You best keep an eye on your kicks around Gary Lockwood. Under his alter ego Freehand Profit, Gary has spent the last nine years slicing and dicing some of the most coveted sneakers in the game – and his kill count is only continuing to rise! Gary isn’t some sociopath with a hatred for sportswear, however. Rather, he’s a talented artist that understands that sometimes you need to destroy something beautiful in order to create a masterpiece. Each and every one of the elaborate sneaker masks he has created are just that: masterpieces.
Gary Lockwood (Freehand Profit)Discover Gary Lockwood, the artist behind Freehand Profit
We’ve admired Gary’s work since his very first creations, so we decided to reach out to the mask maestro himself to get the lowdown on Freehand Profit.
Matt Williams (M.W.) – What’s the meaning behind the name ‘Freehand Profit’?
Gary Lockwood (G.L.) – ‘Freehand Profit’ came about when I started writing graffiti in middle school. It’s a bit of wordplay (profit/prophet). Mostly, it comes from two things: 1) when I was a kid, a classmate would often ask me ‘Did you draw that freehand?’ and 2) when I said I wanted to be an artist when I grew up, people would say ‘Good luck making any money.’ So, I set out to prove them wrong. When other kids had lemonade stands, I’d set up a table and be a one-kid art fair on my block.
M.W. – I think it’s safe to say that you definitely proved them wrong! You’ve been creating masks for almost a decade now. How many have you created to date?
G.L. – I’m currently working on masks 200 through 210, as well as photographing some recent work that has yet to be released.
M.W. – Woah! What’s the rarest pair you’ve ever transformed into a mask?
G.L. – I’d have to say the ‘Doernbecher’ KD 10. KD handed them to me right from his sneaker closet. There was only three pairs ever made, and the only pair to go up for sale sold for $35k at a charity auction. I’ve also chopped up Nike MAGs (the 2011 version I mean, not the auto-lacing ones – yet!), four pairs of Yeezy IIs, ‘Doernbecher’ 4s, 5s and 6s, Christian Louboutins, ‘Satin Bred’ AJ1s and countless other pairs that gave me pause before I stuck my blade in ’em!
M.W. – I’ll bet! Was there ever a pair you couldn’t bring yourself to destroy?
G.L. – Originally I said no to chopping the ‘BIN’ Air Jordan 5s. It was back in 2012 and, even though I love the AJ5, I hadn’t yet made a mask from a pair. A fan of my work asked me to chop his BIN 5s and I looked at him hella crazy. We talked it over, and I realised that the sacrifice is important to making the work. I also learned, on that mask, that the better the materials, the better the mask.
M.W. – How long does the average mask take to create?
G.L. – The masks vary so greatly that it’s difficult to answer simply. Most masks take between one and three weeks to make, but then there’s also the photoshoot. This entails time for prep, research and scheduling, followed by editing the photos and writing up the blog. Other masks take more time and consideration. The ‘Elephant’ gas mask I made from the 3Lab5s took more than a year to construct, and the ‘MAG Shark’ mask took at least 18 months.
On the other end of the spectrum, there are masks that are made in only a day or two. Some because of a project’s time constraints, such as when adidas asked for seven masks to be made in just seven days – I got to work and made it happen! Others, like the Filling Pieces ‘Ghost’ mask, came together very quickly. Either because of the materials or the design of the shoe, or simply because I was just in the zone that day. It’s most likely due to a number of factors.
M.W. – How many pairs go into the making a single mask?
G.L. – Most masks are made from a single pair of shoes. If the shoe is minimal, low-top or a small size, then I might need a second or third pair. The mask’s concept also comes into play here. The elephant mask had to be big, so I got a second pair and an elephant-print Jordan Brand hoodie for extra material. I’ve also made some masks from just a single shoe. For instance, I chopped the ‘MF DOOM’ Nike SB Dunks and made two masks from the one pair of sneakers.
M.W. – Even with so many masks to your name, you still never fail to surprise. Where do you look to for creative inspiration?
G.L. – I don’t have to look far for inspiration. It’s, quite literally, everywhere around me. I can find inspiration in nature or in the streets of any city. From books and music, to TV and movies. I think the sources of inspiration that tend to have the most influence on me are hip-hop, natural history museums, fashion, comics, anime and artists like Sandy Skoglund, DAIM, Mike Thompson, Jonathan Mannion – to name a few.
‘Radioactive Cats’ by Sandy Skoglund
M.W. – The photography of your work is almost as impressive as the masks themselves. What’s your thought process when planning a shoot? Is this something you have in mind from the very beginning?
