Author: Bradley Martinez
Known as the UK’s second city, Birmingham has always been a city that’s housed a wealth of cultures, styles, and music.
With that said, for our next Frequent Players, we tap into this world with the helping hand of Birmingham based DJ, Sharnie. Known to be able to deliver a mix that flawlessly blends a magnitude of genres, Sharnie has been built a collection of music that’s seen her become a step ahead of the game both on and off the air. Now, she brings her electronic flare to Footpatrol.
Footpatrol: Hi Sharnie, hope you are well, thank you for taking the time to speak to us, could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Sharnie: Hey, it’s my pleasure thanks for having me! I’m from Birmingham, born and raised. I’m a DJ, been doing it for around 6 years now, and am a budding producer also. Aside from this, I’m also currently studying Herbal Medicine.
FP: what is your earliest memory of music and what got you interested in DJing?
Sharnie: I used to sneak into my big brother’s room when I was around 3 or 4, playing their jungle tapes on their stack stereo. The stereo was originally my dad’s from the early 80s, with some fat speakers. I would always play M Beat – Sweet Love, it was my favourite song! This was definitely the beginning of my love for electronic music.
My interest in DJing started when I used to make mixes for myself to listen to my fav songs and play them in my car when I first started driving. Eventually I decided to upload a couple of these mixes and the rest was history!
FP: Can you tell us about the most memorable event you ever DJed, and why it stood out to you?
Sharnie: It wasn’t my typical gig as I’m used to DJing in clubs, but DJing at the commonwealth games in Birmingham was a memorable one. It was the biggest crowd I’ve DJed for, and it was a full on, big scale production – it was mad to be a part of that. Early morning sets with tea and biscuits on the rider was a first as well!
FP: How do you approach building a setlist, and what factors do you consider when selecting tracks to play?
Sharnie: I don’t tend to plan my sets track for track, but I usually throw a couple of songs I want to play that night into a playlist. Then I just go off the vibe of the crowd and where I want to take them for the next hour or so! When selecting tracks, I always consider my set time, and who is playing before or after me in the line-up to make sure my set fits nicely into the night.
FP: What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a female DJ and how did you overcome it?
Sharnie: When I first started out, the lack of representation was an issue. Not seeing many other female DJs around made the prospect of doing it professionally seem unattainable, and there were some occasions where I wasn’t taken seriously. Overcoming this is an ongoing process, industry-wide really, which seems to be moving in the right direction in recent years! I just make sure to work with people who are actively supporting and booking women.
FP: How do you stay current with new music trends and genres, and incorporate them into your sets?
Sharnie: I am always on the hunt for new music, but I don’t tend to pay too much attention to trends as they come and go. I’d say I’m genre-less at heart, so I’m very open in that sense – I just play stuff that I’m feeling! I make sure to follow producers and labels that I’m into, keeping up with new releases. My monthly Soho Radio show helps me stay on the lookout for new bits on a regular basis. I also listen to radio and mixes from my favourite DJs. My friends are a huge source of inspiration, we’re constantly sharing track IDs!
FP: What advice would you give to other women who are interested in pursuing a career in DJing?
Sharnie: I would say be confident in yourself and your abilities, be yourself and stay authentic to you. Practice makes progress! Put yourself out there, social media is a great tool so use it to your advantage. Also, support others in the scene and go to events, showing your face goes a long way.
If you’re just starting out, there’s so many great communities for women now where you can be supported, learn skills, and connect with other DJs. Selextorhood being an example here in Birmingham.
FP: How do you interact with the crowd during a performance, and what techniques do you use to keep the energy high?
Sharnie: I love to bob and weave throughout genres, keeping the crowd on their toes not knowing what to expect next! At the same time, I love a little chop here and there, teasing the next track coming in, especially if it’s a big classic tune, guaranteed energy boost!
FP: Finally, Can you share a bit about your future goals and aspirations as a DJ, and what you hope to accomplish? Do you have any upcoming gigs we can see you at?
