Dark Market 2026 Illustrator: Lilly Sundsbak
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MEET THE ARTIST
Lilly Sundsbak
(she/her)
Illustration, 2027
The Dark Market is a spooky collection of works by Columbia artists with an emphasis on the macabre. Enjoy a sampling of spooky items on display now in store through November 5, 2026.
Every year ShopColumbia commissions an original illustration to promote our The Dark Market. Get to know this year's illustrator: Lilly Sundsbak!
Dark Market 2026 signature illustration by Lilly Sundsbak
What inspired you to create this illustration?
For this year's Dark Market illustration, I really wanted to capture this cozy and curious side of Halloween through the idea of a spooky house with a bunch of little ghosts. I gained a lot of inspiration from vintage Halloween decorations and the charm of trying to tell a story through promotional work. I wanted the illustration to feel like a little world of its own, filled with personality, unexpected details, and characters that viewers could discover the longer they looked at it.
How have you benefited from designing the Dark Market illustration?
Designing this year’s Dark Market illustration has honestly been such an awesome opportunity to explore how my personal illustration style can translate into promotional artwork for a store. I love creating nostalgic and cozy environments that tell stories, so this project gave me the freedom to experiment with composition, typography, and character design while still considering how the final artwork would function as a storefront. It was also a great experience working on a project that would be shared with the Columbia community and Chicago community. Seeing my illustrations become a bigger part of something that brings students so many opportunities on campus is always incredibly fulfilling!
Dark Market 2026 Poster by Lilly Sundsbak
What is your favorite part of Halloween?
Though I'm honestly not a huge Halloween fan, my favorite part of Halloween has always been the creativity that comes with it! I love seeing how people can DIY Halloween costumes and decorations.
Give us an update about recent projects/artistic life events; what's next for you?
It's been an incredibly exciting year for me creatively! Recently, I've had the opportunity to work on a variety of projects that have pushed my illustration practice in new directions! I just started interning with Mission to Psyche and NASA currently working on illustrating some new projects for them, as well as I just wrapped up working on two large scale mural projects in Columbia College Chicago’s new Student Center for Success and WCRX Radio Station that just went up in September! As I approach graduation, I'm looking forward to continuing to grow my creative practice and collaborating with more artists, organizations, and brands!
Artist Statement
Lilly Sundsbak is a Chicago and Minneapolis-based illustrator, designer, and vis dev artist specializing in atmospheric, textured storytelling. Grounded in digitally hand-cut aesthetics and warm, nostalgic palettes, she creates environments you want to step into.She is currently studying Illustration at Columbia College Chicago in Chicago, Illinois, graduating in Spring 2027.