My name is Lakota Cloud. I was raised in the mountains of Colorado. My mother, a beautiful native American woman from the black hills, and my father, a white man into native culture, are both artists. My father, for as long as I’ve known him, has supported our family working for himself, carving and painting bone into native feather jewelry, and paintings.

I’ve been into drawing for as long as I can remember. With my parents’ encouragement and an arsenal of art supplies, I spent a lot of my childhood (and class time) drawing and doodling, though never really using more than a pencil. As much as I loved drawing, I never thought it would offer any opportunities in my adult life. I always grew up believing that my passion for music and art would be nothing more than a hobby, and that one day when I grow up, I would get a real job and do my hobbies in my free time.

One day, when I was 28 years old, still waiting to grow up and get my grown up job, and I had had it up to here (raises hand real high) with working at my hundredth call center, my dad asked me to share a booth with him at Comic-Con. He was getting sick of making the same old jewelry, and wanted to try a new line of digital art he had been working on that had a more modern style. He had also been collecting my doodles over the years and scanning them into his computer. He suggested I give it a shot, and helped me get some stuff together for the event. At that time almost all of my art work was black and white. You see, I’m actually fairly color deficient (color blind), and have a hard time telling colors apart. I spent the next couple weeks testing out paints, pens, markers, and such to add some color to my inventory. Anyways, after spending the weekend pretending to be an artist, I had finally made a decision. If art was something I loved so much, why spend my time doing anything else? I decided then to take art seriously, and if I died poor as a starving artist, then at least I died doing what was important to me.

Almost 2 years later, I’m 30 years old, dying poor as a starving artist. My wife, who is so supportive, and my new daughter inspire me to continue to be better. I attend almost every First Friday in downtown Phoenix and any other art event I can get my hands on.

I loved cartoons as a kid, and still love them very much as an adult. I’m inspired by the cartoons and artists I love. I love to draw things that strike a nostalgic chord in me. Sometimes I try to be funny or creative. I think the biggest thing I try to do is be different, which is a very difficult task. I figure anyone can draw a certain person, place, or thing, but how am I going to draw it and make it unique to me? I also like to use different mediums, anything from toys and figures to paintings to digital art and animations.

Also, I tend to ramble.

So, be sure to keep and eye out for me, and follow @coffeeandbroccoli and one day soon when it becomes a household name you can say you’ve been a longtime fan.
Thank you for your time,

Lakota Cloud
Coffee & Broccoli
coffeeandbroccoliart@gmail.com
@coffeeandbroccoli

It started with the cartoons. The cartoons are what grabbed my eyes and my imagination, before anything else. I’ve seen Lakota’s characteristic cartoons all over the place, for months now… but the artist himself has remained steadfastly elusive, and perpetually just out of reach. It took a very determined effort to track him down, and get his attention. It was well worth the wait.

Lakota’s art is spontaneous, whimsical, animated (obviously), and super-saturated with both eye-popping color, and heart-bursting personality. These aren’t just cartoon characters; they feel much more like old friends. As such, I thought it was more than appropriate to share some of my old friends with my readers. I hope you enjoy Lakota’s work as much as I do.

– Bud Stratford, Executive Director, Everything Skateboarding