Who

Dzama's whimsical drawings and sculptures of ghosts, robots, and trees have made him an art-world star as well as the illustrator of choice for indie musicians and authors.

Backstory

Born in Winnipeg, as a kid Dzama hung out at the Safeway where his dad worked as a baker, spending his free time drawing to escape his dyslexia. After high school, he headed off to the University of Manitoba, where he generated some attention as a founder of a six-person collective called the Royal Art Lodge. He had been out of school for just a year when his reputation was minted with his first show at LA's Richard Heller Gallery in 1997—Hollywood types like Nic Cage, Jim Carrey, and Drew Carey soon started snapping up his work. In 2004, he decamped from his native Canada to New York. A year later, he earned a solo show at David Zwirner, "The Course of Human History Personified," which was met with resounding critical praise.

Of note

Though he has considerable cred in the art world, Dzama frequently gets involved in endeavors outside of the art scene: He has collaborated on a number of illustration projects, including a CD cover for Beck and books by Nick Hornby and Sarah Vowell, and he teamed up with They Might Be Giants on a children's book. He fashioned costumes for a Bob Dylan video, and with CerealArt, he has limited edition line of salt-and-pepper shakers, action figures, and kitchen canisters for sale. Dzama's creatures have also appeared in promotional materials for the handbag company MZ Wallace, although that's no coincidence—the company's co-owned by Lucy Wallace Eustice and Monica Zwirner, wife of Dzama's gallerist, David Zwirner.

Pet cause

Particularly loved by Dave Eggers and the McSweeney's contingent, Dzama has contributed illustrations to the literary mag, and when Eggers was asked to name his top 10 artists by ArtForum, Dzama came out on top. Dzama's returned the favor: He and his wife are active supporters of 826NYC, the Dave Eggers-founded organization that provides after-school tutoring and creative workshops for Brooklyn youngsters.

Personal

He and his wife, illustrator Shelley Dick, live in the Village.

Family ties

Ink runs in his veins: Dzama's sister Hollie and his uncle, Neil Farber, are illustrators. His mother, Jeannette, sews the costumes for his video productions.