Meet Aidan Detwiler | Artist & Illustrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Aidan Detwiler and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aidan, we’d love to hear what makes you happy.
Being an artist makes me happy.

Ever since I was a kid, my escape from reality has always been my imagination. Art became my way to explore my imagination, and make the unreal into something real. I have never grown tired of making art, nor do I imagine that I ever will. I am driven by a desire to create.

I find fulfillment in using my art to help others realize their imaginations as well. This started in my childhood, drawing things for friends and family. I was known for giving people drawings and paintings as gifts, and was often inspired by their creativity.

These days, I am still making art, realizing my own creative passions, and working as a freelancer to realize the creative visions of my clients. I work every day to grow as an artist. I am currently pursuing freelance work, which allows me to create connections with brilliant and creative individuals, and work with them to bring their visions to life.

Art provides me with an avenue to connect with other creatives, helps me to express myself, and makes me view the world through a more fantastic lens. This is why being an artist makes me happy.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As a child I was inspired by the artwork I found in fantasy and sci-fi media. As a young nerd, I was naturally drawn to Dungeons and Dragons and other tabletop games. The art I saw in these games blew me away, and the artists who created them became some of my greatest inspirations.

What started as a hobby has led to me where I am today. I am a recent graduate of Columbus College of Art and Design, and starting my career doing freelance contracts for fantasy themed games and books. I am still an avid player of tabletop and video games. Though I never imagined it when I first started drawing as a child, I am now in a position where I could one day become an artist akin to the great fantasy illustrators that I looked up to as a child.

As a professional, I create bold and moody fantasy illustrations for gaming and tabletop creatives because I love bringing unbelievable fantasy ideas into the physical world in the form of unique and believable designs.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Some of my favorite places in Columbus are places where you can sit and draw.

Franklin Park Conservatory features stunning gardens and vibrant plant life that any plant lover should see. There are many great gardens where you can sit back and sketch the scenery.

Cup o Joe, a coffee shop by CCAD campus that I frequented as a student, has great coffee, and chill place to sit and work or sit and sketch.

Gemüt Biergarten is a great place to grab a drink with friends, and features great outdoor seating, again, a perfect place to sit and sketch for a while.

I’m not a big fan of cities, so one of my favorite places is actually a park about an hour and a half outside of the city, Hocking Hills. It’s got great hiking trails, beautiful views, and offers a place of quiet seclusion where you can–you guessed it–sit and sketch.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My girlfriend, Kimberly Blan, a fellow artist, has helped me in many ways. She motivates me, supports me, and through her own talent and artistry, inspires me to keep making art.

My older sister, Brenna Detwiler, also an artist and designer, has always supported and inspired me. She was one of my first art teachers and helped me get where I am today.

I owe my thanks to Hannah Strack as well. She is a talented artist and designer, who lent me a great deal of her creative and professional expertise to help me get a jumpstart on my freelance career.

Website: https://aidandetwiler.art/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aidan_detwiler_art/

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/ aidan-detwiler

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560089297083

Image Credits
All images are my own.