Holly Anderson, Senior Manager of Content for PGi, painting TOMS at Style Your Sole in Austin.
One of my favorite things about being a part of PGi is the chance to work with so many talented people who have life-long passions outside the office. For me, that passion is painting. So when TOMS shoes asked me to participate as a guest artist for their Style Your Sole event this month in Austin, I jumped at the chance! Having been an avid TOMS fan and wearer of their adorable canvas shoes for many years, I’ve been inspired and moved by their One for One™ campaign to give a pair of new shoes to a child in need for every pair sold. I wasn’t familiar with Style Your Sole … yet…. but soon discovered first hand just how wildly popular TOMS are and how far people are willing to go to have them customized for free by local artists!
I was the first artist to arrive at our local Nordstrom where the event was held on Saturday, August 20th, and was quickly encircled by an excited crowd of grown-ups and kids that had been waiting in line outside the store since 9 AM. Three hours later, they were chomping at the bit to get their new TOMS painted and already 30 people were signed up before the event had even officially begun.
One of Holly's creations.
With five artists on the panel in total, we laid out our materials and quickly got to work as the TOMS reps coordinated who would be working with which customers. Considering the shocking popularity of the event AND that it also happened to be Tax Free Weekend (swoon), let’s just say it was an exercise in ordered chaos, championed by a sea of kind-hearted, smiling people with angelic patience and appreciation for art made on the fly.
I was really charmed by the community experience I had that day, and amazed by the good people of Austin, and beyond, when I learned how one aunt – always searching for something fun to do with her favorite niece – drove all the way from Waco to have their TOMS painted together (I’m honored to say, by me). Before the event, I had worried that I might not be able to pull it off … how was I supposed to come up with enough ideas if I was expected to paint 3-4 pairs an hour for four hours? Impossible!
Ready for back to school.
My fears were quickly put to rest when my first customer, a little girl named Amanda B. made a special request in her pint-sized voice “I’d like blue zebra print please!” followed by an adorable, half-toothless grin. Cue heart melt.
And that was essentially what the entire day was like for me – a gloriously bumpy madhouse of sweet people and precious kids, many of whom had been fantasizing about what they’d like on their TOMS for weeks. I painted everything from autumn leaves and surf waves to paw prints and starbursts. Needless to say, the pressure was definitely ON not to make a mistake or misinterpret their wishes!
Panel of artists for TOMS shoes Style Your Sole event in Austin, August 2011.
Not to mention I was painting against the clock and under the watchful eyes of the owners and countless bystanders goggling curiously at this crazy experiment in social good-meets-art-meets-retail experience.
In the end, we painted approximately 80 pairs of TOMS for the public that day, and I was moved by how many kids told me that they loved the shoes I decorated for them so much that they were going to wear them on their first day of school.
I posed for many a happy customer for photos of the completed pieces and received some kudos from the TOMS rep, Kerry Barnes, for being the first artist she’d seen at one of these events to bring a series of cool patches and buttons which I sewed on to many pairs in addition to painting them. All in all it was a blast and an incredible experience that I hope to have the chance to participate in again!
To learn more about TOMS shoes, visit www.toms.com and check out founder Blake Mycoskie’s new book “Start Something That Matters” coming soon.
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