The first illustrator to feature in our 2011 advent calendar is Mariusz Kozik. His art graced the cover of Raid 24 The Last Boarding Party - The USMC and the SS Mayaguez 1975, which came out in September this year.
Mariusz Kozik was born in Lublin, Poland, in 1973. From 1989–94 he studied fine art at the Artistic Lyceum in Lublin, then from 1995–2000 at the Academy of Arts in Wroclaw, earning his diploma under Professor Joseph Halas. Mariusz’s work has been exhibited extensively in Poland. While he loves the traditional painting methods, he began experimenting with computer-assisted artwork in 2006. His enthusiasm for military history began as a boy but has blossomed with his career. Mariusz has provided the cover artwork for most of the Raid series.