Greeley Senior Creates Buzz With T-Shirt Designs at Kisco Boutique
Scott Silver is a budding graphic designer with several product sales under his belt — and he still hasn’t graduated high school.
Silver, a 17-year-old incoming senior at Horace Greeley High School, used to play multiple sports until several concussions, a back fracture and various sprains last year forced him to stop. As someone who doesn’t like to sit idle, Silver began to teach himself graphic design programs, such as Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, with the help of some online tutorials.
“I’ve just always enjoyed being on computers, so I found it more intriguing to do something on the computer,” Silver said.
After just a few months, he began using his skills to create designs and T-shirts for individuals and companies online. He started by submitting his designs to contests on 99designs.com, which allows start-ups to choose logos designed by fledgling graphic designers. The competition there was tough, however, so Silver moved on and began accepting design requests from prospective customers on Craigslist, where he met several clients whom he still works closely with.
“The feedback was great. I got a ton of support, and all of my clients, I still talk to them, I still work with them and they’re all just so great,” he said.
While he created logos, Silver also embarked on creating his own designs, many of which are based on the symbols of Buddhism, which has always interested him. He hoped to create a fresh perspective on these ancient symbols, and decided that he wanted to sell his designs. Since it is difficult to stand out and sell online, Silver began looking into local shops and found Beehive Designer Collective in Mount Kisco.
“The Beehive, in particular, was such a welcoming and friendly atmosphere,” Silver said, noting that owner Dawn-Marie Manwaring has “been kind of a mentor to me…She’s been so nice and helped me with a lot.”
Manwaring said she was impressed by Silver, who approached her to ask what he could do to put his designs on clothing. She described how he was eager to learn about the business, including competitive pricing and listening to customer feedback, and went above and beyond when it came to utilizing the resources she provided him. Within an hour-and-a-half of their first conversation, Silver had already contacted and spoke to a manufacturer Manwaring had suggested.
“He was completely self-propelled,” she said.
Within two weeks, Silver had a limited run of 30 shirts on the Beehive’s shelves. The shirts feature the “Om” symbol, which has significance in the Buddhist practice of meditation. In about a month, Silver has sold 25 of the original 30 shirts, and is looking to expand his line. He revealed that he will be debuting a tank top version of the design as well as a long-sleeved version for the fall, and hopes to expand the Buddhist theme with clothing featuring lotus flowers and the yin yang symbol.
Manwaring said while the goal of Beehive is to work with independent artists and give them a venue to display their work and test the market, this is the first time she has worked with someone so young. When she decided to work with Silver, Manwaring said she didn’t consider his age but focused instead on his intelligence and personality.
“He’s a really sweet human being. He’s a good human being. It’s been such a pleasure to work with him,” she said.
Manwaring noted that even though Silver may have less experience than some of the other artists she works with, she saw that Silver was driven and willing to do what was necessary to succeed. She would love to work with other serious young artists, as long as their products don’t compromise on quality.
“I would love to work with young people. There are tons of talented young people out there, people that want to do interesting things and have interesting ideas based on their life experience so far,” Manwaring said.
As for Silver, he is already thinking about whether or not he wants to make graphic design a full-time career after he graduates Horace Greeley next June. Although Silver’s still undecided on which college he may attend, he said studying graphic design is a possibility. He would also have an advantage when it comes to experience.
“I feel like I’m kind of a step ahead of the game. I only think that I can go up from here,” Silver said.
Silver’s “Om” T-shirts cost $28 and can be bought at Beehive, located at 337 E. Main St. in Mount Kisco. Select styles are also available on Silver’s website www.maculadesigns.bigcartel.com.
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