Design alumni Stacey Rozich’s distinctive artwork graces the cover of Father John Misty’s recent and acclaimed “I Love You, Honeybear.” Rozich’s illustration style and subjects mesh perfectly with Joshua Tillman’s ranging songs about everything from materialism, love and jealousy, and a backwards economy. Of the process behind the album illustration, art directed by Tillman, Rozich had this to say in an interview with Urban Outfitters blog: “while he did give me a few great pieces of reference imagery that spanned opulent religious iconography to surrealist furniture, he left a lot of it up to me. It was daunting, to say the least! His words of encouragement helped me take it as weird as I needed to go…also he was very specific about being painted as a Renaissance cherub baby clutching a woman’s bare breast.”
Alumni Stacey Rozich album illustration for Father John Misty’s “I Love You, Honeybear”
Mixing graphic inspiration from many traditions including her Balkan heritage and Pacific Northwest native art forms, she uses watercolor to create the story in a moment. Her style is self-described as creating “a parable for present day built on situational vignettes that are imagined through the lens of familiar fictional archetypes.”
The interior of the album illustrated by Rozich for Father John Misty.
In an interview with Sleepover Shows Rozich had this to say about her time at Seattle Central Creative Academy after having attended a fine arts college: “I learned so much there: a lot of different foundational skills that I still use today but mainly I learned a lot about marketing myself and networking, which is something art school doesn’t really teach you — at least in undergrad. So in a way I got to sample the best of both worlds and tailor it to suit me best.” Collaborating and networking have clearly been an area of success in her work. Her environmental graphics enliven the sparse, light-filled space in Rachel’s Ginger Beer’s flagship store in Pike Place Market.
Rozich’s graphic collaboration with local company Rachel’s Ginger Beer.
In addition to multiple gallery shows under her belt and commercial clients like Starbucks, The Experience Music Project, and Red Bull, she has worked with bands to create the graphics for music videos. Collaborations include Fleet Foxes for The Shrine and Swedish ‘voodoo psych’ band Goat from Sub Pop records.
Full spread of Rozich’s illustrations for Father John Misty’s album.
Flirting with the macabre, her illustrations are playfully dramatic, allowing you to read into the existent narrative in the scene. A recent move from drizzly hometown Seattle to arid, bustling LA will likely effect her ever-developing body of work–and we can’t wait to see how.
Rozich’s illustration “Never Send a Mercenary to Watch Your Kids”
You can find piles of Rozich’s captivating work at staceyrozich.com.