Sharnie: I’m hoping to continue growing and evolving my craft, release some of my own production into the world, get some of my bucket list bookings in the calendar, and put on some shows in the future. Particularly in Brum!
By the time this goes live, I will have just made my Fabric debut which has been a goal of mine! But you can catch me in London and Birmingham this month, 14th with Braindance and 28th with Cava!
Peace!
A relatively new silhouette to the Karhu line up, the Ikoni Trail is a rugged offering from the Finish brand that’s ready to dominate the outdoors. A unique blend of functionality and bold styling, this latest model has adventure at its heart.
Introducing a new set of technologies to their arson, the Ikoni Trail features premium materials across the upper whilst underneath is Karhu’s latest AeroFoam Trail cushioning to offer the ultimate everyday cushioning. Making sure its not just another shoe that puts style over function, the Ikoni is an evolution of their tried and tested designs and provides a perfect balance when it comes to comfort and propulsion. Paying tribute to their archives, the asymmetrical forefoot lace is a signature design aspect but offers those tiny adjustments for the optimum fit.
Take a closer look at this new offering below and make sure you’re ready for your next adventure by shopping the Karhu Ikoni Trail online here!
It’s time to change the record. At Footpatrol we’re all about building a space to highlight creatives, and want to empower the women we have within our community. For International Women’s Day, we’ve teamed up with a female owned social media agency, spring, for a month-long campaign to change the record around stigmas and stereotypes that women face in their respective industries.
Introducing Zarina Muhammad, one half of The White Pube, ‘unprofessional part-time critics.’ We spoke to Zarina about making the arts more accessible to all, from conversational language they use in their text to the monthly grants they offer young creatives.
Footpatrol: Hey Zarina! Tell us about yourself and what you do?
ZM: I’m Zarina Muhammad. I’m one half of The White Pube and I’m an art critic. I write about art and exhibitions and the way it all makes me feel.
FP: What does ‘change the record’ mean to you?
ZM: So I think I’ve interpreted this question quite philosophically. I think change the record, it implies that there’s a way that things are done right? And it’s like this record that loops, it’s stuck and I think changing the record just means maybe a little reset, something different. It’s just nice to have something else. Like having something up next that there’s not yet had chance to be played.
FP: Let’s talk about The White Pube – what drove you and Gabrielle to start it?
ZM: I like art. I really like it. It’s great. More people should interact with art.
In reality, we did actually start The White Pube as a joke. We thought it was so funny. We thought of the idea of two girls that look and sound like us, there’s no way that we’d be art critics. So wouldn’t it be funny if we gave it a go. And I think I’m really glad we did because when people write about art, it’s like you’re historicizing it. I think it’s important that someone other than like a white middle class, middle aged man with a salary, a pension and like a two up two down in Hampstead. Someone other than that gets a chance to preserve their opinions about art.
FP: What stereotypes / stigmas do you face as a woman in the art world?
ZM: This is more like a question about whose genius we believe in, right, who do we naturally think of as clever? Who are we comfortable thinking of as a clever person who’s doing something different or something that we can respect?
I think when we first started the White Pube, we had a lot of people – it wasn’t just men – that were telling us like, ‘Oh, I don’t know what you’re doing, but you’re doing it wrong.’ Just because we were doing it slightly differently to the way it had always or traditionally been done before.
We didn’t invent embodied criticism. We didn’t invent writing the way you speak. I just think that people were less willing to take us seriously because we were women and that’s a really subtle, slight stigma. But it’s one that you chafe against, it’s a friction that kind of exists alongside you
FP: That’s a great way to put it. What’s your proudest achievement to date?
ZM: Every time I reach a milestone I completely forget it. It’s hard to find moments of pride when you, like, you are just like never stopping, like it’s just constant capitalism, right? It’s hard to take a moment to take stock. So I think actually what I’m most proud of is the longevity of it all. Like, we’re coming up on 7.5 years, we’ve published a text every single weekend for 7.5 years. That’s crazy. I’ve not been in relationships that long. This is the longest term relationship I’ve ever been in and like happy to be in it because I think I’m proud of the body of work that we have left behind us after those seven a half years and I want another 7.5 and another 7.5 after that. So I think, yeah, I’m proudest of Hard work.
