items,” Shano said. “They are their own pieces of affordable art.”

Visit Art by Shano

To learn more about artist Shannon Judge or to see more of her art or to purchase her work, visit www.artbyshano.com.

Talk to us

More in Herald Business Journal

A man walks by Pfizer headquarters, Friday, Feb. 5, 2021, in New York. Pfizer will spend about $43 billion to buy Seagen and broaden its reach into cancer treatments, the pharmaceutical giant said Monday, March 13, 2023. (AP Photo / Mark Lennihan, File)
Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer to acquire Bothell-based Seagen

Pfizer announced Monday it plans to acquire Seagen in an all-cash deal for $43 billion.

Lacie Marsh-Carroll stirs wax before pouring candles in her garage at her home on March 17, 2018 in Lake Stevens. (Kevin Clark / The Daily Herald)
Women business owners in Snohomish, Island counties make their mark

In honor of Women’s History Month, we spotlight three local business owners.

x
Edmonds International Women’s Day takes place Saturday

The Edmonds gathering celebrates women and diversity with this year’s theme, “EmbraceEquity.”

Owner and CEO Lacie Carroll holds a “Warr;or” candle at the Malicious Women Candle Co workspace in Snohomish, Washington on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023. The business is women run and owned. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Malicious Women Co: She turned Crock-Pot candles into a sassy venture

Lacie Marsh-Carroll is rekindling her Snohomish candle company with new designs and products.

Kelly Matthews, 36, left, Tonka, 6, center, and Nichole Matthews, 36, pose for a photo in their home in Lynnwood, Washington on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023.  The twin sisters work as freelance comic book artists and illustrators. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Drawing interest: Twin sisters never gave up on making their mark

Lynnwood sisters, Kelly and Nichole Matthews, got their big break a decade ago and now draw comics full time.

Willow Mietus, 50, poses for a photo at her home in Coupeville, Washington on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023. Mietus bought a former Frito-Lay truck to sell her dyed yarn out of. She calls it "The Wool Wagon." (Annie Barker / The Herald)
The Wool Wagon to hit the streets of Whidbey Island

A self-described “professional yarn temptress” from Coupeville is setting up shop in a modified truck.

IonQ will open a new quantum computing manufacturing and research center at 3755 Monte Villa Parkway in Bothell. (Photo courtesy of IonQ)
Quantum computing firm IonQ to open Bothell R&D center

IonQ says quantum computing systems are key to addressing climate change, energy and transportation.

Nathanael Engen, founder of Black Forest Mushrooms, sits in the lobby of Think Tank Cowork with his 9-year-old dog, Bruce Wayne, on Friday, Jan. 27, 2023, in downtown Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Growing green mushrooms in downtown Everett

The founder of Black Forest Mushrooms plans to grow gourmet mushrooms locally, reducing their carbon footprint.

Barb Lamoureux, 78, poses for a photo at her office at 1904 Wetmore Ave in Everett, Washington on Monday, Jan. 23, 2023. Lamoureux, who founded Lamoureux Real Estate in 2004, is retiring after 33 years. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Barb Lamoureux, ‘North Everett’s Real Estate Agent’ retires

A longtime supporter of Housing Hope, Lamoureux helped launch the Windermere Foundation Golf Tournament.

Bothell
AGC Biologics in Bothell to produce new diabetes treatment

The contract drug manufacturer paired with drug developer Provention Bio to bring the new therapy to market.

The Walmart Store on 11400 Highway 99 on March 21, 2023 in in Everett, Washington. The retail giant will close the store on April 21, 2023. (Janice Podsada / The Herald)
Walmart announces Everett store on Highway 99 will close on April 21

The Arkansas-based retail giant said the 20-year-old Walmart location was “underperforming financially.”

Everett Memorial Stadium and Funko Field on Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Drive to build new AquaSox ballpark gets $7.4M boost from state

The proposed Senate capital budget contains critical seed money for the city-led project likely to get matched by the House.