Today we’d like to introduce you to Oscar Gaytan Cruz.
Oscar, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
In the summer of 2018, a close friend of mine asked if I could paint on a pair of Converse shoes for him. He wanted Tweety bird on the side of each of the shoes, so I began looking at reference images online. We then decided on a colorway and the kind of pose Tweety needed to be in. After this was settled, I began painting on the all-white shoes. The brand I use is called Angelus Acrylic paint. This brand of paint is specifically made for custom apparel. It’s made to last and to be worn. Whether that be shoes, jackets or anything for that matter. I took about a week to get these customs done. I learned that unlike the traditional canvas, shoes have curves and edges that can be tricky to paint on. Sometimes to avoid getting paint on a mid-sole or toe tips, tape is needed to cover these areas. I realized that in order to make customs, I needed to paint slow and precise so that I could stay within the lines.
After the shoes were dry, it was time to give them back to my friend. They were just what he wanted and I won’t ever forget how excited he was. I like to share my paintings and drawings online, and I wasn’t sure about posting something like this that was a whole new medium. After going back and forth, I ultimately decided to post the images on my Facebook art page OG Illustrations, so that anyone who was interested in getting their own custom shoes done could contact me. To my surprise, the response was overwhelming and not what I expected. I didn’t think the shoes would get as much attention as they did. Previously I did commission work on regular paintings but now I had requests to paint on shoes! Since then, I’ve expanded on the kinds of materials that I paint on. These include hats, denim/leather jackets, wallets, & purses. And I’ve still continued to take regular painting commissions too by designing logos for local companies and groups. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed making customs because this art style is so different from what I did before. Even though it can be challenging, seeing a happy customer is my greatest sense of satisfaction at the end of the day.
Each piece is made with the utmost care and attention. Many of which are gifts for significant others, and friends so I enjoy knowing that it may be a special surprise for someone. Ever since I began making customs, I have participated in local art festivals in Chattanooga and have taken orders for custom apparel there. As well as having my pieces displayed at the Association for Visual Arts building in Chattanooga. In 2019 I was featured in a news segment for News Channel 9 called “Made in Our Hometown” where I talked about my career as a Visual Artist and specifically my journey in making customs.
I’m a full time student, but in my spare time, I do everything I can to continue sharing what I do with others. I find that customs truly are a one of a kind gift or individual piece of clothing. Its exclusivity makes it that much more desirable to anyone who wants to stand out. Customs are a true “1 of 1” as I like to call it.
Has it been a smooth road?
Because I am a full time student, I have had to juggle my time between painting and studying. I’m currently in my second semester of the Medical Assistant program at TCAT Chattanooga, and it has been a nonstop roller coaster of test-taking and preparing for check-offs. I also serve as the SkillsUSA Post-Secondary President for the State of Tennessee and locally at TCAT Chattanooga, so any extra time is a luxury if I’m not studying or serving in the student organization I’m in. Even through this, I continue to take orders for customs. I always advise my clients that it may take longer to paint their apparel because of my current commitment to school. I do not, nor have I ever rushed on a project. I like to make sure that my time painting is un-interrupted to ensure that I give it at my highest quality. After all, since, will be worn and showcased to who knows how many people. I would want the person to look good and feel confident wearing what I painted. And I want the product to truly reflect on my kind of work so that others may also want to get a custom order of their own.
I have had to let people know that I cannot do customs for them, which does pain me. Sometimes potential clients want something done that same day, which can’t be possible due to time constraints. I’m always upfront with people and don’t want them to think I don’t want to start their project, so I always offer to put them on a waiting list so that I can get back to them at a later date. I then follow up as soon as possible to see if they’re still interested in placing order. Many of which are still on board and I get their customs made in the end. I’m thankful that clients understand my current standing as a student and work with me in getting their order completed. I recognize that this won’t last forever, and I look forward to the possibility of one day doing art full time.