FP: The White Pube have been able to actualise a lot of change for artists, tell us about that.
ZM: One thing we have done that is like a tangible difference that we’ve made, like direct action has been the Working class Creatives Grant. We put £500 a month in the pocket of working class Creative, We don’t ask for evaluation. There’s no formal application process. People just email us funding at thewhitepube.com and tell us what you make and just a little bit about yourself. I mean, it’s just it’s luck of the draw and it’s a rolling Grant. So there are a whole bunch of people in the email inbox who are still in the running and I think it is really important because the arts are so, so middle class and it’s hard. I’m a middle class person in the arts, like it’s terrible. There are so many of us and it’s so hard to make a living when you’re not middle class and when you’re just at the whims of like other people’s mercy, right? So £500 a month can make a huge difference and hopefully it will keep someone in the art world or the creative industries for a bit longer.
FP: Why is IWD still important and needed?
ZM: I think International Women’s Day is still important and still needed because it’s been illegal to pay me less than a man since before I was born. Yet somehow it still happens, right? Maybe sexism can be reasoned away is like quite an abstract, strange conceptual thing. Like it’s quite interpersonal. Maybe like you said something funny because I’m a I’m a girl. It’s also like a really tangible thing. It’s an economic thing. It affects like people’s socio political circumstances, their literal into their their personal sense of safety. It’s measurable. I think until that changes until it’s not just about gender like equality, it’s about gender equity. Like the amount of women that are impoverished on the basis of their gender, right? Like the way that gender often acts as an axis through which economic oppression can take place. Until that ceases to be a thing. I think International Women’s Day will remain important because it’s about taking stock of where we’re at with that weird balance.
FP: What does the future look like for women in the art world? What do you want to see?
ZM: So, I don’t know what the future for women in the arts actually holds because I think it can be such a strange industry that takes so many twists and turns. So I am notoriously bad at predicting the future. Please don’t take my word on this. I don’t know about women in the art world in the future because I think the art world is such a it’s an interesting industry, right? Everything changes so quickly and also nothing changes ever. Artists will always find a way to make interesting things happen regardless. And I think I’d like to see that.
FP: Got a piece of advice for your younger self?
ZM: Oh my God, I have so much advice for like, Baby Zarina because I think she needed to hear so much of it. She also would not like to be told fine, but I’d tell her to be brave and trust herself and she should do more. She should worry less about pissing people off because they’re gonna get pissed off anyway probably. And she’s just say how she feels and not worry about it because I think that’s when I really felt like a person, like an actual person and I started to care less about saying the right thing and that generally what’s right for the world and started saying the right thing that was right for me or true to me and I think that maybe it’s like the best part of being the white pube because we get to write criticism that feels true or maybe not true, but sincere and honest. I think those are three different things and I think trying to find that is like a lifetime’s work and I wish I’d started earlier.
Make sure to follow Zarina Muhammad & The White Pube,
Shout-out to the full female team that worked on this campaign:
Production: @springtheagency
Creative: @ttfinlay
Images: @alicetakingphotos
Video: @azcaptures
MUA: @tillyferrari
This campaign is powered by Nike!
As you may have seen from our recent social posts, we’re helping Salomon by celebrating the 10th anniversary of one of their most famed silhouettes, the XT-6. At Footpatrol, we were lucky enough to be one of the very few stockists around the world to launch the XT-6 10Y. With each pair numbered and limited to 804 worldwide, this unique pair harks back to its beginnings within the world of performance and trail running hence its near all red upper and features ‘Prototype’ detailings across the heel linking it back to that rich heritage it was founded.
Rolling out a series of special content surrounding the XT-6, we hopped on a call with the original designer of the XT-6, Benjamin Grenet to discuss his past within footwear design, the crossover between performance and trends and of course, the XT-6.
