Turning Raindrops Into Piko Toys With Jeremiah Ketner
seeing Jeremiah Ketner's hand-painted wooden figurines and paintings somehow remind me of the enchanted realms of Faerie in Neil Gaiman's Sandman (not to say these are sprites or fairy-folk, tis just my initial visual interpretation and connection) ... it reminds me of the ethereal notion of magical beings and creatures amongst us, flitting about serendipitously, riding the breeze, invisible to mortals blinded by material civilization (gawd i miss Fables now) ~ IMHO, of coz :)
TOYSREVIL: what is a Piko Toy? and what does the name mean?
JEREMIAH KETNER: Piko toys are based off characters that I often use in my paintings. I have always used the name Piko Piko as my user name for online forums and such. Its kinda my pen name. It is based of a Japanese word to describe a flashing light or "to shine". "Pika Pika"
TOYSREVIL: (wait, i see a small lil yellow cutie scampering by - sorry, im juvenile that way :p) ... what was the genesis of Piko Toys?
JEREMIAH KETNER: The inception of Piko toys came from a character that I often use in my paintings. Sprouting a raindrop head these little guys take on a multitude of personalities. After making several custom painted vinyl figures for collectors, I thought it would entertain myself and make a toy of my own. In essence, they are meant to be original works of art. I view them more as an extension to the world that I have created.
TOYSREVIL: i personally luv the ethereal quality and mood of the images, and to see that translated unto a 3D-platform (toy) without loosing the essence, is very interesting to me, IMHO ... from canvas to wooden toy - was it ever what you'd expected or planned for?
JEREMIAH KETNER: I have always wanted to make these figures. Most of my art has a number of characters in it. They all interact with each other in a playful way casually navigating through there day.
TOYSREVIL: how did the figures come about?
JEREMIAH KETNER: I was invited by Rotofugi in Chicago to be a part of a show where we customized a vinyl toy. After that I started to get more involved with these shows and eventually started working on commissions, custom painting vinyl toys from teddy troops to qees. After some time I was invited to have a solo show at Rotofugi's new gallery space. [Twilight Gathering]
JEREMIAH KETNER: So along with showing a body of paintings I wanted to make my own figures. Naturally wood came to mind. It would be easy to create one of a kind toys with total control of the finished piece. I really enjoy painting on wood. The surface is more lush, plus it will out last vinyl for many years to come.
TOYSREVIL: the quality the wood in this endeavor is underestimated by many, i would suspect (IMHO, of coz) ... could you describe the process of the creation of the figures for us please? did you craft them yourself?
JEREMIAH KETNER: I made several drawings of the figure and once satisfied with a particular design I then traced it in illustrator. I contacted master wood crafter and Artist Mike Burnett to see if he would be interested in creating the figure for me. I could of had a local wood worker do it for me, but I knew Mike would add flair to the figure, also his wood crafting skills are impeccable when it comes to making toys like this.
Once I had the final figures in my hands the painting part of it was probably the easiest. I primed the wood with an acrylic based ground 3 times, sanding in-between coats. Then painted the design strait away with acrylics. The final painting was dusted with a light spray of pearlescent paint, that ads an ominous glow.
TOYSREVIL: and darn they look totally sweet, IMHO - how do you feel about seeing your creations (and paintings) in 3-dimension?
JEREMIAH KETNER: Its fantastic! I love the results and would love to continue creating new ones from my paintings.
TOYSREVIL: fab news for your fans and wood-toy-collectors! do you collect any toys yourself?
JEREMIAH KETNER: I am not really an avid collector. I do adore observing all the different styles of toys that are out there. I have picked up some Rolito toys, Tokidoki, and other weird ones on my travels through Japan.
TOYSREVIL: what are your inspirations and influences in your creations?
JEREMIAH KETNER: There are so many to list. Mainly with the toys, I am very found of what Noferin has recently created [interviewed]. There toys are made of wood and have a wonderful whimsical feeling to them. I have also been looking at Itokin Park, I love his simplistic style. Tado also has such amazing character bank and there works are beyond cute. They have always been a big influence.
TOYSREVIL: that's an exceptional list too, IMHO - so what's up next, Jeremiah? for your art and the Piko Toys?
JEREMIAH KETNER: There are some new ideas stewing for these guys. I have a few top secret things in the works. Other than that I would like to create some more one of a kind wood figures. As for my Fine Art profession, I am busy nailing down a full schedule for gallery exhibitions this year. I am already booked with shows until after July.
TOYSREVIL: "top secret things" sounds awfully intriguing! (ya know im gonna be bugging you when the time is right LOL). and best of luck for your future projects, Jeremiah! cheers for the time and trouble for this interview, and in closing, could you please share with the readers, WHO IS JEREMIAH KETNER?
JEREMIAH KETNER: I take my profession very seriously even though my artwork is meant to be light hearted and playful. I make it a point to go to the studio everyday no matter how tired I am. My artwork consist mainly of paintings on wood panels. They are a view of another side our chaotic and sometimes unfriendly world. Each painting becomes a window, inviting the viewer to let go of their thoughts and just contemplate the moment. Most of my work incorporates natural elements, sometimes symbolic like the lotus flower and ginkgo leaf. I try to keep everything organic looking and stray away from themes. Its an abstract world that only these characters can exist in.
Here is a brief bio of what I am up to:
Jeremiah Ketner’s imagery has been shown extensively across the U.S. and tends to describe a more casual and carefree side of life. His paintings transport their audience out of reality into a dream-like world that is filled with candied tones and imaginative creatures. The work is open to interpretation, but grounded in a fantastical place. Jeremiah currently lives and works in Chicago, IL.
