This article is presented by the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Visit the museum’s first fashion exhibition Carla Fernández: The Barefoot Designer: A Passion for Radical Design and Community, before it closes September 1.

Everything inspires Jay LaCouture.

“Good designers inspire me. Numbers inspire me. The seasons. New things… old things. Everything,” he said.

“If you’re not inspired… you’re not paying attention,” LaCouture added.

Perhaps the local multimedia artist and entrepreneur is onto something. LaCouture is a prolific contributor to Boston’s creative ecosystem. Not only is he an active artist here in the Hub, showcasing his work in galleries across the city, but he is also the owner of AntiDesigns, an artist-centric print shop creating wearable art and limited edition prints.

“AntiDesigns began out of frustration,” LaCouture said. “We had sketchbooks upon sketchbooks of drawings and ideas and absolutely no way of bringing those things to life. Printing t-shirts was the first avenue for that.”

What started as LaCouture and his buddies printing tees out of their Fenway apartments has grown over the past 10 years into a thriving business, showcasing local artists and fueling Boston’s creative ecosystem.

Both his work with AntiDesigns and his personal portfolio has made Jay LaCouture an artist to watch and a key member of Boston’s creative class. Hear how far LaCouture has come from his “coloring book days,” what he likes about the energy here in the Hub, and his best piece of advice for aspiring artists and entrepreneurs. 

 

Image via Jay LaCouture