Meet Taylor Simpkins | Maker, Designer, Creator.

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

Hi Taylor, what matters most to you?
A principle that matters to me is make for yourself, and make with meaning. Designs with passion and heart behind them will last forever and will find the right audience. Designs that are made quickly to appeal to the masses or keep up with trends will just become fads and will feel un authentic.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve always loved to draw. As a kid I colored on my water bottle, doodled on my papers and even my skin. I always had a painting in the works and loved making hand made cards and gifts for friends. It wasn’t until after college that I decided to return to school and give this art thing a good-ole college try. I went to school for graphic design at San Diego City College, and that was a pivotal moment for me. The graphic design program taught me so much, but one of the most valuable skills for me and Honeydust was learning how to take designs and artwork from pencil and paper to a digital format. I then learned how to take those and cut vinyl to make my screens and then began printing designs on plain tshirts I found at the thrift store. My designs are all printed on second hand sourced material because I want to put new clothing into the world without adding to the mass of clothing that is already in circulation.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Step one! Coffee at Claire’s too. Step two! Surf!
Step 3, go for a lagoon walk or hike around the cliffs in San Diego
Step 4. Late lunch at Haggos Tacos becuase it’s just the best.
Step 5. Grab a margarita at Monarch
Step 6. Go watch live music at the Roxy!

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?
A person I look up to is an artist that has always given me immense inspiration to create from the heart, not from or for perfection. Her creativity and openness has led her to become a full-time artist, and she shares her tips and words with the world through her newsletters. Her name is Anna Fusco, and I only know her through her instagram – @Lordcowboy. If you don’t follow her, you should.

Website: https://honeydust.co/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/honeydust_co/

Other: https://www.instagram.com/tsimpss/?hl=en