art toy alchemists @ artifact unmundane
about their upcoming Art Toy Alchemists custom-toys show:
*read the entire online chat and view custom images after the jump*
TOYSREVIL: tell us a bit about Artifact Unmundane. what was it's genesis?
PJ: Artifact Unmundane was started in 2005 because I was tired of having to drive to Los Angeles for toy releases and art shows. There was nothing art toy related in Orange County at the time, well, maybe a small shop down in Dana Point that sold some toys. Artifact Unmundane has been a small, kind of underground shop, for a couple of years. Collectors know about us or find us, we usually do not get much walk-in business from people that are uninformed as to what we are selling. But, as collectible art toys have grow in popularity, the shop has grown too.
"Art Toy Alchemists" is our first custom toy art show and we are hoping it will give the shop, the artists involved, and art toys in general, more exposure in Orange County, California. Which may, or may not, lead to a move to a more high traffic location, depending on the interest we see at the show.
TRE: why should folks go to see the show?
PJ: People should go see the show to see some cool toys and see how 50 talented artists customize a three dimensional canvas. With 50 different artists there will be plenty of different styles so there should be something for everyone to enjoy.
TRE: who is involved and why?
PJ: Some of the artists involved (see flyer for complete list) were chosen because of their previous toy customizing work, some were asked to participate because they worked in a field that I thought would lend itself well to toy customizing (sculptors, tattoo artists), and a few were picked because they are great artists that were interested in customizing a toy for their first time.
TRE: why the title: "Art Toy Alchemists"?
PJ: Alchemy is the science, or pseudo-science, of transmuting baser metals into gold. Art Toy Alchemists are transmuting art toys into metaphorical gold.
TOYSREVIL: cheers for your time and trouble for this chat PJ, and best of luck for the show!
ART TOY ALCHEMISTS opens at 6:00pm on June 2nd, in Anaheim, CA.
at Artifact Unmundane @ 1170 N. Richfield Rd.
[additional customs images via]
