RALEIGH , N.C. — Shoes — sneakers, cleats, slip-ons — serve as a canvas for Raleigh artist Mike Phillips Jr.
You name it, and he can probably paint it on a pair of Vans or Huaraches: sports teams and symbols, superheroes, insects, cartoon characters and patterns such as camouflage or zebra stripes in nearly every shade.
On one pair Phillips painted, Venom, a villain from Spider-Man, grins from the side surrounded by wispy white cobwebs. Inspired by Double Bubble bubble gum, one pair pops with bright tones of yellow, blue and pink. Galaxies are a popular design: swaths of purple, blue, red and black speckled with white dots representing stars wrap around the shoes. Angel wings and glitter are optional add-ons.
But Phillips’ masterpiece is his heat-sensitive design. Indoors, a pair of shoes is one color, but as soon as the wearer walks outdoors, the shoes immediately change colors. Heat is the catalyst causing the change. Douse the shoes in cold water and they return to their original shade.