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Draw for Us

Can you draw a turtle, pirate or beer-drinking mythological monster? Wanna stick it to everyone who said your art was a waste of time? We’re looking for this year’s Surly Featured Artist. We’re continuing our annual tradition of picking one artist to create label art for our 2018 projects. The art will be featured on bottles, posters, shirts, and probably your parents’ annual holiday card.

We’re looking for unique work that integrates your own creative style with the Surly brand, like the art created by our previous artists: Brandon HoltErica Williams, Josh “Jawsh” Lemke, Brent Schoonover, Michael Berglund, Aesthetic Apparatus, DWITT, Nic Skrade, Adam Martin, Adam Turman, and Adam Sward.

To be clear, this isn’t a pat-on-the-back and free beer sort-of-a-job. This is a full-fledged paid gig. So, with that, we’re expecting the chosen artist to work through concepts and designs with the crew at Surly and deliver on a specific timeline. The art can be in any format – we’ll take care of the production details.

We asked 2017 Featured Artist Adam Sward for his take on the experience:

“Surly asked if I’d be willing to write a bit about my experience working for them as the featured artist of 2017. It’s a lovely gesture, which is in line with their behavior towards me over the last year. At the drop a hat I could genuinely rant and rave about the artistic freedom I was given; the unparalleled support and encouragement; the awesome conversations about dinosaurs. The immediate sense of welcome would certainly deserve a mention in such a statement, and I would be remiss were I not to mention the continued attention it has brought to my work.

But honestly, I find it unlikely for such accolades to really influence a potential applicants interest. They Pay You Money To Draw Rad Shit. And then they give you free beer. Really good beer. It’s all win. Get on it.”  

Final Note: We have a winner. His name is Michael Iver Jacobsen. He rules.

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