Today we’d like to introduce you to Dewey Saunders.
Dewey, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I got started designing album artwork for local Philadelphia bands, rappers and singers. I liked working in the music space and was actively working on gaining more clients. In 2012, I started an illustration series that was a big self-promotion campaign in a way. I called the series Pro Rap and did drawings of all the rappers I was listening to at the time and it was a great tool for exposure. Mac Miller and Drake both reposted my illustrations on Instagram and my following slowly built up from there. In 2013 or 2014, Anderson Paak reached out for one of these illustrations through a twitter DM, and we started working together since then. We did the campaign for Venice than in 2016, I was re-hired onto the team to design the Malibu artwork and roll out. After focusing on these album covers the projects that were coming in were on a much larger scale and I ended up handling a holiday campaign for Ray-Ban sunglasses in 2017 which pushed my work into a more international space. I moved to Los Angeles January 2018 to continue to design within the music industry and kept things rolling. I linked up with Future’s team and handled all the visuals for the 2019 release “The Wizrd.” Although my focus has been album art for a long time my work has grown into new spaces such as multi-media installations at The House of Vans Chicago, solo exhibitions at Urban Outfitters’ Space 1026 and illustrated murals for Vans’ Sidestripe Series.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Freelance design is hardly a smooth road, but I really feel fortunate to have connected with the clients I have worked with. There have been struggles with having slow periods of work or too much work at one time but these are all things that come with Freelance that you should be prepared for. You have to hustle a little bit harder at times and know when to relax during a slow period. I think of the struggle as a good thing, it builds character and makes you work even harder than ever before.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am an independent contractor, freelance designer specializing in fine art, collage, computer-based graphic design, illustration and creative direction. The biggest point of pride for my studio practice is the variety of media I am exploring and the long list of happy clients. I feel like every victory of mine is also a sign of reassurance to all of my clients letting them know they picked the right designer. What sets me apart is a different approach to image making, unique perspectives and concepts, and a handmade quality that is balanced with my sense of perfectionism. Tropical, psychedelic, surreal and magical are all good ways to describe how my work is set apart.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite memory is when I was four years old in Florida and my dad set me up on a longboard, pushed me onto a wave and rode it all the way to the beach. That is still so clear in my head because the ride was so thrilling.
Contact Info:
- Website: deweysaunders.com
- Email: dewey.saunders@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/deweysaunders
- Twitter: twitter.com/deweysaunders
Image Credit:
Photo of Dewey Saunders by Casie Wendel.
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