FashionArt Designs History: On a beautiful, sunny morning in the summer of 1993, I sat on my patio for my morning coffee. I looked at my coffee cup with a parrot on it. God, the unmistakable voice, spoke: “Paint that parrot.” I laughed at God and said out loud, “God, you know I’m the only person in history to make a C in high school art. Painting a parrot, no way.” “Paint the parrot!” God demanded; I listened. While the parrot painting wasn’t perfect, it was darn good. As I drew different designs that God inspired. God commanded: “Put these on a tee-shirt.” I listened, bought the necessary supplies, and a few tee shirts. I shocked myself at the handiwork that I created with God. I didn’t practice; I had no training, and I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I just did it. I admitted to myself that this was a latent talent that arose. I wore my designer shirts.

Weeks later, as I moved forward in a line at an ATM machine and wearing my Atlanta skyline shirt, someone tugged at the back of my shirt and said, “wait, I’m finished reading your shirt.”  I had written different Atlanta events, landmarks, and parks in puffy paint filling the back of the shirt. “Where did you get that shirt? I want one.” The nice, young man asked. “I made it,” I answered, finally making it to the ATM machine. “How much is it?”  he inquired. “50 dollars,” I replied. “I’ll take it,” he politely demanded. “I’ll make one for you,” I said. “No, I want that shirt. We’re about the same size, let’s swap.” We did, and he gave me $50 cash!

A few weeks later, the same thing happened in a bar with another man, except he didn’t pay me. The kind guy served in the Army and the next day would be deployed to the middle east; I thought the least I could do to help serve the country was contribute a shirt to an Army private. Thirty-two years later I still wear his shirt, and I bet he still wears mine.

The compliments began turning into cash or check with word of mouth, as my AT&T co-workers bought shirts for themselves and as gifts. I ran the business as a Schedule C business on my income tax. I had fun FashionArt Designs parties with my AT&T coworkers and friends, like the old Tupperware parties, except mine had alcohol, food, dancing, and lots of sales. Then, I visited women and gay/lesbian boutiques and specialty stores with success. I turned this hobby into a part-time job for five years. All before the Internet.