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What do you notice when you walk down the street – is it the architecture of the buildings that surround you? The expressions on the faces you pass? The sounds of cars whizzing by? Whatever you notice at first glance may be more than it seems – every thing and everyone has a story behind them. With Altix’s HEROSHOES, you can create and tell your own story to show off to the world.

19-year-old Kevin Ostromecki’s story is lined with positivity and hopefulness. When creating Altix, he decided that a portion of the profits for every purchased pair of Altix’s HEROSHOES will benefit others. So far, Altix’s HEROSHOES have benefited local churches and soup kitchens, The Red Cross and the American Cancer Society. Most recently, Ostromecki secured a partnership with Potter’s House Organization, which will receive 10% of every HEROSHOES purchase. Potter’s House Organization seeks to aid the population of Guatemala City – over 11,000 people who are currently living in the largest garbage dump in Latin America. By supporting Potter’s House Organization, Altix is challenging the belief that these inhabitants are defined by their surroundings. Ostromecki believes that “we all have this in us (the power to do something great),” and after visiting Guatemala on two separate occasions, he’s proud to finally be able to share this message.

Ostromecki personally hand-draws the design on each order of HEROSHOES. Obviously this calls for late nights, cups of coffee and an endless supply of Sharpie markers, but it’s worth it.

Carly Long: How has your imagination played a role in building Altix and achieving success?
Kevin Ostromecki: Imagination seems to be everything. Well, along with the passion. Imagination, or my imagination, rather, is the artwork. Is the designs. Is the concepts. My artwork is an explosion of my imagination, right on the canvas or shoes. Right on the tee shirts or digital graphics. Thinking and imagining fantastic and wild creations, situations… and then bringing them to life. THAT is Altix Clothing.

CL: Where do you find inspiration for the heroshoes artwork?
KO: All HEROSHOES are completely 100% custom and exclusive to each and every customer. THAT is the wild-beauty behind all of this. There is nothing like Altix on the market. So, when ordering a pair of our HEROSHOES, you write in the Artwork Message Box on the website and describe what you would like professionally designed on the shoes. That is where the artwork comes from… the flow and style however, is Altix, is ME, is what we’re getting recognition and building a reputation with. It’s our own iconic style. No one looks like Altix. Nothing is like Altix. I find my personal style and inspiration to come from being completely original, myself. I draw what I draw, when I think of it. My imagination. My flow. You know? Just passion.. my artwork is a reflection of my passion.

CL: What’s your favorite thing to draw?
KO: When doing custom HEROSHOES, sometimes I’ll get in the Artwork Message Box: “Draw whatever you want! Thanks!” That is my favorite – being able to just go wild on the canvas… use my imagination and see what flows, see what I can just come up with on the spot. That’s imagination. As far as specific things.. I love flowers and shading. I just think they are beautiful. I also love sea-scapes, splatters and anything edgy. I do a lot of edgy-work, as in boxy designs. Sort of a grafitti-flow. I love drawing words. Drawing them. Not writing words, but making words an image. I also love a nice challenge of something I haven’t drawn before.

CL: What’s your favorite medium – paint, marker, pencil, charcoal?
KO: Obviously I’m going with marker on this one! Everything my company is (art-related) is marker based. I love markers because they are crisp, clean, lines. A thin black, straight-edge, line. Artwork with clear lines. Black and white. That’s the stuff. With that being said, I love charcoal with some personal portrait/artwork I’ve done, for the fact of blending and making some awesome creations.

CL: What do you do when you have a creative block?
KO: So far so good! No creative blocks yet! Everything is accelerating fast with Altix… the ideas, concepts, next steps, artwork, everything, are flowing very nicely. However, once in a blue moon, someone will request something I’ve never drawn before to be placed on their shoes… I wouldn’t call it a “creative block”, but rather a challenge. But I just think, “Okay rad. Now I’ll learn, and master it.” You know?

CL: Have you always used art as an expression of your imagination?
KO: Always. Ever since I can remember I have been drawing on EVERYTHING! Tests, desks, walls, skateboards, everything. I have always used art as an outlet for my expression, my views, and for my imagination.

CL: What are some of your biggest dreams?
KO: Phew… you’re talking to the master of dreaming over here! My biggest dreams? That is the whole point of Altix. To inspire, to create, to change the world. Altix is going to be the next biggest thing, and with that, we are going to change the way the world works. The way people think. I’m going to inspire the masses to follow their dreams, to fight for what they believe, to chase after their passion. Being in the retail stores, every mall in America… all that will come. But the bigger picture? That is to change the system. It gives me goose bumps. It’s happening.

CL: How do you think Altix inspires others to keep dreaming and work towards those dreams?
KO: That’s the point of this company, and so far.. so EXCELLENT. Since the beginning of this company, I have had hundreds, and I mean HUNDREDS of personal testimony’s of how Altix is inspiring them, encouraging them, and so on. I get them via personal interactions, texts, emails, messages, everything and everywhere. THAT is incredible. Altix speaks genuinely and sincerely. We thrive on passion. People are absolutely moved by it. It’s wild. It’s only getting bigger and more positive. Believe the dream.

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F R O M   T H E   E D I T O R:
At Conscious, we are inspired by remarkable people, and so we set out to tell stories that highlight real human interactions and human dignity, and we’re calling it stories that matter. You can read more stories like this when you pick up your copy of Conscious Magazine. Subscribe today via our Conscious Shop.