Professional Artist Andy Nortnik got his start working as a graphic designer for a small ad agency in Denver Colorado in 1989 after graduating from The Colorado Institute of Art (now known as the Art Institute of Colorado) with an Associate's Degree in Visual Communications. Moving up the ladder quickly, he became a screen print artist at a small sign shop, a production artist for another ad agency and then found a very creative position as the Senior Artist for the Sales Division of the Fortune 100 Company MCI/WorldCom. After devoting 5 years to the Creative Department of MCI, Andy honed his skills as a cartoonist, illustrator and digital artist and eventually became a very busy freelance artist on the side as well. After playing the role as Art Director for a Fortune 500 Human Resource company and then moving on to Art Director for Arthur Andersen Consulting, Andy was finally able to save up enough money to pursue his lifelong dream to become a full-time, professional freelance illustrator and opened his own design studio in the year 2000 where he freelances and sub contracts his services today for such clients as Disney, Cabelas, Mall of America, Grease Monkey and others.