DEFGRIP

JOSH CLANCY.
Interview by Harrison

RELATED LINKS:
www.anatome.net
www.littledevilbrand.com
www.orchidfootwear.com

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD JOSH'S WALLPAPER.

Intro:

Josh Clancy is the 19 year old kid from the land of 10,000 lakes that has changed the face of the biggest clothing companie in BMX. Whether it's myspace or Matt Lippott story's Josh lets it fly in his first Defgrip interview.

enjoy.

This is Josh Clancy.

Hey Josh, please introduce yourself and let everyone know where you're from.

My name is Josh Clancy, I am 19 years of age and I am from the glorious land of 10,000 lakes, Minnesota.

Tell us a little about where you live now.

Right now, I am living the real life with my parents at home in Dassel Minnesota. Dassel is pretty much your generic small rural town filled with old people, crystal meth addictions, and a handful of closed minds. I love it though.

For anyone who doesn't know, what do you do?

Live life, freestyle rap, listen to a lot of music, ride bike, go to school, eat, sleep, draw, sit on my computer, drive in my car, suffer insomnia, break hearts, create a bunch of band t-shirts, procrastinate, drink too much caffeine, and of course chat with little scenester girls on Myspace, ADD ME: www.myspace.com/joshclancy . Oh yeah, I also work for Little Devil and Orchid footwear!

How did you land the job at Little Devil? I heard you just saw they were looking for an art director and you sent your stuff in.

The whole story behind me landing a job at Little Devil is really perfect for an interview question. Way back about a year and a half ago I was scoping out this issue of Ride and I seen this ad for Orchid Footwear. I found it really interesting and I enjoyed the vibe I was getting from it. So I put the magazine down called up the number at the bottom of the ad and said, “I love what you guys are doing, I want to work for you.”

I then sent them some samples of work and before I knew it I was in Pennsylvania with Derek Adams and Bob Myers making the Orchid road trip video, Step On It. Time progressed and I kept in contact and then when I finished high school I was driving my car to live with Van Homan.

Haha pretty ideal right?

What is your role at Little Devil?

I would have to say I am just there for their amusement and aggression. They often take out their anger on me because of my pale skin complexion and compressed denim jeans. Besides that, I am there to work with the most amazing group of dudes I have ever met. Also another less important role would be doing something creative a couple days past the due date. ones.

How long have you been into design and how did you get into it?

Well, I came out of a dark womb and was given eyes and hands. Eager about life I soon became addicted to pop culture and different means of expression. That then led me to the easiest and most accessible tool, a computer. With a computer I began to teach myself the value of aesthetics and now here I am today, still learning and in love with loving it.

Do you do fine art, paintings or anything?

Lately, I’ve been doing a lot with fine arts. Between my class at school dedicated to learning them and my newly gained appreciation I’ve been trying to work with them more. My thing designing nowadays is to create a lot of hand made objects and incorporate them into the digital pieces. It gives the work a whole new feel. Plus it’s nice to know a human hand actually touched the design.

I saw you had some photos up on your site, tell us about your photography, what kind of camera you shoot with etc.

Awww photography, I absolutely adore photography and anyone that has the patience and eye to commit to it. To be honest my photography is really makeshift. I have a point and shoot Canon Powershot s70. It's a rather decent little digital camera but it just does not compare to something like an SLR with lens attachments and flash kits.

This was one of the many new shirts I made for Little Devil. It was a fun tee to make and i f you buy the shirt and look closely I have hidden Trans Am Sales Rep Matt Lippot's face. Can you find him?

My process is simple. Find an alternative light source, never use the flash, and bring your shots into Photoshop for some mega post processing. It really is not that hard to turn an okay shot into a decent shot with the help of Photoshop. I think eventually when I get the money I will buy a nice solid camera.

Do you have a process you go through when you're designing?

Live in this world and grasp concepts from everywhere. I constantly have a little black notebook with me that I am always sketching in or writing in. I then pull from this and get an idea in my head that connects with me personally. There is too much saturation in aesthetics these days. When I am looking at something and I can tell that thought and meaning was behind the creation it makes the piece itself more compelling and it really holds up to a higher standard and value, at least for me.

I then start with a blank canvas and see what my mind comes up with. I also never try to envision a final product, which acts as a barrier in the creative process. Otherwise that is it. Get ill with it.

Your website seems to have landed you your job at Little Devil. How important has your website been to your carrier?

