Over the last three years I’ve been working as a freelance illustrator. I’ve done jobs from social media branding, album artwork, personalized portraits and large scale hand drawn murals in New Orleans. Boy do I love my work..I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Like so many freelance artists I know out there, the highs and lows of the freelance world is something don’t think creatives ever get used to. Some days I’m eating rice and eggs, snacking on a baguette with hummus (favorite meal) to save a penny here and there. Other days I get to travel the world and drink, eat at nice restaurants and treat myself without having to stress about costs. It’s a wonderful life of creative and financial fire and rain.
As an artist, I always have day dreams of finding ways to break through to bigger stages using my style to collaborate with companies and brands. Through my years of playing music, I’ve seen the process and trajectory needed to “make it” by working with labels, promoters and shamelessly promoting myself through all of the social media channels. But when it came to the illustration world, I still felt unsure as to find opportunities while also learning how to take time to be the artist and the businessman. But I always made sure to continue to create. Then come days, when you least expect it, where opportunities arise and open new creative chapters…
One day in November of 2021, I was contacted by a friend who works in a creative agency in Paris. He’d seen the illustration work I’d done for my band, Slim and the Beast and thought my style might be a match for BIC lighters. Things moved fast, I sent in my mock ups, got accepted for the job, and then fast forward two years and the lighters I worked on have officially released all over France. It feels so good and I am proud. I think this whole process has been a mediation on learning to continue to create for myself and letting the creative energy take as long as it needs to boomerang back to me, through a job or not. If you’re in France this summer, go pop into your local tabac and see if you can find one of the fantasy cartoon lighters.
No. Way. That’s incredible and so well deserved. I’m going to buy a ton of these when I’m there next week! Congratulations!!!
That's amazing- congrats! Cool lighters, can you only get them in France?