Tad Carpenter’s work is happy. Simply happy. Genuinely happy. Even when he draws growling monsters, which should in theory make us tremble a bit, well, they make us smile. So we decided to find out whether Tad himself is just as happy.

When did you first discover you had a talent for drawing?
I had my first real idea that I could do this when I was around 9. I won a contest and drew the season tickets for my home towns Professional Football team the Kansas City Chiefs. Was such a cool thing for a kid. Growing up I was lucky enough to have both parents being artist. My mother is a fiber artist dying her own wool and hooking rugs and my father is a very talented and successful illustrator. Growing up around both of them all I ever knew was to draw, paint and create. Being an illustrator is what I have always wanted to be. Some kids wanted to be police officers or fireman or pro-athletes, I wanted to be an illustrator.

Tad’s winning season tickets!

What inspires you?
Tokyo Japan, the mid-west. rainy days, peanut butter, flea markets, drawing just to draw, traveling with my lady, grape kool-aid, all things mid-century modern. I love golden books illustrators such as Mary Blair, Richard Scarry and Martin Provensen. 

What happy music do you draw to?
I love happy music. I love to draw to Pheonix, Aberfeldy, Discovery, Vampire Weekend, Hot Chip, The Whitest Boy Alive, Passion Pit. As you can see happy music is always the best drawing music.

Describe a happy episode of your childhood.
I had a great childhood. One episode I look back on really fondly is my obsession with the actor Michael J. Fox. I was obsessed with his character Alex P. Keaton on “Family Ties”. I even dresses in slacks a tie and brief case for years during grade school. My MJF love also turned into a love of the film “Teen Wolf”. I eventually started making films where I would draw the typography and credits for the movie I would then star in and direct titled “Kid Wolf”. With the help from my parents this ten minute short became a monster masterpiece that I still have today. A wonderful memory of family and design all wrapped up together.

Thank you Tad! Keep in touch with Tad’s happy work here. (A top secret Anorak collaboration coming up soon too… sssh..)