Design, Advertising and United Brotherhood

A couple years back my wife bought me this distinct little pink elephant toy from Kid Robot SF with a really cool 1960s aesthetic, but I didn’t know who the artist was. A few years later I came across some other toys on a vinyl collectors web site that had the same look, and learned it was created by an artist down in LA named Amanda Visell. I thought her work was really great and interesting, and asked her if she wanted to be interviewed, which she said she would like to do. Here in Amanda’s interview we get to learn about her dog George’s behavioral habits and also about what it’s like people watching in LA.

Did you quit your day job to become an artist? Or do you still have a day job to pay for the bills?

No, my day job was as an artist, and my day job is now an artist. I am an artist by trade.

The first time I saw or heard of your work, was when my wife bought the Snake Oil toy at Kid Robot here in SF. Did the Snake Oil toy blow you up or where you already big?

I think this was about three years ago when that toy came out…

I dont think Im big, I mean this art scene is kinda like music, if you’re into the stuff you know the bands but if not you have no idea, I think its like that.

Your work has this sort of 1950s/60s vintage aesthetic that feels childish, and playful. Where did this aesthetic evolve from? It’s very unique.

Just trying to pick things that appeal to me and apply it to my own work.

Tell us about your inspirations and what drives you on the day to day. Where do you go to get inspiration? Who inspires you? Artists you like?

Well, currently Michelle Valigura and I have been in our new studio space for a year and I think we’re really inspired by the amount of space we have. Before when we tried to work at home we were constrained by our space and tools, but now we make whatever we want. Michelle is kicking some ceramic ass.

Tell us about a day in the life of Amanda Visell. What do you do all day?

Okay, so I wake up, and bring Manly (my dog) to work, we go get a coffee together, then I look at emails and skip the hard ones. Then we watch Have Gun Will Travel on the wireless netflix device, then we go get lunch, lets say soup at Little Flower, then the dogs get switched out so George comes to work (george beats manly up) and during all this I am painting or sculpting or some kind of computery thing or product research. Then I go home and start playing bioshock 2, then the dogs get along pretty well at that time of night so they play alot.zzzzzz

You work in a wide varieties of mediums from illustration to apparel to metal sculpture. Do you have a favorite? Did you always work in such diverse mediums?

Yes, I have had some weird jobs, projectionist, bouncer, clog painter.
I dont have a favorite, I start to miss things if I am away for too long. I just finished a big painting and Im so glad to be away from that thing.

Why do you like living in LA with all the celebrities and phony people? LA seems like a really caustic place, but you seem to really enjoy it there.

Oh I love LA. I love it love it. Celebrities? Yes! I love spotting them and talking to them. Its so much fun.

Im a pop culture junkie, here you really live with it and theres nothing out of reach anymore. Im from Washington state and boy I can tell you the phony fumes are rising outta that place.

Here’s the other thing about LA, you never know who has money so people arent as quick to judge you by appearance.

Your background is in illustration, how / when did you get into toy making?

Actually my background is fabrication and sculpting in stop motion animation. I’ve made some weird things.

What is the process to make a toy? How is it painted? This whole process seems so enigmatic and inaccessible to most of us.

Well I think sculptures confuse people. Toys are just sculptures on a larger scale. The process varies depending on artist and toy.

Once a toy is made, who turns it into mass production? Is there like a factory in China where it gets made? Most of your edition sizes are about 500-1000 pieces. That seems like a lot of work, so I’d imagine there is some machine that cranks this stuff out?

I have stuff made all over, trying my pants off to do more locally, and we do our fair share in house. I can tell you that all of my toys have some aspect of hand painting.

Tell us about the ultimate home robot. Have you made any progress? What kind of tasks does it do besides back rubs and making sure the cats have clean water to drink?

Ugh Im trying. Currently I would like my home robot to defend me from george.

Who is Michelle Valigura?

Shes this short stack with freckles, she has skills that pay the bills.

