Aloha all,
Glad to see the world survived the Tiff SB and Yeezy 2 madness… lol. I cringe at the thought of how enormous of an affect sneakers like these have on the world… Universe, please have mercy on mankind! haha!
Anyhow, very interesting interview this week! …I’m sure the majority of you sneaker enthusiasts have came across Sneaker Gas Masks at some point, while sifting through the world wide web for pictures of your favorite sneakers. Great news; This OSNT blog post features the genius behind the whole operation! Check the interview below to learn what goes on in the mind of Gary Lockwood, a.k.a. Freehand Profit, who has been blessing Sneaker Culture with his art and innovation. As someone who partakes in attempting to customize sneakers, I most definitely have a deep respect for brother Gary; his attention to detail and endless creativity is more than a rarity! Enjoy!
Nike SB Blazer Premium SE – Light Ore – Wood Brown
There once was a time when I had such a strong love for Blazers… I really miss that. I think it’s fun for myself (personally) to go through my sneaker collection and reminisce of all the different phases I’ve been through as a sneaker lover. These Blazers right here remind me of those days…
Nike KD 6 “Liger”
KD’s are all starting to look the same to me…
Nike Zoom Sonic Flight – Black – Red
I’ve always loved these as a youngster, but it was always that one shoe I admired through the window… Don’t really know why I never picked one up, but maybe I can finally find a nook in my closet for these.
Nike Free Flyknit 2
I’m digging all the new Flyknit stuff, but the rate they’re debuting new silhouettes is too fast… I feel like I haven’t had enough time to appreciate the last Flyknit runner that dropped…
Air Jordan 1 Retro KO High “Rival Pack”
Here come the two-packs again… I’ll be honest and say I was never really a fan of the canvas-bodied AJKO’s. I will more than likely pass on these, but I think the inspiration is pretty cool; UNC Tarheels and Georgetown Hoyas in the 80′s… Such an epic rivalry.
Air Jordan 11 Low GS “Aqua Safari”
…Might as well been a TJ. Gah.
Air Jordan 4 Laser PE
Happy belated, MJ! …Now, can I have these?! LOL. In all seriousness though, take a second to realize what Jordan has done for the world… I hope the amount on his checks are just as rare as these PE’s that Jordan Brand gave him for his birthday…
Saucony Grid 9000
My first glance at these felt like a slap to the face! ..These are fire.
adidas Originals EQT Running Support “Oddity”
adidas Running Program has been doing a great job as of late. I really dig their weird color ways that seem to work so well. I haven’t bought any adidas in a long while, but I think I’m gonna need to give these a go!
Asics Gel Saga “Koi”
Sagas aren’t my favorite, but these are kinda interesting… I’ve been noticing their color ways are starting to look similar though…
Vans Half Cab Pro “Blackout”
Half Cabs have always been really good to me. All black is usually a bit too strong for me, but these I would wear…
OLD SOLE, NEW TRICKS INTERVIEW: Freehand Profit | Artisan, Innovator, Creative Mind
Name:
Gary Lockwood
Nickname / AKA:
Freehand Profit
Hometown:
Centerville, VA
My size:
11
My hustle:
Artist / Designer / Illustrator
My brief background:
I never thought, despite a lifetime as an artist and designer, that I’d become a sculptor. But through a year long daily creative project in 2010 & 2011, I developed a whole new way of thinking. I’ve long combined my passion for Hip-Hop with my artwork, initially in the standard methods of depiction and documentation – portraits of influential artists, infusing Hip-Hop symbolism or style. However these masks created from the deconstruction of highly coveted sneakers also tap into Hip-Hop’s creative process, like a DJ scratching a break beat, a producer sampling a groove or a graffiti artist twisting his letters into unique characters. Both the masks and the photography intertwine to form a much bigger picture, one influenced by artists like Sandy Skoglund, David LaChapelle, Brian Jungen and countless graffiti and street artists as well as the 4 decades of continually evolving Hip-Hop culture. My work explores issues of materialism from the point of view of a repenting sinner, both glorifying the object of desire (the sneaker) as well as sacrificing it on the artistic altar.
