Justin J. Erwin
Founder, Creative Director
A motion graphic designer, musician and native San Franciscan.
Chris Kocher
Co-Founder, Photographer
A photographer, writer and East Coast transplant.
Zelda
Owner
A chonky girl.
Zagreus
Junior Editor
A hefty boi.
Who?
Hello there! My name is Justin.
Why is it that "About Me" sections always feel so... impersonal? I suppose I'll give it a go anyways!
I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, where I still reside to this day. A lot of my personal work tends to be inspired by my surroundings, my pets (Zelda the cat & Zagreus the corgi), video games (did you catch the references?) and live music.
I graduated from Ex’pression College for Digital Arts (now SAE Expression) in Emeryville, Ca with a Bachelors of Applied Science in Motion Graphic Design. I knew I loved motion design after I solved my first major technical challenge in AfterEffects; I realized I was just as excited about finding that perfect solution as I was futzing my way through the interface. I learned that curiosity is key if you want to survive in this industry.
I've spent the better part of the last decade working onsite at Apple. Most of that time was spent "making things move" on Apple.com - from the first Apple Watch to the latest iPad Mini. I've since transitioned on to AppleCare Digital where we develop educational content for the latest products and features.
In 2020, my partner and I started this blog, and well - you know how that year went. It was a lot of fun while it lasted, perhaps we'll pick it back up once we can kick that Covid trauma. You can learn more about the concept below.
Thanks for reading!
What?
The narrative surrounding San Francisco for the last decade has been dominated by tech, wealth disparity and gentrification. And while, yes - that's part of it - it's high time we fill in the blanks. It's almost like you can feel the magic slip through your fingers, too fleeting to grasp as the city's culture gradually shifts and erases itself. Quite frankly - Fuck That. San Francisco has a lot left to give in the way of art, music, and culture, let alone an expansive, definitive, and influential history. We're here to contribute to that story, and hopefully help tell it along the way.
This is a blog about the San Francisco Bay Area - it's artists, culture, nightlife, sights and sounds - explored through the lens of animation and photography.
Why Tortoiseshell?
When it came to finding a name for this concept, I wanted to choose something that spoke to my experience and perspective of San Francisco. A name that meant something to me, while still being accessible and interpretable to others. Something that could represent The Bay Area - our rich history of art, music and culture; A celebration of diversity, liberality and maybe even queerness too. A name that could communicate all of these concepts at once. A tall order for sure - and while I most certainly over thought this - I’d like to think, that the name “Tortoiseshell” accomplishes this pretty well.
Tortoiseshell cats are defined by their diverse coats comprised of shades of black, brown, red and gold. Hues that are analogous to the actual tortoise shells that comprised their namesake material up until the 70’s. They’re known for having distinct personalities, being fiercely independent and opinionated, and for being very selective; qualities that I can’t help but also associate with the people of this city. Much like San Francisco, tortoiseshells are an acquired taste. I know these things to be true as I myself was adopted by a stray tortoiseshell almost 15 years ago.
My little street cat would come to be called Zelda, and now at the age of fourteen she’s fully ascended to a throne of her own. She’s quirky and imperfect. Opinionated, yet capricious. She has a long history - a story to tell. And she’s always hungry for more.