Meet Rosco

Get to know the shark behind the logo.

I'd like to introduce you to Rosco the Bull Shark

I drew this little shark in a sketchbook in 2010 and the name just popped into my mind, so he became a sort of mascot for the early stages of my artistic branding. Having been in a visual development class in college at the time, I knew that everything drawn comes with a story, and little Rosco's was only beginning. Through the process of developing his character, I realized that I was dealing with a bull shark. They aren't afraid of anything and will swim through salt, fresh, brackish and even super shallow water! They are fiercely curious, pushing their limits everyday and facing difficulties with confidence.

I have a feeling that the concept for Rosco subconsciously came from the extrovert side of me that has always wanted to shine. I might be a leo, but have always been pretty shy. Throughout the process of allowing this little character to grow, I discovered in myself a fierce curiosity of my own to challenge my limits and grow out of my fishbowl. I knew that being shy and timid are not exactly the best foundations on which to build a business, especially one based on empowerment, growth and personal adventure. So as I flipped through that sketchbook and came upon this little shark, I knew right away the role he was going to play. I said, let me hold your fin. Guide me through this brand and teach me how to be a bullshark.

And so this brand was born.

I respect and admire sharks because they have been around since the time of the dinosaurs and, among very few other descended species, have changed relatively little since then. Which, in terms of evolutionary adaptation, means they got it right the first time, while the rest of us all went though fur and scales and skin. As an artist, I try to emulate this concept through my creative process by keeping revisions to a minimum and working as efficiently as possible. Sharks are like machines; precision and strength perfectly paralleled with simplicity. I love this about them, and having Rosco represent the overall energy of this brand is like saying, the better yourself, the better our earth.

Rosco's various forms

Cyborg Form

This concept of sharks as machines goes back to my senior year of college, where I was exploring the relationships between form and function, nature and machinery. How these creatures were built became the foundation for everything I did going forward.

For one of my classes' final pieces, I recreated the shark in my sketchbook as a three dimensional sculpture, but instead incorporating parts from a couple of salvaged clocks I found at the Goodwill up the street (I found many neat things there). Exploring this sort of steampunk theme lead to discovering correlations between shark anatomy and efficiency. And aesthetically? There's just something beautiful about their design.

Figurine Form

These mini Rosco minions were made from 2011-2013 as limited edition figurines that came with a signed and numbered certificate of authenticity. They were one of the earliest items that drew visitors to my booth at festivals, adored by kids and adults alike. I wonder if anyone still has theirs? I only made fifty.

It was a tricky challenge to make something so small over and over again. I didn't have access to a mold, and the weight I wanted it to have required building a wire frame around a small fishing weight, packing the structure on top with heavy duty foil before finally covering and sculpting with polymer clay. After baking, sanding and painting, each shark took on its own unique personality that set it apart from the others.

Fabric Form

As a logotag, Rosco sits clearly in white against a bright red satin fabric surrounded by a (sometimes irregular) hand-stitched dashed enclosure, that he is itching to break out of as you navigate your journey with him at your side. Literally offset to four inches from the seam, it appears as though he has the room in front of him to move forward. There is nothing in his way except the self-imposed framework of our individual personal boundaries. Sometimes good, and healthy. And sometimes not. Or based out of fear. Those are the boundaries we are aiming to tackle in this community. Pushing our fears so far out of the way that nothing we dream is impossible.

Likewise, on the left shoulder Rosco has room to move in the direction you do: forward. He is never on the right sleeve because then he'd be swimming backward. Against the direction you're headed. And Rosco doesn't do that. He is there to help you be a bull shark too.

Pirate Form

This special version features Rosco in his eyepatch that he sports proudly every Halloween. He is out to conquer anything that stands in his way on his journey to reach his goals. And around this time of year, his only goal is to party. So raise the sails and get ready to fly because all this fun usually goes by pretty quick. And the limited edition shirts sell out pretty fast too.

You can find Pirate Rosco on a shirt or tank in the Apparel section, available in mens, ladies and youth sizes.

Medallion Form

Featured on the Intention Coins and Keychains are stamped forms of Rosco, each bearing unique visual qualities that make each piece one of a kind. They also stand as a reminder to yourself that you are a shark and you can accomplish anything.

Two stamps so far have been used to make product, the first being a hand-carved linoleum block typically used for print making. Carving out the tiny details required a trial and error process of carving and stamping to check for imperfections. Once I was happy with an ink print, I tested on clay. This lead to investing in a professionally forged steel hand stamp tool, designed to make impressions on wood, leather and other difficult surfaces.