
Vapor Apparel X AJ Wiley Collection
The Vapor Apparel X AJ Wiley Collection features six earth-inspired graphicsĀ printed on our ECO-BLEND tees which are made from recycled plastic water bottles. Meet the artist get insight on each design in the collection.Ā
"Vapor is great and we align on plenty of things both environmentally and artistically. It was awesome developing a collection and Iām excited to see where this goes. Theyāre all lovely people to collab with and I hope for more projects in the future!" - AJ Wiley
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Meet the Artist Behind the Designs
What is your background?Ā Ā
I am a 23-year-old Japanese American designer from Lincoln, Nebraska.
When did you first decide you wanted to be an artist?Ā
Growing up I thinkĀ I always found ways to be creative. It felt like a hobby until I needed to decide my major for college. I wasnāt fully bought in to pursuing a creative field but I also had a voice telling me, āThereās no other career youād want to do.ā It wasnāt until my junior year where I had found my passion within design.
What inspires your art?Ā Ā
I have a variety of inspirations that led me to my style. I am particularly inspired by Japanese Kawaii culture, which is the idea of making cute and engaging looking characters. Pixar with their creativity and storytelling is also a big inspiration. Going on trips and experiencing nature first hand is also great.
Does your art represent something about you?Ā
I like to think Iām a guy that enjoys the simple things but also loves competition and fast pace living. I find that laughter and authenticity is essential for a healthy life and I want to express that through my work.
Describe the creative process behind your art.Ā Ā
I like to describe my progressing work as sort of a pyramid Iām building. Itās fun to explore new ideas and such but thereās a lot of nature Iāve already drawn. Now that Iāve built the foundation, I like to explore different collabs and ways I can connect 2 different ideas to create a dynamic drawing. I normally pick 2 to 3 āsubjectsā then start drawing to find ways to integrate them together.
What is the best time/place ideas come to you?Ā
I think the shower is a great place but thereās also ways I canāt explain. Sometimes an idea will pop out of nowhere and Iāll try to lock it in for the future.
What do you want people to take away from your art?Ā
I want them to leave with a couple things. One obviously I want them to find my art memorable and pleasant to look at but also a reminder to smile and to take care of our environment.
WhatĀ does theĀ environmentĀ mean to youĀ and how does your art reflect this connection?Ā
I strongly believe that we as humans are meant to live harmoniously with nature. It can be medicinal in some ways and I know there are some habits weāve developed that make it harder to experience what nature has to offer. I think it allows us to have an imagination and awe and I want to art to bring that emotion back to us even if weāre stuck inside somewhere.
What do you like doing when youāre not creating designs?Ā
I have a variety of things I enjoy outside of designing. I am a people person so I enjoy being around people and having meaningful conversations. Iām a competitive person and enjoy soccer, spikeball and video games. Iām also a talented napper (I can sleep any time of day without affecting my sleep cycle.)
Whatās your most memorable outdoor adventure?Ā
Iāve always been interested in the ocean and rivers because itās so vast and thereās so much I canāt see. There was a time I went white water rafting with some friends and we were on the brink of tipping over our raft in an extremely dangerous area. I remember the adrenaline it gave me and it was an awesome experience.Ā
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