Artist Bio

  Born in Anchorage, Alaska on July 28th, 1968, Anson grew up on Barinoff Island in the town of Sitka where he discovered his passion for drawing and painting at a very young age. It was in the 2nd grade that Anson met his life-long friend, Mark Tedin, with whom he still maintains a close friendship. While growing up, Mark Tedin, who would also become an illustrator, served as a source of inspiration and as friendly competition which likely served to bolster each other's skills and continued growth as artists through out the years. During Anson's junior high years, Art Instructor, Dan Newman, also played an influential role in encouraging and nurturing Anson's emerging talent. 

Upon graduating from Sitka High School, in 1986, Anson left the island to pursue further art education at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. With his major undeclared, and his tuition wholly self-funded he enrolled in whatever class he felt would broaden his reportoire of expression. His keen interest in anatomy and physiology had him even for a time seriously considering a path in surgical medicine. However, Anson's dedication to his art won out in the end and after a year and half at University of Alaska, Anson moved to Seattle, WA to attend Cornish College of the Arts. 

At the time of enrollment, Cornish did not have an Illustration Department, still Anson was intent on studying there. Instead, he choose a hybrid of Graphic Design and Fine Arts courses, hoping to focus on illustration, which he felt lie somewhere between those two areas. 

As an art student, Anson found illustration work by 'keeping as many lines in the water as possible," which first led to illustrating for a magazine, Technical Analysis of Stocks & Commodities. He went on to do considerable work for the Seattle Weekly and cover art for Pagan Publishing and illustrating the book Dark Dreamer. Anson simultaneously worked for a Seattle vintage clothing store, Dreamland, where he did custom painted leather jackets, whose clients included rock musicians, Queensryche. He designed logos and promotional material for fashion designer, Betsy Johnson and a stage backdrop for Jim Rose's Circus Sideshow. Other early clients included Seattle Supersonics. 

Meanwhile, his artwork was gaining exposure through numerous shows and installation pieces at galleries, nightclub venues and retail stores through out the Seattle area. 

Amidst so many promising avenues, it was through his work within the gaming industry, however, that Anson would realize his greatest notoriety. 

At the suggestion of friend and fellow Cornish student, Andi Rusu, Anson submitted an illustration to Jesper Myrfors, whom was also studying at Cornish and worked for a small start-up gaming company called Wizards of the Coast. Jesper apparently liked what he saw and got Anson his first assignment at Wizards of The Coast illustrating a book titled “Thystram’s Collectanea” for the role playing game Talislanta. By this time, life-long friend Mark Tedin had finished up his college degree and joined Anson in Seattle to illustrate for “Thystram’s Collectanea” as well. From there both Maddocks and Tedin would go on to do a significant amount of work for Magic: The Gathering, beginning with their Alpha set, for which Anson illustrated a full 10% of the first edition cards.

 

 

Anson Maddocks & Mark Tedin, 1993

 

 

Anson’s career with Wizards of the Coast spanned from 1993 – 2008. During those years he was not only an in-house illustrator but broadened his skills as part of the production team and for a time was WotC’s Art Director. In total, Anson produced more than 120 original artworks which were published as Magic cards beginning with the Alpha Set (30 cards). Overall, 483 different MTG cards spanning 7 languages and more than 33 core sets and expansions contain Anson’s illustrations. While working in-house at WotC, Anson contributed considerably to Magic’s style guides, creating the look of fantasy creatures such as Slivers, Spikes and the Kor. As well as storyline landscapes and character costumes, armor, and weaponry (too numerous to practically list in any complete sort of way),which all can be attributed to Anson’s credit.

 

While contracted with WotC, Anson would go on to simultaneously work for White Wolf (Wraith), Garfield Games (The Great Dalmuti & RoboRalley) Alderac Entertain Group (Legends of the Five Rings) and Mayfair Games, among others.

  

He now lives in Southern Nevada with his wife and business partner, Brenda, and their cat, Judas, where he works as a free-lance illustrator, taking commissions and occasionally attending MTG events. When he is not illustrating to pay the bills, Anson enjoys a diversity of interests; kinetic sculpture, travel, local wildlife, and photography.