It all started with a doodle.
Creating has always been a passion. As a young child without siblings living in my imagination was a sort of escape. As you grow older outlets such as reading, art, and creative games become the space where this imagination gets to roam free. I have never been exceptionally good at any creative outlet, preferring to jump from one thing to the next: knitting, painting, drawing, guitar, etc. Doodling in class was my way of focusing; most of my notes from classes in high school and into secondary education have doodles up and down the sides. That didn't stop when I got into work, often my notes still have doodles when I am talking on the phone and focusing on the conversation.
Photography has always been something I have been interested in and passionate about as another creative outlet that, again, I am not an expert in what-so-ever. Ever since digital cameras came out, I have always been playing with bending an image to fit the mood I was trying to portray. Naturally when Instagram became prominent I drifted toward that any away from other social media platforms. It was all about the image and I really enjoyed that.
And so here I was, creating images, mostly of nature, and then of rugby and working out through University and College. Then it morphed again into ciders, wine and beer and then strictly craft beer and the community behind it.
There I sat, creating images and sharing the beer loved and I think I doodled something and posted it in my story once upon a time. And then Chris came out of nowhere and asked me if I wanted to do a t-shirt collaboration with him. I have known Chris and High Gravity Supply Co for the iconic Ontario beer map t-shirt and "Citra" hoodies and tees. I was overjoyed to be asked to work with him as I already loved the brand. I had approached a few local companies about creating something beer related before but no one could see the vision. It has always been a dream to create something that I wanted to wear and share with the craft beer community.
I love a good brewery shirt but a lot of brewery t-shirts, though they are cozy, comfy, and always classic, are so similar. Neutral in colour, some writing or the logo, the same almost wherever you go! And I don't mind it, in fact it is smart branding: neutral shirts appeal to the general public and can be purchased and worn by any customer regardless of their age, sex or gender. But I wear beer shirts all day long and I was tired of having a pile that didn't bring happiness to me anymore and they were getting monotonous (of course, yes, there are exceptions to these rules. There are breweries that make awesome merchandise, but I am just speaking generally).
But Chris' work... I loved what he was creating. I loved the individuality and the love that Chris poured into his clothes. The thoughtful beer imagery and the care he put into connecting with his customers really made me happy. When he reached out and asked me to work with him I was thrilled and so amazed. I think for months on end we spent almost every night sending images back and forth working on designs. Chris had to tell me what would fit and once a doodle was complete, he could make it come alive with colour and perfect it until it was ready. The eye the man has is amazing, taking something literally scrawled on a piece of scrap paper sometimes in pencil and scribbles and turning it into a masterpiece... it's completely insane.
I couldn't be more happy with the connections and creations I have made during our journey together and I hope it will continue!
If you are interested in checking out the pieces we have created over the last year or so, they are all available on the High Gravity Supply Co website and I will link my collaboration specifically HERE.
I want to thank also everyone who has purchased from this line already, especially the most recent collaboration with Ed as well (@tdotdrinks) where we are donating all proceeds to Black Lives Matter Toronto and Black Women in Motion. You are all amazing and thank you for all your support!