Tilteed

Artist Interview: igo2cairo

Curator’s Statement:

As spring approaches and we start seeing more and more birds, I thought we should feature one of our own. This little guy is laid back, daddy-o, like a perfect spring weekend, and the bright tee is ready to summon summer wherever you may be, whether hanging out around the house or heading out “On the Road.”

Welcome to Tilteed! Tell us a little about yourself!

Thank you, it’s good to be here! I was born in the US but now live in Toronto, Canada. I attended OCAD (Ontario College of Art and Design) and am currently attempting to make a living off being an artist. Probably a foolish thing to attempt but if I’m not involved with something creative I tend to go a bit nuts. 

This piece is a bit older than the work we’re most familiar with from you, and consequently different. How has your tee design process changed over time?

I’d say the introduction of simulated process printing has had the biggest impact on me. It really freed me up and allowed me to experiment and work on more illustrative designs.

You’ve worked on many brilliant “menagerie” designs with your brother. What is the inspiration behind the series, and what is your collaborative process like?

The menageries are an on-going project with us and we’re currently working on a picture-book featuring ten different menageries that we hope to get published. Because we have different styles we’ve basically divided up the menageries and will mostly work on them independently, although I might draw an element here or there and vice-versa.

Dragons also play a big part in your work. What sort of dragon do you feel best represents you?

I specialize in Chinese-style dragons because I find them to be the most aesthetically pleasing and fun to draw. Also it’s a nod to my Chinese ancestry (I’m half Chinese on my dad’s side) and I like the rich traditions and folklore behind Chinese dragons.

Let’s talk influences: what artists (shirt or otherwise) influence you most, and what is your favorite shirt in your collection?

Wow, that’s a tough one because I have so many influences, really too many to even mention so I won’t even try. Some of my earliest influences were “Peanuts” by Charles Scultz, Maurice Sendak and Dr. Suess.

My favourite shirt in my collection is actually “The Fantastic Voyage” even though it’s one of my simpler designs. For one, it was my first print so it has a lot of sentimental value, but also I just think it really works well on the tee and I dig the wonky concept and style of it. 

Any links, projects, or other such things that you’d like to give a shout-out to?

Yes, I’m really stoked about this project that my two brothers and I are working on with Joe Carr. I’ve been involved in writing screenplays in the past and Joe is on board with us to adapt one of our screenplays into a graphic novel. It’s a sci-fi screenplay and his style is perfect for what we had in mind, plus he’s awesome to work with.

Any last words?

Yeah, thanks for printing Beaknik. It’s an off-beat design that I’ve always had a soft-spot for so I’m happy that it’s finally found a home.