The Fiberglass Manifesto: THUNDERBIRD DESIGN STUDIO

Robin McCormack is the artist behind Thunderbird Design Studio. He was born and raised in southern California's San Fernando Valley. With over a decade of design experience, he turned his focus to create art that celebrates what he loves, fishing, hunting, and the outdoors. His days off include illustrating, upland bird hunting, offshore fishing, fly-fishing, martial arts, and beach days with his wife and son.

His fly fishing journey started in his early teens on family camping trips to the Sierra Nevada. There, he got his first taste sight fishing for wild brookies in a tiny camp side creek and the rest is history. Robin realized that over the years, fishing is more about collecting experiences from the journey more than the act of catching fish. When you're in a wild place, you get to strip away all the distractions of life and then you realize you can be like the river. Flowing unrehearsed. Time stops existing and the world dissolves away until your only focus is the water in front of you.

It's that free-flowing simplicity that we forget is natural and that idea is what inspired him to create his art.

"When I illustrate, I'll draw the fish as many times as it takes to uncover the most expressive way that highlights the essential characteristics of the subject. The best ideas come together in the final version. Next is telling the story with color, again with as little detail as possible stripping away as much as possible to reveal only what's necessary. The thing I really enjoy about the process is the challenge each piece presents. It's like a puzzle that needs to be solved.

The other thing I've come to appreciate about making art is the response. I never imagined people would get tattoos of something I made. I feel honored each time people share their photos. On top of that, we have a following among the hunting and fishing community and I've been surprised over and over by their support. It's such a bonus hearing how much people enjoy the art and how it connects them to all those memories and experiences they've collected chasing these beautiful creatures."