I am Gray Dow, and I hail from the small town of Marion, Wisconsin. Currently, I reside in Milwaukee, where I pursued my passion for illustration at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. During my time there, I focused on honing my skills and had the privilege of exhibiting my work in the ‘Don’t Call Me Junior’ exhibition at the Brooks Stevens Gallery.

In addition to my studies, I volunteered at the Milwaukee Public Library, where I created a variety of bookmarks to share with fellow book lovers. This experience allowed me to connect with my community while spreading the joy of reading.

As an artist, I specialize in character and creature design for concept art, and I also enjoy creating illustrations for book covers. While I primarily work digitally, I incorporate traditional mediums like tempera cakes and acrylic paints into my projects. I also work with textiles to help better myself better understand how clothes wrap around the body. I’ve worked with both leather and fabric textiles for my craft and find it quite enjoyable! My digital work often features intricate linework, as I find detailing to be one of the most rewarding aspects of my craft.

Much of my art is rooted in fantasy, particularly featuring dragons. Since childhood, “How to Train Your Dragon” has held a special place in my heart, inspiring me to create countless dragon illustrations throughout my career.