Commercial artist Dennis Anderson is making a unique mark in Michiana.

Never stuffy, commercial artist Dennis Anderson takes his graphics on a wild ride. He fills his freelance illustrations with fantasy, animals, tattoos, beer can imagery, comic book styling, and good old rock and roll.

“When I sit down to make something for myself,” the Edwardsburg artist says, “that’s where I go—to my love for nature and dragons.”

From reading comics and J.R.R. Tolkien to collecting Star Wars action figures in his youth, he says, “I’ve always lived in a fantasy world.” That led him to create, in 2020, a Star Wars fan art patrol trooper print designed to stun the eyes with detail and color.

Anderson believes “art should rightly include video games, comic books, and cartoons—as well as fine art. I’m a commercial artist, [so] in my opinion,” he says, “that’s art.”

Now at age 51, Anderson can look back with perspective on his wide-ranging career that incorporates work for such local clients as: Mishawaka’s Corndance Tavern and Evil Czech Brewery and Public House, and South Bend’s Potawatomi Zoo.

He is proud to say his designs—including a quirky, battle-axe-bearing chipmunk wearing medieval armor—illustrate popular India pale ales Evil Czech-munk from Evil Czech Brewery.

To get that freelance gig, Anderson entered the brewery’s contest held about ten years ago and offered up a pencil sketch. Evil Czech Brewery Owner George Pesek “contacted me within a couple of days” and asked for a fully completed beer label, Anderson says.

“I work using a computer tablet and digitally paint over my pencil sketch.” He says, “that was the ‘wow’ factor” for Pesek.

“Even though I’ve never had a beer with Dennis,” Pesek says, “he gets me. I can talk to him over the phone and describe my vision, and three days later there is a sketch in front of me that embodies absolutely everything I had described. Art is feeling, understanding, connection, and energy. Dennis possesses all of these on top of his unimaginable creativity and bottomless wit.”

Continuing to work for the brewery today, Anderson often creates up to five sketches from which Pesek chooses one to feature. Presently, he is working on a beer can design of a Czech castle for an upcoming offering at the brewery.

He has created colorful images for several Cake In A Can drinks offered at Pesek’s restaurants. Anderson employs comic book styling for his image of a skeleton rowing a Venetian gondola on the Birramisu can, a dove-and-crow theme for a drink called Heaven & Hell, and for the Tres Leches can, a skull, with whimsical butterflies and flowers.

Look for his Day of the Dead skeleton riding a bicycle with wheels of sparkling water cans for the branding of a beverage called La Catrina.

Anderson, who graduated in 1990 from Northridge High School in Middlebury, was a junior and senior there when he traveled on weekends to Elkhart Area Career Center. His art teacher Janet Johnson encouraged him artistically.

“She totally fed into my interests,” he says, teaching him commercial art, design, and basic drawing—along with offering lots of inspiration and art supplies from the center.

Anderson’s parents were originally skeptical about an artistic career for their son, but he says they liked the direction and promise that commercial art could offer.

Johnson suggested that Anderson, while he was still in high school, compete in regional and national art competitions sponsored by the student organization Vocational Industrial Clubs of America (now called SkillsUSA). He drew a mock-up for a technical magazine cover—a design that incorporated an easel and a computer. It was a winner.

In 1992, he received a scholarship to The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale and earned an associate degree in commercial art and design. “I wanted to go somewhere where it wasn’t going to snow,” he says and chuckles.

Anderson’s personal passion for all things rock and roll—especially concert posters—is another artistic avenue he has walked. “I’ve loved rock, metal music, and bands throughout my life—and I’ve met many musicians,” including Marilyn Manson, who became a friend when Anderson lived in Florida. “Doing posters is part of being closer as a fan,” he says.

