PRIDE SPOTLIGHT ON - THEODOOR GGGGRIMES
Theodoor Grimes @ggggrimes discusses our Pride collaboration t-shirt, what art means to them and what they have planned for the future…
Can you tell me a bit about yourself and your creative journey?
I’m a Black transmasc digital artist based in the Bronx and I create colorful digital paintings centering queer people of color with a focus on trans people. I’ve been a freelance artist for about 5 years now, and started in my last year of college. I used to use only watercolors and ink, but when my brother gifted me my first tablet, I fell in love with digital artwork. It's really important to me to be able to show the beauty and normality of queer existence, love, and intimacy in my artwork.
OGX Mural that was in Manhattan's Soho
Where do you get your inspiration from for your creative work? And more specifically for this project with us?
I’m inspired heavily by the absolute tons of anime I’ve watched and manga I’ve read. A lot of my boldness, use of color, expressions, and details comes from these forms of media. I’m also really inspired by fashion, plants, and decor. My ideal home decor is a mixture of boho, mid century modern, and minimalism (think the home section at Urban Outfitters) and it’s really reflected in my work. The design I created for this project was inspired by a 70s aesthetic, especially with the color palette. I wanted something that felt really laid back, so a warm sun, a big beautiful cactus, and soft clouds all felt like a must. I’m really into pearls lately too, and I think they add a lot of peaceful energy to a piece.
Do you feel that you have faced any challenges navigating and progressing in the creative industry? Is there anything specific you would like to see change?
I’d like to see companies and people showing up for Black artists and trans artists more than just during Black History Month or for Pride season. One of my goals is bringing trans people of color into the mainstream, and I find that very difficult to do when my work is only sought after during the times I mentioned. I’d like for people looking for freelance artists to challenge themselves to contact artists like me year round for projects.
And finally, are there any creatives, charities, or organisations you feel our followers would like to know about?
I’d like to shoutout a few queer artists’ instagram pages: @girthofvenus, @wacom_boy, @zachgrear, @jonathansoren_, @aorists, @sammcarts, @artbyjar
And I’d also like to shoutout the Okra Project, which their team describes as “a mutual aid collective that seeks to support Black Trans people with the intention of alleviating barriers that the community faces,” as I’m donating a portion of my sales to their team.
Thanks so much for your time, it’s been a real pleasure! Check out Theodoor’s work here - https://www.ggggrimes.com/
You can shop our Pride campaign here - https://www.weareprintsocial.com/ggggrimes
