Graphic (Dis)Content
Graphic design is not dead. Your tee shirts are still worth your time, and let’s face it—neither you nor Dejour want to live in a world that is always buttoned-down. We took the time to talk with the design junkie extraordinaire UPSO about his latest work with Threadless, Faesthetic Magazine, and what keeps him plugging away through the overwhelming nature of the digital age.
by JOSE R. MEJIA
 PHOTOS: DUSTIN AMERY HOSTETLER |
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What’s new these days, Dustin—what are you working on lately?
In addition to doing the Threadless gig, I’m working on art for my solo show at Wootini. The art is going to be based on things/products I will miss when I die. The title of the show is, “I Will Miss You When I’m Gone” and it opens the 2nd Friday of March.
How's the relationship with Threadless and the Select line gone so far? How did it come about?
So far, so awesome! Working for Threadless is hands down the best job I’ve ever had. I’ve known the Threadless dudes for years, but in 2006 I worked with them on some Faesthetic-themed t-shirts. When I contacted them about doing it again in 2007 they offered me a job! I'm their Special Projects Manager, which includes curating the Select line of shirts. We release a new one each week, and it's been really fun trying to push the envelope with the artists we are using.
It’s interesting to see the the relationship continue onto the next level and into Faesthetic; how'd Threadless get interested in helping get Faesthetic out to the unwashed masses?
Threadless now produces and distributes the magazine. For the first 6+ years of Faesthetic, it was all done out of my home in Toledo, Ohio. My living room was always filled with boxes, and I’d go to the post office 15 times a week to do send-outs. I really spent more time doing the footwork for distro than I did on making the actual book. And, since Faesthetic never ran a lot of ads, it was all out of pocket for me as well.
Now partnering with Threadless, I can take advantage of things like their awesome warehouse, and distro capabilities. My house is now free of boxes, and I can focus on making the magazine better, instead of worrying about the hustle. In addition, it seems like a perfect fit to work with Threadless, as they are totally aware of good art and design, and sell to an audience that appreciates that.
Now that there's maybe some more muscle behind the book thanks to Threadless getting behind it, should we expect things to change somehow?
For starters, Faeshetic will be coming out 3 times a year starting this year. The format will change between the 3 issues a bit, and I'll be bringing in some new content. Basically, it’s evolving, and will be getting better with each upcoming issue.
What's your take on the market these days, in terms of graphic items? A lot of people complain about oversaturation and a lack of inspiration going on with everything from toys to tee shirts... what keeps UPSO going?
I have to admit, I can get a little burnt out on graphic things. With the internet, things aren’t quite as special as they used to be. It’s so easy to get new products as soon as you hear about them (shoes for example) that the hunt is almost gone. You see all these amazing designer toys online, and then when you get to the toy store it’s like, "eh... I’ve already seen all of these." I think in the end, obviously the web is one of the most amazing things ever... but I wish people would try a little harder to put out products that somehow still felt original. It’s so easy to copy people nowadays with everyone's portfolios online... I’d just like to be surprised more. And, not to plug us too much.. but that’s one of the things I absolutely love about Threadless. We are releasing at least 8 shirts a week. There is always something new to see and wear.
What keeps me going? Beyond digging around the web for new artists to work with... I just really love working. I love making art. I love helping my friends put out music. I love interacting with creative people.
In the spirit of public service and good works, let us know what UPSO thinks is exciting or worth our while these days...
I used to be into design portal websites, but now I’m all about blogs. I love reading specific people's specific tastes on specific things like art, science or food. I just started blogging a couple months ago. [Check out think.faesthetic.com] I realized that all of these amazing people I know are continuing to do amazing things and I wanted to share that with other people. I’m also really into eating healthier. I know it sounds kind of boring, but it hit me recently that I love life and probably should treat myself better so I can enjoy it longer.
Check out Faesthetic at www.faesthetic.com/
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