Meet Cole Seefus of Clens Wearable Prints in Uptown Phoenix

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cole Seefus.

Cole, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
The pursuit of art has persisted, in one form or another, throughout my life – as I am sure it has for many. Inside and outside of class, I approached tasks with the intent of creating something novel, something different. This creative drive also manifested itself in my fashion sense. Drawn to popular streetwear and sneakers from a young age, I would often peruse style blogs. Even if I could not afford the exact clothing shown, I incorporated their overall moods and aesthetics into my own attire. In regards to clens wearable prints, the origins reside in college. Midway through my tenure at ASU, I started playing around haphazardly with a DSLR camera. Over the course of a month, through trial and error, I divined how each setting worked and bettered my ability to capture what my mind’s eye saw in the subject before me. Obsessed, I began seeking out fine art photography. Hours would pass as I consumed images, each one providing as much intimidation as it did inspiration. The captures I found most engaging were those depicting everyday life. Photography, with its manipulation of light and exposure, offered a perspective through which the mundane has beauty. As my photographic abilities grew, my years in college came to a close. Approaching graduation, I reflected on my life’s path and became less enamored with a traditional career. A consistent and persistent mantra surfaced from my subconscious: “I would rather die broke than gain wealth doing something I am indifferent about.”

In the spring of 2016, on the eve of graduation, clens wearable prints was born as a concept that combined both my love for photography and infatuation with streetwear. The work has evolved from its beginnings, but it has maintained a sense of sincerity I believe is rare in most material consumption; clens has been a symbol of my artistic growth and continued introspection. Those who support it identify with that journey.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has been a road of peaks and valleys. Dealing with established businesses has proven difficult, given the power imbalance between independent artists and distributors. Despite those difficulties, I have had the privilege of getting my work placed in Scottsdale Fashion Square and several other boutiques. From a creative standpoint, I have found monetary success in an endeavor that feeds my soul. Still, some artwork I invested the most energy, time, and resources into have turned out to be least popular or marketable. The path to self-employment as an [almost] uncompromising artist can be – is most likely – a long one. This road has taught me patience. Patience, in all aspects of the word, holds vital significance in this pursuit. Patience means: waiting for the right opportunities rather than the fastest ones; giving yourself energy, time, and resources to fail with; realizing monetary gain comes second to the message; willing to defend that message in the face of criticism.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
We adorn our homes with art as a decoration of our individual tastes – to make space our own. The same is true of clothing. Our clothes are a decoration of the body – an outward declaration of who we are. This is the foundational philosophy behind clens wearable prints. As unique art pieces, each print is: either hand-labeled and numbered; or printed onto an individually thrifted garment. To clarify, clens is not a clothing brand, and I do not sell t-shirts to customers. When someone purchases a clens wearable print, he or she is a patron supporting my continued work as a photographer and mixed media artist. For that, I am deeply grateful.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
The future remains in constant flux, but I am working on participating in other artist trade shows and events. In the long term, I plan to open a boutique/gallery to showcase my and other budding artists’ works. In addition to sporadic releases, several collaborative projects are also underway. In short, the future is as uncertain as it is exciting.

Pricing:

• [Repurposed] Wearable Prints, short sleeve: $35
• [Repurposed] Wearable Prints, long sleeve: $50
• [Premium] Wearable Prints, short sleeve: $60
• [Premium] Wearable Prints, hoodie: $115

Contact Info:

• Website: clensprints.com
• Phone: 4023064827
• Email: clensprints@gmail.com
• Instagram: clensprints
• Other: @clensprints (Instagram)

Image Credit:
Cole Seefus, Carissa Colmenares

Suggest a story: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.