Zoe Polando Ryder

Hello! I am Zoe Polando Ryder, she/they, the art director for Good Store. You might also know me from... Most of the stuff posted on Good Store socials.

In a sentence, how would you describe your work?
My work generally focuses around in depth observation and research of whatever subject matter I'm working on. I also love to find humor in mundane situations.

Do you have any favorite themes you enjoy working with? 
Themes I generally work with include botany, biology, literature, and history. I love to find subjects that are a deep well and dive in!

What mediums do you like to work in? 
Most of my professional work is digital, but I also use pen and ink, watercolors, printmaking, and fiber arts.

As an artist, are there any tools that you would perish if you left the house without them? 
My sketchbook and pens! I'm also very attached to my ipad.

If you were an environmental storytelling skeleton, how do you think you'd be found?
In a gully that I fell into trying to look at a really cool plant that was just out of reach.

Do you have a dream project you'd like to work on someday?
I would give everything to work on a comic adaptation of all of Jane Austen's novels.

What drew you to the imagery of fish? 
Awesome Socks is not only a celebration of the artists who make them, but its a celebration of joyful things. Who doesn't love socks, right? So when I was in the concept stage of this design, I thought about things that personally bring me joy, and that would be looking at aquariums. I don't have the space to have one of my own, but I'd always loved looking at the miniature worlds held within them and the fish going about their daily lives. Plus, I had the opportunity to put shrimp on socks, and who wouldn't want a positive little shrimp friend?

Can you talk a little about your design process? Where do you draw your inspiration from, and how do you work shop your design from draft to final? 
In the case of this sock, I knew that it was going to be the first thing to greet new awesome socks members, so I wanted to make sure that the design was representative of the club as a whole as well as an exciting product to welcome folks in. What I've noticed from this community is that you are all vibrant, creative people and incredibly kind and supportive. Thus, brightly colored socks with emotionally supportive sea life. 

Do you have a favorite feature of the sock design? 
The shrimp will forever be the child of my heart, but I'm also quite fond of the neon tetras. The angel fish know what they've done.

Ankle or crew socks for preference? 
Crew socks for sure.

For more of Zoe's art, visit their portfolio or Instagram!