Joana Fraga and the Beer Labels of Odious Cellars

It’s not unheard of for us to interview artists with just a handful of labels to their credit. What’s exciting about interviewing Joana Fraga, whose third label has yet to be released, is that she’s just getting started with making label art for Chicago’s very own Odious Cellars. As head brewer and founder Reeve Joseph puts it, “She’s proven to be an integral part of the team and will clearly be a pillar of our success.”

Thirsty Bastards: My favorite label you’ve done is “Rubied Perspective”? Can you tell me the story behind its conception?

Joana Fraga: I’m glad you like it! When Odious Cellars told me about the beer flavours, I was immediately inspired by the pair Oak Aged Ruby Sour and Oak Aged Golden Sour! So my first proposal was to work with both Ruby stones and Gold as the primary concepts for Rubied Perspective and Symbol of Avarice.

While searching for inspiration, I came across photos of stonecutters! Do you know how they look through the stone to check for any imperfections? One of these photos had a diamond perfectly aligned with the stonecutter’s pupils, and it was an amazing way to highlight the stone on the picture while making it a proper composition. So I imagined this woman looking through huge rubies, and Rubied Perspective was born!