Our Artists
Visual art has always been part of the Melvin ride, and we’re constantly collabing with ridiculously talented illustrators to bring the madness to life.
Kelly Halpin
Resident Illustrator / Mountain Ninja
Kelly Halpin is pure Jackson Hole. She’s spent most of her life in the Tetons, crushing big lines, pushing limits, and channeling that energy into wild, one-of-a-kind art. Her style? Steampunk street chaos meets biology, folklore, and surreal nature weirdness. If you’ve stared into the madness of Melvin, Hubert, 2x4, or cracked a can of Killer Bees, you’ve seen her genius at work. Kelly’s the brilliant mind behind our twisted cast of characters—and her vibe couldn’t be more Melvin.
Off the page, she’s equally a certified force: a professional mountain runner, the first woman to complete the Grand Teton Picnic and one of just nine athletes invited to race Bhutan’s 126-mile Snowman Race. FKTs, unsupported sufferfests, global stage races—she does it all. Kelly’s part of the Melvin family because she lives for mountains, mayhem, and making stuff that rips. Her roots in Jackson run deep—and her legacy’s all over our cans.
John Hastings
experiMENTAL Series Artist
John Hastings creates artwork under the moniker “RumTum” in visual art and music. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, John Hastings spent most of his time on the shores of Lake Erie enjoying natural elements and relating to them through drawing. During this time, he developed a close relationship with the balance of human, animal and plant life in this habitat–this spawned a broader love and connection for aquatic nature, marine life, and the vast landscapes they create. The natural geometric patterns in tropical plants and deep sea atmospheres found their way into his work — and the birth of new creatures and whimsical scenes transport you to a playful oasis.
Benji “Ruckus” Pierson
Ruckus Ringleader
Born the same year Star Wars hit theaters (coincidence? nope), Benji Pierson—aka Ruckus— has been turning chaos into art since day one. Growing up with epilepsy meant certain limits, but his dad handed him a pencil, and everything changed. Inspired by Star Wars legends Ralph McQuarrie and Joe Johnston, Benji found his own visual force early on.
By 11, he was obsessed with snowboarding. By 23, he had the nickname “Ruckus,” earned the hard way during a wild night on Greek Row. At 25, he followed the snow to Jackson Hole, where art, powder, and party collided—and never looked back.
Benji is the OG creator of Melvin’s drunken elephant, an icon that helped define our brand from the jump. His raw, rowdy style lives on in some of our most legendary labels.
But it hasn’t all been shredding and sketching. After being given four weeks to live, Benji got sober, picked up his board and his pencil again, and came back swinging—laying down some of the wildest artwork to ever hit a can.
He’s Ruckus for a reason.
