Teefury

A word from the curator:
There's something sinister afoot on this old, familiar street...

Tell us the background of this design.
A while back Banksy did a take on this Pulp Fiction image featuring bananas for guns. He was taking something disturbing, adding a humorous element and softening it. I thought about how you could make the image MORE disturbing by transposing a softer element into it. Bert and Ernie - bingo.

How did you get started designing t-shirts?
The usual way - accidentally! A lot of people have a tee shirt design in their head - I just happened to have the tools to make the image (Adobe Illustrator - hell yeah!). I played around with some images just for fun, but after people started buying them, I decided to get a bit more serious.

What advice would you offer to aspiring designers?
Think long term. And when I say long term, I mean loooooooong term. Expecting quick results will result in extreme disappointment. A long term perspective takes a lot of pressure off you as well.

What would be your dream job?
Being an independent fashion designer - which I am. Epic win!

What are your feelings about travel?
Hate it. Hate it. Hate it.

Do you prefer video games, board games, or athletic games?
Mind games. Nah - I like having a run around. Love beach rugby.

Stripes vs. solids: which would win the battle?
Stripes, more military.

Describe your favorite shirt that you own, and why you like it so much.
Well, I'm wearing "Evolution of the AT-AT" at the moment, which will always have a special place in my heart. It was my first really popular tee, and continues to sell every day (yay!)

What was your favorite as a kid: comics, cartoons, or movies? Was there a specific title you liked most of all?
Comics all the way. Conan the Barbarian - although it was a bit disturbing from memory, quite dark. Conan seemed to have more than his fair share of existentialist angst.

What are a few of your favorite websites?
Ha! This will be shameless... I'm a big fan of the Black Milk Clothing shop (http://www.blackmilkclothing.com/), and the Too Many Tights blog (http://www.toomanytights.typepad.com/). What can I say, I like legs.

Any shout outs?
Anyone anywhere who has bought a James Lillis tee shirt. You guys who buy independent design are CHAMPIONS!