Nice kicks!
This is exactly the reaction that Jerome Stukes relishes. While some artists paint on canvas, Stukes transforms sneakers and athletic shoes into wearable art. And in doing so, he brings a spring into the steps of schoolchildren, athletes and celebrities alike.
Stukes, who has a degree in visual communications and is a long-time sneaker fan, happened upon his chosen artform in 2010 when he discovered leather paint while looking to jazz up a pair of retro sneakers. When the sneakers started to crack and crease through wearing, he did more research on how to prep leather to keep the designs sharp. And then, he continued to experiment.
Around 2014, Stukes started to post his designs online. “It blew up like crazy,” he says.
Today, through his company, SBD Kustoms in Bound Brook, Stukes is now creating custom designs for clients such as New Kids on the Block, Donnie Wahlberg, Wu-Tang Clan, Naughty by Nature and members of the Jets football team.
Stukes shares the Major Gallery storefront with Nick Baer, where they sell retail shoes and clothing as well as custom sneakers and shirts by Stukes. “Customers can get a name-brand outfit or customize an outfit,” Stukes says. “Since it’s football season, people are getting their team on their shoes. I make it as unique as possible, using stencils for background effects, so you’re not just getting the logo.”
With the holidays approaching, Stukes’ artistry offers creative ideas for gift-giving. He works with customers to create a design that represents them. “I tell them, ‘I’m your muse. Just throw your idea at me, and I’ll tell you if it works,’” he says. “Sometimes, customers tell me to do what I want to, and that’s when I have fun and get a little funky.”
Each shoe — especially sports shoes like cleats — has a scratch proof finish for durability. Stukes recommends keeping the shoes clean by wiping them down gently with a cloth and not using anything harsh that could scrape the design. However, with wear, shoe creases or rubbing will happen, he says. And when it does, he offers a service to clean and refresh the worn designs. “However, I know people who brought shoes from me five years ago and they still look like the day they got them because they take care of them,” he says.
Want a unique sneaker inspiration? Stukes has you covered: Check out his portfolio of designs on his Instagram page or on his computer in the store.
In addition to offering custom work, Stukes also hosts classes in shoe and fabric dying, shoe cleaning and sneaker art classes for beginners and advanced students — another creative gift idea.
Giving back to the community is important to Stukes, who lives in Bound Brook with his fiancé Desiree and daughters Mila and Maris. Whether it’s offering giveaways for kids and or tabling at street fairs, Stukes is very present in the community. “At the fairs, I airbrush a silhouette of a black-and-white sneaker on a canvas and give kids paint markers to color the shoes. Then, they can take the canvas home,” he says.
Recently, Stukes taught a sneaker painting class for 50 children at the Martin Luther King Center in Bridgewater. “That was really fun. When I do a group class like that, I start off with a galaxy design, because it’s pretty easy — there is no way that you could mess it up. They paint a background of purple, blue and pink and then we shave it off with some black at the end. Then we put white paint on a toothbrush and flick on the star effect. And I use a star spray,” he says.
The sneakers he works on do not have to be expensive Nikes or Air Jordans, either. “Leather sneakers bought at Walmart work just as well,” he says. Prices for his designs vary, but most custom works range from $150 to $200 or more, depending on customizations, such as add-on options like Louis Vuitton fabrics.
Stukes, who grew up in area towns, but primarily in Somerville, attributes his love of giving back to the community to his late father, David Stukes, who was well-known and much beloved for his philanthropy. “My father worked at the food banks, the food drives, Thanksgiving dinners at the PeopleCare Center in Bridgewater and other area organizations — and brought me with him. Somerville even named a street after my father to honor him for his community efforts,” he says. “This is naturally inside me, and I especially have a soft spot for kids.”
The “SBD” in the company name honors his community-minded father: Shoes by David. “My father’s spirit is helping me paint the shoes,” Stukes says.
Check out Jerome Stukes’ designs at @SBDkustoms on Instagram and at MajorGallery.Store.
“Sometimes, customers tell me to do what I want to, and that’s when I have fun and get a little funky.” - Jerome Stukes