A.T. Pratt
[2013, Illustration]

Based in Brooklyn, NY

A.T. Pratt’s RISD Craft Gallery

*2018 Emerging Artist Award winner 

I am a cartoonist, designer, writer, illustrator, and fine artist. I make comics, illustrations, and prints that take many forms. A lot of my comics and other printed work features tricks and special features such as fold-outs, pop-ups and peek-a-boos.

I am also Chief Creative Officer of MrMiSocki, a sock brand that comes with comics about the characters (who are the socks). I have designed 12 socks so far and illustrated 3 comics that come with each set. My work was included in the Society of Illustrators’ Comics and Cartoon Art Annual 3 years in a row: 2014, 2015, and 2016. MrMiSocki won the Silver Medal in the MoCCA (Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art) Awards of Excellence in the Special Format category in 2017. Besides MrMiSocki, I write and self-publish all of my comics, which range in subject matter from semi auto-bio stories about my dog walking day job to funny animal stories featuring my own original character Miggy Mouse.

How does your current creative practice tie into your time spent at RISD?

My first assignment completed in Chris Buzelli’s Contemporary Illustration class (a class where we could answer the prompt in any way we chose), I made 3 comic pages and put them on the wall for critique. He said they reminded him of underground comics or zines, but he wished he could flip through them like they were the actual thing. So for every class after that, him and every classmate each got a little mini-comic or zine printed by me to answer the prompt for that week’s class. Printing the finished product plus distributing it to the little audience I had of my class every week was a great push in the right direction to where I am now, self-publishing and selling my work at art sales and comics festivals.

Is there a work/body of work that you are particularly excited about sharing with us at RISD Craft this year?

I have created comics and pop-up dioramas and many other printed paper products that take a great variety of forms. I like to show the limitless potential of drawings on paper to convey time and space, and although I feel I have only scratched the surface, I have many strategies and experiments to share that I hope will be inspiring to others. I am also particularly excited about sharing Mr. MiSocki, my brand of solo socks designed by me, who have leapt out of a comic book illustrated by me. This is the first example I know of fashion come to life, and I can’t wait to share these characters and designs along with the story that comes with them.

Any recent press, exhibitions, achievements or awards you’d like to share with us?

MrMiSocki Volume 1 (my first set of mismatched socks and accompanying comic book) awarded the Silver Medal in the MoCCA (Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art) Awards of Excellence 2017 in the Special Format category.

“Live at the Grelman #3: Rhu Barb” (the third in an anthology series created with fellow alumni Vinnie Neuberg and Derek Timm-Brock) selected for Society of Illustrators’ Comic and Cartoon Art Annual 2016 in the short form category.

“Pop Pup Dog Day” (my first pop-up comic book with a multi-layed pop-up fold-out presentation) selected for Society of Illustrators’ Comic and Cartoon Art Annual 2015 in the special format category.

“Stupid Cupid” (my first comic with a pop-up center fold-out spread) selected for first Comic and Cartoon Art Annual 2014 in the short form category.

To see more of A.T.’s work, visit atpratt.net