Photo courtesy of EvanTheArtist
At just 14 years old, EvanTheArtist has already completed commissions for some of sports’ biggest stars and events, from painting shoes for MLB All-Star events to creating custom shoes for Featherweight Champion Amanda Serrano.
Evan began pursuing art seriously at just 9 years old during the COVID-19 pandemic. While stuck at home with no school, he finally discovered his true passion when he customized his first pair of shoes.
“I was watching videos on YouTube and came across Marko. He was painting shoes,” Evan said. “I also watched this guy named ZHC who also does a lot of art. They inspired me to personalize my first pair of shoes for my best friend Alia. That’s how it started.”
Evan goes through a process when he designs something, be it shoes, drawings, or anything else. Much of what he creates comes from his own sense of creativity, which he generally bases on a theme.
“I ask the person what their favorite color is or what design they want on the shoes,” Evan said. “Sometimes they tell me to do whatever I want, then I just stick to my personal design that I like. Usually they give me a theme and then I can design it with my own creativity.”
One of the most impressive things about Evan is his age. At just 14 years old, he already has over 13,000 followers on Instagram and his numbers are growing rapidly. An important aspect for him is differentiating his online persona from the normal kid he wants to be at school.
“It’s such a blessing. Baseball is my absolute favorite sport, so it’s great to be able to participate in events like those at All-Star weekend at such a young age,” Evan said. “At school, I’m just Evan, but when I’m in my own space, I’m EvanTheArtist. I keep the two names separate because I just want to be a normal person at school.”
Evan has also worked with major brands like MLB and Kids Foot Locker, among others. He hopes to one day collaborate with Nike, his favorite brand.
“I worked with Kids Footlocker for about two years. We did a lot of collaborations around holidays like Mother’s Day or Halloween,” said Evan. “It’s really nice to have done all these collaborations with MLB, ZHC and Kids Foot Locker.”
Evan has a versatile sense of art. His style ranges from portraits to cartoon designs on shoes or canvases. He can use an airbrush but also loves to paint his designs freehand.
“I really love making cartoons, especially on canvases,” said Evan. “I don’t just make shoes, I also paint on paper, canvases, walls, murals and much more.”
Evan attended the 2024 MLB All-Star Game, got to paint during live conferences, and meet some of baseball’s biggest stars. It was the third year in a row he attended the big annual MLB event.
“It was super fun to be able to do art at the All-Star Game, especially with all the other artists who had the opportunity to do it,” Evan said. “I feel super honored and super blessed to have this opportunity.”
Evan has had the opportunity to meet some of baseball’s top stars, including 2022 Seattle Mariners All-Star Julio Rodríguez. Evan is also a diehard Mets fan and is excited for the chance to work with his favorite team.
“I’m surprised and really happy when the players respond to me,” Evan said. “I love the Mets and their stadium. It’s a pleasure to be able to work with them and I can’t wait to see if they have more opportunities for me.”
Evan places a lot of emphasis on the charitable aspect of his work. From partnerships with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to cerebral palsy awareness events, he really tries to make a difference in his community.
“My brother has cerebral palsy, so I do a raffle where I personalize a pair of shoes for someone who donates to the raffle,” Evan said. “We’ve been doing this for about four years now and have raised about $12,000 in that time.”
Evan believes that anyone, regardless of age, can get into the arts and crafts field.
“I just want to inspire others,” Evan said. “It doesn’t matter how old you are. You can start when you’re four or when you’re 80. If you follow your passion, you can take it where you want to go.”
