Meet Gideon Sawyer | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gideon Sawyer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gideon, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
Ralph Waldo Emerson theoretically once said, “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds” and I think it’s creative genius. He’s pretty much saying ‘it’s foolish to keep doing something if it doesn’t work’. Especially when making clothing, I need to change it up. I get bored if I repeat styles. On the contrast, consumers do like a little consistency with clothing, so this thinking has worked against me at times, but overall I’d say it’s kept a lot of my work fresh.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I just make stuff I’m inspired to make. I wish it were more entertaining than that but that’s the truth. Sometimes I’m happy with it, sometimes I’m not, but there’s always value. It may be just learning a new skill or painting for an extra hour, but there’s always value. A lot of the time the value is just pushing through a really annoying moment when something won’t work. I might be really frustrated at the end, but I can still say I figured it out. As far as challenges, shipping and keeping up a thorough social media presence are always things I’m trying to get better at. The former just takes a lot of time and the second exhausts creativity. I’m forever impressed with people I see online who maintain a steady and creative stream of posting.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love this question. Right off the plane I’d take them to El Maguey de Cotija. I’m not Mexican, but that’s the best Mexican in the city, trust me. Then I’d probably take them to Sunset Cliffs, gotta shock them with a major dose of California right away. We’d definitely hit the popular spots like Pacific Beach and Ocean Beach; if we had the time, I might even convince them to come to Joshua Tree or Anza Borego. Before they left, we’d definitely get food/drink at Underbelly in Little Italy and for sure Vin de Syrah. Waterfront Bar too, that’s a classic.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My parents for sure. They were on board when I wanted to study visual arts; they were on board when I needed a break from school to focus on clothing; they’ve always been on board. They’ve trusted me to work hard and supported me financially. They’ve given me a life of freedom to explore different interests. It’s something I’ve never taken for granted.

Website: ghsdesigns.store

Instagram: @ghs.designs

Twitter: ghs_____

Youtube: Gideon Sawyer