Eric Reaves started out his career as a high school art teacher, followed by a position as a Creative Director for a top apparel manufacturer. There he created artwork for Disney, Warner Bros., Nintendo, Barbie and several other top brands. In 1994, he began cartooning professionally when he joined Paws, Inc., the studio of Garfield in Muncie, Indiana. As assistant cartoonist, Eric helped draw the Garfield comic for 17 years.
In 2009, Eric began helping Chance Browne draw the Hi & Lois comic strip. He joined forces with Browne Creative Enterprises full-time in 2012. Having been a lifelong fan of Dik Browne's art, Eric described drawing Dik's characters as "a humbling, yet daily thrill!"
On occasion, he teaches as an adjunct professor at Indiana Wesleyan University, his alma mater. He and his wife of 28 years have 5 children, so his ability to relate to the Flagston family from the Hi & Lois comic strip comes quite naturally. He enjoys watching his children's multitude of activities, creating art in a panoply of mediums, and finds relaxation in a stream with his fly rod and large trout.