Tell us more about the business
My business is predominately producing custom apparel for people. I am a “Visual Artist” and I cover many areas in the world of art. I do also take commissions for acrylic/oil/watercolor paintings. I am nearing two years of producing customs, and I feel confident in my ability to bring peoples custom ideas to life.
I have always been known as an artist growing up. It has been a way that I express myself and share my ideas with the world. To provoke thought and start conversations about the things around us. I was always the one who took charge of making a poster drawing for a project, or helping come up with ideas. The creative aspect of my life has truly brought me to where I am today and I don’t know where I’d be if I hadn’t found my love for art at a young age.
My deeper understanding of art came in 2013 when I attended Chattanooga Highschool Center for Creative Arts. This was my Junior year of high school and it was a huge academic transition from playing football to being a part of an arts school. This was my first time going to a school where I would be taught by artists on how to excel in my craft and discover other mediums of art. It was at this point of my life where I began to try new things and come out of my comfort zone when it came to art. I found that art can be messy but there can also be precision. I found my style to be in-between this controlled chaos. I’m grateful for have gone to a school where they encourage and bring out the true artist students. If I didn’t go to CCA, I probably wouldn’t be as devoted into art as I am now. I definitely wouldn’t be painting because that was always something I stayed away from beforehand.
Today I pride myself in knowing that I have brought a smile to many people’s faces. Loved ones get a true surprise when they unravel a gift box to find their customs inside. Knowing I can bring a sense of happiness keeps me going as I take on new art projects.
While I maintain a happy medium between my personal life and school, I continue to engage with my audience online and share my artwork there. I have social media pages that garner views and help get my artwork further outside of Chattanooga. Many artists are silent when it comes to sharing their thought process on how their produce their work. I on the other hand, enjoy sharing with others how I make my pieces. While I’m producing something new, I take short videos of myself painting until the project is done. Once the piece is complete, I go back and edit these short videos to make a time-lapse of the whole project. From start to finish, six hours becomes 1 minute. I like to make it entertaining too by adding music and voiceover to my videos. These videos can be seen on all of my social media pages. Very soon, I plan on adding more content to my YouTube channel to cover more of how I paint customs. I hope these art tutorials will inspire other artist to try making customs of their own or even simply get into art.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I look forward to the years ahead as I will be done with school and begin my career as a healthcare professional. I see art still being a major part of my life, as well as making customs. In the time that I have been making customs I’ve noticed there have been other Chattanooga artists who have also begun doing it too. It’s good to see others express themselves in their own styles with custom apparel. It’s inspiring to see them be a part of this format of the art world too. As I see more of these artists, I recognize there will be more competition among each other in this market. But I see it as a good way to keep myself on my toes and keep pushing to become better.
I’m sure I will take many more custom orders in the next year alone. Each one helps in sharpening my ability to make customs better and faster. I don’t see myself ever coming to a stop, nor do I want to. Being an artist is a never ending path of wanting to perfect a certain aspect of your craft but knowing it can’t be attained. No matter how good you get, you will always want to improve. But I believe that as long as I strive to become better than I was yesterday, than that’s all that matters. I plan on continuing to grow my following online and engage with my own local art community. I hope to reach out to many more artists in Tennessee and expand my business internationally one day.
Pricing:
- $30 rush fee added to the final price of the shoe if it needs to be completed within 1 week. I encourage customers place their order within 2 weeks’ time so that we may discuss the shoe design and I may ensure their customs get done on time.
- Custom shoes start at $80 and custom jackets at $120. (Final price may vary depending on the design. I take into account how long it took me to make the shoe and the amount of paint that was used. I always consult with a client about their idea beforehand to cover all details of their design and provide them an estimate of their order.)
- Custom wallets/purses/hats start at $20
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.facebook.com/OGCIllustrations/
- Phone: 423-544-2748
- Email: OGIllustrations@gmail.com
- Instagram: _oscargaytan_
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OGCIllustrations/
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn14tLhJDQkzkRB67ebipVg/featured?disable_polymer=1
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