Chad in Amsterdam #2 - 'Fietsdepot'.
Eryc Why is a U.S illustrator and graphic designer, who lives and works in the Netherlands.
Early life and career
Born as Eryc Simmerer in Kalamazoo, Michigan, he started his career as a teen in the 1980s, designing flyers for local punk rock shows. He studied at the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University, and operates under the banner Firebreathing Studios since 2001. Eryc Why is also active as a touring and recording musician and additionally works in commercial, film and animation as a voiceover artist and actor.
Illustration and design work
His designs and illustrations are used on a variety of products, from the 6th Wave series of design T-shirts by Liger to two volumes of the vegan cookbook 'Soy, Not Oi!' by the Hippycore Krew. He was a contributor to 'The Bobby Joe Ebola Songbook' (Microcosm, 2001) by Dan Abbott and Corbett Redford and 'The Overrated Book' (Last Gasp, 2006) by Henry Owings. Why's spot and cover Illustrations have appeared in Chunklet Magazine and Time Out Amsterdam Magazine, and he additionally designed Gold and Platinum album awards presented to Adèle, The White Stripes and Basement Jaxx. Among his other clients are Independent Outlet, Built to Destroy Skateboards, Point Blank Clothing and Accessories, Eat at Jo's Café, Fuel Veggie Diner, Comedy Café Amsterdam, and a host of musical acts and comedians.
Comics
Based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Eryc has participated in Chad Bilyeu's autobiographical comic book series 'Chad in Amsterdam'. He illustrated the opening story of the second issue (Autumn 2018), in which Chad tries to reclaim his bike from the local bicycle depot. He also drew a story for the fifth installment (November 2020), which satirized the annual Dutch Sinterklaas festivities. In 2021, Eryc Why also did the lead story in 'Megillah', a comic anthology with work by a host of international comic artists, edited by Bilyeu and funded by the Amsterdam Public Library (OBA).
Drawing by Eryc Why for the 50th anniversary of Amsterdam comics shop Lambiek. It appeared in the anniversary book '50 jaar Lambiek' (Les Éditions Lambiek, 2018) and on the cover of the 8 November 2018 issue of the weekly PS magazine supplement of newspaper Het Parool, which featured an article about the celebrated store.