22
January
2015
|
00:00 AM
Europe/Amsterdam

Jelly Belly Brings Endangered Species to Life in Jelly Bean Portraits

FAIRFIELD, CALIF., Jan. 22, 2015­­—What do presidents, masterpieces and Hollywood icons have in common with endangered species? They are all now subjects of Jelly Belly Art, the colorful mosaic-like portraits handmade entirely from thousands of colorful Jelly Belly® jelly beans.  Now, this beloved art form takes inspiration from endangered species as Jelly Belly creates a new series of portraits of some threatened animals from land, sea and air for the company’s private collection.

The new series combines the beauty of nature with stunning faces of these brilliant wild animals. Jelly Belly plans to tour the portraits around the United States for display at museums and through animal conservation programs.

The collection currently consists of portraits of the following graceful creatures:

  • Jelly Belly Art: Giant Panda by Kristen Cumings from the Endangered Species Series, part of the Jelly Belly Art CollectionHawksbill Sea Turtle
  • Great Green Macaws
  • Rockhopper Penguin
  • Canadian Swift Foxes
  • Bengal Tiger
  • Giant Panda
  • Orangutan

The Canadian Swift Foxes piece was created live at a popular night festival in Montreal, Canada while the Giant Panda was made live for National Jelly Bean Day 2014 at the Jelly Belly Visitor Center in California. The creation of the Giant Panda was also Livestreamed for fans all over the world.

Jelly Belly artist in residence, Kristen Cumings, will create portraits for the new series through mid-2014. When complete, there will be eight pieces in the series, made from approximately 100,000 Jelly Belly jelly beans.  Since the 1980s, Jelly Belly Candy Company has commissioned artists to create Jelly Belly Art. Each work can use upwards of 10,000-14,000 Jelly Belly beans. Individual beans are placed by hand and applied to the large canvas.

The concept of Jelly Belly Art was created in 1982 when San Francisco artist Peter Rocha created a portrait of President Ronald Reagan – a famous fan of Jelly Belly jelly beans. Other artists over the years have included Peter’s nephew Roger Rocha, British artist Malcom West and Jelly Belly employee Christopher Hoffer. Cumings, will use her mosaic approach to create the Endangered Species Series.

 

About Jelly Belly Candy Company:

Jelly Belly Candy Company makes the taste defining Jelly Belly jelly beans in more than 100 flavors and an ever changing array of new flavors and limited editions. The company that put the gourmet jelly bean on the map became known worldwide when Jelly Belly beans were taken to the White House during the Ronald Reagan administration. Today, Jelly Belly beans celebrate 38 years of fun and flavor, and are the leading jelly bean brand. For additional information, contact the Jelly Belly Hotline by calling (800) 522-3267. Connect with us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/JellyBelly) and Pinterest (www.pinterest.com/JellyBelly).

 

About Jelly Belly Art:

Jelly Belly Art was the brainchild of San Francisco artist Peter Rocha, the self-proclaimed king of Jelly Belly art, in 1982.  After President Reagan publicly expressed his fondness for Jelly Belly beans, artist Rocha tried some himself. He was immediately impressed with the range and brilliance of the colors of the beans. Other artists around the world have contributed pieces to the company’s collection.

The Jelly Belly Collection includes portraits of Elvis Presley, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Ronald Reagan, Amelia Earhart, Laurel & Hardy, James Dean, a Native American chief, Pope John Paul II, Martin Luther King Jr., the Statue of Liberty, the Marilyn  Monroe, Asian “good luck” Dragon and others.

In 2010 the Guinness World Record was set in Shanghai for the largest candy art. The 39-foot-long art piece is made of 629,000 Jelly Belly beans and was on display at the 2010 Shanghai Expo.

 

Tags: Jelly Belly News, Jelly Belly Art, Endangered Species Series, Hawksbill Turtle, Great Green Macaws, Rockhopper Penguin, Giant Pandas, Swift Foxes, Grizzly Bear