My favorite mask I’ve created and why:
That’s a tough call, most artists would describe it like picking their favorite kid. The Lebron IV Dunkman mask was a major milestone for me, even got it tattooed on my forearm. The new work holds a lot of promise for me, the Toro Bravo Jordan IV Mask is a great example of where I’m going to go from here so that holds a special place for me. The Lebron XI King’s Pride mask is noteworthy too, that’s one of the best examples of how I’d like the work to come together for the photo shoot.
How many years I’ve been in an affair with sneakers:
My love for kicks comes from my love of Hip-Hop. I didn’t always have an exciting collection, it was always about having those staple pieces – the all white Uptowns, Timberland boots, Air Maxs, Adidas shelltoes… and then came the Jordans and then the SB Dunks. The mask work really changed the landscape of my collection as I expanded my taste to explore the possibilities that other sneakers held.
How many pairs I own:
Last count was about 120. To be honest I’m ready to thin the herd.
My Holy Grail:
The “Red Tails” Jordan 5 samples, 5s are my favorite from the Jordan line up and I’m a sucker for a vintage military feel – add in it’s inspired by the Tuskegee Airmen and that suede ooOOWweee! Plus I really dig subtle tones with a pop of bright color.
My most despised footwear and why:
Fakes. Maybe that’s too easy of an answer but as a creative, biters, fakes and knock-offs just piss me off.
Currently hunting for:
Chrome 6 Lows.
Amazing sneaker-related story:
Leaving Thanksgiving dinner with friends and family to wait for the release of the Black Cement IIIs, sounds pretty standard but getting that pair to chop up for a mask was a big sacrifice at the time. My family thought I was crazy to go wait overnight for a pair of shoes I was going to “destroy” anyway. Like I said, nothing too out the mill for a “sneakerhead” but in the scheme of things that was a real game changer. Although I had already made more than 10 sneaker masks (even one from a pair of Jordan 1s) – that Black Cement III mask made a big impression on a lot of folks.
If I had to choose ONE pair to wear for the rest of my life, it would be:
Guaranteed it’d be a pair of Air Max 90s. I’ve often been tempted to start collecting AM90s only, right now I’m anxious to UNDS my pair of Atmos “Tiger Stripe Camo” 90s (they’re on ice until the photo shoot of the mask).
Changes or surprises I’m hoping for in the sneaker world:
There’s a lot of potential as the sneaker community grows. I hope to see folks looking to innovate instead of chasing trends, both by the brands and by those of us buying and collecting. Of course I’d like to see the swelling of the resale market go down but I learned long ago not to knock the hustle. I want to see more people rocking their kicks and embracing the creases – a lot of kicks look even better broken in.
A tip for my favorite footwear brand:
Fuck wit me! Haha, but seriously – Nike knows what they’re doing, they’re really on top of their game in my opinion. I’d like to see some different direction of new color ways from Jordan, maybe some interesting materials like what we see from Nike.
Additional comments, shout-outs, big ups:
Big thanks to you guys at Fitted Hawaii and to the homie Curtis from DXC for putting us in contact. And a truly heart felt thank you to all the folks who have come to support me and my work over the past few years. The outpouring of folks who enjoy the masks I make is overwhelming, I count my blessings to be able to do what I love for a living.
Contact:
Follow me at @freehandprofit on IG/Twitter and on FB at facebook.com/mask365.
How and where you can purchase a mask:
My contact info and information about purchasing my work can be found in the FAQ on freehandprofit.com.
A question for Parkz:
Freehand Profit: What shoe do you think would make a dope mask?
Parkz: Damn… Good question! haha! Honestly, I don’t think I could think of one particular sneaker that is better than any other; Your work is amazing no matter the shoe! However, I can tell you that I’d very much enjoy to see how you incorporate multiple pairs of sneakers into one single mask. Maybe a Bred 1 + Royal 1 combo? …A mask of strictly Air Maxes? …Or even a “What The Mask” mega production? That would be quite interesting and you’re definitely the right person to pull it off! Aside all that, we do have some FITTED shoes coming soon that I’m sure would be amazing with your added creativity… *hint* haha! Thanks for the interview homie! Keep killin’ the game!
Interview by: JJ Parkz
jared@fittedhawaii.com