Designer: Chatam Smith
Title: Justice Rains From Above! – Overwatch
Chatam Smith, from Richmond, Virginia, grew up in Southern Virginia where he spent most of his childhood at the beach running around with his three siblings. He says that his entire life has been surrounded by creativity. He started sketching his first designs after watching the very first episode of Project Runway when he was 11-years old. “I was in theater all through middle and high school, which is where my creative talents began to shine,” he recalls. “From directing to costuming, I loved working in all the production aspects of the theater. I loved being behind-the-scenes to bring works of art to life.”
Through his experience and friends he was introduced to conventions and the cosplay community. “I hit the ground running with cosplay, taking every opportunity I had to work on costumes for the next convention. I quickly gained traction with my sewing skills, and from my meager beginnings I’ve managed to win several craftsmanship-based awards.” Chatam is currently the craftsmanship contest coordinator and judge for a local convention (Nekocon), and has judged craftsmanship competitions at several conventions up and down the east coast including Katsucon and AnimeNext. “My goal throughout my cosplay endeavors has been to move away from cosplay/costuming and work more toward fashion.” he adds. “Being entirely self-taught each new project comes with a laundry list of new challenges and chances to learn. I’m often inspired by a combination of everyday life and the fantastical realms of sci-fi and fantasy.”
Photo: Mark Edwards