History / Inspiration
The Clap Happy shirt elicits very mixed reactions from people when they first see it. Some find it to be interesting and unique while others find it to be creepy and unique. John Casey is cool with both reactions but just doesn't want you to call it monstrous. He explains, "My creatures are called monsters by some, but I often feel that the connotations associated with 'monster' don't always apply to these little guys unless one can add descriptors like 'vulnerable' and 'fragile' to the definition of monster. Maybe I have issue with the monster moniker because I see my critters as self-portraits. My work has been called 'little exorcisms' and I like that description. The idea that I expel my inner demons in the form of drawn critters appeals to me."
The "critter" featured here is called Clap Happy, since he is very clearly giving someone (or something) a rousing round of applause, and because his gap-toothed smile reveals the joy he's feeling. The Clap Happy shirt, scare the ones you love.
Proceeds from the sale of this shirt go to: Apply now
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About the designer
John Casey has been inventing creatures since he was able to hold a crayon. Drawings from when he was 3 years old reveal an obsession with skulls, spirographic eyes, and invented body parts. It continued throughout his youth, during which, "Dinosaurs and horror movies occupied much of my time."
