Behind the Scenes: Our New T-shirt Design!

Have you seen the Co-op's awesome new t-shirts? We were thrilled to work with local artist Alli VanKleek of Hot Slice Design to create to create this rad look. Read on to learn more about her process, passions, and favorite local foods.

Interested in getting your own shirt? Stop by any one of our upcoming events to pick one up!

About the Artist

1. Can you tell us a bit about your background as an artist and what inspires your style?

I've loved art and creating art for as long as I can remember, but I never truly felt like an artist until recently. It was always just a hobby for me, not an identity. After taking a graphic design class in high school, I realized it was a way to do something artistic while still getting paid, so that's what I went to school for! My artistic style is heavily influenced by graphic design as that is the discipline I am most trained in; bold illustrations and graphic typography. I find typefaces have so much personality on their own, they are just as important as the visuals you pair with them. I also love tattooing, so a lot of my illustration style is influenced by how they can take something from the real world and translate it to a design using just an outline.

2. What themes or ideas do you often explore in your artwork, and how do those show up in this design?

I've always had a wild imagination. I was fascinated with myths and stories, parallel worlds, and all things magical. Whether I'm designing a logo or creating a mural, I always feel they are more successful when they have symbolism, history, and stories woven throughout. I tend to gravitate towards the natural world, so a lot of my work features flora, fauna, or some kind of human element. This design obviously features a variety of crops, but it's also why I chose to show them in a wooden crate vs. say a shopping bag; I wanted to keep it as natural as possible!

3. Was there anything unique or meaningful about designing something specifically for a community organization like the Co-op?

The idea that good, natural food should be more easily accessible, as well as investing into your community as much as possible is something that deeply resonates with me. I think the more time we spend in the present, both physically and mentally, the better off we would all be. At the end of the day, when sh*t hits the fan, your first access to support is going to be your local community. Getting to create a piece that celebrates this mission, and hopefully, gets people excited about the organization is a great way to support a cause that falls outside of my industry as an artist.

Connection to the Co-op

4. What drew you to the Wasatch Food Co-op and made you want to get involved?

We were fortunate enough to purchase our home in Liberty Wells about 8 years ago, and I was so excited to finally put my horticulture minor to work by starting my own garden. You don't really realize how much work goes into growing food, so it's helped me appreciate food and cooking more. Furthermore, losing local businesses in my neighborhood like Beltex who are connected to this slow food movement, made me really bummed. When I heard about the Co-op, it was like a breath of fresh air!

5. How do the Co-op’s mission or values resonate with your own personal or creative values?

Running a small business, you naturally have to be involved in your local community. Majority of my clients come from referrals, so showing up and supporting my community is directly connected to my livelihood. I truly believe that daily life is better when you are active in your neighborhood. We are social creatures, so it's so important to rely on each other. Also, being raised in an Italian family, food is a huge part of my life. The better food we feed our loved ones, the healthier and happier lives they will have.

6. Do you have any favorite experiences or memories related to local food, community markets, or co-ops in general?

One of my first co-op experiences was at a Nowruz celebration hosted by Mobile Moon Co-op. Not only did I learn about a new culture's celebrations, but I was able to see a ton of common threads between their celebrations/beliefs and what I grew up with. We have more in common than we think! Getting to see how much they were able to produce and offer the community as well with their gardens was inspiring.

Bridging the Art and the Co-op

7. How did you approach merging your personal artistic style with the Co-op’s identity in this design?

I like to think my work is playful but still polished. I wanted a feeling of joyful abundance, so illustrating the produce in a way where it all sort of blends together made it feel a bit like a "I spy" game, where you can look at this basket of produce, and start to pick out specific ingredients. Blending the bold and simple wood grain pattern on the box with the more detailed illustrations of the produce is a good example of merging their identity with my design style.

8. Are there any symbols, colors, or elements in the t-shirt design that people might not notice right away but have deeper meaning?

In the spirit of playfulness, I like adding little surprises in my designs, like the heart shape in the cross-section of the strawberry, so while it's still illustrated somewhat realistically, it has a little more joy!

9. What do you hope people feel or think about when they wear this t-shirt?

I hope people feel empowered, proud, and kind. I want it to spark conversations and draw more people into the Co-op's mission.

Looking Ahead

10. How would you like to see art and community organizations like the Co-op continue to collaborate in the future?

I think doing a community mural or even maybe partnering with local artists to create collectible reusable bags could be really fun ideas!

Bonus question! What is your favorite snack? And what would you like to see stocked at the Co-op?

I am a sucker for an apple and peanut butter! I think I go through a jar a week sometimes! I'd love to see a selection of local meats/cheeses/eggs because I feel those are a bit harder to come by than local produce. Gerome's Market sausages are top tier!