By: Emma Sikes
This week, I interviewed Zan, aka Artisan Trash, a designer from Florida creating hilarious t-shirts and hoodies for the “with-it” youth. You may have seen me sporting one of his designs and may have read it then laughed. You also may have read it and been confused. Either way, you were staring at my boobs, so it’s a win for me. I love his work and you will too. You can even buy the same shirt I have THIS WEEKEND at The Outdoor Gallery, where he’ll be selling everything he has. Be there, Saturday, April 1st from 1-6, and if you happen to purchase the same shirt I have, please do not wear it when I decide to. I don’t do twinsies.
Emma Sikes: If you were a sandwich what kind of sandwich would you be? And what shape would you be cut into? (i.e. triangle, in half, fourths)
Artisan Trash: I definitely would be like a steak sandwich or a philly. Definitely a sub, not a square bread sandwich. I’d go for the angled cut, cut to a point. As a sandwich, I’m thinking how can I differentiate myself from the other sandwiches, so presentation wise that’s what I’d go with.
Emma Sikes: What was the most traumatic experience that has happened to you?
Artisan Trash: Having to air-dry my clothes instead of putting them in the dryer because my dryer was broken. It rocked me to my core and broke me down, and honestly showed me who I really was.
Emma Sikes: I’m so sorry that happened to you. (sincere) When aliens invade this planet (in the next 5 years) and land their UFO right in front of you -so you’re the 1st person they talk to- who would you tell them you are?
Artisan Trash: So, do they have weapons, or do they seem hostile, or are they neutral aliens just showing up?
ES: Well they’re the first ones getting off the ship and statistically the first ones kinda come in peace.
AT: I’d tell them I’m just a guy. I don’t wanna set myself apart from the aliens too much cause if they think I’m important then who knows what’s gonna happen to me. But if I don't make myself seem at least a little bit important, they might just kill me. So I’d wanna find a happy medium where I’m not too important, but I’m also not completely unimportant to ensure my survival.
ES: This is a Two- parter, Why the name ArtisanTrash? Which word do you identify with more- artisan or trash?
AT: I’ll say artisan cause I’d rather not identify as trash. And for the name, when I first started making stuff, I was thinking; “What’s a way to say like well-made bullshit, like finely crafted trash, hand-crafted waste?”, something along those lines. I landed on Artisan Trash and trademarked it.
ES: Werk. How old were you when you started making?
AT: I’d say 10 or 11. Everybody played with Legos, but what I started doing was making my own mini-figure outfits by taking those “Hi my name is” name tags with the sticky backs, I’d cut those in the shape of the Lego torso and draw my own designs on them. And I would take my newly clothed Legos and make stop motion, very poorly though. Couldn't quite figure it out at 10 years old. I did make a couple of movies but they’re not very seamless, lots of jerky motions.
ES: Begging you to release those. Name 3 people you’d love to see wearing your designs and name 1 person who you’d rather they never do.
AT: I guess if you think it’s cool to be a shitty person don’t wear my stuff. Just like morally, people who are at least trying not to be pieces of shit, that’s who I want in my clothes. Ok, specifically, I’d want Marco Pier White. Yes he’ll be wearing an apron, but I’ll know it’s underneath, that’s what it’s about. So fictionally, I want Courage the cowardly dog too.
ES: And how would he wear it?
AT: I think I’d be really big on him so he’d probably have to wear it as a t-shirt dress. I guess to round it out…I keep thinking Phillip Seymour Hoffman. I know he’s dead, but he was cool, so maybe he could be buried in it. Is that like ok? Yeah, would love to see that.
ES: How do you decide what medium to use on what design? What deserves a sweatshirt vs a t-shirt?
AT: Oh, that’s just a weird feeling like a mood. It’s hard because sometimes people will really want something in a t-shirt or a sweatshirt and if I can I will oblige them and print it because at least at this point I’m not so uptight that I won’t do things like that. Although I could see in the future, not doing things like that. But I guess like just some things are sweaters, and some things are not sweaters, and that’s how I think about it. Sometimes I’m wrong. Sometimes you’ve gotta admit like 10 different people said this should be a hoodie then maybe it should be a hoodie. I think I just go with my gut feeling. I do that on a lot of things.
ES: Is a hoodie more of a commitment than a t-shirt? Are you saying you like the design more if it’s on a sweatshirt?
AT: I wouldn’t say that, but I mean it’s more material, so it's gonna be more expensive. It needs to be worth it. For instance, I do text designs, and graphics too, but there’s very few text designs where I’ve thought “this deserves a hoodie”. The text designs are mostly jokes so they’re t-shirts.
ES: Do you think Anna Wintour would like you?
AT: As a person maybe, as a fashion person, probably not because I’m not out here like serving fits all day long. I could eventually get on her good side and she’d appreciate me but she would be like we need to get this guy on "What Not to Wear”. One day I’ll be dropping fits hard enough to get her acceptance.
ES: One day. Do you wear your own stuff? Out or in private?
AT: Yes, absolutely both. But sometimes I get a sense of like “Damn, this shit is really cool.” and like is it too cool for me? Yeah definitely some days I’m like “Damn I made this, but I dunno can I rock it too?”
ES: What is your favorite piece you’ve designed vs what’s your best seller?
AT: I think the best seller is definitely the “Boys won’t be boys” ringer tee because that came out during COVID and online retail kind of boomed then. For my favorite, I have a lot of heart for almost all my stuff. I think my favorite is stuff that hasn’t come out yet.
Check out Artisan Trash's designs at artisantrash.com
Where can we get this merch?