Meet Claude

As a child, ever since he could remember, Claude began by being heavily involved in his parents’ printing and graphic design business Infinity Graphics. They brought home specialty paper scraps and pre-digitized type books among other things for him to play and experiment with, and his grandparents further fostered this love of art and the processes behind it. He also enjoyed watching Bob Ross on TV, which made him decide that he, too, wanted to be an artist that everyone could look up to.

As he grew, he tried many different art-related careers, including architecture, painting and handicrafts. In high school he rediscovered the fine art of graphic design, continuing in his mother’s footsteps, and he continued comic artistry and digital illustration, including raster and vector.

He then completed an associate’s degree in graphic communications. Once awarded, he began work on his customer service career but never stopped working on art and design. He tabled with his husband, Christopher, at a few anime and art and craft conventions and continues this hobby today with the brand “InkySweets Art Shoppe” under ClauDesigns. He also writes and draws a web comic called Haunts of Loarne.

Sometime into his career, he began to sketch or design something every single day to sharpen his skills, and he still continues to this day. You can follow his progress on various social media outlets. Currently, he is working toward a bachelor’s degree in marketing at Davenport University!

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Artist Statement

I seek to understand complex ideals in our lifetimes. My characters often have bits and pieces of myself in them, as we explore this gigantic story we call life. I am a storyteller, a creative, a maker. I have a natural zest for love and ideas.

My work shows this by often centering around a character or characters. The style, including its sturdy black outlines, is influenced by Japanese anime, a natural vehicle for stories about life and complex ideas. My palettes are bright and colorful, just like my outlook on life. When working on a comic, the work often becomes gray scale, as a manga might be.

To close, when people see my work, I’d like them to think about their own life, love and dreams.

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