Interview by Charlie Festa

Hello there, and how are you doing today?

I’m doing pretty good, thanks. I just got off work and I’m getting ready to go down to Seattle to see my brother’s band play a show, so that should be cool.

How did you get your start in design?

I don’t know if there was a specific moment where I started, I’ve just always wanted to do something where I can exercise my love for drawing. In terms of getting a professional “start”, I’m still working on that. I figure if I’m stubborn enough, and just keep creating work no matter what people say, then something’s bound to happen….I think.


What inspires your work?

I draw inspiration from wherever I can really, I try and make the creative process as limitless as possible. That’s probably why a lot of my stuff is stylistically all over the map. My art teachers would be so mad at me, they all told me I needed to find a consistent style and stick with it. It’s too hard for me though, that’s like saying find one mood to be in and stay like that the rest of your life. I’m too moody for that.

One thing I do to help with ideas is make sure I always have my sketch pad with me so I can rough out anything that pops in my head. Lately I’ve taken the approach of starting a design even if I know in the back of my mind it’s not going to be great. Some of my favorite designs only came to me while I was working on stuff I didn’t necessarily like.

How does it feel to win on Threadless?

It feels great, and a little surreal at the same time. I still haven’t gotten over how strange it is to see the photos on your site of people wearing my shirt. I mean some of these people are literally on the other side of the world, and they’re wearing something I originally sketched out on my living room floor. It’s hard to wrap my mind around, but it’s a cool feeling.


What do you plan to spend your winnings on?

Oh man, you basically saved my ass. I’m moving down to Portland, OR in about a month and my finances have been a little short of what I needed to make that move happen. I’ll probably put a little aside for random things, though. All of my pants have some kind of hole in them, so I guess it’s time to buy a new pair of pants.

How has everything been going?

Things have been going pretty well. It’s been a fairly hectic past couple of months, but by the end of the summer it should start to calm down. Not sure whether that will be a good or a bad thing, just have to wait and see.

How was the move to Portland?

As of right now I can’t move into my apartment for another 2 weeks, so I’m still in transition, but at least I have a place decided on. The housing search is always the worst part of moving for me, and it’s even harder when you’re moving to new city. I think the best thing about moving is it gives you a chance to clear out all the crap you’ve accumulated that you really don’t need. It’s a very relaxing feeling to know that most of your possessions really aren’t that important.


Did you take a new job in Portland?

I’ll be going to school full time at Pacific Northwest College of Art to finish up my BFA in Illustration, but I’m hoping to get some freelance artwork going as well. I’m really interested in designing some posters for local music venues. I’ll also probably end up getting some waiting job on the weekends to help pay the bills.

Anything exciting going on or in the future for you?

The thought of being in school again after four years is pretty exciting. I’ve tried as hard as I can to stay focused and push myself creatively, but I always work better when I’m in a structured art environment. I’m excited to explore some challenging ideas and get beyond my safety zone. Coming up with unique ideas is a strange thing, since you have to assume that every idea has been done in one way or another. What I try to do in order to combat that is make sure that whatever I’m creating says something about me and my personality. When I talk about my “safety zone” I guess I mean that lately I’ve been catching myself creating something that I personally could care less about, I haven’t taken the time before starting it to really analyze what it means to me.


Have you ever flipped someone off in a fit of rage?

Actually, no. I do tend to get angry quite a bit, but it never comes out physically. That's not to say I bottle everything up, I’m just not the type of person to start yelling and freaking out. I usually just end up getting in a lot of overdrawn, heated debates, which probably isn’t any better than yelling and flipping someone off. (side note: I always grew up saying you “flicked” someone off, but found out that even hearing it described like that angers most people.)

What is your favorite compound curse word, that is if you curse?

Fuck yes, I curse. I think it has to be used creatively though, and 99% of the time it’s not meant to be mean-spirited at all. As for my favorite compound-curse....that’s tough. Ever since I saw The Squid and the Whale I’ve been a pretty big fan of “Assman”(p.s. that movie is brilliant, everyone should see it). I also liked it when my friend said his boss was “shitting kittens” because of some inventory discrepancy. It pretty much sums it all up.

Interview by Charlie Festa

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