Footpatrol: So, let’s kick things off at the very start… Could you share with our audience how you got yourself into footwear design and in particular how you became a footwear designer at Salomon?
Benjamin: Firstly, I’m definitely more a product designer than a footwear designer and was designing long before my role at Salomon with different agencies. I’ve designed everything from boats and tools but I was always interested in performance products. I had the opportunity to join Salomon in ‘02, more than twenty years ago in the position as a bag designer for Salomon and did this for three years. It was interesting, very rich and I discovered the world of performance products through our S–Lab label and this was where I did my first design dedicated to athletes through this S-Lab line. It was three years later though that I joined the footwear team. I was a total virgin when it came to footwear design but I discovered everything about footwear from this moment and had at that time the position of Advanced Innovation designer which was good as I could dedicate my time to innovation without the pressures of the commercial aspect. So I had the different position of footwear design, designing products for hiking, trail running, S-Lab and now I manage the in-line team for footwear.
Footpatrol: So talking of S-Lab, technology and performance, we’re here to talk about the 10th anniversary of the XT-6, how does it make you feel to think it’s 10 years old now?
Benjamin: It’s strange! It’s strange to think we designed this product ten years ago and that it’s still alive and with definitely more quantities than in the past with the original product but it’s with thanks to our consumers who love the product and are still excited to wear the product.
Footpatrol: It must be a unique feeling seeing people wear something you’ve designed, whether that’s on the city streets or winning competitions around the world, what’s that feeling like as a designer?
for sure it’s pleasant for a designer to see their designs out on the street but I would say my real victory is to see my kids every morning with an XT-6 on their feet. It’s never happened in the past that my kids have wanted to wear different products but it’s the first time in my career that I see my kids wear something that was designed by their dad!
Footpatrol: As you say, you see your kid going to school, you see it during fashion weeks but can you tell us more about the original inspiration behind the XT-6?
Benjamin: Of course, so I’m very interested in motorsport, by all the mechanical products, it’s where I try to bring inspiration to my products especially for such a technical range like trail running. From the automotive world, I’m very intrigued by the technology and how the technology is the starting point of the design and not trying to hide this and instead trying to put the technology at the forefront of the design and as an element of the design aesthetic. That’s how I like to work, starting by understanding how we want to create the product in terms of functionality, I always try to avoid the question of the style, it’s not a question of the style, it’s more a concept of the technology and how we play with that within the design.
Footpatrol: Ok so when we talk about design, what are the kind of timelines you’ll be working towards? How long did it take to get to that final design of the XT-6?
Benjamin: In-fact, It’s both, It’s very quick but also a very long time… Let me explain. It’s a very long process because it’s an XT-6, a sixth generation of a very long evolution from the XT-Wings which was the first generation with this chassis and technology. We started to develop the S-LAB XT-1 and the 6 is this sixth generation, it’s a long evolution. So if we consider all the products before, it’s a very long time but between the 5 and the 6, within my career it was probably the fastest I had designed. Because thanks to those five products before, we had a lot of maturity and a greater understanding about the technology and what we needed to change and move. The most problematic aspect of the 6 was creating visibility on the market and how we can create a signature product within the market.
Footpatrol: So for those who may be unaware of where Salomon is from and the location of Annecy, how does the terrain that surrounds Annecy play in terms of testing and how important is it in regards to the end result.
Benjamin: Very important! The possibility to be very reactive to the test and the ability to test immediately and test any new prototypes with the mountains that surround us, it means we can test all year round. You can see it as a big laboratory but most important to us for the development of the product like S-LAB is the connection with athletes. It’s important to test the product but this line starts with the athletes and the core runners we have on our teams. Their ability to understand and test during runs or races it’s where we can learn or fail very quickly because they don’t have any empathy, they’ll tell you if a product works or it doesn’t work with no filter!
Footpatrol: Just touching on lifestyle and the day to day wearing of the shoe. Where do you see the XT-6 going within the lifestyle market.
