In Jerry’s later years, starting in the late 80s, he returned to his younger days hobby of painting and visual art. He even created digital art at a time when the process was very new.

According to Jerry’s manager, Vincent DiBiase, Jerry used a program on his Mac called Fractal Design Painter to create his art. Fractal Design Painter is still around today under the name Corel Painter, but Jerry used the earliest versions to create digital art.

By 1992, he had begun selling his artwork. It was around that time that Jerry’s manager, Vince DiBiase also got involved and brought a more business-focused element to the process, after Jerry had approached him and asked him to take it over. Apparently, Jerry was curious to see if he could make it as a painter in his own right.

Nora Sage, a friend of Jerry during this weak point in his life, was responsible for taking care of him and soon became somewhat of a sales representative for his art.

Eventually, Nora reached someone at Stonehenge ties who wanted to manufacture ties based on Jerry’s art.

When the ties were released, they looked so much different from Jerry’s original artwork that he said he didn’t even recognize the work. They were created with small fractal clip art-type geometric designs, with many different styles. They even made Jerry Garcia bowties.

Jerry Garcia ties were reportedly the best-selling ties in America at one time, with congressmen, senators, and even President Clinton supposedly owning one.