Scaled and Icy (Album Cover) Shoe

don’t you shy away.

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Scaled and Icy - The newest album release by twentyonepilots was the influence for this piece . Both shoes are adorned with a hand-painted image of the character Trash the Dragon which is seen on the album cover of this record as well as trident-looking logo located near the heel that is also associated with the band.

This particular pair of shoes was bought second hand and then cleaned and treated to put them in the best restored state. The original color was a pastel yellow (with some stains) which was then covered over with this beautiful light pink hue, immediately giving the shoes a brand new feel. I love the idea of taking an item that has been discarded and giving it a new chance at life which is what started my love of custom painting pre-owned shoes.

Keith Haring Customs

Marking the beginning of quarantine in March of 2020, I found myself confronted with time. Now, how to use this time was a bit of a tougher question and how to use it well was even more tough. I began to watch youtube videos of an artist who would paint Nike Airforce 1’s and I was instantly hooked. I dug around in my room and found an older pair of white lace up vans that would be perfect for experimenting with. The inspiration for the design of shoes came directly from past work of Keith Haring, the New York based street artist, who happened to be my favorite artist at the time. I was inspired by his bold colors and the original characters that he produced.

This project opened a gateway into an avenue of art that I still pursue heavily today and have now evolved from painting shoes for myself to now taking commissions for custom painted shoes. Each pair that I produce brings exposure which has allowed me to work on other projects, collaborations, and commissions or private clients, companies, and church organizations.