I had just moved to Portland, Oregon from my hometown Syracuse, New York.
I started working for Nike when I moved to Oregon and I started buying a lot of sneakers.
I already had a ridiculous collection, so I was like well…let me try to you know sell some of my older pairs to subsidize me buying new sneakers.
I joined an online sneaker group and someone hit me up to purchase the sneakers.
I wear a Men’s 7.5 and he’s a big guy, so when I dropped them off, I asked him what he was going to do with those kicks because they obviously didn’t fit him He told me that he was a custom sneaker artist — that was the first time I met a dedicated sneaker artist.
I didn’t know much about it so we chatted at the Starbucks for a while and I commissioned him to do a pair of custom sneakers for me, the all-black LeBron 7s with a fighter jet foam design.
When I got them back I was super hyped.
I hit him for a second pair and he was like you know you should try it yourself, you seem interested.
From there, I ordered an Angelus paint set, starter kit, and finisher and it just went from there. It became a hobby, then a side hustle, and then a career — that was 2013.
Read on to learn more about SQ Customs’ story and tips for making custom sneakers!
Walk me through your design process and how you find inspiration when making custom sneakers.
I get inspiration from all over, however, a big part of my inspiration is from my childhood — growing up in the 80s and 90s with color pops, cool characters, bold blocking type stuff, it’s like being a kid again and just doing an art project
Which custom sneaker artists do you follow/pay attention to?
Kixar and O. Worthen are my guys. Love their work. I actually got them together to collab on a pair of Jordan 1 Lows for me. Can’t wait for them to come in!
My homegirl, Ange — known as @angelordart, the most talented portrait artist out there!
Some other talented ladies who always show so much love and support are, @shopgigicustoms, @yumisartbox, and @dellicecreative.
And my little bro Ricky! The most slept on custom artist out there! Follow @rickymerino7 on Instagram.
I just love supporting artists who love the culture of art.
It’s all love and just celebrating creativity.
How would you describe what makes SQ Customs’ sneaker special to a desired customer/fan?
I’m a real person who loves art and respects my customers.
I don’t put on a front and act like I’m above anyone because I put paint on a sneaker. I think that resonates with people.
I always say it’s my goal to make custom sneaker art accessible to everybody — that’s my brand. It’s about the art connecting with people through that.
I’ve been fortunate to build relationships through this journey.
I’ve built a community of people who have come together to raise hundreds of dollars for worthy causes this year, (Mamba on 3 fun, Black Lives Matter (Oregon) and Colorectal Cancer Screening (in honor of Chadwick Bozeman).
It means a lot that people trust me to hold a charity raffle and know that the money is going to a good place.
It’s just awesome that we’ve built such an amazing community of people.
Whether they order custom sneakers or merchandise from me, or if they just follow, like, comment, and show love.
I’m blessed that I’ve been able to build a community of people who care about me and my art.
What is one of the most worthwhile investments you’ve ever made in your custom shoe business?
I purchased an Iwata Powerjet Pro compressor a few months back and it has probably the best thing I’ve ever purchased for customizing sneakers.
It makes airbrushing so much nicer. There isn’t as as many clogs and jams and it runs pretty smoothly for a big boy. I’m obsessed with it!
Also my iPad — being able to draw out my designs and do mock-ups has streamlined my whole process.
Drawing out my characters ahead of time also has been super helpful for reference.
What are big announcements that you want anyone interested in SQ Customs to know?
I now offer 1-on-1 customizer consultation sessions on my website.
Meetings can be via Zoom, FaceTime, or phone call.
Artists can book a time and subject they’d like to learn more about. Choose any subject that you want to go in-depth about.
Be it prepping, painting, building a website, building a client base, anything that you feel you need more help with.
Follow SNEAKGOD on Medium and Instagram for more stories, learnings, tips, and custom sneaker battles.
