Creating ridiculous art for surviving the apocalypse

I am an artist, illustrator, and graphic designer living and working from my home studio in Historic Roser Park in St. Petersburg, Florida. Professionally, I wear many hats: freelance artist and illustrator, art director of a New Jersey design studio, and creative director for an independent record label, Friend Club Records. 

Art has always been a central part of my life, but while I was encouraged from a young age by my grandfather, artist Jerry Meatyard, personal circumstances prevented me from pursuing art full-time for many years. I left home at 15, married at 17, divorced at 22, and spent the next two decades raising my children as a single parent. In my 20s and 30s, I studied visual art and anthropology at Eckerd College, attending class in the evenings while working multiple jobs to support my family.

Over the years, I have turned my hand to everything from foodservice to cemetery monument design, but my primary vocation for the last 15 years has been graphic design. It’s only now in my early 40s that I finally have the freedom to commit the time and effort to creating and exhibiting the art I have always wanted to make. In the last several years, my work has been included in a number of group exhibitions, and, in pursuit of my life’s other great passion – music – I create art and design for album covers and other media in the music industry.


LEFT: Actual photo of me at work.

Past Exhibitions:

Press:

The Off-Kilter World of Artist Rhys Meatyard” The Gabber, October 27, 2021.
Conversations With Rhys Meatyard” Voyage Tampa, May 4, 2021.

Other Information:

Discogs Artist Page
Friend Club Records
Patreon

What People Say About Meatyard:

“Not only did Meatyard create an exciting work of art for my album cover, but they were flexible and accommodating as aspects of the project changed on my end. As someone without a lot of experience working with design, I appreciated their professionalism and willingness to explain things that I didn’t understand/wasn’t aware of.”

– Daniel Howe

“Meatyard? In THIS economy?! It’s more likely and better than you think.”

– Sean Condom

“I came to the Meatyard with barely a sketch of a vision. After a few conversations he iterated from neon-punk to the classic angel we settled on. After completing the work he was meticulous in follow up to make sure I had everything I needed. Meatyard went above and beyond with this project and I will be back to the yard for more.”

– Rob Froese