For Patrick Church, the vintage stores of New York are an endless canvas.
The British-born artist and designer painstakingly sources the garments he works with, mining the city’s second hand shops for beautiful pieces before hand-painting them with the flamboyant, femme graphics and phrases that have become his signature.
Church has an eye for finding amazing pieces to transform, but he also does commissionsmeaning that old denim jacket or pair of leather trousers in your closet are eligible for an upgrade. Just slide into his DMs.
Check out some of his recent work and our interview below.
Who inspired you growing up and how did that influence your style?
So many experiences and people have inspired my work. I am always drawn to confidence, especially within peopleI love characters and people that are larger than life. I love the work of Elke Krystufek and Tracey Emin, and I have always been so inspired by beautiful photographs and fashion images. Life experience is definitely a big thing within my work too.
I think my style has always spoken its own language and I’ve always had a set idea of how I want something to look in my headI think you can usually tell when something is mine. I have become more confident with time, however I think sometimes it’s important to not think too much and make amazing mistakes.
Can you talk us through your creative process, from initial concept to execution?
I love sourcing vintage pieces to work directly onto, so a lot of time is spent sourcing beautiful garments that I can adorn with my artworks. I normally start out by throwing ideas around in my head, then I work on a series of drawings or paintings which have a narrative. Having narrative within my work is super importantit all has to relate and tell a story, I find that romantic. I will then spend a lot of time sourcing pieces. After this is the process of working directly onto the garment or artefact, which can take weeks at a time to finish.
How does working in New York compare to your time in London?
People in New York have a really strong work ethic. Everyone has their own hustle and thing going on, and they are genuinely excited by creatives and super supportive. Exploring a new city, being crazy in love, and experiencing so many new things has changed my perceptions of everything around me.
How do the two cities differ in terms of people’s personal style?
People in London have a really unique style. London is definitely one of the world’s style capitals. I feel as though there are so many subcultures in New York and people really aren’t afraid to experiment with their own personal style. There is also the best vintage in the world in New York City, and lots of people here wear cute vintage.
What opportunities has your work brought you?
My work has taken me all over the world, which, when I think about it, is totally crazy and I am SO lucky. I owe everything to what I create. I am incredibly lucky, it helps me make sense of everything around me.
What are you working on now?
I have a couple of really exciting collaborations coming out soon, and I am working on a solo show of paintings in NYC.
Dream commission?
There are too many. I would love to collaborate with Gucci, or to do a solo show at White Cube in London one day.
Help make sure LGBTQ+ stories are being told...
We can't rely on mainstream media to tell our stories. That's why we don't lock our articles behind a paywall. Will you support our mission with a contribution today?
Cancel anytime · Proudly LGBTQ+ owned and operated
Read More in Culture
The Latest on INTO
Subscribe to get a twice-weekly dose of queer news, updates, and insights from the INTO team.in Your Inbox