Since my early years as a young boy, I’ve been getting in trouble for drawing on desks at school or making wall murals around my home. Art began as a scribble then developed into a happy place that I often visited until the introduction of sports during my teenage years. Once I began to play sports and felt that the “cool” people weren’t drawing comic book characters, I put the hobby away. After years of drawing from time to time, COVID-19 quarantine led me back to my first love in a different form; sneaker customization. I’ve now fallen in love with my once number-one hobby. Over the past few years, I’ve picked up the brushes, pencils, pens and paint to only realize that now I can create for others and not worry about any repercussions.My hope for my work is that the sneaker canvases show less of the art, but more of the passion and love behind each custom piece.
Like any other dream worth chasing, there are always obstacles to be faced. To name a few, I have dealt with mental blocks while juggling my 9-5/family, doubting the creative acceptance by my audience, adjusting to working out of small spaces and managing self doubt. I have also had to make financial adjustments as I was purchasing shoes to customize during times when I had no commission work.
I am a sneaker artist and designer. I specialize in unique colorways, cartoon characters, and logos. Although I have done commission work for celebrities and athletes, I am most proud that I can use my platform to inspire others to chase their passions relentlessly and believe in their abilities. One of the ways I implement this is by giving motivational quotes at the end of every YouTube custom sneaker video. What sets me apart from others is that I am transparent about the highs and lows that I face in business, and I’m always looking for ways to give back to others as often as possible. One of the main ways that I give back to my community is through doing custom sneaker giveaways.
What matters most to me is inspiring others to believe that it can be achieved no matter what they aspire to do through time and effort. As a child, my environment consisted of more 9-5 working than dream chasing. I always knew I was creative. However, I did not have an example to show how I could display my creativity for a living. I desire to be for someone else, what I needed at a young age.
Thank you so much for connecting with me as the owner of PAiRANORMAL and I hope you continue to support and enjoy this journey with me.
- Gav of PAiRANORMAL