2015 is a strange paradox of a year.
On the one hand, with 2015 being Back to the Future year, you could say that the future is now. But with the ’80s coming back, that kind of means the past is now.
Either way, it’s one hell of a fun, mashup time to be alive. And lunchboxbrain (Andrew Gregory by day) combines ’80s radness in his designs with the minimalistic simplicity that 2015 loves so much.
We talked to the man behind the lunchboxbrain Artist Shop about where he got that name, his fave ’80s stuff, and ghosts.
Ok, favorite ’80s movie or franchise, GO!
There are way too many incredible movies from the ‘80s to pick from. Back To The Future, The Goonies, The Princess Bride, Beetlejuice, Ghostbusters, Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Gremlins, Terminator, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and on and on. I love ’em all!
Time travel: Back to the Future or Terminator?
Back To The Future FTW. Now if Huey Lewis had a cameo in Terminator, my answer might be different.
Moving on, I love the name lunchboxbrain. Where did that come from?
When I first joined the Threadless community, I noticed that a lot of users had an alias or creative name. Raid71, Bramish and ISABOA come to mind. I wanted a name that conveyed my approach to design – no set style, no particular focus.
The notion of a lunchboxbrain popped into my head. You can always find an interesting assortment of stuff in a lunchbox – sandwich, granola bars, fruit snacks, veggie stick, drink, etc. That concept worked well with what I wanted to do design wise and the lunchboxbrain identity was born.
What attracted you to artist shops?
I dig the Artist Shop concept for a number of reasons. First and foremost, I know that the quality of Threadless products is top notch. If I’m going to partner with a company to sell my work, I want to know that it’s going to look good and feel good.
Secondly, Threadless is incredibly supportive of its artists. I’m thankful for that support and am stoked to have my own Artist Shop with Threadless.
What inspired the collection you put specifically in your artist shop?
I’m a minimalist at heart and that comes through in my Artist Shop collection. There’s a lot of vintage textures applied to the designs in the collection as well. Call me an old timer if you like but I just love old, simple designs that incorporate type with basic illustrative elements.
I dig all of your ghost doodles. Halloween fan?
I dig Halloween but my ghostie doodles and illustration are more inspired by my own spirituality. I’m a firm believer that the spirits of the departed are capable of interacting with the living.
What do you do for a living?
By day, I’m the director of multimedia for Corning Place Communications (www.corningplace.com). I’ve been there 13 years and I’m fortunate to work on some incredible projects with a very talented team. I mainly produce the creative collateral (mailers, brochures, fact sheets, videos, etc.) but I also provide strategic guidance to our clients.
By night, I work on lunchboxbrain projects. I’ve been commissioned to design t-shirts, logos and other items for a bunch of folks. The hours can be a bit long some nights but it’s a ton of fun.
Why do you draw? What’s your drive?
I’ve got the creative bug and I just can’t shake it. Some part of my brain simply commands me to doodle/draw/design/make stuff.
When I get an idea for a shirt/poster/whatever, I have to see it through. The power of the pen tool compels me! In all seriousness, design is a selfish pursuit. I make what I like and I like what I make.
Where do you find inspiration?
Everywhere. Seriously. Ghost signs across the Capital Region, other artists’ work on Dribbble, my son’s rad drawings from school. Inspiration is everywhere and my eyes are wide open.
So many of your designs have a nostalgia factor to them. What is most nostalgic to you?
I have a lot of great memories of time spent with my family and friends growing up. My dad teaching me to ride a bike around the cul-de-sac at our first duplex. Playing Super Tecmo Bowl with my old neighborhood crew for hours on end. The annual family vacation in Virginia Beach. Ah, the memories…
