STUDIO ART
T.J. Oslund’s works in wood take inspiration from some of the first art that ever spoke to him as a child. Bored in church, looking up at the stained glass, he would imagine the abstract colored panels becoming the toys he wished he could be playing with, or strange vehicles that could carry him off to somewhere exciting. Today those early explorations of form and color have become a foundation for T.J.’s work using hand-cut plywood tiles to construct vignettes and icons that draw from popular culture, fine art, and personal experience. Through the process of designing and bringing these pieces to life, T.J. wrestles with both the internal and external experiences of living life against a backdrop littered with signals of impending doom. His recent body of work, titled Hell is a Garden in Bloom is a reflection on curiosity that blossoms in the face of existential impotence, snapshots of realities both confined by perception, and set free by imagination.
DESIGN
With 2 decades of experience working within the Footwear and Action Sports industries, Boston based designer/illustrator, T.J. Oslund has built a career grounded in a commitment to product excellence, and a focus on creatively solving complex design problems. He brings a diverse array of influences to the design process, from having lived and worked on both US coasts and in the middle, to a long history of engagement in a variety of creative subcultures. T.J.’s work has been seen on a range of products from brands such as Converse, Reebok, Forum Snowboards, Vans, Von Zipper, Obey, and more. His depth of experience creating unique graphics and veneering solutions for product categories including apparel, accessories, footwear, and hard goods has honed his approach to product-based design, and cross-functional collaboration. Augmenting his unique design sensibilities with a deep understanding of the product creation process, and graphic application techniques, T.J. consistently delivers consumer value via brand right, trend aware, and cost conscious products.