This week, GTS sat down with Threadless' Art Director - the one and only Ross Zeitz. We talk about everything from creative mitochondria, Red's (his dog) manhood, crawfish and dream recorders. On with the show...

GTS: Ross, thanks for sitting down with Gettin' The Skinny. Happy Friday!

Ross: Yes... another crazy friday.

GTS: what's happening in the Threadless universe?

Ross: Ahelluvalot! I always imagine skinnycorp as a big industrial stove with like 10 burners... 4 of them are really big and the rest are smaller. It's a balancing act of what's cooking at the moment. Prioritizing is key. Does that make sense? It did in my head...

GTS: Sounded right to me. Everyone knows you crank out awesome tee designs but what's involved in being the Threadless' Art Director?

Ross: My team consists of Craig "Raincloud" Shimala (when he is not doing TV), Crabby Joe, Photo Sean, and a new export coming soon. We all help keeping threadless... threadless. But more specifically our creative production team gets the chosen designs on the cotton (by working closely with the designers and printers), then get those shirts on the site, we brainstorm wacky sale and business ideas, we do various design tasks for the site and alot more i'm forgetting.

GTS: awesome..so you and your team are sort of like threadless' mitochondria

Ross: ...yes... but bigger. I had to google mitochondria just to be sure.

GTS: yeah, definitely bigger. I'm a dog person so I have to ask - how are things with Red?

Ross: Ha... Funny you ask. He just got snipped. So he resembles a lampshade. a furry lampshade that runs into everything. I feel so bad for the little dude. I love him to death though.

GTS: I'm sure he'll be back in full form in no time. I heard somewhere that you're originally from Louisiana. Is there anything you miss about Louisiana living in Chicago?

Ross: Family, friends, and food. Don't get me wrong, the food here is good but nothing compares to good louisiana cooking. gumbos, ettoufee, crawfish, SEAFOOD in general... anything spicy!

GTS: what dish in particular would you recommend to folks traveling to Louisiana?

Ross: It's almost a badge of honor in my book to be able to say you have experienced a crawfish boil.

GTS: what's involved with a crawfish boil?

Ross: 3 things: People(friends or soon to be friends), Beer(nothing fancy), and a pile of hot boiled spicy crawfish. The crawfish are actually boiled alive... it's pretty cruel. At boils when I was little I used to always try and help a few escape.

GTS: Run crawfish, run! Sounds like a blast for seafood lovin' folks.

Ross: Some of my friends and I recently had a boil here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/arzie13/2484156014/

GTS: Going back to your own tee designs for a minute - what other artists inspire your work?

Ross: Lots of people think it is gross... almost like eating bugs. Too many to name...First one that popped into my head is Geoff Mcfetridge. I just love his simple aesthetic and his laid back vibe. Others that inspire me are Andy Meuller, the dudes at aesthetic apparatus, tyler stout, Genevieve Gauckler, Michael Perry, Wes Anderson, Gondry... there are so many.

GTS: Any new arzie13 subs in the works?

Ross: I have a couple brewing... but I am on a major drought right now. I really need to snap out of it. I'm going to Europe at the end of this month so i'm hoping the trip will inspire. Just me, my girlfriend... and Olly Moss.

GTS: haha...i was going to ask if you planned on meeting up with Mr. Moss

Ross: ...and hopefully Aled and his girlfriend Abi and really any one else thats up for it around London and or Paris.

GTS: I'll take that as an open call to all eurobloggers for some pub stumping...

Ross: sure... lets have a pint...

GTS: I asked fellow bloggers to submit some questions for you to answer. Ready?

Ross: yes!

GTS: The first question comes from jess4002: If you could invent absolutely anything, what would it be and why?

Ross: First off I would like to say that is a great question... My friends... I would like to invent... this is tough...it would probably involve sleeping...like something that could record my dreams because I have they craziest dreams and no matter how hard I try to remember them I usually forget them by the time I am in the shower. so... yeah...a dream recorder.

GTS: littlem asked: Ross, it's about those eyebrows. You know I love them, though I tease you incessantly. Do you tend to them as if they were a topiary? Or do you just let them run wild and free like the ponies on Chincoteague?

Ross: haha... they are wild and free... I guess i'm kinda lucky I have two of them.

GTS: angelito wants to know: Red, Nola and Moscow are in a fist fight over the last doggie biscuit. Who wins?

Ross: Nola is the sweetest, most well behaved dog in the world... She's amazing. I haven't been around Moscow in a few months but I feel Red would snag it up... He can be a jerk like that.

GTS: Shimala called Red a jerk too.

Ross: Well, I taught him to bites Craig achilles tendon so he could take him down. That might be why.

GTS: Haha! That explains it! Speaking of Shimala, he asked: Which printed design is your favorite? Which unprinted design makes you sad that it's not?

Ross: All of threadless or just me personally?

GTS: I'm assuming he meant all designs but feel free to include your own into the mix.

Ross: The Hills have Eyes is my favorite... I love the style and colors. Unprinted is pretty tough - there are so many!

GTS: pick a card...any card

Ross: ha.. I love almost all of what tesco and eskimokiss do. they should do a sub together under the name teskimokiss.

GTS: Our last questions comes from andyg: Has Threadless ever considered devoting an entire week of new prints to a single artist? "Andyg Week," just as an example, would unleash 6 brand-new andyg tees, 3 reprints of andyg classics along with several, andyg art prints. All on one, unforgettable Monday.

Ross: haha! In production we do our best to spread everything out... We love seeing new artists. Plus if that were to happen I think everyone would hate that person and their almost $14000... Good god that is alot of money.

GTS: when you put it like that, i'm hating andyg already.

Ross: He's a funny dude... It was cool meeting him in person.

GTS: I'm joshing...I dig his style big time. Ross, it's time to play Pick One. You're familiar with this segment?

Ross: I sure am... LETS DO THIS! I won't even think... I'll just let it flow.

GTS: #1 - Prime Time: Morning or Night?

Ross: Night... Def. not a morning person

GTS: #2 - Bad Ass Bears: Polar or Grizzly?

Ross: Grizzly... I lived in Wyoming for a summer.

GTS: #3 - Mean Jeans: Acid washed or stone washed?

Ross: Acid washed, cut short so the pockets hang out.

GTS: WOW! #4 - Movie Munchies: Popcorn or candy?

Ross: Both! Together at the same time.

GTS: #5 - Better Man: Batman or Spiderman?

Ross: The Bat. I hate Tobey.

GTS: #6 - Greatest Gary: Gary Busey or Gary Coleman?

Ross: Busey... I love the insanity and Point Break!

GTS: #7 - Fall Fun: Hayrides or Corn Maze?

Ross: Maize

GTS: #8 - Juiced Up: Pulp or no pulp

Ross: Pulp... Seems more natural.

GTS: #9 - Gnarly Neckwear: Bowties or bolo tie?

Ross: Bowties... So classy.

GTS: #10 - Real Rock: Schoolhouse Rock or Fraggle Rock?

Ross: Schoolhouse even though it was before me. It's style is often imitated never duplicated.

GTS: Right on! Well Ross, that about it does it for this installment of Gettin' The Skinny. Any parting words for the folks at home?

Ross: Awsome thanks... Naps are awesome. Everyone should take more naps.