Slowing Down, Changing It Up and Getting Out

28 January 2025|Design History

From my last post you may have gathered I’ve been a bit of a boring chap. Working contracting often involves long hours of work, and when I’m done, I’m really done—done in.

Over the Australian summer break I repainted the kitchen. Seventeen doors and five drawers! I’m not doing that again!! Once the hard yakka (note my dropping of an Aussieism), I had time to reunite with my mistress and take her out on The Twisties.

It was great to feel the wind on my face and clear some cobwebs, and it was also a great opportunity to set up some goals for 2025.

First and foremost, I want to slow down. I have been full on for two years focussing on projects, and slowing down helped me realise I had burn-out. I forgot the maxim I work to live, not live to work. So, 2025 will see me slowing down and taking time to smell the rain.

My second resolution—although I hate calling it that—is to change things up a bit, try some new things. For the OldPac brand that means I will show a few more of my non-motorbike designs, and I’ll try them out on things other than t-shirts.

Finally, I’m going to get out more. On my bike, with the wife, with the boy and by myself. I’m hoping to find more inspiration in the world around me, and I’ll be inspired to draw more and share more with you.

This month I was inspired to finish off two designs I’d been fiddling with for a while. One is of my beloved Old Pac Highway, and the other I started on when I was back in Blighty last year. Now I think on it, they represent my past and present. Haha, that’s a bit deep, isn’t it.

Anyway, I hope you check them out on my etsy store. All stock is produced by gelato, which produces worldwide to keep down postage costs. Let me know what you think of the designs, or if you would like to see any of my old favourites return.

For Australasian buyers, we will be refreshing the Aussie T-Shirt site soon.

Until next month,

Jim