Clayton William “C.W.” Roederer is an illustrator and designer living in the North Texas area. Roederer specializes in character-driven work such as caricature work, character design, and mascots and avatars.

Artist Statement

Storytelling is at the very center of everything I create. Before I ever create a character (visually or even mentally), I always consider what kind of story I want to tell. Sometimes these stories come from my own experiences: upsetting situations I faced growing up or times I’ve dealt with sadness or frustration that I can now look at, see the lessons I learned, and appreciate fully (often with laughter). Other times they’re inspired by the stories around me: people I’ve known who I found admirable and wanted to immortalize in the fictional realm, or who I found difficult to love and wanted to caricature. Sometimes I’m inspired by the way other illustrative designers like Charles Schulz or storytellers like Jim Henson tell their stories, and I try to think of a story they never told, and then chase after that story’s possibility. I consider the vibes these stories give me, and I try to communicate it through the way I design the world I make for these characters. What color represents that personality? What shape best fits that feeling deep down? How big should I make this character to contrast their small-mindedness, or how small should I make them to make their victory all the more rewarding?

As an illustrator, designer, and sketch artist whose content is aesthetically centric around emotionally-driven coloring, figure posing, strong expression, and communicative gesturing, my main goal in all of my work is to tell an interesting, humorous, or if nothing else captivating story. Specifically, it is my hope that in some small or even indirect way, those who observe my art and the stories I tell through such would be uplifted; that they would be reminded of the beauty that surrounds them in countless ways day by day, and would be led towards celebrating life. I pursue this not just as a lover of the beauty of nature and the human spirit, but as someone who once couldn’t see the beauty around me, facing several sad years of depression in high school. I’ve been in the position of not being able to appreciate the greatness that surrounds each of us every day, and it is my hope that, through the messages of beauty and joy I strive to communicate through my art, I might touch someone else who might have forgotten why they once saw value to life.