An Enchanting, Cosmic Landscape

By Thomas P. Caldwell

Alison Joyce describes her partner, Charlie Kuizinas, as a happy-go-lucky, whimsical creature, much like his spirit animal and artistic inspiration, the moose. For Charlie, Cosmic Moose Art is his way of expressing the fun side of life.

Charlie Kuizinas works on one of his paintings.

“It’s so serious,” Charlie says of life, “but we need to laugh a little, smile.”

He describes his approach to art as “something that’s a perfect outlet for me, to provide kindness and happiness.”

His paintings, posters, and cards, most of which feature a moose wearing “cosmic glasses,” have caught on with visitors to the area as well as local businesses. He has framed pieces on display at Katie’s Kitchen in Wolfeboro as well as several other locations near his home base in the Newfound Area — a total of 30 locations in New Hampshire. He designed a new logo for the Newfound Country Store in Bridgewater, a place that features many of his works, including a painted 1967 Volkswagen bus.

Charlie and Alison go on the road with items ranging from wooden cutouts to beach towels, displaying at such events as the annual Hebron Fair, the NH Made Expo in Manchester, and an art show at Keene State College.

He also promotes community events such as the annual Run Your Buns Off race, which this year will be a virtual event.

“I created a giant, four-foot sticky bun for the race,” he said.

Charlie does a number of commissioned pieces, but said he tries to find time to do one more painting for the Cosmic Moose Art line each year. He and Alison, who handles the merchandising aspect of the business, also try to come up with new items all the time — most recently beach towels and stickers.

Charlie said he has been drawing and doodling most of his life, and eventually his creatures started evolving.

“The moose may be my spirit animal,” he said. “I put him in fun situations.”

Those may include fishing, barbecues, and time at the beach, with other animals playing parts in the scene. A barbecuing bear, swimming loon, or mischievous raccoon are likely to join in the outdoor fun.

“I love New England,” Charlie said, adding that, although he was born in Spencer, Massachusetts, and moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, he now considers New Hampshire his home.

“I missed New England — the topography, the hills, the beaches — so I bought a one-way ticket back 20 years ago,” he said.

Finding an Audience

Charlie originally created large prints, but said that, after meeting Alison eight years ago, “she was able to take the paintings and turn them into something we could make a business of.”

Alison has a marketing background and recognized that they needed to offer items at different prices, beginning by offering greeting cards with his images.

Once they started offering greeting cards, as well as matted and signed prints, they began building an audience that now includes residents as far away as Michigan, Colorado, and California. Cosmic Moose Art has found a place in campgrounds and motor homes, with the smaller items making great impulse buys, Charlie said.

Whether on greeting cards or on wooden cutouts, Cosmic Moose Art invites viewers to look closely at hidden things.

“When I was small, I’d get close to paintings, intrigued by how artists were able to get their effects,” Charlie recalls. “I love things to do with the universe and vibes, and want people to see invisible things.”

He said, “Cosmic Moose Art just came to me. It needs a raccoon with mischief, bears with a hungry stomach, and a moose with cosmic glasses to see the vibrations around you. It’s a land without time.”

Charlie said he hides a lot of things in his paintings which people can see if they look closely enough. While he signs the works KUZ — an abbreviation of his Lithuanian surname — he hides another KUZ somewhere within the image. He also will hide hearts, representing his brother, who died in 2010. “I feel him right here near me,” he said.

“My whole heart and soul go into these paintings,” he added. “There’s a lot to find if you look closely enough.”

Charlie said that, while he may have something in mind when painting a scene, everyone sees something different in his work. “It feels good to get someone to crack a smile — it’s a powerful tool.”

While he may not make a fortune selling his artwork, Charlie said, “I’m rich because I’m happy. It’s simply a magical thing. People are very responsive. Our first beach towels sold out in a single day.”

He also created an 18- by 24-in. acrylic map of the Newfound Area to feature area businesses. The project took more than six months, and, as Charlie explains on his website, “I wanted it to feel Magical. I wanted it to feel like you want to go and explore this area. It needed creatures. Lots of cool magical creatures like Gnomes and Bigfoot and Moose and Bears.”

Alison Joyce and Charlie Kuizinas show some of their new products, a beach towel and a wall plaque. (Tom Caldwell Photo)

Happiness Through Adversity

Charlie says he grew up facing adversity, but he emerged happy.

“This is him,” said Alison. “If he’s a character, he’s a moose — a happy-go-lucky, whimsical creature.”

“It’s magical that we’re here in this moment in this universe,” Charlie said. “We’re surrounded by talented people — artists with good vibes. I have a million ideas, a product of 47 years of life, and I try to pick them strategically. It’s happening the way it’s supposed to be happening.”

To see the entire catalogue, visit cosmicmooseart.com or search for Cosmic Moose Art at etsy.com.

A six-month project, a map of businesses in the Newfound Area features some of the creatures from enchanted New Hampshire. (Tom Caldwell Photo)