Name three bands you really like.

okay, I listen to tons of music, so last 3 show I saw live:

en vogue
huey lewis
salt n peppa

Name three things you hate.

oooo okay let me get into that place…

people telling me that george needs either the dog whisperer or someone to tell him whos boss.
People ordering food for me that dont know me.
formal wear.

What do you think is a bad food to eat?

century old duck egg! the worst!

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Great video made by Nike about how brazilian witchcraft have interfere in the life’s of some great soccer players.

Players uniforms designed by  Nunca and Video graphics by Speto.

I am sorry f if you do not understand portuguese but it is worth watching anyway.

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I recently bought some amazing cast iron house goodies from the Monkey & Squirrel store on Etsy, and thought it would be really cool to do an interview with DIY owner Jenn Pierce about her experience as a craftswoman and Etsy shop owner. Please, please check out her store on Etsy, she’s got some really wonderful, one of a kind stuff that will add some warmth and serious style to your dwelling.

What is Monkey & Squirrel? When did you start Monkey & Squirrel? Where is Monkey & Squirrel geographically?

Monkey & Squirrel is all sorts of handmade goodies for you and your home! It’s named after two of my cats, and I officially started it in April of last year. It became my full time gig around September. I do all my work from home, which is in Charlotte, NC.

Etsy is a new thing to me. My wife introduced it to me as this sort of Ebay where you can find all kinds of unique and handmade items. What sort of involvement has Etsy played in your life? Were you marketing your items on other channels prior to Etsy, or was Etsy the genesis of Monkey & Squirrel? I’d guess that Etsy has provided a lot of people an outlet for their creative and also a viable place to make some money doing what they love to do… Thoughts?

I always created things before Etsy, but I never thought I could make a living doing so. Etsy is the first and only online venue that i’ve ever sold items on. I was a buyer on the site for a long time before opening up my own shop, so when I decided to finally go ahead and do it, I was already familiar with the site. There’s a lot of information in Etsy’s blog articles on how to create a successful shop. I read those articles religiously at the beginning.

I can easily say that without Etsy i probably would not be doing what I’m doing today. I sell directly to customers around the world, but i’ve also been contacted by shop owners that are interested in carrying my items. I now have a presence in shops in Chicago, Colorado, Atlanta, New York and right here in North Carolina. They all found me on Etsy. Etsy is wonderful because it can just be this place to sell things that you make in your spare time, or you can really put in the work and make it a full time job.

How far of an audience have you reached on Etsy?

I ship to Australia often. I’ve also had buyers from Hong Kong, Israel, France, and South Africa. One of my favorite things about selling online is just how far you can reach. The thought that someone on the other side of the world, has something i made hanging in their home, amazes me everyday.

You have some really unique cast iron items in your store. Tell us a little bit about these items. Where do they come from? Is there a magical factory that makes these things, or are they one of a kind vintage items?

It starts with “the hunt” as I call it. There is a salvage/antique place about an hour from where i live, out in the middle of nowhere North Carolina. They have piles and piles of these cast iron goodies just sitting outside rusting away. The owner is secretive about where he gets them, and i’m respectful enough not to press it. My best guess it that they’re overstock from some magical place. Some vintage pieces do get mixed in and I’ve been known to hold onto a few of those. It also happens pretty often that I only ever find one of a certain piece. Who knows if it was vintage item or just it ended up there by mistake. It’s a mystery, and that’s largely what I enjoy about it. If I find something amazing I make sure to grab it, because I never know if I’ll see it again. The whole place is outdoors and it’s sometimes really cold and always pretty dirty, but when I come home with a bag full of treasures, it’s well worth it.

The next step is that I clean them up, because they all need a bit of TLC before painting. They get sanded, washed, and any repairs are addressed. I paint them with multiple coats and then lightly hand sand them for the distressed finish. They all get topped with a clear polyurethane spray to prevent any further distressing and so that they can safely be displayed either indoors or out. There’s a lovely little blog article on Raenovate that shows the process.

What inspires you?