G.L. – Thank you, the photography is actually equally important to the masks. The photos are what most people see. Even if hundreds of people come to an art show to see a work in person, thousands more will see it through photos on social media. Like the masks themselves, the photo shoots are all quite different. Some are of necessity, to document, or have certain time restrictions, so they focus on factors such as form, colour, shape and motion. Others tell stories. Maybe they tell the story behind the sneaker, or the story of the deity the mask is imbued by. Others are tributes to people, characters and things that have inspired me. Sometimes, I see the photoshoot in my head first and then I make the mask and plan the shoot to realise that idea. Other times, the mask wearer and how they wear a particular mask is what truly brings it to life and becomes the focus of the photoshoot.
M.W. – You must have some pretty wealthy clientele if they’re willing to allow you to cut up tens of thousands of dollars in sneakers. Are there any famous customers that you are able to disclose?
G.L. – There are a few that prefer to collect privately, but, of those that that I can talk about, I’ve created work for Kevin Durant, Method Man, Cormega, Everlast, Iman Shumpert and Trinidad James, to name a few. I made a mask for Strange Music, and it was worn on stage by Tech N9ne’s drummer for a tour. While I value my big name clients obviously, truth is it’s everyday folks who make up the majority of my collectors. Most of my masks belong to sneakerheads and art collectors who have day jobs and don’t have to worry about paparazzi. Some save up or pay monthly payments, while others are entrepreneurs with a little money looking to invest in art they believe in. I’m thankful for all of them – from those that just follow my work on Instagram and maybe buy a pin or lace lock, to those that collect my art toys or my masks. Without them all, I wouldn’t be able to spend my life making the art that I love.
M.W. – It seems like Freehand Profit has become a full time enterprise for you nowadays. What originally inspired you to make your start in mask making and what were you doing beforehand? What was your first design?
G.L. – I’ve been making masks full-time for the last eight years. Less than a year after making my first sneaker mask, I made the leap into full-time self employment. Before that, I was working as a designer for an independent rap label and for a custom t-shirt shop. My first sneaker mask was made from SB Blazers and was a part of a year-long, daily creative project called ‘MASK365’. I’ve always been into masks, especially gas masks.
The Freehand Files : No.001 : Green Spark Blazer Gas Mask
M.W. – It can be quite be quite intimidating to invest so much into a creative venture. Were you ever nervous about devoting yourself entirely to Freehand Profit?
G.L. – The only thing that comes easy for me is anxiety. [Laughs] So, yeah, I was very nervous –I’m still nervous! There’s zero safety, stability or financial security when you’re entirely self-employed. If I want to eat, I have to kill. I have to continue to evolve through the work. I have to innovate at a speed that is groundbreaking, but not alienating. But, art is what I want to devote my life to, so I make sacrifices. Plus, job safety is an illusion. At least with freelancing, I’m in control.
M.W. – Shoe construction has changed a lot these past ten years, especially with an emphasis on minimalist, lightweight design. Are there any shoes you’ve found too challenging to work with?
G.L. – There are plenty that present challenges, but I wouldn’t say any have proven ‘too challenging’, as such. Every strength is a weakness and vice versa. So, with the adidas NMDs or Yeezy 350s, there’s very little material to work with, and the construction is completely different. I had to reconsider how I would work with those materials, and so I used the fact that they are basically just fabric as the focus. They became balaclava/ski-mask style masks – something I couldn’t do with leather Jordans.
M.W. – Have you ever attempted to work with any vintage sneakers?
G.L. – Not yet – well, not like true OG Jordans or anything like that, at least. I just haven’t had that opportunity or a desire to seek one out. It could be done. It would garner different results, but taking that into consideration can allow for some beautiful work to be made.
Freehand Profit – No.115 Command Force Stormtrooper Helmet
M.W. – If you could choose any shoe in the world to work with, what would it be and why?
G.L. – I’ve really chopped most of my grails by now, but there’s plenty more out there. I’d love to work with some Jasper LVs, some Air Yeezy 1s, or some Y3s. It’s not that they’re out of reach, I just have a long waiting list, so that has my focus.
M.W. – What‘s next in the pipeline for Freehand Profit? Anything special planned for your tenth anniversary?
G.L. – We’ll worry about that in 2020! Right now, I’m working on mask No. 200, which will be a celebrated milestone. I can’t reveal too much right now, but let’s just say I’m going full Jim Henson. This year, I have a lot of big projects in the works. From vinyl toys to 3D-printed masks and some very special collaborations. I’m looking forward to a very fruitful year.
M.W. – Are there any creatives in the scene you want to give a shoutout to?
G.L. – Thanks to Foot District and Matt for the interview. Much love to the fam at @SNKRinc, big ups to @8and9, @bosslogic, @coolrainlee, @bunkhaus, @kelshmeamy, @bryanespiritu, @doctorfunksgallery, @chrisbmurray, @scartoccio, @12amdesign, @cidrobo, @missmonstermel, @lurklovesyou, and, of course, my dude @johncolombo227. Special thanks to @seatofpowergaming and @diversevizion for their unparalleled support!
Check out more of Gary’s work at FreehandProfit.com and be sure to follow his Instagram to keep up to date with his latest creations.