If you would like to see more of my work please visit: http://www.smallandround.com
[additional images via Jeremiah's flickr]
TOYSREVIL: what is a Piko Toy? and what does the name mean?
JEREMIAH KETNER: Piko toys are based off characters that I often use in my paintings. I have always used the name Piko Piko as my user name for online forums and such. Its kinda my pen name. It is based of a Japanese word to describe a flashing light or "to shine". "Pika Pika"
TOYSREVIL: (wait, i see a small lil yellow cutie scampering by - sorry, im juvenile that way :p) ... what was the genesis of Piko Toys?
JEREMIAH KETNER: The inception of Piko toys came from a character that I often use in my paintings. Sprouting a raindrop head these little guys take on a multitude of personalities. After making several custom painted vinyl figures for collectors, I thought it would entertain myself and make a toy of my own. In essence, they are meant to be original works of art. I view them more as an extension to the world that I have created.
TOYSREVIL: i personally luv the ethereal quality and mood of the images, and to see that translated unto a 3D-platform (toy) without loosing the essence, is very interesting to me, IMHO ... from canvas to wooden toy - was it ever what you'd expected or planned for?
JEREMIAH KETNER: I have always wanted to make these figures. Most of my art has a number of characters in it. They all interact with each other in a playful way casually navigating through there day.
TOYSREVIL: how did the figures come about?
JEREMIAH KETNER: I was invited by Rotofugi in Chicago to be a part of a show where we customized a vinyl toy. After that I started to get more involved with these shows and eventually started working on commissions, custom painting vinyl toys from teddy troops to qees. After some time I was invited to have a solo show at Rotofugi's new gallery space. [Twilight Gathering]
JEREMIAH KETNER: So along with showing a body of paintings I wanted to make my own figures. Naturally wood came to mind. It would be easy to create one of a kind toys with total control of the finished piece. I really enjoy painting on wood. The surface is more lush, plus it will out last vinyl for many years to come.
TOYSREVIL: the quality the wood in this endeavor is underestimated by many, i would suspect (IMHO, of coz) ... could you describe the process of the creation of the figures for us please? did you craft them yourself?
JEREMIAH KETNER: I made several drawings of the figure and once satisfied with a particular design I then traced it in illustrator. I contacted master wood crafter and Artist Mike Burnett to see if he would be interested in creating the figure for me. I could of had a local wood worker do it for me, but I knew Mike would add flair to the figure, also his wood crafting skills are impeccable when it comes to making toys like this.
Once I had the final figures in my hands the painting part of it was probably the easiest. I primed the wood with an acrylic based ground 3 times, sanding in-between coats. Then painted the design strait away with acrylics. The final painting was dusted with a light spray of pearlescent paint, that ads an ominous glow.
TOYSREVIL: and darn they look totally sweet, IMHO - how do you feel about seeing your creations (and paintings) in 3-dimension?
JEREMIAH KETNER: Its fantastic! I love the results and would love to continue creating new ones from my paintings.
TOYSREVIL: fab news for your fans and wood-toy-collectors! do you collect any toys yourself?
JEREMIAH KETNER: I am not really an avid collector. I do adore observing all the different styles of toys that are out there. I have picked up some Rolito toys, Tokidoki, and other weird ones on my travels through Japan.
TOYSREVIL: what are your inspirations and influences in your creations?
JEREMIAH KETNER: There are so many to list. Mainly with the toys, I am very found of what Noferin has recently created [interviewed]. There toys are made of wood and have a wonderful whimsical feeling to them. I have also been looking at Itokin Park, I love his simplistic style. Tado also has such amazing character bank and there works are beyond cute. They have always been a big influence.
TOYSREVIL: that's an exceptional list too, IMHO - so what's up next, Jeremiah? for your art and the Piko Toys?
JEREMIAH KETNER: There are some new ideas stewing for these guys. I have a few top secret things in the works. Other than that I would like to create some more one of a kind wood figures. As for my Fine Art profession, I am busy nailing down a full schedule for gallery exhibitions this year. I am already booked with shows until after July.
TOYSREVIL: "top secret things" sounds awfully intriguing! (ya know im gonna be bugging you when the time is right LOL). and best of luck for your future projects, Jeremiah! cheers for the time and trouble for this interview, and in closing, could you please share with the readers, WHO IS JEREMIAH KETNER?
JEREMIAH KETNER: I take my profession very seriously even though my artwork is meant to be light hearted and playful. I make it a point to go to the studio everyday no matter how tired I am. My artwork consist mainly of paintings on wood panels. They are a view of another side our chaotic and sometimes unfriendly world. Each painting becomes a window, inviting the viewer to let go of their thoughts and just contemplate the moment. Most of my work incorporates natural elements, sometimes symbolic like the lotus flower and ginkgo leaf. I try to keep everything organic looking and stray away from themes. Its an abstract world that only these characters can exist in.
Here is a brief bio of what I am up to:
Jeremiah Ketner’s imagery has been shown extensively across the U.S. and tends to describe a more casual and carefree side of life. His paintings transport their audience out of reality into a dream-like world that is filled with candied tones and imaginative creatures. The work is open to interpretation, but grounded in a fantastical place. Jeremiah currently lives and works in Chicago, IL.
If you would like to see more of my work please visit: http://www.smallandround.com
[additional images via Jeremiah's flickr]