There is little that doesn’t inspire me. I get so overwhelmed with all of the ideas that are floating around in my head at any given time. Mostly though, it’s textures that inspire me; an old piece of wood, rusty metal, a great piece of fabric. I can see potential in just about anything. I have a room full on random objects just waiting to be turned into something wonderful. Wandering around a craft or art supply store can bring me a flood of inspiration. A new color of paint or a new pad of paper is sometimes all it takes. I try to keep my Etsy shop pretty focused and not add too many different types of things because I think it’s better for the customer. One day, i may open a second shop where I will have my paintings and drawings.

Do you think there is a resurgence or renaissance in handmade or craft items? Out here in San Francisco there are several boutiques that specialize just in paper goods, cut and sew items, and one of a kind objects. It seems we live in a world that’s dominated by mass production and depersonalization, and these items have become more popular in the past ten years. Do you think there’s any truth to that or I am just making stuff up to sound smart?

I think more people are becoming aware of the importance of buying handmade goods. Crafting, as a profession, is becoming legitimized and people are starting to understand the value of well thought out, wonderfully made, one of a kind items. It may cost a bit more, but you can really feel good about where your money is going when you buy handmade. I think as a society over the years we’ve been taught that everything is disposable. We buy items that are massed produced and therefore cheap and when they break we just throw it out and get a new one. When was the last time someone brought a broken stereo to a repair shop? Do they even have repair shops anymore? We instill this idea in our children, buying lots and lots of disposable cheap plastic toys instead choosing fewer, really well crafted toys and teaching them about value.

I do believe that you can see the change in thought happening slowly though, I don’t know if it’s the economy making people appreciate things more, or I just choose to notice it because i want people to see the difference. Shops are definitely opening up all over the place that specialize in handmade goods and i think it’s just going to keep getting bigger…

What’s up with floral brooches? Tell us about this.

Hehe… I love brooches! It’s a new obsession of mine, but i think they’re a simple way to snaz up an outfit, a bag, a coat, anything! The flowers first made an appearance on my floral wall decor. I just decided that some folks may want to decorate themselves… and the floral brooch was born, but no longer your granny’s accessory. I think brooches will make a come back. You can’t help but feel really pretty when you have a big flower pinned on your sweater.

Are you a hunter or gatherer?

If we’re talking about eating habits in the caveman days i guess i would be a gatherer. I’m vegan, so there really is no need for me to hunt. I’ll go ahead and collect berries all day. In life, I think I’m more of a hunter. I call my cast iron shopping “the hunt”, and I love going shopping in general, but I am really choosy about what I take home and often leave empty-handed. When i lived in Manhattan one of my favorite things to do was just meander around on streets i’d never been down, not knowing if some wonderful little shop or restaurant was just up the road.

Do you have a day job, or is Monkey & Squirrel your bread and butter?

I knew when i started Monkey & Squirrel that I wanted to make it my full time job. I was working two jobs at the time, one as an artist’s assistant and the other helping her with the dog rescue she also ran. I knew for a few months that they would be moving about two hours way. The rescue needed a new location because the land they were on was in a flood zone and had flooded once before. This move would taken both of my jobs with it, so I had to make a choice.

I could start looking for a new job, or I could finally give my dream of being self-employed a shot. I decided that I needed to give it a chance and see what, if anything, would come of it. With no kids and my husband and i having not many expenses, it was now or never. I work more hours with Monkey & Squirrel then I ever have before, and money is still tight, but I wouldn’t give up being my own boss for anything in the world.

What about regretsy.com? What’s up with that? It’s almost like the Etsy for sarcasm… Do you feel bad for the people on there, or do you think it’s funny? How would you feel if you were up on there?

That’s a tough question. I have to admit that I do love reading it, and I love sarcasm. As far as feeling bad for the people who end up on there, that can go either way. When you can tell that someone put a lot of work into something and really felt that it was quality work, then yes i do feel really bad, and i would certainly be crushed if i ended up on the site. However, some people try to get away with selling junk on Etsy.

