About the artist

“The Prince of Messes”, Perry (they/them) is a self-taught artist specializing in clothing. They are a transmasculine nonbinary person who values inner child work, soft masculinity, and the prioritization of vulnerability as a form of connection.

Perry specializes in hand-painted clothing that demonstrates their nostalgic take on color and play. The majority of their work is created on locally-sourced, thrifted clothing. The sustainability of creating on existing clothing, rather than buying new, is a core value of Perry Draws Too.

Clothing has always been a core form of self-expression for Perry. As is the case for many, clothing has always been intrinsically tied to gender and gender expression. Before realizing their relationship(s) to gender, masculinity, and transness, Perry struggled to find themself in the traditional feminine clothing that was ascribed to them as an adolescent. Before school every day, they would get up an hour early just to tackle the huge question: what do I wear today? They have always felt that clothing is an invaluable tool in communicating to others how we feel on any given day - how do we feel about ourselves, our environment, and others around us? 

Coming to terms with their trans identity has illuminated so many new avenues when it comes to clothing. Over recent years, they have been able to come to peace with their reality/ies as a trans person and, with that, have been able to divorce themself from the gender of clothing. Through inner child work and healing, they have been able to return to the fun of self-expression through clothing.

Clothing is just one of the many media that Perry has played with over the years. It all began when they had a vision of revitalizing a piece of clothing already in their wardrobe. When brush met fabric, they were immediately carried away with bringing their vision to life. Over time, they have recognized how significant clothing is to others as well, which prompted them to share their work and center their business on the restoration and redesign of clothes. 

As a child, Perry was a very clumsy and very messy child. Their childhood was marked with play and messes, a quality that was eventually forced out of them over time, into adulthood. As Perry has redefined themself and their approach to adulthood, they have returned to creativity and messes. They find that, in a world that stresses order and cleanliness, making a mess is a liberating experience. Although they have dabbled in digital art and other media, they continue to return to painting clothing particularly because of its messy process. They live for paint on their hands, face, and  hair at the end of the work day. Rather than feel wrong or apologetic for their messy nature, Perry has been able to incorporate messes into their everyday life and work. Embracing messes in both their personal and professional lives has led them to their nickname, The Prince of Messes.

With every piece of Perry Draws Too, there are dimensions of soft masculinity, vulnerability, and color. Perry hopes that others can see the nostalgia and fun behind their work. They hope that others can value not only the aesthetics of the clothing, but also the nostalgia and play within the creative process of each piece. In the end, the clothing is not just fabric to keep us covered, but a tool of self-expression that can connect us with those around us.