When engaged couple Alisa Picerno and Alan Giana first met, they soon realized that they shared a common foundation of business savvy, faith, and creativity. Now, the pair has melded their similar drive and determination for success to become partners in a new venture, an art licensing agency called Alliances By Alisa Art Licensing. The agency already boasts an impressive roster of award-winning, international artists and fine art photographers. It markets their artwork to prominent print, puzzle, publishing, greeting card and textile companies.
“The idea for us to combine our professional experiences and launch the company came as the coronavirus pandemic immediately impacted my other business,” explained Picerno. “Like most owners of small companies, I needed to pivot in order to stay afloat.”
Picerno is referring to her successful public relations firm, Alliances By Alisa Media Relations, that she founded in 2000. The media marketing agency has represented businesses of all sizes and across all industries. Her clients have been featured in major media outlets such as the New York Times, NBC Nightly News, TODAY, Buzzfeed, Extra, The Doctors, Oprah Magazine, People Magazine and CNN. When lockdowns started in March 2020, contracts were cancelled as companies cut budgets.
“When Alan introduced himself, he wanted me to know immediately that he was not a stereotypical starving artist,” shared Alisa about their meeting in 2018 after a weekday Mass. “He said ‘I’m an artist but I’m not weird and I’m not poor’. I quickly learned how accurate that statement was!”
Giana began licensing his artwork to manufacturers around the world in the late 1990’s and have appeared on puzzles, calendars, checks, Christmas cards, gift bags, gift boxes, tins, mugs, canvas prints, placemats, note cards, list pads, coasters, magnets, clocks, music boxes, cross-stitch kits, and much more. These products are sold in stores both large and small, from mass-market retailers to independent gift shops and on the QVC television network. As a result, Giana’s in-demand landscape prints have led him to becoming a best-selling artist.
In fact, due to the current COVID pandemic, Giana’s popular imagery has reached new heights within the jigsaw puzzle industry as more families are staying home and constructing puzzles as a primary form of entertainment.
The couple realized this was the ideal time to combine business forces. “I always knew that Alisa would make the perfect art licensing agent with her years of marketing experience and her warm, outgoing personality. She is the perfect conduit between representing artistic talent and presenting their work to numerous industry manufacturers for their product lines.”
Giana’s extensive connections in the art licensing arena have proven invaluable in both attracting new artists, as well as getting the attention of a variety of product companies. Currently, Alliances By Alisa Art Licensing proudly represents the work of the below innovative artists, textile and pattern designers and photographers in the U.S. and around the world, including, Austria, India, Italy, Poland and Canada:
- Alan Giana – scenic landscape prints
- Catherine M. Elliot – contemporary impressionism prints
- Joseph Elliot – luminous landscape photographs
- Brandon Dowling – artistic humanity and nature photographs
- Karen Burke – whimsical art of nature and human prints
- Fineapple Pair – hand-painted clip art prints
- Jesse David Harris – object and architectural photographs
- Steven Bove – fantasy cartoon prints
- Sue C. Brown – textile design prints
- Patrizia Donaera – children’s book illustration prints
- Christine Reichow – watercolor fine art prints
- Jody Wheeler – children’s book watercolor prints
- Lacy Tatum – hand-painted clip art prints
- Sandra Hutter – design illustration prints
- Marcin Poludniak – lively children’s illustrations
- Stacey Lokey – Stained glass inspired designs and patterns
- Monica Kapur – textile pattern prints
Thus far, the agency has secured licensing agreements with such notable manufacturers as Manual Woodworkers and Weavers, Ravensburger Puzzles, Evergreen Enterprises, Masterpieces Puzzles and Willowcreek Press with artwork being feature on greeting cards, calendars, fabric, puzzles, pillows, wall canvases, flags, and many other product lines.
“We are excited about this new venture and hope to become the go-to art licensing agency in the industry for artists as well as manufacturers,” concluded Picerno.
ABOUT ALLIANCES BY ALISA ART LICENSING
Alliances By Alisa Art Licensing is an energetic, international art licensing agency that represents some of the most innovative artists, surface designers and fine art photographers within the licensing industry today. Client creations have appeared on a variety of product lines for prominent print, puzzle, publishing, greeting card and textile companies. Visit www.alliancesbyalisaartlicensing.com for more information.
PHOTO: Engaged couple Alan Giana and Alisa Picerno are partners in love and livelihood with the launch of their new art licensing agency Alliances By Alisa Art Licensing, an international art licensing agency that represents some of the most innovative artists, surface designers and fine art photographers.
