Some of our newest, best selling dresses features artwork of the great, Jared Gaines. With heavy traditional tattoo influences, and incorpotating our spooky vibes, Jared knocked his designs out of the park with these incredible patterns.
Dive into our Q & A with this Virgina based Artist!
1. Tell us alittle bit about yourself! Where are you from? What are your hobbies?
I’m a visual artist living in the Richmond, Virginia area. I moved here in 2006, and have been either consuming or producing art and music throughout my time here.
2. What inspires you as an artist? When did you know you wanted to pursue art as a career?
Inspiration comes from so many places. My love of album art and tattoo flash were both doorways to what I’m doing now. Pursuing art as a career seemed impossible, something you only read about in Juxtapoz. But in 2019 it became a reality and I’m still working hard to maintain it, much to my disbelief at times.
3. Your art is very heavily inspired by traditional tattooing, Tell us about your introduction to that world.
I was lucky to have a friend apprentice at a tattoo shop when we were teenagers. This opened up a whole world of new art, music, and friendships that continue to inspire us to this day. So I was an admirer of the style for a long time, but how it was made was a mystery to me- it seemed beyond my reach. I was pursuing other art styles anyway. About 6 years ago, the same friend showed me some of the painting techniques and I ran with it.
4. What are some of your favorite designs you’ve done for Sourpuss?
I loved working with the Friday the 13th cat theme! In a genre known more for panthers and tigers, it was fun to try some of the same ideas but with a much less threatening animal. Incorporating them with horseshoes, moons and stars led to great pairings and fun results. Sourpuss was able to incorporate these into patterns that led to beautiful, fantastically designed dresses that simply amaze me.
5. What are your goals as an artist? Where do you see yourself professionally in 5 years?
My current goal is to make the best flash that I can, and keep improving on it year over year. In 5 years, I want to look back at the illustrations I did today with some distaste for them - knowing I could do better. That’s how you know you’re still improving. I also want to branch out into larger, more traditional styles of painting, while continuing to grow on the product design side of things. I don’t like limits.
6. Name your go-to favorite album? How does music influence your art?
Music has a very heavy and direct influence on the art I’m making now. The full album flash sheets were meant to pay tribute to albums considered perfect from start to finish. The entire album, the way they were appreciated prior to streaming. Perhaps, when the band did their best work. This is subjective of course, but I didn’t want to focus on just 5 of the best songs - that kind of flash has already been done.
7. What city are you from and what is a spot people MUST see/experience there?
I’ve been living in the Richmond area for about 15 years. I’m still inspired and appreciate the James River Park System. Most cities have the same bars and shops, so I would encourage people to see Maymont, Belle Isle, the natural beauty Richmond is surrounded by.
You can shop the site HERE for all of the items we offer designs by Jared!
