Artwear as defined by Justin Payne

Artwear: Expression, love, fashion, and human connection.

Denim because it closely resembles the feel of a traditional art canvas & is extremely malleable. I like how flares, rips, and tears, actually give a denim look more character and helps to elevate the experience. I also like its durability – my artwear is meant to be a coat of armor for people to feel beautiful & strong in their self-expression, and armor should be strong.

I like acrylic paint because it is water soluble. Water is extremely important to me as both a source of life and a symbol for the ebb and flow of energy that is the experience of life on this planet. I also like how it feels when it dries – much like denim, the cracks over time give it a specific character that adds to the beauty of the piece. It reminds us that everything ages, whether we want it to or not.

My art is me - anything I make is actually the link to a relationship, where two individuals [creator & wielder] work together to enjoy the human experience. My artwear is an expression of my love – clothing physically touched by one individual [me] with another [you] in mind. If you’re wearing Justin Payne, it’s because you want to feel brave enough to be.