I’m talking about people pull an item out of the trash, tie a ribbon on it, and called it handmade, type of junk. In that case i don’t think it’s fair to Etsy to have that posted on their site. So i believe some items deserved to be called out on their lack of quality. In either case, it’s brought a huge amount of publicity to Etsy. People who never heard of Etsy are finding out about it through Regretsy. They get to the site from a source that it poking fun at it, but once they’re there, they can see that quality items really can be found.

Name three artists you like.

Alphonse Mucha, Yoshitomo Nara, Maxfield Parrish.

Name three things you hate.

Animal cruelty, abuse and neglect! Go Vegan!

Name three band you like.

The Avett Brothers, Frightened Rabbit, Regina Spektor.

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Looks like a pretty inspiring place, lots of nooks and crannies and cool stuff to spend a lot of time looking at and laughing. Found via highsnobiety.com. The full article, with nice, full size photos is located here at The Selby.

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HOT HOT HOT. Edition of 300, 21″x21″. Get it here…

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Logorama is short film made with more than 2,500 logos. It also an Oscar nominee for the best short animated film.

Link provided by Hauck.

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Just found out today from our designer Elinore, that Fumito Ueda is planning on releasing the sequal to Shadow of Colossus for PS3. In case you didn’t know about Shadow of Colossus, it was a mind bending game in which you defeat gargantuan monsters by finding their weaknesses and climbing all over them. In the new installment, it looks like game play will be a mix of fighting monsters and solving puzzles, and maybe even the ability to control a gargantuan monster of your own.

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At our friend Vincente’s recent engagement party (congrats buddy!), his iPhone was an awe-inspiring conversation piece, worthy of an awe-inspiring blog post. Vincente is part of a budding artistic movement creating art with the new generation of multi-capacitance screens.

Using the iPhone conductive screen and it’s accelerometer, he is able to create painterly impressions of his unique creative sensibilities and San Francisco surroundings. What’s really cool is the application records the painting from start to completion, so it’s neat to see the genesis of one of these pieces.

Steven, I want to say thank you, but no thank you for making the iMaxi Pad not work with a stylus or drawing instrument for the rest of us luddites. In the meantime, we will take lessons from our friend Vincente.

BBC recently got the opportunity to interview Vincent about his artistic vision:

Did you use etch-e-sketch growing up?

Hell yes. I have this triptych of etch-a-sketches at home.

What iPhone App do you use to create these amazing paintings?

There are a few I use depending on what sort of style I want. If you want a gradual layered buildup, Colors is a great app. You can use the tilt sensor to control thickness and opacity while you’re drawing, and replay your entire drawing
on your phone or upload it so others can view and replay the entire drawing. There’s a massive community with this one since it’s also on the Nintendo DS platform, and if you take a look at the gallery of users, you’ll see there are some insanely good artists using this to get photorealistic results.

Another app I sometimes use is iDoodle, mainly when I want to draw with outlined or filled freehand vector-style shapes. This is great for flat art, quick and dirty.

Brushes is really similiar to colors, except it’s much more painterly with the brush styles, great if you want to emulate actual drawing/painting media.

One I haven’t tried yet but plan on downloading is Layers which not only let’s you paint on multiple layers and shift each on up and down. A huge advantage to this, is you can actually export the art as a layered photoshop PSD! We should try working on a project using only the phone to draw and layout soon.

How long does it to take to make one of these?

The more complicated ones take up to a couple hours, and the flat vector ones can be as quick as a couple minutes.

When and where do you usually sit down and make these? Describe the process in as most detailed as a manner as possible.

Best place to do this is on an airplane when the only movie to watch is How Stella Got Her Groove Back. Anywhere in public transit is great too. Laying down in bed. You can draw anywhere which is what changes things up nicely. You just need enough energy to tilt the phone, and battery power.

What inspires you?

Chilaquiles

How long have you been painting on the iPhone?

About a year.

Your Website URL?

My Flickr set of phone drawings are here, and also at the Colors web site where you can replay the paintings with their clunky Java player.

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Site here.

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