A letter from Cody Weiler
Cody Weiler is our lead illustrator. He is responsible for our branding, our hat designs many of our most popular stickers. The below is a letter he wrote during an interview about his work with Animas Outdoors....
Hey there, I'm Cody - freelance designer and illustrator working with various brands, including Animas Outdoors. I was born, raised, and am currently residing in Buffalo, NY. I love my city, but find that it keeps things interesting to work with brands from other places. I enjoy connecting with folks around the world, and the variety of subject matter keeps me from getting burnt out on any one thing. That is especially true with my work for Animas. I love the outdoors and have since I was young. Although I don't get to go out and explore as much as I'd like, working with Animas and following along with Bryant is up to is a great way for me to get my nature fix vicariously.
Bryant and I connected through Instagram a few years ago. He commissioned me to create a few stickers for the first iteration of his brand, Sticker Art. We've always had a good working relationship, which is why I was really excited when he approached me regarding the creation of the Animas Outdoors logo, brand assets, and the first run of hat designs. It's always a fun challenge to create an identity for a new brand, as well as design products that fit into the desired aesthetic. I had a great time collaborating him on the hat designs, and I think they turned out just as we had imagined. Typically Bryant will come to me with a concept for a design and ultimately let me run with it. He always takes my opinion into account and is one of the more supportive clients that I've worked with. Many brands want to make endless revisions and micromanage, but working with an artist-driven company like Animas is a treat because they do just the opposite - they truly showcase my vision as an artist. As a freelance artist, I'm rarely, if ever, credited when I create something for a brand. It's very refreshing for Animas to actually call attention to the artists they work with - and from my perspective it is very much appreciated.
In addition to the branding and products for Animas, I've also had the opportunity to work with Bryant on some sandwich board graphics for the poop campaign. I really admire the time and effort that Bryant is putting into this campaign - all in the hopes of spreading awareness of conservation and making nature areas safer for everyone. I know Bryant is a big outdoorsman himself, so it's great to see him out there trying to make a difference not only for himself, but for everyone like him that enjoys being out in nature.
