Artist Alexandra Grant Celebrates 50 Years of Creativity and Community

From paintings to wine labels to publishing, Grant's vibrant work and collaborations reflect a life of art, love, and unexpected joys.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 9:28am

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An extreme close-up photograph of the shimmering, glittering surface of a wine bottle, capturing the luxurious, high-contrast glamour of Grant's LOVE Wine label designs.The vibrant, celebratory textures of Alexandra Grant's LOVE Wine label designs reflect the artist's effervescent creative journey.Ferguson Today

Artist Alexandra Grant is embracing a new chapter as her mantras and creative projects evolve from rallying cries to fully integrated parts of her life. From her bold, colorful paintings to her LOVE Wine label designs and the boutique publishing house she co-founded with Keanu Reeves, Grant's work celebrates art, community, and the power of personal growth. As she navigates success and the big questions that come with realizing her dreams, Grant reflects on her passion for sparkling wines, literature, and the rejuvenating power of trying new hobbies like ice skating.

Why it matters

Grant's journey challenges us to rethink how creativity and fulfillment can transform over time. Her willingness to evolve her artistic mantras and explore new mediums like wine and publishing offers inspiration for how to embrace change and find fresh sources of joy and purpose, even after achieving major milestones.

The details

After the 2014 police killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri sparked the Black Lives Matter movement, Grant began incorporating the phrase "I was born to love, not to hate" into her paintings. But as her work has become "lively and bubbly," the words have become less of a chant and more fully integrated into who she is. This evolution is reflected in Grant's other creative ventures, like her LOVE Wine label series that features designs by women artists, and the boutique publishing house X Artists' Books that she co-founded with Keanu Reeves. Even as Grant's aspirations are realized, she grapples with how to properly celebrate and progress, whether it's winding down her role at the press or finding new passions like ice skating.

  • In 2008, Grant launched the grantLOVE initiative to fund art nonprofits.
  • In 2017, Grant and Keanu Reeves co-founded the publishing house X Artists' Books.
  • In 2026, Grant will feature a new artist's design on the LOVE Wine label.

The players

Alexandra Grant

An artist known for her bold, text-based paintings and collaborations in wine, publishing, and more. She co-founded the boutique publishing house X Artists' Books with Keanu Reeves.

Keanu Reeves

Grant's partner in both romance and business, co-founding the publishing house X Artists' Books with her.

Nicole Hitchcock

The chief winemaker at J Vineyards, which produces the LOVE Wine label in partnership with Grant.

Genevieve Gaignard

The first woman-identified artist to design a label for Grant's LOVE Wine series.

Franklin Bongjio

The actor who replaced Keanu Reeves in a performance of Waiting for Godot when Reeves fell ill.

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What they’re saying

“The artworks are lively and bubbly. You can barely make out the words now. It's no longer a chant you recite; it's fully integrated into who I am.”

— Alexandra Grant, Artist

“What occurs when the mantra actually succeeds?”

— Alexandra Grant, Artist

“Ask their chief winemaker, Nicole Hitchcock, about the grape origins, and she'll point to the nearby vineyard overlooking the ocean. The concept of terroir—essentially the unique environmental factors shaping a wine's character, like soil, climate, and geography—has somewhat faded in modern discussions, but it's making a comeback in American vintages.”

— Alexandra Grant, Artist

“When you've dwelled in a city long-term, I sometimes ponder, 'What might a visitor try?' My studio is near Chelsea Piers, and noticing their ice rink, I decided to pick up skating. It's truly demanding, requiring balance on both sides of your body—quite the challenge.”

— Alexandra Grant, Artist

“Art education often relies on auditory learning: 'This matters because we say so.' You memorize without developing trust in your own eyes, relying instead on authority. I categorize art enthusiasts as 'eye people' or 'ear people.' For me, the key theorists guide you to observe independently.”

— Alexandra Grant, Artist

What’s next

Grant plans to feature a new woman-identified artist's design on the LOVE Wine label in 2026, continuing to celebrate female creativity through the series.

The takeaway

Alexandra Grant's journey as an artist challenges us to embrace change and find new sources of joy and purpose, even after achieving major milestones. Her willingness to evolve her artistic mantras and explore diverse mediums like wine and publishing offers inspiration for how to stay creatively fulfilled over the long term.