Benjamin: Good question… It’s a secret! Haha. No, for sure, not only for the XT-6 but for all the lines is sustainability. The journey and how we can involve all our products in a more sustainable way and that’s how I see the story of the XT-6, without any spoilers! We have such a talented colour design team here at the design centre and we have a ton of beautiful colour ways to propose to the market and the XT-6 is very important to that. It’s a very good base for new colour propositions.
Footpatrol: One thing we were interested to learn was that the XT-6 mould was nearly destroyed at one point. Could you share a bit more about how this nearly came about and how it was thankfully saved!
Benjamin: It’s a very interesting point, it was something we discovered within our new position within sportstyle and how we can achieve and could re-propose to consumers. It’s a tricky point, from our performance product when it starts to be obsolete within performance it’s sometimes too early to propose it within Sportstyle, we sometimes need to wait some time but it’s difficult to sometimes measure this time. It’s tricky but this learning with the XT-6 helps direct us in the correct way for future silhouettes.
Footpatrol: Just touching back on the lifestyle aspect, so with the outdoor trends within fashion at the moment, how do you keep in touch with the loyalist of the brand but also look towards the future with these trends.
Benjamin: I would say, our performance line helps us stay humble and true. Within the performance line, we are able to provide something more authentic than Sportstyle and without that, without S-LAB, without the connection to athletes it will not be the same as Sportstyle. It’s very important to me to keep this link and it’s this timeless product that will help us within the Sportstyle line. We are in the outdoor Sportstyle, because of our outdoor performance.
Footpatrol: I suppose for those wanting to learn a little bit more about the different lines like for example, the XT-4 to the XT-6, how would you explain this?
Benjamin: It’s an evolution based on the same concept. In-fact, the XT-4 is based on the bottom unit of the XT-Wings, a non S-LAB product, at that time we created an S-LAB version, changed the outsole, lighter and transformed it to transform it to a more performance product. The XT-6 is based on the XT-Wings 2 and 3 bottom unit so it’s a slight evolution between both. What was funny was I designed the XT-Wings and another designer transformed it to S-LAB and for the 6, I designed the S-LAB and that designer designed the XT-Wings so we changed around.
Footpatrol: There’s been lots of Xt-6’s over the years but do you have a personal favourite? A colour way? A collaboration that resonates with you?
Benjamin: Woah! Now that’s a very difficult question… Of course I prefer the original but there are so many good variations of the XT-6. The one I prefer is always the next one that’s proposed by our design team. I’m not the creator of the new colourways but more the guardian of the temple and I’m always surprised by what our designers are able to propose so I’m always amazed by the next ones. So I’d have to say the first one, and the next one, the future ones!
Footpatrol: A timeless silhouette and like you say, hopefully in five, ten years we can have an even more in-depth conversation on how this silhouette has evolved and hope you’re there to tell that story again so thanks for taking the time to talk to us and we’ll speak again soon!
Benjamin: It’s a pleasure, you’re welcome!
At Footpatrol, March 26th is a day that’s etched within the sneaker calendar. A celebration of all things Nike Air Max, this years story was focussed on its true beginnings. The Beginnings that failed and ultimately led to the success of the Air Max 1.
This led us to think of the Big Bubble and the Air captured within the Air Unit. This led us down the road of Big Manny. An influential content creator, Big Manny holds a masters in bio medical science and his content has become an inspiration to his followers and the younger generation.
To celebrate, we launched ‘Lab 86‘. A one night event that celebrated science and air. Taking us through experiments, those lucky attendees got a first hand look at how to create fun and engaging formulas that all tied back to the AM86 and its ‘Big Bubble’.
Take a closer look at the evening below and look out for the Nike Air Max 86 Launching in-store and online on Sunday 26th March.
The journey of Salomon has been one we’ve seen grow and grow over recent years. First and foremost a performance brand, Salomon have been popping up on runways around the world with the upsurge in the outdoor trends and fashion world colliding.
