We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jill Forie. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jill below.

Jill, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

I’ve been super fortunate to work on a lot of meaningful projects throughout my journey as a customizer, but I think the most important and meaningful project yet is the pair of shoes that I’m currently working on for my son. 2 months ago I gave birth to my first child, Sonny. Prior to Sonny’s birth I had stepped away from customizing and painting in general within my personal life. I am fortunate that I get to be creative on a daily basis as an Art Teacher, but my work as an artist outside of the classroom fell by the wayside. I’m not sure if it was the massive life changes in the last 2 years and/or the daily bouts of pregnancy most recently, but I found myself steering away from customizing which most of my adult life, helped define a huge part of my identity. Since my son was born I have had a resurgence of creative energy. Painting his first pair of itty bitty Vans has given me so much joy and reignited my passion for this creative journey that has given me so much.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Jill Forie and I am the sole owner and operator of Sink or Swim Custom Kicks. While I have been painting on shoes and clothes since high school, I officially started Sink or Swim in 2009 as a way to make some extra cash and things quickly gained traction.
Sink or Swim operates similarly to getting a tattoo. I consult with clients about their vision, often having to consolidate a laundry list of ideas they come to me with and we collaborate on how to make the best possible result while also honoring their ideas. Also similar to putting ink on someone’s body, you have to consider the specific shapes of a shoe before painting; how it will move, how it looks at different angles, etc. It’s not just putting paint to canvas. There is a lot of creative problem solving that goes into customizing which is one of my favorite parts. I take a lot of pride in finding the solution and making the clients vision come to life without the use stencils or machines. I’m a traditionalist in the world of customizing, albeit a bit of a curmudgeon at times. I want the final product to look hand painted which is why I avoid stencils or machines. We live in an extremely manufactured world and if I’m making something with my hands, I want there to be evidence of that with a side of “wow, she did that by hand?”

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Shop small. Beat the algorithm. Lift each other up.  Of course there’s always monetary support but besides that, there is magic in these free, seemingly small interactions online. Save posts, make comments, “like” photos, re-post stories, create your own videos/stories about the brand, etc. If you want to see your favorite artists, creatives, small businesses thrive and continue to exist, show support in any way you can. Even if it doesn’t boost the algorithm, knowing that someone out there is rallying for you feels good.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I would say that 95% of the resources currently available did not exist when I first started customizing. There was no pre-made supply kits, countless “how to” videos, and 1000s of people to compare yourself to online. To me there is a blessing and a curse to all of it. I feel, as a creative, it’s really important to learn through trial and error but I see the value in the current resources available. It would have been nice to have had the high quality paints and solvents that we have today. Don’t get me wrong, I used good product but it was way more expensive and super toxic to breathe in haha.
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Contact Info:

• Instagram: @sinkorswimkicks