• character design
• illustration
• narrative
• about

hi, i'm Lee Elijah Mesarch. i'm a young creator from Maryland who lives to tell stories - not just to entertain others, but to create spaces where people are safe to explore and find solidarity in this harsh hell of a world. i'm a senior at the Maryland Institute College of Art, aiming to graduate with a BFA in illustration and a minor in game design.my art is informed largely by my own identity and experiences, as a neurodivergent queer trans man who spent a lot of time trying to define and then defy the "norm." i also like to find inspiration and lessons in every piece of content i absorb - and i absorb a lot of content. from online webcomics to animated movies and tv shows to even tiny videos on the internet, i love to take things that leave an emotional impact on me and analyze them to see how i can leave my own mark on others' lives through my work. to me, art is not only self-fulfilling, but a way to help others find themselves.thank you for taking the time to look at my website. i would love to be in contact at any of the links below :)

GLITTERPOP PUNCH, an edgy and flashy adult animated TV show starring three outcast girls who bond over music to survive in the hellscape of modern day.

KINETICS, a story about children gifted with genetic mutations trying to navigate a world that wants them dead.They find safety and solidarity in eachother - but some have wildly different ideas of what "peace" looks like between kinetics and humans.
We follow Mikael as his curiosity weaves him into the center of this conflict, uncovering secrets that could turn their world upside down -
and growing up far too fast trying to fix it.

A side-character design for a speculative children's TV show, SparkleDog Crusaders.A cute, charismatic shipwreck-ee on a deserted island who comes off as somewhat unhinged, hiding a secret from the main cast. They come with two prop designs, a damaged watch that is an important personal item to them, and the sign to their makeshift tourist-y island shop.

GLITTERPOP PUNCH, an animated TV series pitch still in development.

GROWTH, a collaborative game demo created by myself and kalitrine.
A dried and crumbling desert temple lays dying, desperate for water and the return of life - things only you can provide it.Check out the demo on my itch.io page, or click the image below.

DR. FRANKENSTEIN'S LOVER, my ongoing senior thesis project.A parody of the horror novel by Mary Shelley, transforming the story by picking it apart under a modern-day lens while incorporating blatant queer and neurodivergent themes.The present images were my initial development process, begun a few years earlier.