Now, we help Salomon celebrate the 10th anniversary of the XT-6 with this special prototype edition. Limited to 804 pairs worldwide, this iteration takes on a prototype guise that is synonymous within the Salomon line up.
PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ THE BELOW!
Te London in-store draw is now CLOSED!
To enter, you’re required to sign up via the above forms, these WON’T be available in-store to sign up on.
In-store winners will be contacted via email informing them of their win. Within this email, winners will be given a set of dates in which they must collect their win from our London store. To collect, you will need to provide the winning email and a valid photographic government ID matching the winners name. NO ONE can collect on the winners behalf. Failure to provide this, or failure to collect within the given dates will mean failure to purchase your win.
March 26th is upon us and within the sneaker world, this can only mean one thing… Air Max Day.
With Nike looking back on the routes of the Air Max 1 with the ‘Big Bubble’ and the experimental nature of creating a shoe with visible air, this Air Max Day we play on that experimental nature with Big Manny. Hosting ‘Lab 86’, we’ll look at the idea of breaking down the components/materials of the AM86 shoe.
Replicated with its OG tooling from ’86 – this nostalgia-packed fit is one for the sneaker buffs. On top, the fit utilises its heritage defining red and grey colour palette that sets complimentary base to its plush suede overlays. White mesh is hosted underneath, Swooshing has been given the velvet treatment, meanwhile four circled Air units are hosted in the midsole to offer unbeatable levels of cushioning – just like the originals. Nike wordmark on the tongue and heel is dubbed in red and rubber soles confirm grippy tread underneath.
Launching in-store and online on Sunday 26th March (Available online from 08:00AM GMT).
Last week saw the first of this years Footpatrol Run Club community runs. With the PUMA Fast-R NITRO hitting the shelves at Footpatrol, we teamed up with PUMA for an activation that got the Fast-R on the feet of our running community.
Built for race days, the cutting-edge technology within the two-part midsole features PUMA’s PWRPLATE for ultimate responsiveness. This helps ensure maximum running efficiency and stability to send you on your way to your latest PB.
With the Fast-R’s loaded up into the back of a PUMA branded van, we got them straight on foot before PUMA athlete Jack Rowe took us through a brief warm up before we hit the streets. Not telling anyone where we were going, we ventured on a run through the streets of London taking in the Barbican tunnel before ending at White Collar Factory. Many runners will know this place for its roof top running track and this is where we headed. Taking in the sights of London from above, we completed a few laps before Jack told us his story, what’s to come and how to stay motivated when it comes to running.
Make sure to check out the day below and why not get your PB by shopping the Fast-R online at Footpatrol here!
It’s time to change the record. At Footpatrol we’re all about building a space to highlight creatives, and want to empower the women we have within our community. For International Women’s Day, we’ve teamed up with a female owned social media agency, spring, for a month-long campaign to change the record around stigmas and stereotypes that women face in their respective industries.
Meet long-distance runner Intisar Abdul-Kader (@intysar). We spoke with Intisar about how she’s raising awareness and inspiring the next generation of hijab-wearing athletes.
Footpatrol: Hey Intisar! Tell us about yourself and what you do?
Intisar: Hi, I’m Intisar Abdul-Kader. I’m a long distance runner based in London. I also work in public health for the NHS.
FP: What does ‘change the record’ mean to you?
Intisar: Change the record means – especially in my world of running – making running safe and accessible for everybody. I want the space to be safe and to also inspire the next hijab-wearing athlete to go out there and run. Getting to starting lines, looking to my right and left, and not seeing many girls and women wearing the hijab has definitely inspired me to change that narrative. It is our world too. Roads belong to us as well, so do the tracks.
FP: We hear that! What initially drove you to start long distance running?
Intisar: I ran in school, I ran mixed relays and then I moved onto cross country when I moved to the UK. I then gradually started road running as well. I had a slight health hiccup. Well, I wouldn’t call it hiccup. I’m living with it, and that kind of started my journey for long distance running where I just wanted to feel like I had control of my body when everybody was telling me to slow down. I didn’t want to slow down. I just wanted to go out there and run.
