Fred Harper - USA
I grew up in Erie, PA. Art was never considered a real occupation there.
Apparently being more stubborn than I realized, I went on to receive a scholarship from Columbus College of Art and Design, graduating with a BFA in painting.
During college, I worked as an amusement park caricature artist traumatizing mid westerners for five dollars a drawing.
I am probably still cursed to this day by the ones that had braces.
During my last year at CCAD, Modeworks, a NYC mural company, was doing a job in Columbus, OH.
I was so good at fetching coffee for the boss.
When I arrived unannounced on their doorstep in New York City, they immediately gave me a job.
This is when I really learned to paint.
I worked alongside artists from China, Russia, Poland, France, and New York. I was the Ohio representative.
I did my best to avoid the conventional cubical and retail jobs by taking anything on that involved drawing or painting.
I picked up freelance work illustrating comic books for Marvel and DC.
I was involved with the Joe Bonham Project along with other great illustrators like the late Jeff Fisher, Victor Juhasz, Michael D. Fay, and others.