Like many women in their mid-twenties trying to self-actualize and form an identity in a culture oversaturated with rapid-fire beauty trends and unrealistic standards, it’s increasingly difficult to find aesthetic inspiration that isn’t laced with an underlying pressure to fit in with the status quo. So imagine my delight when, after an hour of doomscrolling on TikTok, I came across Oie—an LA-based visual artist—happily showing off a John Waters-inspired two-piece set. The light pink shorts and jacket were covered in giant black roaches, proudly referencing Waters’ “politics of filth”—a refreshing sight in a digital landscape that continues to boast the “value” of conformity.
I had the chance to sit down with Oie and ask her about her rebellious, avant-garde style inspired by figures such as the aforementioned John Waters, Charlie’s Angels characters, villains, and “the cool bartenders from their hometown.” Though the artist certainly has their fashion icons, Oie emphasized that their life experiences are what has shaped their personal style the most. “I’ve always loved dressing up and standing out, but my love for fashion definitely started in my early twenties, when working in restaurants became a huge part of my life. I regularly worked 40-50 hour weeks, always wearing the same boring black uniform where my personality would go to die. It really bothered me to look like everyone else, so I started getting creative with black garments and accessories, walking the fine line between uniform and a uniform violation, and always looking good enough to go out afterwards.” Several aspects from this era of Oie’s life have inspired their signature look, from creative uses of an all-black wardrobe to finding new and exciting ways to style every food service workers’ favorite shoe, (and I can speak from experience) the clog. “My Dansko clogs are definitely a part of my signature look–if I have one. I wore them every single day working in restaurants and still wear them every single day working as an artist. Growing up poor and working my ass off is a huge part of my identity and style, so my clogs are kind of a symbol of that servitude and dedication to work. Food service workers wear them, nurses wear them, anyone on their feet, running around for extended periods of time, giving so much of themselves to others. I think they’re punk as fuck and whenever I see people in public wearing them, I know they’ve been through hell and back. I like to style them with colorful socks, patterned pants, a small top, and a bunch of accessories.” As Oie described, a life of transience, punk, and spontaneity has led to a wardrobe that represents their personal story. “I feel like that one insect that wears debris from its surroundings like a proud badge” stated Oie. For a society and culture that praises uniformity, Oie teaches their audience how to remain an individual.
While their determination to remain unique under the capitalist workforce pushed Oie to start experimenting with their personal style, it was Oie’s experience as a roller skater that inspired the artist to start exploring DIY and creating their own designs in 2017. “Skate park roller skating, at the time, was very, very, very niche. There weren’t as many aggressive roller skaters as there are now, let alone brands, so we didn’t have a lot of options in terms of apparel or merch. Most of the merch being made was very feminine, very groovy, very ‘Good Vibes Only,’ and I could never bring myself to wear any of it because it didn’t feel true to my relationship with roller skating. I really wanted to wear shirts that showcased the gross, painful, frustrating, biting, and freaky aspects of the sport; shirts that looked like band tees from local shows, or clips from a zine. So, instead of waiting for someone else to make it, I did, and it’s how my work first got on the (internet) map. I made a shirt that said “I DON’T WANT TO DO A BACK FLIP” with a knife as a response to all the skateboard bros who jeer at roller skaters at the park, asking us to back flip. It caused a lot of internet drama in my world – so many men were upset (GOOD!) – but it was unanimously received by my rolling community and became my first *big* roller skate design. I think that was the first time in my life I felt understood.”
As Oie’s no-nonsense, punk-inspired designs gained traction, they also pointed out the contradictions of promoting work on platforms like TikTok, which thrive on fast fashion and trend cycles. They described their love/hate relationship with the app, stating, “I hate being on TikTok because every time I log on it’s “HOLY GRAIL” “WALK DON’T RUN” “THIS IS LESS THAN A CHEESEBURGER” etc. I am constantly being sold drop-shipped garbage that will lose relevance in a couple weeks. DIY is so powerful because it cuts out all of that noise and breaks the cycle of urgent buying and overconsumption. It takes so much more time, effort, and dedication than just buying a thing.” Oie goes on, “My whole world of self-expression opened up when I started making the pieces I wanted, and if I couldn’t make it myself, then I’d buy it from a person or small business who could. It puts power back into the pockets of real people instead of faceless businesses who don’t give a shit about me, and I think that’s what the cool girls are doing!”
Screen printing has been central to Oie’s practice since 2012, when they first learned the craft with friends to create DIY merch. What began as a playful gesture quickly evolved into a passionate art form—one that allowed them to merge political messaging, personal aesthetics, and punk influences into wearable statements. Today, many of Oie’s most beloved designs remix pop culture icons with radical, anti-consumerist slogans, offering an alternative to fast fashion’s disposability. “Screen printing (shirts) was so appealing to me because you can also learn a lot about a person just from the shirt they’re wearing, and it’s art you can take anywhere. I lived a recklessly transient life all throughout my twenties, so I never bought art for my walls or rooms, I never decorated, never had a bed frame, but always bought shirts made by other artists. People knew who and what I believed in without even having to talk to me. Also, who doesn’t love to hear, “cool shirt!”?”
Something that sets Oie’s designs apart from fast fashion is how much time, thought, and creativity goes into the process of screen printing. “My design process almost always goes like this: I’m driving on the highway listening to the same song for the one-thousandth time, living inside the feeling, and then an idea will strike me. I text myself a lot throughout the day – thoughts, feelings, lyrics that speak to me and then try to match up those feelings with images and drawings from my archives. I try to be clever and draw connections between things that wouldn’t ever be connected. Snoopy and Kewpie mayonnaise for example,” Oie chimes in, describing one of their most popular designs where she paired up the iconic beagle with the equally iconic condiment, “Snewpie was and is such a hit! I treat my art IG as an art portfolio while I teach myself design and photoshop, and if there’s a design that resonates with a lot of people, I will almost always make a screen out of it. I like to give my supporters some say in the designs I pull, and I think they enjoy the collaborative aspect of it, which is something you could never do with a fast fashion company!”
Oie’s art practice led directly into them creating their own design shop, Catching Lizards, in 2018, officially tacking the title of small business owner onto their bio. While Oie has enjoyed connecting with their audience and sharing their designs, running their own business has certainly come with its own unique challenges. As Oie describes, “I’ve learned that I am a great worker when given direction and rules, but terrible at directing myself and creating my own work structures. Connecting to people in this way and through my work, though, feels very special and sacred, and that’s the most rewarding part – being seen and others feeling seen by my work. And that’s why it always gets done and why I keep showing up.”
Through it all, Oie continues to grow and expand Catching Lizards while simultaneously uncovering more about their identity, and values as both a small business owner and as an artist/activist. “It’s very important to me that people know who they’re buying from and the things I believe in–I’m not just some brand or internet clothing shop, and I make that very clear in my packaging and messaging. The people who buy from me know my struggles, my family’s struggles. They know my politics and how much I hate Donald Trump. They know I print everything by hand and look over every print meticulously. They know my tarantula’s name and have been around for many of her birthdays. Unlike a lot of online brands, I share myself generously, for better or for worse, and am received graciously. It keeps things human, even under capitalism. It’s not always roses, definitely not, but I’ll die trying to make a rose bed.”
You can find Oie’s art @catchinglizards and @catchinglizards.co on Instagram or @catchinglizards on TikTok.
All Images Curtesy of Oie (catchinglizards)
