Memento Vivre Fine Arts Website Development
Andres Sepulveda Morales
Verified
Memento Vivre Fine Arts - Project Case Study
Project Overview
Client: Chris, Memento Vivre Fine Arts
Location: Fort Collins, CO
Project Type: Local Artist Website Development
Timeline: 2 weeks from Project Payment
Technologies: Astro, Cloudinary, Bolt.new, axe DevTools
Live website available at https://mementovivre.art
Image Alt Text: Chris' Logo for Memento Vivre Fine Arts is a stylized moon with stars surrounding them in warm tan / reddish colors. A brown greyhound jumps across the moon in the logo.
Challenge
Chris, a local Fort Collins artist specializing in custom handcrafted pieces like dice trays, engagement ring boxes, and bespoke commissions, needed a professional website to showcase her work and connect with customers. Working with a creative professional presented unique opportunities and considerations:
1. Optimizing Visual Portfolio Performance
As a craftsperson creating intricate custom pieces, Chris needed to display numerous high-resolution images that properly showcase the detail and quality of her work. Each piece required multiple angles and close-up shots to communicate the craftsmanship to potential customers—but this visual richness couldn't come at the cost of site performance.
2. Improving Digital Accessibility
An inclusive web experience was important to ensure that all potential customers could easily browse Chris's portfolio and understand her commission process, regardless of their abilities or how they navigate the web.
The Homepage for Chris' new website
Image Alt Text: The homepage of MementoVivre.art, showing the title, logo, and some example images of Chris' work in dice trays, engagement keepsakes, and prints in various mediums.
Solution
Rapid Development with Bolt.new
Technology: Bolt.new AI-powered development platform
Used Bolt.new to quickly prototype and iterate on the website design
Enabled rapid development cycles with immediate visual feedback
Streamlined the collaboration process with the client through fast iterations
Image Optimization & Management
Technology: Cloudinary Integration
Implemented Cloudinary for automatic image optimization and delivery
Ensured fast loading times for high-resolution product photography
Enabled responsive image delivery across different devices
Simplified the workflow for Chris to upload and manage new artwork images
Modern Framework Implementation
Technology: Astro
Built the site using Astro for optimal performance and SEO
Leveraged Astro's built-in accessibility features during development
Created a fast, modern website that showcases Chris's craftsmanship effectively
Image Alt Text: The gallery page of MementoVivre.Art, where images of Chris' work are shown in a 3 image wide grid. Some of the images include a painted basket using pomegranate imagery, a pet commission of an italian greyhound, a mural of a blue moth go-go girl, and a handsewn jacket depicting three horse heads on the back.
Accessibility Testing & Implementation
Technology: axe DevTools + WCAG 2.2 AA Guidelines
Conducted thorough accessibility testing using axe DevTools
Tested keyboard navigation throughout the site
Ensured screen reader compatibility for all content
Implemented accessibility improvements to make the commissioning process more inclusive
Results
Supporting Local Business
Created a professional online presence for a Fort Collins artist
Enabled Chris to showcase her custom dice trays, engagement ring boxes, and commissions
Provided clear pathways for customers to understand her process and start commissions
Built a scalable platform that grows with her business
Performance & User Experience
Fast-loading site despite numerous high-quality product images
Smooth browsing experience across all devices
Clear navigation that guides visitors through her portfolio and commission process
Accessibility Achievements
Improved website accessibility through comprehensive testing
Enhanced keyboard navigation support throughout the site
Implemented screen reader-friendly content and image descriptions
Created a more inclusive experience for diverse users
Image Alt Text: The Contact page of MementoVivre.Art. It is relatively simple, with some email contact information, links to social media, and a link to a form where users can commission Christina for various work.
Technical Implementation
The solution combined modern development tools with a focus on supporting local business:
Bolt.new: Enabled rapid prototyping and iteration during the design process
Astro Framework: Provided excellent performance and built-in accessibility features
Cloudinary: Handled image optimization automatically for Chris's product photography
axe DevTools: Ensured comprehensive accessibility testing and validation
Key Takeaways
This project demonstrates how modern web development tools can effectively support local artisans while maintaining high standards for performance and accessibility. The collaboration between technical expertise and artistic vision resulted in a website that serves both Chris's business needs and her customers' diverse requirements.
For potential clients: Working with a local artist highlighted the importance of understanding the unique needs of creative professionals and developing solutions that are both technically robust and easy to maintain.
For fellow creatives and developers: The combination of rapid prototyping tools (Bolt.new), performance optimization (Cloudinary), modern frameworks (Astro), and accessibility testing (axe DevTools) created an efficient workflow that can be adapted for various creative projects.
Technical note: Although I do my due diligence in adhering to WCAG 2.2 AA standards, Accessibility is an ongoing commitment rather than a destination—regular testing and iteration help ensure continued inclusivity.
This case study represents successful collaboration between modern web development and local artistry, creating a digital platform that honors both the craft and the diverse community it serves.
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What the client had to say
Andres is a great developer with a keen sense for website design; he was able to take my requests for what I wanted my project to be and translate them into a great site. he was even able to recommend me things I hadn't even thought of!
Christina Pruneski, Memento Vivre Fine Arts
Jul 19, 2025, Client
Posted Jul 19, 2025
Developed a website for Memento Vivre Fine Arts to showcase custom handcrafted pieces with Astro and Bolt.new
Likes
1
Views
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Timeline
Jul 9, 2025 - Jul 19, 2025
Clients
Memento Vivre Fine Arts
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