Inna Gertsberg

EVERYBODY HAS A MONSTER IN MIND. LET ME DRAW YOURS!

Thank you for stopping by, monster lover. I am an artist and illustrator based in Toronto, Canada. Draw Me A Monster was born in 2016, on a family road trip in Europe. My two young sons, tired of waiting for me to sketch another cathedral, demanded – and I quote – “Draw monsters!” Frankly, I was happy to ditch the cathedral sketch – it was starting to bore me, too. For the rest of the afternoon, I drew whatever creatures came out from the minds of two elementary schoolers. To date, I have built a living archive of over 2,500 original monsters worldwide, for people aged five to ninety-five – each one a unique distillation of a participant’s thoughts, fears, or whimsies. My art practice seeks to create a bridge between us, proving that our shared strangeness is what connects us most.

I SEE MYSELF AS A HUMAN AI: Like digital AI, I “generate” art based on prompts. But while AI pulls its ideas from a vast library of everyone’s data, my art pulls only from my own mind. I am one single human being with a lifetime of memories and most importantly, a heartbeat. My art is born in the space between two imaginations – mine and yours. It isn't just a digitally generated image; it’s a one-of-a-kind painted piece of art and a record of co-creation between two strangers. 

In my paintings, I explore the whimsical and the eccentric side of the human mind. While my subjects are “monstrous” in form, I am hardly interested in horror. Instead, I use these unconventional character designs to explore themes of vulnerability, play, and connection. 

I am open for commissions and collaborations. For media coverage, you can access the Draw Me A Monster press kit here.

My art business is a designated “Trusted Art Seller” with The Art Storefronts Organization, which means you can shop with confidence, and know that I stand behind the quality and value of my products.