About Me

Steve, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
The Salty Studios began out of desperation. I was broke AF and trying to find footing after an ill-advised move to Massachusetts. In between heated sessions of Marvel Vs Capcom 3 I came across a t-shirt design contest.

I had been illustrating throughout my whole life and the payout was a cushy $2000. So I gathered all the resources I had to create a unique design based on a slogan a drunk friend came up with.

Although I never won the contest and ultimately had to move back home to Texas, I was very motivated to continue my rekindled love for art. I’ve been drawing, plotting and growing ever since.

In 2018, I switched gears and started taking on clients for logos, shirt designs, posters, hot dog carts, bottle labels; if they could envision it I would create it. It was great fun and excellent experience.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
After falling on harsh times, I had to sell most of my design equipment and went back to pen and paper. This breakdown was a blessing in disguise as it allowed me to explore my mind artistically. I began to create work that didn’t care as much about public opinion and “likes.”

But having to take care of a family meant becoming an adult. Working for The Man is soul crushing, particularly when you know you have a dozen projects sitting at home. Anyone willing to chew out a retail employee because they can’t honor a coupon can go to Hell.

But a paycheck’s a paycheck and it helps myself and my family defy the “starving artist” trope.

As they say. damn The Man. Save the empire.