Andy Natusch was just another starving artist trying to make a living as a painter when he got the idea to try another approach to making money late last year. In an effort to make his work more accessible, affordable, and even wearable, he opened Artisan Tees at 47 Spring Street in December. “I just started doing T-shirts because I knew with this economy I had a better chance of selling them,” he says. “People will buy a T-shirt because it’s something they can use. It’s not like artwork, where it’s a luxury item.”
He typically releases a new design every two weeks, inspired by everything from nature to politics. One shirt, “Hipster Tiger,” is a print of a tiger wearing nerd glasses. Another, “99%,” makes more of a political statement. Most shirts cost $18.
High art it’s not, but Natusch stands behind his decision. “Things are changing and people don’t have extra money to spend on things they don’t need, whereas T-shirts, you wear it, it has a use,” he says.
In addition to the shirts, Artisan Tees sells jewelry and exhibits art by local up-and-coming artists, with an art opening happening every month. He also plans to team up with nearby companies to host a Final Friday event every month. Find out more about Artisan Tees at artisantees.com.
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