Local artist Emily Li Mandri describes her designs as in your face. “There’s nothing subtle about them. They’re meant to make a statement. An art statement,” she says. Known around town as Natty Paint, Emily’s line of hand painted, silkscreened shirts and hoodies has been going strong for almost two years now. She sells at craft shows, local boutiques, and has done a healthy handful of commissions for places like Shine Collective and Bikram Yoga.

When Emily launched Natty Paint, she did it with an eye towards being eco-conscious; using water-based inks and products from American Apparel. Now she’s taken it a step further by producing a vintage line of silkscreened vests, sweaters, dresses, and sweatshirts. And while we may all agree that shopping at thrift stores, consignment shops, and vintage boutiques is inherently more sustainable than buying new, rebuilding a forgotten item into a fresh and wearable piece is indeed an impressive statement in and of itself.

Want your own one-of-a-kind Natty Paint work of art? Visit Emily's web site or, buy online at her Etsy shop.

Images courtesy of the artist