The Hustle
Years in Tampa Bay
7
Hustle (job)
Illustrator
What do you do?
I receive assignments from creative directors at magazines, book publishers, luxury department stores et al., develop a concept, and then boil the concept down to a simple, clever and charming solution that I execute via simple line drawings.
Why do you do it?
All of my life, I have stuttered. When verbal communication was difficult for me, I could always get my message across with a quick and concise drawing. In addition, I have always been inspired by the wit and whimsy of artists like Shel Silverstein, Edward Gorey, Saul Steinberg and Maurice Sendak.
What was your Catalyst? (How did you get started?)
When I was 7 years old, I submitted a drawing to Newsday, the local newspaper on Long Island, and it was published. From that point on, I was hooked on seeing my work in print. My first assignment after graduating Parsons School of Design was a full color, “above and below the fold” cover illustration for The Anchorage Daily News, and that set my career in motion to this day.
What’s a common misconception or unknown aspect of what you do?
It ain’t just cute bunnies and bears up in here. Even though my work looks simple, every illustration is the result of years of dedication to my craft, hours of research, trial and error with pen and paper, and finally successfully satisfying the client, as well as myself.
What’s the most challenging part of your Hustle?
The most challenging part of being an illustrator is remembering that when the work flow is slow, to not freak out, and have faith that work will come back around again. It always does.
What’s the most valuable piece of business advice/insight that’s helped you?
Know thyself.
What is next for illustration?
What I find exciting about being an illustrator right now is there are so many more avenues for illustration, much more than just the printed page and the internet. I see illustrators being commissioned to design for luxury clothing brands, packaging, advertising installations, live drawing events, interior design…I just saw a gigantic Norwegian cruise ship docked in New York City covered in illustration. I love it!
