About Us

The Alternative Pick, Altpick.com and the Altpick Awards


Established in 1992, The Alternative Pick commenced with a clear mission, providing creative buyers with a vehicle to source the best brightest and most exciting illustrators, photographers, graphic designers and animators in the business.

The Alternative Pick sourcebook (1992-2005) became the outlet for cutting-edge commercial talent, offering a unique platform for artists to showcase their work.

The Alternative Pick Deck (2009-2012) offered a fun and engaging format for locating leading commercial artists. In addition, The Altpick Awards (2003-2011) introduced yet another way to provide a platform for talents to shine.

To meet the demands of an ever-changing industry, our online directory was launched in 1996 and presently provides a vehicle for talent to utilize the web to connect more effectively with buyers.

As we mark our 29th anniversary in 2021, Altpick remains a premier source for creative professionals and we plan to continue to push the envelope providing the best vehicle for buyers to connect with creative talent.

Altpick.com – The Ultimate Source for Creative Talent
Established in 1996

At the forefront of technology, altpick.com was created to utilize the Internet to find not only illustrators, photographers, and graphic designers, but also the leaders in emerging media: web designers, interactive artists and animators. This award-winning site provides our cutting-edge talent with direct access to update their work and information often and at any time. Visitors to the site can use keywords to find specific talent, keeping track of their favorite artists using my*altpick which sends a notification by email when work is updated. This invaluable asset provides up-to-date communications directly with editors, art directors, designers and art buyers. The site also provides creatives the opportunity to expand their brands through our social media outreach, altpick.com, altpick.com blog, email promotions, newsletter, industry events, artist listings (which are free) and a full membership for $99/year.

https://altpick.com



Who runs this stuff anyway?
 

Maria Ragusa-Burfield - Owner and Founder

Since 1991, Maria has worked with established and emerging artists helping promote and market their work. Her main goal is to provide a low cost, easy marketing solution for artists to reach their potential buyers. Maria lives in New York with her husband, Jason, and son, Dylan.



 

Jason Burfield - Tech

Jason Burfield has been working in technology for well over 20 years doing everything from web development and infrastructure management up to his current role as CTO. Jason has managed the technology for a number of high profile startup companies including ScaryMommy.com, TheDad.com, LittleThings.com (over 100,000 concurrent users) and numerous others.

Jason co-founded and built one of the oldest Internet photo communities still in existence, SportsShooter.com, before also co-founding, building and launching Photoshelter.

Before all of this Jason was a professional photographer working in the editorial and corporate spaces.

When not managing tech or making imagery with large format cameras, Jason can be found training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, welding, camping and hanging with his wife, son and two dogs.



 

Andreas Von Buddenbrock - Illustrative Journalist

Born and raised in Stockholm, Sweden, Andreas has been drawing for as long as he can remember. After graduating from BASIS School of Art in Stockholm in 2011, he went on to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Illustration at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Hong Kong, and the U.S. (Savannah and Atlanta, GA). Following his graduation in 2015, Andreas worked as an assistant to Swedish sculptor Anders Krisár in Manhattan, New York, before training as a Gallery Associate at MoMA.

Today, Andreas spends his time working as a freelance illustrator in Hong Kong, creating images for both private and commercial clients such as FC Barcelona, Tanner De Witt, Hang Seng Bank, Klasse14 and more.

Andreas is also a regular contributing writer/illustrator for Altpick.com.

View a sampling of Andreas' work on his Altpick member page: altpick.com/andreasvb