Running kind of became my therapy for getting out of this world of doctor’s appointments and so, I signed up for London Marathon 2016. I got in via a ballot and I never looked back. But now my goal is to earn my six world major stars. I’m four down, two to go.
FP: Do you face any challenges as a hijab-wearing athlete?
Intisar: I’ve come across quite a few stigmas. I’m visibly Muslim, so wearing a hijab at start lines, it’s kind of like, people look at me and they’re like, ‘oh.’
I can run, and I can practise Islam as well. I can show up to the same races that everybody else is showing up to, but with a hijab on my head, and that’s absolutely fine.
FP: Why is International Women’s Day still important and needed?
Intisar: As women and girls we’re changing the narrative every day. We should be celebrated everyday of the year, I think, not just that day but now we have a day to showcase and show the world that everyone is making a change, in their small little part of the world and that is something to be celebrated.
FP: What does the future look like for women in your community? What do you want to see?
Intisar: I would like to see more girls and women lacing up and starting at races. I want to be able to look and see yeah we’ve made that change, we’re making long distance running accessible to everyone. Running can be a lonely sport sometimes, but growing communities that nurture young people and helping them achieve their goals is definitely something that I want to be embedded in more, for the next young Intisar lacing up.
FP: Do you have a piece of advice for your younger self?
Intisar: Don’t listen to the tiny voice that says you’re not worth it or you don’t belong there. Imposter is very real – but you have to own it and say, ‘No, I’m going to be the change that I want to see in the world.’
Make sure to follow @intysar
Shout-out to the full female team that worked on this campaign:
Production: @springtheagency
Creative: @ttfinlay
Images: @alicetakingphotos
Video: @azcaptures
MUA: @tillyferrari
This campaign is powered by Nike!
Last week, we took a trip up to Birmingham to visit Super Freak, aka Dan Whitehouse. An illustrator and painter, Super Freak creates cartoon characters within their own immersive worlds which, along with an eye-catching colour palette plays on your playful side.
From the New York Times to VANS Vault to Birmingham Commonwealth, Dan brings inspiration from popular Pop Culture and Mid Century Comic strips to create these scenes. His famous ‘Spanky’ character being at the forefront of most of his artworks.
Footpatrol: Hi Dan, hope you’re well, and thank you for allowing us to come along today. Firstly, can ask you to tell us more about yourself and more about the world of SUPERFREAK.
DW: Hey! Thanks for swinging by man. So I’m an Artist from the West Midlands and I guess my kink is old cartoons and drawing hands with faces on ‘em.
I originally come from a background of Graphic Design, which I studied in Nottingham before I graduated and started work as a Content Designer at an Ad agency. In the background of all this, I was constantly illustrating and building my own little universe of characters and silliness until one month I picked up real momentum and started getting some pretty awesome commissions for my stuff. I quickly quit my job and just went all in on my art. This is where Spanky blossomed and became the internets best friend!
FP: For our readers can you elaborate on just who ‘Spanky’ is and where he came from?
DW: Yeah so Spanky was a happy accident pretty much. I was working on a brief for VOXI to illustrate this phone case which included a crowd of odd little characters and shapes. I used some of my older sketches as references & inspiration and I came across this tiny hand with two dots for eyes and a curved line for a mouth. I thought it was hella cute so I plopped it into the final design. I got some nice feedback a couple of times on that particular character so I guess I just took it and run. I always wanted to have a ‘main character’ that would be tied to my work and I realised I’d found him on that day! Today, he’s fully matured into a much more complex figure with a dynamic personality who tends to embody real emotions that we all face on the daily. On the surface he’s always got a gleaming grin, but he’s often surrounded by overwhelming backgrounds and noise. He’s a reminder to try and stay positive through the shitstorms because there’s always a way through it. He’s that one mate who always will ride or die with you!
FP: Such elaborate illustrations surely calls for a very open mind, where does your influence come from and how do you approach each piece?
