This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Throughout my convention travels I’ve been able to meet many creative people who I am now blessed to call friends, one amazing person is Angie Trombley of Creative Par-tees, a custom screened t shirt company that she started herself. After working with Dena and Bob Somerhalder and their company Built of Barnwood at various Vampire Diaries conventions they had received various requests for custom made t shirts, Angie decided that the best route to take was do it herself.
Angie is the creative mind behind all the designs, and also creates the screens and prints the t shirts herself, she’s a wonder woman. while many may be aware of her creations focusing on fandoms, the business also covers any custom designs a business or person would wish for; including shirts for special events and charities. As a firm supporter of indie companies Creative Par-tees is one of my favorites, as Angie is at the helm and her family is along to support her, with he husbands and sometimes her kids travelling to various conventions to sell their shirts.
Screen printing according to Angie is a very physical process and in hindsight she would have likely chosen to opt for a direct to garment printer as opposed to a screen printing press. And while she finds the process of printing the shirts therapeutic she is less than a fan of the clean up.
“When it comes time to clean those screens, or reclaim them for a new design, that can be tedious.”
Some of the aforementioned fandoms that Angie has represented on her shirts include Boondocks Saints, Breaking Bad, The Vampire Diaries and the extremely popular The Walking Dead, which happens to be one of Angie’s favourite shows. Most commonly requested designs usually feature either Damon Salvatore of The Vampire Diaries or Daryl Dixon of The Walking Dead.
“I was never a zombie person. I didn’t watch zombie movies. My husband is the one who started watching it first and said I should. The opening scene. Addy Miller as this sweet little girl, turns around and is the bunny slipper zombie and Rick shoots her in the head. I was like, nope. No thank you. But he [my husband] said I should give it a chance. They had me at Daryl Dixon. Then Carol. Then Glenn. It’s about the characters. How do we retain our humanity in a world where it’s killed it be killed? How do we develop relationships in a world where death is so prevalent? It’s the character arcs that I love. The whole cast, the writers, the directors, the crew, the make up artists, everyone involved, put their all into making this show what it is. That is why it’s so popular. I started reading the comics after I started watching the show. I enjoy that they do mix things from the comic books. It keeps comic readers on their toes just as much as the non readers.”
Angie’s had the opportunity to get personal reactions from the members of the various casts of shows she’s represented on shirts including the cast of The Walking Dead. She has branched out to sell her creations at the extremely popular zombie, horror and sci-fi fan conventions run by the company Walker Stalker. One of her favourite moments involves Norman Reedus of The Walking Dead, who took a photo with her daughter on his personal phone, after seeing her dressed as his character Daryl Dixon. While the celebrity reactions are always great she has also been touched by how her customers have embraced her products, including one fan who used her custom baby onesie as her pregnancy announcement.
“All of the actors that I’ve given shirts to (which is the majority of The Walking Dead cast) have been lovely people. They’re all appreciative and amicable. Lincoln A. Castellanos, who plays Tobias on Fear The Walking Dead, was so excited about my Tobias inspired design. I gave a bunch to him for his family. Brian Mahoney and David Della Rocco, from The Boondock Saints, are great guys too. David asked for my autograph. Ross Marquand (Aaron) and Michael Traynor (Nicholas) both [from The Walking Dead] posted photos of themselves on their Instagrams wearing the shirts I gave them. “
The interactions at conventions has also allowed for great opportunities, and Angie has some new designs in the works, including shirts featuring the shows Arrow and The Flash.
“Michael Cudlitz has been amazingly supportive to me. I have a friend, who is an amazing artist, working on a design for me right now, at the request of Michael Cudlitz (Abraham on The Walking Dead) and his agent. Not so much for themselves, but for the fans. I don’t want to say too much about it until it’s launched, but it’s going to be hilarious.”
Want to get up close and personal with Creative Par-Tees?
Here is their tentative 2016 convention schedule: (dates may be added/removed)
April 9-10 Walker Stalker Convention Nashville
May 28-29 Walker Stalker Chicago
June 25-26 Walker Stalker Charlotte
July 30-31 Walker Stalker Boston
September 23-25 Rewind Con Chicago
October 1-2 Walker Stalker Con Philadelphia
October 28-30 Walker Stalker Atlanta
December 3-4 Walker Stalker New Jersey
In case you can’t see them in person and you want to purchase some of Creative Par-Tees creations they are available online here. Keep up to date with all their comings and goings by following them on Twitter and ‘Liking’ them on Facebook.
What do you do: Creative Par-tees Throughout my convention travels I've been able to meet many creative people who I am now blessed to call friends, one amazing person is Angie Trombley of…
turnnoffyourmind
areudirty
jacobvanloon