One day back in Michiana, Anderson’s artist friend Justin Hampton gave him sage advice: He told Anderson to prepare a band poster sketch, go to a local show, and see whether the show promoter likes it. This method led Anderson to meet promoter Peter Kernan, who was handing out posters at a South Bend concert. He was immediately impressed with Anderson’s skills. Kernan put Anderson in touch with other bands for shows at The Morris Performing Arts Center in South Bend, The Lerner Theatre in Elkhart, and The Intersection in Grand Rapids, among others.

Anderson’s 2015 Black Stone Cherry poster shows a guitarist with a cherry head and a wicked, toothy grin. His 2013 poster for an Alice Cooper concert at The Morris portrays a snake-holding Cooper tipping his spider-crawling hat. “These posters have my comic book, animated style” that Anderson says he enjoys creating.

Dennis Anderson

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From paintings of cows and birds to drawings of racoons, elephants, and squirrels, Anderson believes he excels at observing and creating animals in art—and portraying their personalities.

Last year, he finished a painting of a Potawatomi Zoo rhinoceros. Titled Masamba, the work features the animal’s textured skin on a vibrant orange background. “I feel like I captured his details and character with a somber look.” He used pencils for realism and added colorful acrylics.

“As I’m working [on art] and it’s coming to life, there’s no better feeling,” he says. Anderson hopes the zoo will purchase the Masamba painting to sell at its fundraising events.

In 2010, Anderson wanted to teach himself how to draw realistic artwork. He practiced sketching human anatomy and enhanced his ability to draw hands, feet, and muscles. “I have a hard time [drawing] humans, but I can draw your pet!” he says in earnest. “I like to get into the details with pen-and-ink and graphite drawing.”

Anderson says he is frustrated occasionally during an art project. He deals with these challenges by “walking away, clearing my mind, and coming back with a fresher point of view.” He says that after the paint dries, it becomes clearer to him what he needs to do, “and I feel better” about the results.

From 1995 to 1998, Anderson worked with Elkhart publisher Allen Stewart, of the Hall of Heroes Superhero Museum, to create comics. Later Anderson self-published his own fantasy comic books.

Since 2000, Anderson has been working in the digital printing industry in Mishawaka designing, die cutting, and helping to create large banners and other advertising for national clients.

Anderson has been for the last 15 years an artist liaison for South Bend’s outdoor Art Beat festival. He exhibits there each summer and participates on a committee that judges artwork.

South Bend CircaArts Gallery Owner Kathy Reddy White, one of the founders of Art Beat, has displayed Anderson’s work, and she has witnessed his creative growth over 20 years. She says Anderson “has always done artwork with a nod to comic books and graphic novels. I’ve seen him become more sophisticated,” she says, “by combining his work experience and fine art. It works well, and he’s good at it all.”

Anderson assists artists with a Facebook page he created and curates called “Unleashed: The Artists of Michiana.” More than 2,000 artists—as well as art and museum directors and civic leaders from South Bend, Elkhart, and Goshen—have joined the Facebook group to share ideas and to learn about and prepare for upcoming art shows.

Now, Anderson is assembling artists to display their work at the Edwardsburg Fall Festival and Arts Fair, September 21 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. An organizer of artists for the fair, he hopes to develop a community art project for attendees there, too.

As a member of the Edwardsburg High School Marching Band Boosters, he drums up support. He created a show shirt design and band props. Anderson and his wife, Amy, have two teenage daughters, and one of them, a freshman, is in the band’s color guard.

Recalling his friendships with many Michiana artists—from tattooists to graphic designers—Anderson says, “I feel a lot of artists are shy and don’t have a voice. I’ve felt that way in my life,” he adds.

“When I was starting out, I didn’t really feel I would fit in. But once I started getting involved in [art] shows, I heard, ‘You’re amazing.’ I squirreled my way into this community and have made friends,” he says. “It’s very fulfilling and enriching to help the community and to get the world to know” Michiana artists exist.

See more at of Anderson’s art at parabolastar.com.

Dennis Anderson Featured Artist Spring 2024

Commercial artist Dennis Anderson is making a unique mark in Michiana.