Today we’d like to introduce you to Justin Patten.
Hi Justin, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I have always been an artist but took a break from making art myself when I became an art teacher. It wasn’t until about 2010 that I was really missing making art and started doing some painting. My wife and I were both teachers, so we had very little money and were making Christmas presents for family one year. I painted a Cubs painting in an artsy style for my brother. His wife ended up liking it so much that it made it into their living room, and an idea was born. As an athlete and an artist, I had always tried to find the place where these two passions came together, and I love the sports-art mash-up this has become.
Indiana put teachers on a pay freeze our 4th year of teaching, and in 2016 we decided that we couldn’t afford to have two teachers in the house anymore. Rachel quit and opened a home daycare and I continued to paint and teach. In 2020 when Covid hit, I came home to teach from the garage while Rachel set up school for our two boys in the living room and kitchen. The daycare closed and we lost 70% of our income in one day. We had talked about making my artwork into merchandise and trying to make a real go at a business, but this was the match that started the flame and got us to take the leap. Rachel started meeting with local vendors, many of which were struggling with slow business due to covid. Then she met with local shops who needed something new and fresh to entice their new online or pick-up shoppers. And Storm Striker Art by Justin Patten began. Just a couple of months earlier, a large company called Evergreen found us through our Etsy shop and reached out through email. They wanted to collaborate on some NCAA, NFL, NHL, and MLB designs for flags, ornaments, mugs, and doormats. We are currently working with them on our “JP #2” line of NFL and collegiate artwork. It has done very well and has even been picked up nationally by Sam’s Club. Our merchandise from Evergreen can be found in over 21,000 retail store. Just google search “Justin Patten flags + your favorite team to find them. For your Ohio readers, one of our schools is The Ohio State University! We have stickers, prints, ornaments, and of course paintings! Those can all be found on our website. Evergreen has made garden flags and house flags too.
We are licensed ourselves with 12 colleges and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It is a true family business and our two boys, Troy “Storm” Patten (12) and Lyle “Striker” Patten (14) find time between school, travel baseball, and travel soccer to bag stickers, tag flags, and fill orders with us. We sell through our website, www.stormstriker.com, and wholesale through local shops, and at events throughout the year. We will be an officially licensed vendor at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway the whole month of May and can’t wait to be out there listening to the roar of the engines!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Ha! That is hilarious! I am sure that starting a business is rarely a smooth road, but for us, it was made out of desperation, perspiration, and, as my wife is always saying, “making lemonade.” We didn’t even have enough money to make any sample shirts, so I had to learn how to use software on an my very old computer (the keyboard had stopped working and I had to stack an extra keyboard on top to make it work) and we were able to put together a pre-order with pics of what the tees would look like with my artwork on them. We were so lucky that people went crazy for them and we sold a whole bunch. We used that money to make the shirts and had a little seed money left over for the next set.
Our vendors and shops that we work with keep telling us how much easier all of this used to be, but we only know business during this time. Each time we go to place an order, there are new issues to contend with: supply chain, shipping, closures. Like everybody, we just had to learn to constantly pivot and figure out how to get well-made products and keep. our customers happy.
One other obstacle I have faced in life is that I am dyslexic. I was never diagnosed as a kid, but as an educator, my wife figured it out when she was getting our boys diagnosed. It has really been a team effort between the two of us to write all of the necessary communication. I can read and write obviously, but always need help when it comes to spelling. I like to sign my school emails with “Dyslexia is my Super Power” because I want people to know that I am dyslexic and that it comes with a lot of gifts along with some challenges. I think that is true with most things.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am really proud that I have been able to take two things that I love in life: art and sports and put them together into something that I love and that seems to bring joy to a lot of other people too. My style has developed over the years. I like to use bold colors and lots of brushstrokes to add energy and movement into my paintings. As an art teacher, I love that I have been able to show my students an example of how you can bring artwork into everyday life and you can make it into a real career. I love to hear my students talk about their hopes and dreams with the art they make. The art room is a special place in a school for many students. Sometimes it is the one place a child feels they can truly be themselves or find success.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Rachel and I are always talking about the different paths this can take. We love being at events and hearing the customers from local colleges get into healthy debates about sports teams and competitions. We always say our tent can get a little heated from time to time, but in a really fun way. Everyone wants to see their school or team represented, and I would love to add more teams and designs. We also have a line of state art we are developing. I like to take the state flag or a significant statue or structure from a state and give it a fresh new look. And I also love to paint custom pieces for people. I paint dogs, pets, special places from vacation photos, landscapes, all kinds of stuff. So, I guess I am not sure exactly where we will be in 5-10 years. We are always evolving.
Pricing:
- 12″x12″ pet paintings $100 from photo
- Ohio State print 16″x20″ $40.00 (unframed)
- Ohio State canvas painting 24″x30″ $250.00
- Waterproof vinyl stickers $8.00
- These are all prices that go along with the photos I uploaded.
Contact Info:
- Email: stormstrikerjp@gmail.com
- Website: www.stormstriker.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stormstrikerart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=storm%20striker
