Today we’d like to introduce you to Arie Monroe.
Hi Arie, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My name is Arie Monroe, I am a local artist and traveling caricature artist. I Am born and raised in Kansas City and attened UMKC where I graduated with a degree in studio art and later Attended the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon Graphics where I studies comics and animation.
As child I always had a passion for cartoons and comics and I wanted to be a Disney animator.
When I reached highschool I had been told I needed to draw as much as possible so I got my first job working as a caricature artists at Worlds of Fun Amusement Park.
Little did I know, drawing caricatures would be a life long part of my career as a artist and a cartoonist.
I have has many great adventures as a artist. After leaving The joe Kubert school I started working in NYC in downtown Manhatten as a illustrator for Mada Design. There I work on lots of book sesign work for everything from Dreamworks to Crayola.
I got to design book covers for Wicked, worked on childrens book for Kungfu Panda and many other exciting projects that I still see those books on store shelves today. Unfortunately it was during a difficult economic time and Mada Design went out of business due to this.
During my time at JKS I also met many amazing people in NY. I had the opportunity to work with Dan Haskett, a Disney animator and eventually mentor under him at Warner Brothers animation where I worked in character clean up for Scooby Doo. I also worked at Universal studios as a caricature artist when my art skills continued to grow.
Aside from these things I work many years doing freelance work and was luck enough to be featured in several publications and books showcasing my personal work and assisting on comic projects as a inker and a colorist and sometime illustrating full stories. I also did a lot of projects for companies like Topps and Rittenhouse producing original trading card art for marvel Masterpieces and other series.
In 2014 I returned to Kansas City due to my mother falling very ill and me needing to be home to support my family. 2 years later she passed away from Luekimia.
Duing that time I started Drawlikecrazy Studios llc. I specialized predomanantly in caricature art where I would draw caricatures at events, and weddings and colleges and be fore I knew it I had become a traveling artist.
I began working all over the US doing caricatures and developed a great love for drawing for people and sharing my talent with them. I was able to create memories for people that they would take home and share with their families. It was a true blessing to make people smile with my work.
Also during this time I was featured at the Nelson Atkins Art Gallery as a part of Testimoney. It was a ground breaking artshow that showcased the work of African American Artists in Kansas City and was on display in 2020 and 2021. It was a great honor to be involved and to learn about the impact that my personal work as a cartoonist could have on people of all walks of life.
I continue to have a passion for animation and comics but I have learned that the versitility of being a artist can reach so far and wide and impact people so profoundly that it evoked emotions far beyond my understanding. Seeing people erupt in joy and even cry when they received one of my drawings is beyond what words can describe.
In 2024 I was offered a position at Silver Dollar City to draw caricatures. I have drawn there for about a year until my recent move to really procede as a fully independent creator. Much of my art career I have spent creating my work for other and under others but now I want the full freedom of creating on my own terms. So for this years adventure I am opening my business in a Mall area similar to Universal City walk in the Branson Downtown Historic district.
Branson is a touristy town where many people come to enjoy a wholesome experience with their familes. The town really thrives on Christian values and it is enjoyable to be there sharing my faith with people openly and learning how I can use my faith in my artwork to improve the lives of others.
The thing I have enjoyed the lost is the out pouring of love I have received from my customers and the amazing stories they share with me about their lives and their families. Many of them returning just to say help and share a hug. I never imagined my work could make so many people happy and that is the greatest joy.
Many people have doubted me, many have underestimated me but those that do not see the value are no longer that important. My work is for the people that truly need it. I love being a traveling artist and sharing my work with others. Im sure there are many adventures ahead of me. Im looking forward to all the amazing experiences to come.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road. But without challenges in life how can we truelly progress.
One of the biggest struggles has come from having what I call the 3 strikes.
1. being a woman
2. being black
3. being overweight
I dont fit anyones standards and I am often undervalued and overlooked. Even when running my own Business if I hire another artist, especially if he is a white male people will gravitate to him and ask if I am just there helping him take sales. They dont even realize I am a artist. I have found I have to really dress the role of an artist, with purple hair and wearing interesting colors so that folks dont assume I am just the girlfriend of the real artist that works there.
I have encountered may people being racist and sexist towards me throughout my entire career. Folks telling me I dont look like an artist, or I dont look like I can draw even as they stand in from of my artwork. Men feeling as if I didnt deserve to be rewarded for what I did out of jealousy or because they felt like they were simply better than me simply based on their gender. I have even had guys ask me for my phone number or be very disrespectful while I am trying to do my job. Not wanting a drawing cause they liked the art but because they hoped for some other opportunity.
People looking at me as if disgusted cause I was bigger, or making rude comments but then when they see my work they suddenly would have a different attitude.
I wont lie, I feel as if I have spent a big portion of my career trying to prove to people that I am worthy.
But one day I realized that none of that is necessary. I realized the people that truly respect me and the work I create will be the ones that treat me well and come around to say hello or even get a new drawing from me for that year.
Truly, the most important thing I can do in my life is walk my own path and create for those that need it.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
One thing I have vowed to do is that I will never be an Employee ever again. I dont want my creative life to have limits set by others. especially when those other people only care about the money they can recieve off of my hard work.
I am most proud of finally not being held down by others wanting to take advantage of my talent in the way so many artists have throughout history.
I use to want to be like other artists and even draw and paint like them but being an artist is about having your own voice not recreating the voice of someone else. I look at the work oof others as a way to learn but not to recreate whats already been done.
I look forward to leaving behind my own unique impression of the world that made lots of people smile.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
The crazy thing about being a fully independent artist is that everything about it is a risk, you have to have confidence that your work will be something that other people desire and when you hesitate or are fearful then it is very hard to move forward. without a full commitment to you craft you will always have to me a slave to a job you probably hate but that you only do cause it makes money.
I think I have a great position to do this cause when I make these sort of life decisions other people are not effected by them. I provide for myself in the way that i choose.
Pricing:
- B/W Head and SHoulders caricature from photo $50 person
- Color Head and Shoulders caricature from photo $100 per person
- Full Body caricatures from Photos $150 per person
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.Drawlikecrazy.net
- Instagram: drawlikecrazy_studios
- Facebook: Draw LIke Crazy
