Custom Toys and Fine Art - APAK

As my readers know, I am obsessed with limited edition urban vinyl toys. I especially adore custom toys, and I have discovered some very fine artists by admiring toys.

Meet Sug by UNKL Brand formerly available at My Plastic Heart. According to MPH Sug is big and strong, but he's also gentle. He has a bag that holds a set of secret serum vials that will cure almost any ailment.

Meet the custom Sug by APAK. I discovered this wonderful toy at the flickr set of Multiple Personalities. MP is an artist in her own right and has an enviable collection of toys, which she photographs expertly.

Detail of darling symbiotic creatures on Sug.







By noticing this cute toy, I've learned about the artists who call themselves APAK.

It is impossible to look at APAK's work and not smile, it is so full of love. Definitely influenced by Japanese pop culture, their work is populated by little creatures who live cooperatively and peacefully. There is a utopian quality to their work which speaks to me of the endless possibilities of art. Their Etsy shop, their home page and blog are delightful. I am always fascinated by (and a little envious of) husband and wife artist teams. This team is skilled at creating imagery with words as well.

This is from the profile at their Etsy shop. "Aaron and Ayumi Piland are two physically separate beings who are united in art as APAK. They met in a distant dimension and traveled to Earth together in a magic imagination machine....." On their blog they tell us that when they collaborate anything is possible. Delightful! I wanted to take a quote from their blog too, but you just gotta check it out yourself.

APAK's Etsy shop is here, their home page is here. All this wonderful discovery from someone sharing their toys on flickr. Ain't life grand?