Hulin: the bio. I’ve always been inspired by design more than art. I love to try to make functional things look cool… or at least interesting. I love seeing something that I’ve first imagined from every angle in my head come into the physical world, through a thoughtful and passionate process of creation, usually ending up totally different than I had envisioned. I do believe that the way an objec
t is perceived, and even the object’s physical reality, are molded and changed by nothing more than being the subject of one’s intense mental attention. –If you enjoyed making it, others enjoy looking at it and having it around. The printing idea came about in an accidental way. It really all started in early high school here in Anchorage when a friend, Garrett, and I started a small snowboard clothing company (yes, 16 year old boys sewing). We designed, sewed, and sold them, mostly to our high school peers. We were self taught seamsters so, at first, the clothing was not the greatest fit, or quality… but luckily it was the early ‘90’s when fashion was at it’s baggiest and grungiest, so it worked… and we eventually got better at it. Our main goal in this endeavor, as it still is for me, was just to see people wearing our creations. However, being the only employees in our own “sweatshop” eventually became tiresome and we both went off to colleges out of Alaska. Ever since returning to Alaska many years ago I have been searching for a way to design a design career for myself. The partially successful attempts have included furniture design, real estate incorporating interior design, and my most recent: Hulin Alaskan Design. Hulin Alaskan Design quickly became more printing focused and less sewing focused as I began to remember my self-imposed sweatshop days. It was eventually upgraded to a one man (me) printing sweatshop based out of my wife’s and my studio/heated shed. For some bigger projects I have even partnered with some real local print shops with real equipment, but have made sure not to lose the basic handmade character of my original, self-taught, printing style. Now the next chapter of my story is my new studio/shop space on the corner of Spenard and Fireweed! We have now gained back our living space at home and added a retail space of my own. I’m now far from the days of printing on our kitchen table and washing screens in the bathtub. From the beginning, I decided to focus mostly on the non-typical, but uniquely Alaskan inspired images that I have come to know so well by living here. I want to present unusual but recognizable scenes from our surroundings in an interesting and unique way. Lastly, but most importantly, I owe so much thanks to the people who decide to buy Hulin Alaskan Design, and to our amazing local Alaskan companies that help support my business. Bret Hulin Connor
