The Visionary Behind Stickman

Cosmic Flares is about connection — and one of the most meaningful connections for me is with the young artist behind our Stickman, Jack Hebert.

​

I taught Jack when he was in third grade. Back then, he didn’t just draw Stickman — he brought him to life in all kinds of ways. As Jack remembers, “That was so long ago to me — seven years ago now. I do remember that Stickman was everywhere back then. He was my primary way to convey emotion and write out scenes I was feeling. Stickman was a fun doodle for me back then, but he also helped me filter all kinds of situations through his lens.”

​

Jack’s love for art started long before school. By the time he was two, the walls of his home were covered in stick people — “like the cave of early man,” as he describes it. That spark never left him. Today, he sees himself as an animator and cartoonist, with aspirations of turning his passion into a career. His dream is to go to college for art and animation and, after graduating, work with a big studio team on an animated movie or television show.

​

At the center of it all is Stickman — or as Jack calls him, “Mr. Stick.” Sometimes he feels like a brand-new character, other times like the same old friend who’s always been there. What makes him special, Jack says, is his simplicity and expressiveness — qualities that make Mr. Stick feel “like home, with a great sense of humor.”

​

For Jack, Stickman also represents something much larger than himself: “He represents all of us — just a humanoid, sitting on a rock, flying through space, like everyone else.” When I asked what Stickman might say about Cosmic Flares, Jack replied: “I think he would really appreciate the connection to the universe in this beautiful way. Nature ties us together and keeps us alive. It’s our responsibility to take care of nature and each other.”

​

I remember thinking seven years ago — and even noting in a personal journal — that if I ever wrote a book, I would ask Jack to illustrate it. The book hasn’t happened yet, but that seed planted long ago found its way into Cosmic Flares. When I reached out, Jack was interested in being part of this project, and I’m so thankful for that. To see Stickman come full circle — from third-grade doodles to artwork now representing Cosmic Flares — is both surreal and deeply meaningful.

​

What moves me most is Jack’s clarity about who he is: “I’m more than people see. My autism doesn’t hold me back; it focuses me and drives me in ways others just can’t comprehend. I’m a person first, an artist second, and everything else is just a bonus.”

​

I couldn’t be prouder to feature his work here at Cosmic Flares. Stickman isn’t just a character — he’s part of Jack’s journey, part of mine, and now part of this vision we’re building together.

​