Odd Hare Goodsis a small design studio focusing on odd, whimsical digital artwork inspired by magic in the natural world. The studio is the brain-child of Big Timber based artist Ryan Hawk, who enjoys working with bold colors, graphic styles and fantastical wildlife - real or not.
A BRIEF BIO ABOUT WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU DO.
Hi! My name is Ryan, and I am a Montana-born illustrator and graphic designer. My artistic style is deeply rooted in my connection to local wildlife, gardening and the outdoors, often blended with influences from my love of fantasy and video game culture. Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to collaborate with small businesses to help develop brand identities, design for film festivals, and curate public murals.
Recently, I have shifted my focus to my personal work under the name Odd Hare Goods, with the goal of creating eccentric and accessible artwork for lovers of color and whimsy.
DESCRIBE YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS... HOW DO YOU WORK AND MAKE THE GREAT THINGS YOU MAKE?
I started my career working with traditional media but transitioned to digital artwork as soon as the technology evolved enough to be efficient. Digital tools became essential for meeting the quick turnarounds required in graphic design, and they have remained my primary practice ever since.
There is a common misconception that digital art is easy and is automated to do everything for you. It's nothing like that. Learning the tools and getting the feel for pen on screen rather than pen on paper is rather tedious and hard to get use to, but a lot of traditional education and practice made the transition more enjoyable.
So how do I work? My medium is a 2020 iPad Pro, Apple Pencil, and an arsenal of online drawing apps and curated brush presets I have collected over the years. I sit down and sketch like I would traditionally, block out shapes, use bold color combinations and gradients to create the feeling I want in the image. A lot of compliments of my work revolve around my use of unique color combinations and compositions. You can thank my years of graphic design work for that.
HOW DID YOU GET STARTED?
Although I have been drawing for many years, I began focusing seriously on my craft in college, eventually choosing Media Arts as my primary degree. My passion and dedication to the craft of design grew quickly, and I was fortunate to have professors who recognized my talent and invited me to collaborate on projects outside of the classroom.
Building on that experience and confidence, I slowly transitioned into independent work, helping small businesses develop their marketing strategies and brand identities. I eventually landed some part time work in the wonderful community at the Roxy Theater in Missoula. There, I worked as a graphic designer for IWFF for many years and eventually designed for the theater itself.
In 2021, my husband and I moved out to a ranch in Big Timber, MT to "get away from it all" (including my clients) and it gave me the space to dream of running my own studio one day. It took a couple of years after moving to focus on it, but here we are!
WHERE DO YOU DRAW YOUR INSPIRATION FROM?
Mostly my love for the outdoors and wildlife conservation. However, my passion for fantasy and imagination creates a different reality for me. You see a mountain? I see a large animal or fantastical creature perched on top of it, watching over you and the land as you hike your way down the trail. "Oh, look! A deer in the meadow" Nope. That's a forest guardian watching over the meadow and the wildlife in it. My imagination runs wild with stories that are beyond reality. I have a fascination with story driven games and media such as Final Fantasy, Shadow of the Colossus, Legend of Zelda, Hollow Knight, Hayao Miyazaki films and DnD campaigns with friends has a real influence on how I see the world.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF AS AN ARTIST AND BUSINESS PERSON?
I have reached a point where I feel truly proud of fully embracing my identity as an artist and moving past the need to conform to the trends I see. My artwork is a little different, and I've grown to embrace that.
DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS OR SUGGESTIONS FOR YOUR FELLOW ARTISANS AND MAKERS?
I would say be true to yourself and your ideas! I once tried to fit my work into a specific frame of what I thought I should create to be successful and please others. However, I’ve found that staying true to my own vision is much more fulfilling and brings me and many others joy. That's what got me here today. Working hard and trusting in your own vision, even if it seems to go against the flow of what you see around you.