I hate my website, I always will. I am never satisfied with it. However, for my career and anyone in the creative field a website is crucial. The web is the most accessible means of communication in the world and by having a website you are opening so many doors for yourself. Anything is better than nothing and having something to show is even better. From another perspective though, a website will never get you a job. In the long run its motivation and your ability to sell yourself that will dock the boat, if you get my drift. Haha get the pun? Oh man I am so fresh.

Did you teach your self everything? You have some flash up on your site. How skilled are you at web?

I guess you could say I am self taught. I think it’s the best way to learn. You learn so much faster if you dig in with your own two hands and digest things with your own two eyes. As far as school, one of my long time favorite artists, Thomas Schlostak (www.ths.nu) claims it to be nothing but brainwashing. It’s really interesting and I would have to agree to a certain extent. Regardless, it’s always best to do it yourself.

However, I am actually in school right now learning more about the web, the more backend side of things though. I figure if I can already design somewhat decently why go to school and learn the same thing? In the long run I want to be able to create something just as visually appealing as it is technically appealing. Right now I am just getting away with putting a good face to a nasty mess but we will keep that on the down low. Haha I get the job done and that is all that matters.

On your site it says that you “suffer from style deficit disorder.” Do you want to elaborate on that?

We all know what attention deficit disorder is right? Sure, In fact I think we all kind of suffer from it in our own ways. What I meant by the statement is that I am never satisfied. I am constantly becoming bored with projects and the looks of things. I require myself to be involved with more than one thing at all times otherwise I will become unmotivated and my work will become dry. I try to spend a careful amount of time on each piece but at the same time keep it limited. I would hate for things to go stale so I am always trying to keep things looking different enough but at the same time maintain a certain appeal. Does that make sense?

You do a wide range of design, what is your favorite medium?

I love photography mixed design. Taking a picture you set up with a character, a story, and a plot in mind and then bringing it all together with digital processing. It’s the most rewarding feeling to go through the whole process and being completely wrapped up in it. I feel that is my favorite but not my best. Once again a better camera would help.

This was my contribution to Sherber Magazine based on the theme: Personal Space.

You must have some good stories from the Little Devil offices. Care to share?

Haha oh man those dudes at Little Devil… So I think Matt Lippott, the sales rep has way too much obscure porn on his computer and that was always interesting, but I will keep things a little more censored for this interview.

Everyday was seriously a story, but this one time I was in the back of the warehouse talking about something stupid, like hardcore music with the shipping boy Mandrew and we were doing this all while having a skateboard manual contest. All of a sudden big boss Mike Clarke comes up to me and was like, “something is wrong with the website!” I figured I would go back and check it out since I was on the clock and Derek Adams was paying me.

So I went into my office and got to my computer and lone behold a picture of Justin, full time Louis Vuitton model wearing a black carefully shaped emo

wig was on the LDB news. I am sure you could go find it in the news section on the Little Devil site but it was just really funny because I realized when I was wasting my time, everyone else was too.

Another funny story was when Justin put on some girls hot shorts and I took a picture of him, which is available upon request: josh@transambmx.com

Haha no but seriously everyday working with the best people in the world there was a story. Also if Derek Adams ever reads this, I want to tell him thanks for understanding the importance of keeping it real and WE REALLY DO WORK SOMETIMES!

Have the guys from Jackass ever worn the Little Devil shirts you designed on TV?

Honestly, I don’t watch TV so I would not really. Some of the t-shirts I’ve designed for bands have been on MTV. I actually have a couple shirts in Hot Topic chain stores which is kind of the same thing?

This piece actually won a state highschool art show. It is basically my interpertation of you and war. Kids are far too young.

I know you were in the Little Devil offices for a bit, but I hear you’re not right now. Are you going to School?

Yep, the glorious times at the LD Warehouse are being put on hold right now so I can get one of those degrees. I have to finish up school but chances are after I am done with that I will go back to the office and complete some more memories.

However fear not, they still take care of me. I am just working freelance from home for them right now and the new orchid stuff is looking hot so watch your backs!

What was your involvement in BMX before you started at Little Devil?

I have always rode bike. It’s just something that has been a part of me growing up. I used to play organized sports and then after coming to the hasty conclusion that I am way too small to be there I picked up a bmx bike. It’s another way to look at the world and the people that ride are always the best.

Did you spend a lot of time riding the bowl at L.D.?

Haha the funny thing is when I was at the warehouse I rode seriously, everyday. That was basically all I rode. I had never ridden anything like it before. It was Endless lines and flow. Why would I need to ride anything else? Always a good session going down there and the vibe there was unreal.

Sean McLaughlin would always give me crap for never coming to ride trails or street and this one time he almost started crying because I just wanted to ride the warehouse. Sorry Sean.

