graphic design

Witness Gordon Holden

Gordon Holden has immediately caught our attention. After seeing all of his art we were even more intrigued. What the hell is going through his head when he’s doing his art? We sense a sarcastic humour seeping out of his collages, but the simplicity and thoughtfulness of his work causes us to think twice about his intention.

Gordon’s art is amazing, and combine his designs with apparel and you have some of the best tees we’ve come across. We asked Gordon to talk about them a bit. “The tees are for the most part, pop culture derived. there has, is, and always will be some sort of obsession people have with pop culture. Maybe i do too, and if you can buy a piece of the culture you desire to associate with in the form it something practical then that is the best business. Trends and fads are exciting, mysterious and questionable, but I have always seen the tshirt thing separate from my art. I dont know why, art and fashion are 2 different things and often times get confused with one another. I think thats all i have to say about that.”

This is the kind of shit that get’s us fired up!!! The thought that goes on behind the art, the concept that brings the artist to the point of creating the tee, or the painting, or the collage. Gordon we can’t get enough of your style and what we think you represent. The raw nature of your designs inspire the shit out of us and we are huge fans. Go buy a tee from his online store, or go visit his site.

gordonholden.com
shop.gordonholden.com/products


Genius: Jetter Green

Jetter Green doesn’t really give us an address when we go to visit him, instead he tells us to continue down a road and go left at the fork and follow it until it ends. I have not yet met Jett or seen his home. I imagine that at the end of this road, there will be a mysterious dark house with an old man walking out to greet us an old unhinged door will slam closed behind him. My reason for this assumption; Jett’s art seems to be generated from an ancient soul who has lived long enough to watch the galaxy’s shift. As we reach the house, my misconception couldn’t be more wrong. The house is breathtaking and so perfectly nestled among large trees in a canyon that looks out into a rocky hillside. My first glimpse of Jett proves me wrong yet again as he is young, handsome, with a big smile that welcomes us warmly. His energy however, is that of someone who has lived and has done so aware and open, rather than closed and disconnected.

Jett grew up in San Diego, CA and actually went to the same school as his wife Sarah and her Sister. He and Sarah lived in Leucadia right next to the ocean, which seems to be a pivotal inspiration for his artwork. The  ocean, the sky, endless forests, and far away planets find themselves drifting in between his staggeringly detailed pieces. He works as a graphic designer for his own company called Outlier Creative and an artist from his home office which is as humble as he is.

We spend time with Jett for a while talking to him about his art and his processes and his inspiration. Nature seems to be a very significant factor, and teamed up with a deep knowledge of composition and color and his extraordinary imagination, his creative process and his art flourishes. Due to the psychedelic nature of his work, I ask him jokingly if he smokes or anything while he works, and he reply’s simply, “No, I don’t need to, I have music and my imagination.”

His support system is one that any artist would be envious of. His wife Sarah has to be one of the sweetest most present, happy people I have met in a long time. Her energy, like Jett’s is positive and focused, yet alive and dreamy. They share an identical tattoo, a turtle with a peace sign for a shell. I wonder what the connection is, and if they got it together, although it wouldn’t surprise me if they both had them before they met. As Jett works Sarah sits in a chair off to the side watching him from over his shoulder. Her eyes sparkle watching him, and the love and respect she has for his work is obvious. Carla, Sarah’s sister, is a huge fan as well and I love hearing her talk about her brother-in-law’s work. She knows her favorites and the title’s of the pieces as well by heart.

Overall Jett’s work speaks for itself and to see a piece at full size is truly an experience. Jett has started to print on wood, metal, and even light boxes, he tells us about how the colors change as they find themselves on different mediums. I encourage you all to visit his site and take some time looking through the work he has featured. In the video below you will also get a sneak peak at a work that hasn’t been seen by anyone besides his close friends. In my personal opinion it is one of my favorites. I am of course a huge fan of his art, but after spending time with Jett, I find that is only one of many aspects about him that is special. Spend an hour with him and you will get to know someone who has a knowledge and love for art and design far beyond his years. Someone who has an appreciation for a simple life and who is truly aware of his surroundings. Someone who is just beginning his journey and whom we will follow into the depths of the worlds he creates, as each one is a new reflection of our planet and the one’s we haven’t reached yet and maybe will only walk on in our dreams.

jettergreen.com


Love Nail Tree

 

Love what Love Nail Tree has done with tee design. Another LA brand that has it absolutely dialed with their graphics, silhouettes, and their story. I picked up a tee of theirs this weekend and after putting it on, fell in love with the styling immediately. Custom blanks with an amazing hand feel, and each tee is graced with a story screen printed on the inside of the neck in clean typography. I bought the Washing in the River tee and this is the story I found.

Sleeping amongst wolves is no man’s pastime. Man finds silence amongst redwoods, and calmness on a Kentucky summer’s night. Man gathers relief from the covers of his childhood bed, and comfort from his father’s old reclining chair. But no man rests in the presence of wolves.

Eating from the bathroom floor is like chewing fat for sustenance. Warm soup bowls from old-time diners bring forth fervent spirits, and rich slabs of succulent steak upon heavy dinner plates bring cozy rest. But no man slathers grime from beneath the sink for flavor and fare. 
Likewise, strolling through battlefields with umbrellas high and picnic baskets frothing with foreign wines and cheeses afford only the fool his just desserts. To act without tact, to run without light, and to live without care is like bringing Wisdom to the Ganges for cleansing.

Love Nail Tree has a special nostalgia about it’s design, it pays particular attention to LA fashion yet remains wearable and un-intrusives. Thought provoking and confident is how I feel wearing this tee.

Stay tuned for our coverage on their stunning jewelry line next week.

 

Love Nail Tree 

 


Designers.MX

There is so much amazing music nestled in this gem of a find called Designers.MX.  How it works is designers from around the world submit mixes that they are feeling at the moment. They then post the  mix and design an album cover to company the sound and feel of the compilation. The result is an extremely pleasurable experience, “mixing” music + art + design.  What we get from it, is a ton of music for free streaming right to our computers. I had a deadline to hit Friday and relied on the mix for a solid 7 to 8 hours straight. Head there right now, sign in through Twitter and be on your way:

designers.mx


Lost Type Co-op

The Lost Type Co-Op is a Pay-What-You-Want font website founded by Riley Cran and Tyler Galpin, you can visit the site here. Make sure to check out their blog, with some really great illustrations and typography inspiration. You can pay what you feel the font is worth to you, even if it’s zero. 100% of funds from these sales go directly to the designers of the fonts. It’s a pretty amazing online business model, and a really cool place to visit.


Clean Clear Design

3 Branding Objectives, 1 mission: To make clean clear design. Scouring Cargo, we stumbled happily upon Greg Scott, Cavalier Essentials, and Greg Durrell. These designers/brands are hard not to notice, and we want to let their work do the talking, take a look and if you like their work, support them by visiting their sites, and sharing this post with everyone.

Greg Scott//

Cavalier Essentials//

Greg Durrell//