CONTACT WILL HERE

willhatchcrosby@gmail.com

WHAT WILL DOES

Will Hatch Crosby is an artist, illustrator, and muralist based in his hometown of Austin, Texas. Will creates artwork for gallery shows, as well as large mural and public art projects. Will is also available for commercial, branding and editorial illustration work. A philosopher at heart, Will often creates allegorical work using imaginary creatures to symbolically represent and explore larger concepts. Though painting and drawing are his primary media, Will’s practice is also expanding into woodworking and sculpture. Will loves working in a wide range of scales and materials, and is available for personal commissions when his schedule permits. Follow more of Will’s past, present, and future projects on Instagram: @willhatchcrosby

WHAT WILL IS ABOUT

Will was raised on classic Godzilla films, the Legend of Zelda, Bob Dylan, and Michael Jordan. Thus he feels most at home in a world of mythic beasts, heroic quests, progressive ideals, and slam dunks. These realms inspire and inform Will’s creative practice. The importance of nature and friendship are also core values that run throughout his work. Will believes that art can be a powerful tool for creating and strengthening the interpersonal relationships between individuals and communities that form meaning in our lives. He strives to use this power for good by creating work that inspires others to use their own imagination and talents to build a better future for all creatures everywhere.

Photo by Marshall Tidrick

WHY WILL WHY?

Will has always been drawn to imaginary creatures and beasts. So as part of his artistic practice, he has developed a theory about why so many humans are inspired by mythic beasts and why they add value to our culture -

CREATURE THEORY:

Creatures are a physical symbol of our inherent ability to imagine something new and bring it into existence. Our minds can take in information and ideas and make something new out of them, also known as “inventions”. Creatures are an example of this phenomena in the art world, but this process occurs in all realms of work and society. I believe that imaginary creatures excite and inspire us because they remind us, often subconsciously, that we have the power to create new ideas and use them to change the world around us. Our imagination is a powerful muscle that needs to be stretched in order to see the potential for a better future. So populating our world with inventive creatures will help build a society who is better equipped to imagine new, more equitable ways of relating to each other.

HOW WILL GOT HERE

After spending his early years exploring the creeks and alleys of Austin with a myriad of misfit humans and animals, Will moved to New York City and began his quest to find meaning in the universe (and go to college). A few years later, armed with a BA in visual art + philosophy and a BFA in illustration, Will began an epic side-quest working in the art department for film and television. He collected tons of valuable experiences and friends while working in film. But he missed making his own art, and he missed Austin. So after 10 years of living in NYC, Will and his ride-or-die crew (+1 human, +1 cat) moved across the country and started anew back where it all began.

ARTIST CV

EXHIBITIONS

  • AFTER HOURS POSTER SHOW - Juried AIGA Group Show @ Vesper, Austin TX, 2019.

  • IGNITE HOUSE SHOWCASE - Group show @ Lustre Pearl East, Austin TX, 2019.

  • THEN, NOW, AND FOREVER - Group show @ Scanlan Gallery, Austin TX, 2019.

  • SPRATX IGNITE SUMMER SHOWCASE - Group show @ Lustre Pearl East, Austin TX, 2019.

  • EAST - Group show @ Rosewood Co-Op, Austin TX, 2018.

  • MONSTERS IN AMERICA - Group show @ One Mile Gallery, Kingston NY, 2016.

  • ST. STEPHEN’S ALUMNI ART EXHIBITION - Group show @ Scanlan Gallery, Austin TX, 2016.

  • HRÖNIR: Un-Lost Things - Group show @ Temporary Storage Gallery/BFP Creative, Brooklyn NY, 2014.

  • DIME BAG 4 - Group show @ The End is Near Gallery, Brooklyn NY, 2014.

  • BRAIN MELT - Group show @ A Gathering of Tribes Gallery, New York NY, 2012.

  • THE 100 $HOW - Group show @ Wieden + Kennedy Gallery, Portland OR, 2012.

  • Society Of Illustrators Student Scholarship Competition Show - Juried group show, New York NY, 2012.

  • LIFE AFTER LANGUAGE: Parsons Illustration Senior Show - Juried group show, New York NY, 2011.

  • Society Of Illustrators Student Scholarship Competition Show - Juried group show, New York NY, 2011.

HONORS

  • Keynote Speaker, Scholastic Art Awards Ceremony for Middle and High School Students from Central Texas, 2020.

  • Scholastic Art Awards Juror, Middle and High School Art Competition, 2020.

  • Awarded BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN for the feature film Jackrabbit @ Other Worlds Austin Film Festival, 2015.

  • "Wandering Giant", Selected for American Illustration 31, 2012.

  • "Sea Beast", Selected for the 3x3 Illustration Student Annual No. 9, 2012.

  • "Wandering Giant", Selected for the Society of Illustrators Student Scholarship Competition, 2012.

  • "Leader" and "Happy Man", Selected for American Illustration 30, 2011.

  • "Overlord", Selected for the Society of Illustrators Student Scholarship Competition, 2011.


EDUCATION

  • BFA in Illustration from Parsons School of Design, 2011.

  • BA in Visual Art and Philosophy from Eugene Lang College, 2011.