Sean McLaughlin wanted me to ask you about flat tires. What’s up with that? Have some bad luck lately?

Wow this goes back to the whole story everyday at the warehouse. So being the pompous ass that I am I would always drive my Minnesota Mitsubishi to work and never park in the lines. All the guys that worked there were so careful to park in the lines headlights facing out. So when I would stroll in a couple hours late I would park right in front of their Volkswagens. I thought I was witty and oh boy did it give me my jimmies. Then this one time I think I was in my office working away and all of a sudden I receive an e-mail. It’s from Sean. I figure it would be some stupid request like go to the store and get him some coke and apple pie but instead it was a picture of my car outside with a flat tire.

He got me good and proceeded to get me good. This one time I left my keys in my car and he drove my car and hid it in another parking lot. I went to go leave at night and my car was gone. I asked Sean where it was and he would not tell me so just as it started to rain he then told me where it was. It was quite some walking distance away.

Thanks Sean I love you.

I figured I would include a riding picture just to show I don't sit on my ass all day. Photo by Derek Adams

Do you spend more time on your bike or on your Computer?

Right now unfortunately the computer. It's snowing and it is a winter wonderland here in Minnesota so it's not like I can ride too much anyway. It all works out though because girls dig weak arms and strong fingers… haha I really don't know what that means.

What kind of computer do you have?

It’s a laptop. PC, pretty beefy and I usually hook it up to a dual monitor for extra designing capabilities.

What are some other key tools you use to design?

I love the pen tool and tracing things in Illustrator. I love blending modes, gradients, and levels in Photoshop. I am fascinated with fonts and brushes; I don’t think you can ever have enough. Get a scanner and scan stuff out of old books, scan garbage, scan miscellaneous pieces of typography, hell scan anything for that matter and incorporate it into design. The effect it has is really cool looking. I have never used a waccom but I probably should get one. Other tools I love and use everyday are the trace bitmap feature in Illustrator CS2, the blur filter in Photoshop, the internet itself, my eyes, and my brain.

Who are some people you look up to in and out of design?

Wow, there are so many people…

Umm let’s just begin. In design I look up to Joshua Davis, Nigel Dennis, Matt Grovaere, Joshua Smith, Mike Cina, Chuck Anderson, Justin Fines, Rob Dobi, Thomas Schostak, and Eduardo Recife.

I also love people like you guys from Defgrip that actually took some time with aesthetics and brought them into bmx. Especially Odyssey, keep up the great worrk.

Outside of design I look up to Elliott Smith, My dad, my mom, my sister, Derek Adams, Bob Myers, Mandrew, Justin, Sean, Clarke, Lippott, Andy Carr, Adam Jordan, Danni Gannwar, Van Homan, Eric G Money baller, Cody Smiglewski, Gunch Dunlap, Gunch’s Dad, Sarah, Sarah’s Dad, Sarah’s brother Hakeem, Joe Newsom, Nique, Tasha, Laura, Elias, probably Jesus, my puppy Ted, Kyle Stark, Nolan my brother, Julie, R Shelly, Randee, Anna, Rick, This girl I dig named Ali, Tom from Myspace regardless, Salvador Dali, Mr. Johnson, Aaron French, Eminem, Sean Daily, Joanna Newsom, Gus Van Saint, Johnny Cash, and anyone that truly knows themselves.

As a designer you probably spend a lot of time on the internet. What are some of your favorite websites?

OF COURSE

www.newstoday.com
www.demo-design.com
www.midwestisbest.com
www.nopattern.com
www.electricheat.com
www.praystation.com
www.iamolympic.com
www.werkburo.com
www.hydro74.com
www.restartmyheart.com
www.myspace.com
www.iricc.com
www.thebrilliance.com
www.tcbmx.net
www.midwestbmx.com
www.probe3.com

I have a million bookmarks literally… hit me up on aim and I will give you more: iamanatome


	Josh Clancy X Defgrip wallpaper. Click here to download it.

Lets end with some more favorites...

3 Favorite magazine.

Atmosphere
Idea
DigBMX

3 Favorite foods.

Thai Food
Pizza
Soup

3 favorite clothing companies.

Morphine Generation
The Rise and Fall
H&M

3 favorite people.

Isn’t this what Myspace is for?

3 things that you think would inspire everyone.

History
Music
Motivation
In that order

Thanks so much Josh, any last words?

Love your life… and love Matt Lippott. Come to Minnesota and stay for life. Thanks <3333, add me to Myspace, message me on aim, and check out my website if you are bored: www.anatome.net