The Custom Kicks Series is back with a bang, and this time it's a extra large Kaboom as The Cloud Commission worked their magic on a pair of UK size 17 Nike Air Force One High's!

What inspired the theme?

My own failings really! in some kind of effort to stay on my toes and keep moving forward, I've been working on the areas of my practice that feel weak to me. For this piece, I prepped by smashing out drawings of hands, tinkering with them! changing the shapes, the level of detail, just trying to get to a style that I'm happy to call my own. After this process, I had a whole world of hand drawings just waiting for the right project. The Air Force Ones are such a classic design, I wanted to keep the colours uniformed and not have anything too complex or overbearing, the hands seemed ideal.

Was this the 1st time you've worked on leather?

I've done a couple of pairs of trainers for friends before, but just for fun and games really, it's not something I looked to develop. Truth be told, for the most part, trainer design is best left to the designers; I've rarely seen a pair of trainers improved by customisation. Either in a paint on leather way or large-scale artist series shoe.
Its tough to start a project like this because there are so many avenues you can go down. I recently met a chap who had been using a soldering iron to emboss patterns into leather trainers which was pretty exciting, and obviously I do a lot of laser cutting, but the former concerned me because I couldn't guarantee my usual precision, and the latter because I haven't sussed out how to get the cutter to deal with contours. It was a nice opportunity to crack open the paints anyways, it's been a while.

What's new in the world of The Cloud Commission

We recently expanded the jewellery range a bit which is always a good frisk; it's a nice vehicle to have to get busy and think of what to make, how, and ways to shift them. We don't take ourselves too seriously, or not seriously enough, so its not all about big strategies or pushes, we end up making pals with people who it turns out they have a shop/gallery and they get the stock in or sow our work; anytime we've tried the salesman schtick, we've always left with our tails between our legs.
We've also got some hot spots lined up for this year in regards to profile street pieces; just waiting for it to heat up. We love what we do; but not enough to stomach these winter months outdoors if we don't need to.

Do you have any projects/shows coming up....when & where

I'm fresh off the back of a new piece going up at Empty Shop gallery in Durham; I'm pretty pleased with it as I'm on a self imposed no black outline trip for wall work at the moment; see where it goes. The I'm off to Berlin for a few weeks to sniff out the scene and atmosphere there; a possible move maybe in the future?...
Got another big thing pencilled in the calender for a little later in the year but I don't want to jinx it by saying it out loud. Will be sure to keep you posted though.

Whats been your kicks of choice lately

I'm rolling deep in "Vans 106 Vulcanized" at the moment. Simple, cheap and classic. I've been itching for a pair of tan suede Vans Chukka boots but sizes are an issue... maybe youre the man to help!
All time favourite trainer has to be a straight fight between Nike Waffle Racers in and Dunlop Green Flash. All about the classics; and it helps that they all come in a size 5

Tell us a Secret?

I collect oil lamps

If you could collab with anyone who would it be?

Until recently, I would've said Matt Sewellbut as that happened recently at Empty Shop in Durham, I best pick someone else. I guess it would be Steve Powers aka ESPO. He recently painted the lion's share of Coney Island theme park in New York. To paint up a full old school theme park would be the pinnacle of my aspiration. After that, you can cut off my fingers and turn me into a fairytale to scare the kids with... I couldn't care less after that!

What keeps you awake at night?

Not being famous enough to paint a theme park

There is a Print Release on the back of this design, so be sure to check out http://www.thecloudcommission.bigcartel.com/

We'd also like to thank Rich Kenworthy for the top notch photography. http://www.richardkenworthy.com