For over three decades, illustrator Matt Zumbo has been setting the bar for illustration on a national level. An accomplishment many think he was born to do.

Following in the footsteps of his mom, a fashion illustrator, Matt was fascinated with the magic of creating pictures since he was a child. After graduating from Western Illinois University, that fascination grew into a career – first as a technical illustrator and custom painter of murals and motorcycle tanks. Then as a graphic designer and art director at a variety of local advertising and print shops, where in 1982 he got his big break, when his work for The Chancery Restaurants won the Milwaukee Addy’s Best of Show.

From there his talent and passion for illustration took over, inspiring him to go out in 1986 and start a company of his own — Matt Zumbo Illustration. And then Wilson/Zumbo Illustration Group, where he worked with many talented artists and went on to create works of art for such high-profile national brands as Kohler, Phillip Morris, CBS, Captain Morgan’s Rum and the Winter Olympics.

Known for his unique style, taking humorous and magical twists on seemingly ordinary subjects, Matt’s nationally-award winning work has been regularly featured in the industry’s top publications, from the Society of Illustrators Annual Exhibition and Communication Arts, to How and Step-by-Step Graphics Magazine.

In 2007, he was awarded the prestigious Photoshop Guru and Best of Show Awards at Photoshop World in Boston. And five of his Koss Headphones billboard illustrations were voted into the Wisconsin Advertising Hall of Fame in 2014.

Besides playing a part in helping to put Wisconsin on the map for illustration, Matt has also used his talents to give back to the community. Generously donating his time to help support important causes like the MACC Fund, Hunger Task Force and Society for the Blind, as well as mentoring and teaching the next generation of designers and illustrators coming out of Milwaukee through his work with MIAD.

Today, as an established artist, Matt enjoys art, photography, motorcycles and his friends, while continuing to be fascinated with portraying magical and dreamlike thoughts and scenes.