Let’s get one thing straight: Jumali is not your average artist. He’s a metal-loving, cat-appreciating, Photoshop-wielding wizard whose sloths went viral, got counterfeited to high heaven, and then plot twist became part of a legal takedown saga worthy of its own movie trailer.
We caught up with Jumali (aka Adam Lawless), who’s currently based in Malaysia, living his best artist life and enjoying the sweet taste of revenge justice and royalties. He’s one of those artists whose work makes you smile first, then double-take. And if you’ve ever seen a sloth with attitude or a cat doing something mildly chaotic? Yeah. That might’ve been him.
The Origin Story (Cue the 70s Montage)
Back in the 70s, while disco ruled the airwaves and and bell-bottoms were having their moment, Jumali was already deep into sketching superheroes.
“Long ago, during the 70s, I started to draw Spider-Man,” he told me.
Translation: he’s been doing this since before the internet even knew what art was.
And, Jumali has come a long way since then: “It was a metamorphosis – from charcoal, pencil, gouache, acrylic – then I finally started doing digital work with software I can afford. It’s still hard work – no AI involved.”
Take that, robots.
The Tools of the Trade
When asked what he’s using now, he gave us the most practical of answers with the confidence of a true pro:
“Intuos Pen Tablet – it’s practical.”
He also confirmed he’s deep in Adobe Photoshop land, which tracks with the level of detail and humor in his work. And when I asked why animals feature so heavily?
“Animals allow creativity.”
They’ve been our muses since we had walls to draw on.
Cats, pandas, sloths – obviously. So prepare yourself for more expressive whiskers and slow-motion mischief coming soon.
Wait, Did Someone Say Metal?
Yup. Behind the cute critters and hilarious expressions is a man who shreds – musically speaking.
“Metal music, yeah!”
And when he’s not making art? He writes music as well. “There’s no outside of the art world. Everything needs art – everything is art.”
“Don’t Be an Artist, You Will Never Be Rich”
That’s the advice someone once gave him. Here’s how he responded:
“Ironically, I’m a rich man now.”
Mic drop.
From Rip-Offs to Redemption
Then 2020 hit like a brick to the sketchpad. His best-selling designs were getting ripped off faster than he could keep up.
“Everything went wrong in 2020 when most of my hot designs were stolen and sold online like hot cakes. I felt hopeless and I thought that’s the end of me and my career.”
Enter: Edwin James IP.
“One day, someone from Edwin James emailed me. He found out that my sloths designs were heavily rip off and offered a solution. I agreed to the solution. At last someone listened to my prayer.”
From there, we built the case, took the counterfeiters to court, and got Jumali’s hard-earned work protected.
“The whole saga took less than a year and the outcome is so overwhelming for me. Now, I don’t have to work anymore. I’m a winner!”
We’ll co-sign that. Loudly.
Art, Movies, and Motivation
When I asked what kept him going through it all, his answer was simple:
“When I suddenly got so many sales from my online stores, motivation and passion played their part too.”
That, and a good movie now and then:
“Besides making artwork, I also enjoy watching movies. It does help to de-stress myself.”
Final Words from the Artist Who Made It
When I asked what drives him to keep creating, he didn’t skip a beat.
“Creativity is a form of communication with others, which can be entertaining.”
With AI churning out knockoff art by the minute, some people are wondering if artists even stand a chance.But Jumali doesn’t flinch.
“Artists don’t have a future? No! Many artists work diligently to create, sell, and promote their work, building successful careers.”
That’s what it sounds like when an actual artist speaks.
Want More Jumali Magic?
Here’s where to find him:
Sloths. Metal. Courtroom wins. That’s the energy and Jumali’s only getting started.
If your art’s been getting ripped off too, let’s talk.
And, if you’re looking for more opportunites to do more artist-y things – check out our list of 2025 Residencies and Grants.