Hello! My name is Cole Lemke, and I’m from a small village called Seascape, located in Aptos, California. I spent most of my younger years with a pen and paper, creating doodles heavily influenced by skate art, cartoons, comics, classic video game characters, and graffiti. In 2009, I graduated from the Art Institute of Portland with a BFA, studying 3D modeling, texturing, rigging, and animation. However, after a short time in the video game industry, I eventually returned to my roots and self-taught methods that revolve around my love for ink and drawing. For many years I was a self-employed Santa Cruz graphic designer and freelance artist. In 2015, I started a company called Chump Magic, following my dream of crafting my goofy, silly ideas and turning my personal creations into various goodies.
In 2023, I released an independent graphic novel, "SAVIOR: The Day The Devil Saved The World," avaiable now on Amazon (click here for more information).
Client List:
Hot Topic
Squaw Valley USA (home of the 1960 Winter Olympics)
Cisco Systems, Inc.
Saleforce
Creature Skateboards
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
California Roots Music and Art Festival
MERGE4
San Diego Zoo
Shirt.Woot! (an Amazon owned company)
Grammy Winning Artists Stephen Marley and Michael Rose (also known as Mykal Rose)
Many Grammy Nominated Artists (Steel Pulse, Dragon Force, KISS, et cetera...)
Many Other Musicians (Slightly Stoopid, Atmosphere, The Expendables, The Faction, et cetera...)
And many more
Exhibits:
Bottleneck Gallery- Brooklyn, NY. October 2012 (Can't Beat Em, Join Em Group Show)
Somos Gallery- Salinas Ca. (Character Assasination Group Show)
Macross Worlds Convention- Torrance, CA. October 2013 (Group Show)
Wootbear Gallery/ Cardboard Spaceship - San Fransisco, CA. November 2014 (Derailed 2: Electric Boogaloo Group Show)
Clutter Magazine Gallery - Beacon, NY. March 2024 (Mass Hysteria Group Show)
Stay in touch and follow me on social media: @ChumpMagic
If you are seeking a graphic designer in Santa Cruz county or needed an illustrator who is also able to tackle tasks remotely, then please feel free to reach out to me via email. My availability for commission work is limited, so please include as much detail as possible about your project or event.