We had the good fortune of connecting with Miles Payne and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Miles, what’s your definition for success?
Success for me would to be sustain myself through my creations alone. I’ve got my hands in a lot of things as it is and I’m very fortunate that I’m making a living working creative jobs now but to just make clothes, drawings, and sculptures all day and be able to live from that is the dream.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
At heart, I am an experimenter, much of my creative path has been diving into different styles and mediums. The name of my brand and ever evolving project has been Uglyface since highschool! The name came very naturally to me as my art style was inspired heavily by science fiction, horror films, and skateboarding. I feel as though the meaning of Uglyface is changing but the core of it still takes gratitude in slight imperfection, fluidity and individualism. It started from selling stickers with my art on it to t shirts then cut and sew garments. I’ve been very fortunate to have mentors that taught me how to sew as I have not been to school for it, or art school for that matter.

It’s been slow growth but I find appreciation in that, I can see myself gradually getting better at things I create! I don’t spend too much time thinking if it’s hard or not to do because creating is an impulse. All I can do is focus on making and allow opportunity to flow in when and if it does.

To date, the project I’m most proud is a pair of bespoken boots I designed and helped build over a couple months with a friend, Sergio, a skilled shoemaker from Guatemala. It was honestly the first time I had someone else do the bulk of actually MAKING something I envisioned, It taught me that being an artist is also often times relying on other artists’ to help materialize a vision. I learned to be less selfish with my craft.

What I want people to know about Uglyface is that it’s much more than t shirts and clothes, there are no boundaries to what one can create with the help of others. It’s really all about keeping the inner child alive within ourselves, sparking the inner child in others and not succumbing to society’s critique.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My absolute favorite gallery here is the Menil, It holds a collection of works from the dadaist era and some pieces Max Ersnt, one of my all time inspirations. If we were going eat, it’d either be Fat Bao, this spot in Upper Kirby with super good pepper tuna salad… or Xochii, this fancy restaurant by Discovery Green park. I don’t hangout much at Discovery Green, I REALLY love Levy Park, they have a piano and a little outdoor reading area, super cute spot!

People should check out the Community Artists’ Collective, It’s a small non profit gallery in 3rd ward/ midtown area. Honestly a hidden gem for all the work they do in the city!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d have to shout out my friends Nate Edwards and Nick. I truly think meeting them was a launching pad for the many things I do now, career wise. I used to throw small art shows, the first one I ever threw was in 2014, I went into a hiatus on that until 2018 when they allow some friends and I space to throw another art show. The turnout was phenomenal and it was one of those moments for me where I was like, ” Wow, I can actually DO this.” After that show I did 2 or 3 different, shows, conducted an artist talk at the Houston Museum of African American Culture and ended up landing a job at a non-profit gallery in downtown Houston.

Website: uglyfaceusa.bigcartel.com

Instagram: uuuglyfaceee

Other: https://uglyfacehtx.wixsite.com/uglyfacedesign For commissions/ art show opportunities/ exhibitions Uglyface.htx@gmail.com

Image Credits
Models include Andra IG: s4nc2ary Rachel IG: h_a_b_i_t

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutHTX is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.