DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY
"I didn't just follow the trend. I drew the first line."
In 2018, I introduced Hookie to the world under the moniker @hookhope_ on Instagram. At a time when skeletons were only seen as spooky or horror-centric, I created the "Humanized Skeleton"—bringing humor, mundane reality, and soul to the undead.
That vision led to the publication of Death Takes a Holiday and Almost Okay, proving that there was a global audience for a character who represents our own mortality, tired as it may be.
After a decade of designing for global icons like Oakley and Quiksilver and navigating the high-stakes world of top-rated freelancing, I’ve returned to my roots. I deleted the "badges" and the corporate archives to focus on what matters: Long-form storytelling. Today, Hookie is back. Not as a meme, but as a vessel for the honest, messy reality of restarting in your 40s. No AI, no "slop"—just 25 years of craft and a fresh cup of coffee.
HOOKIE
"A 3-minute manifesto on craft, age, and starting over."
What happens when you delete the titles and the 'Top Rated' badges to find your voice again? This 3-minute piece is a raw, hand-drawn look at the reality of restarting at 45. Rejecting the trend of AI-generated content, I chose the most challenging path: a solo production.
MIXED ARCHIVES
"The Paper Trail (2010–2025)."
Before the "restart," there were 15 years of deadlines, sketches, and global shifts. This is a collection of "the survivors," the projects that defined my middle years. You’ll find everything from logo systems and custom typography to the 10,000-piece hand-drawn generative collections that pushed my craft into the Web3 era. It’s a mix of corporate polish and experimental grit, showing the foundation of everything I made today.
