Featured Artist: Forestore

If you’re tired of the hustle and bustle of city life, then head into the great outdoors with DBH artist Forestore. His idyllic designs allow you to leave behind the sound of honking car horns and screeching sirens to spend a night under the stars at the Bad Bear Camp. Whether you’re looking for a comical “bad bear” design, or you just need a little reprieve from the demands of the city, Forestore’s art is the perfect stop for you!

Ilya, or Forestore, hails from “snowy Russia” and teases that he is anywhere from 27 to 33 years old because “I never believed in the exact age.” His nature-inspired designs stem from hobbies like hiking and cycling in the forests and mountains near his home. He says, “I can't help but think about [drawing] and literally everything around me inspires me.” However, his interest in designing t-shirts only manifested after he went to buy a t-shirt and “could not find a suitable one in the whole city.” He decided he would design his own t-shirts and share them with his community. In fact, he now looks forward to opening his own t-shirt/art shop to sell his designs to the public.

Forestore confesses that not selling a design can often deter his creative inspiration. He hates that success can be dependent upon art being sold. However, he respects that “everyone needs to eat. Everyone needs money.” Still, he also believes that sometimes monetary goals “are trifles” because being an artist is so much more than simply selling artwork. It is a passion and a desire that cannot be ignored. He shares, “I grew up on a wave of punk” and art is a form of expression and freedom for him. He jokes that there may be “more talented and successful people out there” but that the most important element of creating is that it sparks joy for him.