Andrew Megow has been drawing for as long as he can remember. Highly influenced by the works of Bill Watterson and Charles M. Schultz, he developed a love for the art of cartooning at a very early age. In 2008 Megow attended the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee to pursue a career in Film where his 2012 cel-painted animation “The Sea of Space.” earned him an internship at Nickelodeon Animation Studios in 2014. In 2016 he teamed up with writer Kristin Catalano to animate her upcoming Breast Cancer documentary Malignant Practice (release date TBD). After completing animation work for Malignant Practice in 2021, Megow has been exploring more mediums for his hand-drawn cartooning style, including, Instagram-based webcomics and art gallery installations.
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Mediums: Digital frames, photography, animation, hand-drawn illustrations
Favorite Artist Tool: My hands
Go-to Local inspiration: Saint Kate is a great spot to experience art and also enjoy a craft cocktail
Mentor Compliment: Nathaniel is an open book and has helped my artistic process every step of the way. Whether introducing me to veteran influencers or explaining new and exciting art practices, Nathaniel has given me the tools to thrive as an artist in the 21st century.
Fun Fact: I enjoy playing musical instruments, and hope to incorporate more sounds and melodies in my work.
Serious Fact: I wish to play a more intricate role in the Milwaukee art scene and our community.
Artist Statement
Movement is taken for granted, action is relative, but above all movement is progress. I create my artwork using hand-drawn illustrations, with a specialty in motion. A significant portion of my artwork wants to be playful and cynical while touching on the absurd, but an overall common ground is an infatuation with flow. The essence of natural movement in a hand-drawn series of images lies in the suggestion that it took moving energy to create the work.
My obsession with body gestures is demonstrated through tongue-in-cheek animations. It is my hope that I can create a movement in each character or object that closely resembles actual movement in real life. These animations, though cleaned and polished, hide a complex mountain of underdrawings that sketch out the aesthetic created when a series of drawings connect. It’s these studies and obsessions about detail that are lost to most that create ease as the characters move across the page. I let my creativity flow, and do my best to refine it and let it stand alone as a work of operational art.