DW: Each piece is basically like a jigsaw puzzle in the sketching phase. I try to cram in as many relevant characters and objects as possible, which all interact with each other in some way or another. Spanky is the hero who features in mostly all my work as I use him as a canvas for my own experiences and feelings. I have to be a little open minded when I create because I kinda have to look in the mirror and ask myself ‘what’s going on with you?’, which I’ll then try to translate into a new piece that I hope can be relatable. The overall vibe of Spanky is of course inspired by the old Walt Disney cartoons, but I think now that Spanky has aged (and me, sigh!) I don’t really seek or rely on outside inspiration anymore. Once I locked in my creative process/style, it’s just a matter of thinking up a concept and pushing play, but the real beauty of Spanky is that he can be rendered in any style and he’ll still remain Spanky! This gives me a lot of freedom when I create and for the future.
FP: As Superfreak enters 2023, are there any new artistic approaches you want to try?
DW: I just want to keep improving on a technical level. Over the recent years I’ve been trying to push the amount of detail and movement I put into in my pieces to achieve a more realistic but surreal vibe, while still holding onto that charming mid-century style. I just wanna get weirder! I think as 2023 rolls out though, I’m looking to bring Spanky up to speed with the fashion world and use him as a model template for some wacky Super Freaky fits.
FP: On face value, viewers are greeted by your works with crazy colourful visuals and very tongue in cheek gestures. Is your work a reflection of your mood at any given time? is there a deeper message you try to show in each Superfreak piece?
DW: My work is basically a creative vomit of contrasting moods. It’s a clash between blissful content and impending disaster. Always on the brink of something fucking crazy. I like to think I’m a pretty chilled out dude, but I’m very aware of all the chaos around me/the world which can get overwhelming and make me feel ‘squeezed’ and a little claustrophobic. I’m constantly trying to capture this with all the tightly-packed characters and reverberating colours. I want folks to feel a tad uncomfortable when they’re looking at my stuff but then reassured by the goofy cartoon characters posing as their wonky tour guides in my universe!
FP: From the New York Times to VANS Vault to Birmingham Commonwealth, it seems you have spanky’s fingers in many pies… What have been some of your favourite briefs to date and can you elaborate on the charity auctions you have done too?
DW: Hahaha remind me to whip up a sketch of a Spanky pie when we’re done…
Being jetted out to Miami with Budweiser for the Super Bowl was pretty wild. Completely out my depth (or planet) amidst all these celebs but I made the most out of it with all the free bevs hehe.
Overall though, my favourite projects tend to be those where I get the freedom to just go nuts and do my thing, but on the contrary I do like working with directors who give me their bonkers ideas and we get to truly collaborate on something special together. Two minds are often better than one and collaboration is what makes being a creative so much fun.
And yes the charity auction!… That whole experience was just magic. I spent the day at a local dementia residency where I took a blank canvas, a few paints and brushes and we worked together to paint this big Spanky collage which I later auctioned off and donated the money back to the care home so they can have some nice days out & about. Was a real special moment to share and makes you realise the importance of art in all our lives. We had so many giggles that day and the simple action of holding a brush and making some marks brought back memories, smiles and questions from all the residents. This is what art is all about!!
FP: Random one… If you were a sneaker, what would you be?
DW: I’d have to be a pair of Vans. They’re simple, versatile, can take a bashing and they’re ready for anything.
FP: Another random one…If Spanky was a sneaker, what would he be?
DW: He’d deffo be a pair of white Chuck Taylor All Stars. They’re old school but timeless, they get better with age and will always be right there when you need ‘em!
FP: Just wanted to say thank you very much for allowing us to come and peep into the world of SuperFreak, its been an honest pleasure! And as a fellow Brummie, its great to see such talents stemming from the city.
DW: Here we wanted to give you an opportunity to give any words of wisdom, shoutouts or upcoming events to all the fellow artists and super freak enthusiasts.
Never let grown ups tell you what you have to be. Stay young and silly forever and never be afraid to screw up along the way!!
