Rotem Design Studio / Rotem Gear's Page

Location:

Los Angeles

About Me:

I wasn't always a designer, but I have been a student of languages. cultures and aesthetics since ... forever. I remember the day my father brought a Chinese newspaper home and I thought "One day I am going to read these magical-looking letters."

Years later in college I started off as a Chinese major and veered off toward Japanese instead. I am also fluent in Hebrew, and have studied French and Spanish. I spent part of my college in Japan, and later worked and lived in Israel for eight years, so I have an oddly cross-cultural view of the world.

This view influences my design as I connect the dots between words and images, languages and aesthetics. Then I throw into the mix some American pop culture and my own quirky humor.

No matter where I go -- Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Hong-Kong, Mexico, Turkey and Egypt -- I am always fascinated by textures, typographies, rhythms and architecture.

One thing I particularly enjoy in every place is the urban street market. To me, the juxtaposition of spices, textiles, teas, and local color, against the latest music, electronic gadgets, the coolest fashion knock-offs--often against a backdrop of vintage colonial architecture--carries a universal theme: No matter where we are, we live at a nexus of time and place and cultural identities. We have much to share, and much to enjoy in that sharing ...

My vision for Rotem Gear is that urban street market and its mixed-up nature: exotic and familiar, vintage and hip, local and connected, respect and humor -- all in an everyday, fun sort of package. Hopefully at some point I will succeed at that image :)

More about me:
My work experiences include designer, editor and intercultural specialist. I’ve spun press releases at UCLA, written speeches for Japanese diplomats, and marketed the number one high-end Japanese audio-electronics company. I've handled millions of dollars worth of diamonds at a Japanese-Israeli firm at the Tel-Aviv diamond exchange, managed an Israeli software office, and put together marketing proposals at two award-winning L.A. architectural firms.

I grew up in New York and still miss a good bagel. I have two cats --one who came with me from Israel to the U.S., and another who cleverly accosted me in a UCLA Parking Lot #3.

Gender:

Gal

I am a/an:

Independent Artist/Designer

(Designers only) I create:

Graphic design and intercultural pop culture t-shirts. All contributed content © Rotem Gear and Rotem Design Studio.

(Designers only) I am willing to do:

Custom orders, Wholesaling

(Designers only) I have been featured on:

Anew Magazine, Bleech Magazine, Metro (NY/Boston/Phil ed), New Paltz Observer, Los Angeles Times, Indie Entrepreneur, Anything Indie, Diva Tribe, Just My Cup of Tea, Zevin Blog, Mixed Plate, Miss Evil Kitty, Daily Jews, Yo Yenta, T-Shirt Casserole, evisionarts, ChosenThings, ChosenCouture, TeamSugar

(Designers only) My work is sold at:

Rotem Gear, UnEarthedTees, BadCatTagger, PetTiles, Judaica on Wheels

Website:

http://www.rotemgear.com

Website #2:

http://www.unearthedtees.com

Website #3:

http://www.indieboomers.com

Favorite Designers/Artists:

Yokoo Tadanori, Bradley Schenk, and most of the people here :)