Artist Statement
Julian White is a senior in the Design Studies program at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM). Throughout his time at UWM White participated in the Design and Visual Communication program (DVC) studying graphic design. During his junior year, White would switch to Mechanical Engineering program to learn technical skills to supplement his design skills. White is now enrolled in the Design Studies program applying all the knowledge he’s learned over the last 4 years into one project, an ergonomic and democratic sneaker design that focuses on a more comfortable running experience that anyone can use. White chose to go this route for his project because he knows how difficult it is to find quality shoes that fulfils certain needs at an affordable price point, that’s also fashionable enough to be worn by people all over. White’s project will look at the process of trying to develop a sneaker that fulfils those qualities listed above by researching and finding materials, constructing a shoe of the sneaker and making concept drawings.
White’s love of technology and drawing comes from watching Marvel cartoons and anime during his childhood. One of White’s biggest inspirations when he a kid was Bakugan, which means, “exploding marble” in Japanese. These toys look like a mechanical marbles, but when the bottom touched a metal surface it would unfold into a toy figure resembling a monster. White also draws inspiration from fictional designers like Tony Stark and Senku from Doctor Stone, and non-fictional designer like Tinker Hatfield. All these designers create improbable designs using the resources they have, and White gets in that mindset while designing for his BA project. White experiments with numerous designs such as inflatable shoes, shoes that form around your foot, and shows that clamps your foot.
