2024 has been an amazing year for me. For 24 years, I owned and operated an airbrush shop on South Street, which also sold graffiti supplies. I started it in 1999 and closed it in May of this year for various reasons: rising rent, taxes, fees, and a dwindling customer base. The area had become increasingly unsafe, and most of my orders had shifted online. It was a tough decision, but transitioning to freelance work felt like the right move.
The old physical shop at 617 south 4th street
Before closing the shop, my schedule was quite restrictive, working from noon until 9 p.m. every day, which made it difficult to attend conventions or work on alters. Physically, it was also exhausting. If you’re curious about my shop, I was featured on Netflix's Worn Stories (Episode 2), which delves into the grief and the work I did creating urban memorial shirts.
Closing the old shop up after 24 years
Closing the shop has given me the freedom to travel to conventions, complete overdue alters, and focus on personal projects. It marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in my life.
My shop, Mutt Airbrush and Art Supply, continues to operate online. If you're curious about my work and the services I still offer, you can visit muttairbrushandartsupply.com. This coming year, I'll also be working intermittently with Airbrush All Stars on 5th and Girard in Philadelphia, about one or two days a week. This allows me the flexibility to pick and choose projects that truly interest me.
What many might not know is that from 1997 to 1999, I served as the art director for Wizards of the Coast under the Doomtown card game—a fascinating chapter in itself.
However, I became a casualty of the first Hasbro Great Layoff in '99, leaving me destitute, blackballed, and divorced within two months. This difficult period led me to open my airbrush shop on South Street, which began as a small space but grew significantly over a few years. Eventually, I inhabited half the business space and then branched out to my own shop on 4th Street.
Since closing the shop, I’ve had the chance to travel to places like Italy, Denmark, Paris, and the Netherlands, participating in Magic cons and making appearances at events like Loxicon. I've also had the opportunity to produce more artwork and do card alters. Overall, it’s been a fulfilling and transformative year.
One of the highlights of this past year, aside from traveling and attending conventions across the United States, was the release of my artwork for Sorcery: Contested Realm with Erik's Curiosa. I had been sitting on this artwork since 2022, unable to share it due to non-disclosure agreements. Finally being able to showcase this work felt like a huge release. It marked the first professional project I had completed for a major company in decades—since my time with Wizards of the Coast. Back in 1993, Wizards was a small company, and taking a chance on them was a leap of faith.
(Since then, I’ve worked with various notable companies like Alderac Entertainment Group, Burning Sands, and many others, but Sorcery: Contested Realm was a chance to see if I could still meet deadlines and maintain a consistent style after so long.)
For the past 24 years, I was primarily an airbrush artist, with occasional oil painting, but the artwork was well received, and now I have new pieces to share with the world. This year, multiple art directors have expressed interest in my work, but due to NDAs, I couldn’t show them my recent projects. Nonetheless, it’s been a gratifying experience.
To wrap things up, I've put together a photo montage showcasing snippets from the various conventions I attended this year, the alters I've created, and the artwork I've produced. My time in Europe was particularly enjoyable, and if you ever get the chance, I highly recommend visiting Italy, France, the Netherlands, or Denmark. The rich culture and breathtaking landscapes are truly something to behold.
Looking ahead, I'll be attending more conventions in the coming year. So far, I have events like the Star City Games show in Portland, Oregon, and MagicCon in Chicago lined up. There's also a possibility of traveling to Japan, Singapore, New Zealand, and perhaps even returning to France.
To everyone who commissioned me two to three years ago, thank you for your patience. I’ve been incredibly busy, and I appreciate your understanding. With the help of AI, I can now write more coherently and frequently, so expect more updates soon.