It's an image you see all over the Gem State, on hats, cars, and t-shirts, that shape of Idaho shooting a pine tree.
"I just wanted to create something I could call my own," said Lana Roth.
Roth is the owner and designer at Banana Ink in Downtown Boise. The storefront on 9th is full of love for Idaho. Nearly eight years ago, the Boise State graphic design grad started her business, creating t-shirts, stickers, hats, and more with her own Idaho inspired designs.
"I noticed there weren't a lot of shirts for local Idahoans, and just started playing with the state shape, and putting it on clothes and seeing how it was received," Roth said.
You'll see the state shape within each of Banana Ink's designs. Roth started out by taking her shirts to art shows around the state.
"My first show was up in Stanley. I sold four different designs, and thought, 'Oh my gosh this is so great, maybe I could quit my job and do this full time some day.'"
And she is. Her products are all screen printed locally at Deadwood Designs in Garden City. She uses her space in Boise to help support other local artists too, giving them a place to sell their Idaho focused work.
Overall, Roth says she wants people to feel connected to Idaho when they wear a Banana Ink design.
"I just hope that they kind of feel like a part of it when they wear it, like they're in some sort of club, Idaho club, and feel like a part of the community," Roth said.
Roth says they get a lot of questions about that Idaho shooting a pine tree design. She says it's not intended to have a political message in any way. Her favorite way to describe it is, "Idaho is loaded with trees."
Banana Ink is located at 214 N. 9th Street in Boise. The store is open Monday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. and Sunday 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. For more information visit www.banana-ink.com.
