Hi my name is Jeremy Holzapfel. I am a thirty-seven year old artist living in Sandpoint, Idaho. I went to school for fine art and architecture at the University of Idaho. Initially I went to college with dreams of becoming an architect like my grandfather, but I fell in love with fine art sculpting, graphic design, and illustration instead. After leaving college in 1997 I began a double life, rocking it as a Starbucks barista by day and graphic artist for hire by night. Over the last 18 years I have worked in sculpting, painting, graphic & web design, magazine publishing, logo & identity development, as well as illustration and custom toy design.
In 2008 I was diagnosed with Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL). Cancer created major life changes during the battle for my life that lasted over 3 years. Finally after a stem cell transplant followed by a bone marrow transplant from my sister Heather, I was able to overcome the cancer that had plagued me for so long. I have now been cancer free for 5 years and am going strong in my recovery from treatments.
It was an extremely challenging and rewarding fight. I grew every day during my treatments and my priorities became very clear. My wife and my boys are my priority. I also stopped working as an artist for hire and began to create art for myself, for my family and for my friends. During this time I became inspired by such artists as Huck Gee, Ron English, Joe Ledbetter, and Sam Flores. The combination of custom art toys, pop art, and graffiti inspired me to create my bright illustrations, creatures and characters.
In my current series that I am showing i an overview of the different styles I am currently working in. The wood panels are a new medium for me. I have been using them for a year now and love them, though I am a paint & canvas lover at heart.
If you like what you see and have a place in mind for one of my creations let me know on my contact page.
My hope is to put a smile on your face and bring out a bit of the kid in you for the rest of the day. Thank you.
Jeremy Holzapfel