We’re big fans of Simple Shoes. That’s how we first got introduced to illustration artist Dan Price, of Moonlight Chronicles fame, who does a lot of their artwork.

His distinctive, quirky style is a reflection of his undeniably eccentric personality — he dug himself a cave he calls Indian River Ranch, a sanctuary where can spend his life drawing. From this unusual homebase, he roams the world with little more than a bike, a sketchbook and a camera, which he uses to photograph his illustrations and send them over to Simple. (Meh, scanners are overrated.) His style is all about taking a child’s perspective of the world. In short, the self-described hobo artist is quite a character — and one we really, really dig.

Although known mostly as an illustration artist, Dan spent the 80’s as a photojournalist for a number of major publications. A rather talented one, we may add. He spent months living with his fascinating subjects, from isolated wagon-riding farmers to highly religious church communities, asking permission to photograph their intimate existence with unusual cameras like the Diana.

Which is why we were excited to come across this interview with Dan Price, where the elusive artist talks about his lesser-known photography career. Read it, get inspired, maybe even dig yourself a cave.