PORT CLINTON, Ohio — You may be getting into the Halloween spirit, but a Port Clinton-based artist has dedicated his life to the holiday and is the newest mascot designer for the hit band Cypress Hill.
Austin Lindemann, a 21-year-old special effects artist, has had the goal of bringing his Halloween dreams to life since he was very young.
“I just had this love for Halloween and of this sort of unique line of work," he said. "I began learning that there were other communities of independent artists that make Halloween stuff."
With newfound inspiration, Lindemann said he got to work and has been creating ever since.
“My first few weren’t very good, but I just kept practicing and practicing," he said. "This was about when I was 15 and here we are years later and I’m working with artists that I used to look up to and some of my favorite child a band."
Now at 21 years old, Lindemann has been commissioned to sculpt a mask for two of his favorite musicians: Cypress Hill and Megadeth.
“Everything is beginning to pay off," Lindemann said. "These are two characters that I think every special effect artist dreams of taking on, right here we have Vic Rattlehead, the mascot for the heavy metal band Megadeth, and we have Dr. Greenthumb from hip-hop legends Cypress Hill.”
He said his work is paving the way for his future and special effects is growing in popularity. While he continues to work hard, he said he also wants to share his process moving forward to pay respect to the art form.
“There’s so much to it it’s sculpture it’s painting it’s mold making it’s all sorts of different types of materials, so I like when people understand the complexity of it so it’s not just a novelty it’s more of this is an art form," Lindemann said.
His masks will be showcased on stages across the world. Cypress Hill is currently touring and Lindemann said they will be using his art as the mascot for their song, "Dr. Greenthumb."
The Port Clinton artist said his masks range in price usually between $150-200.
He believes these opportunities came from a lot of practice and just being active on social media.
“I will say that I guess the biggest thing I’ve learned is it’s a very small world and to just go for these opportunities because some of these things, they just don’t happen on accident," Lindemann said. "You really have to put in the work for them and it’s things like just shooting your shot., sending a message out there with social media. It’s easier now more than ever to get a hold of somebody you never thought you’d be able to work with or even talk to for that matter.”
He said the Cypress Hill deal is ongoing and he’s hopeful the group will want more masks in the future.