EDIT:

SANRIO

I don’t know why it didn’t occur to me to put this down.  Before anything else, before my introduction to anime and japanese culture, before any dreams of being an artist or an actress, or anything I’m interested in now–there was Sanrio.  My first favourite Sanrio character was the green frog Keroppi because in third grade my favourite colour was green.  Then I found out about the Dalmatian Spotty Dotty, and since I was such a Dalmatian fanatic she of course became my favourite.  Then after I got my cat Cookie I started to like cats more which started me on my Chococat fix and at the same time I was taken by the chubby puppy Pochacco.  In fact, my first webpage online was written in the voices of Pochacco and my Chococat alter-ego Chococat101.  Since then Chococat101 has become an alias of mine (as if my deviantart page wasn’t proof enough).  Needless to say I grew up with Sanrio and love it and all it’s characters to deeeeeeeeath.  I suppose that culture has become so ingrained in me that I didn’t even think to list it as an influence because it’s like a part of me, lol.

Favourite Contemporary Artists:

Simone Legno || Tokidoki

My hero!!  He gives me hope that if I stick to what I love and share it with the rest of the world good things can happen.  His products are too expensive for me…but I love them anyway.  His graphics are so colourful and pretty and I really love the style.  His figurines are extremely cute too.  When I was in Florence I found one of their stores and I was super excited but by then I was pretty broke so I didn’t buy anything.  I know a few stores in the city that sell Tokidoki merchandise though, so when I can afford it I’m going for it (though now that there’s a tokidoki/hello kitty edition I’m hoping that it’s sooner rather than later).  Anyway, he’s definitely an influential artist in my life and I do feel knowing of him has helped shape how I look at and create things.

References for ceramics:

Liz Lorini || Miss Kika

Next to Karincoma, Liz Lorini is another top influential artist. In fact, when drawing, I tend to try and find ways to combine their styles to develop my own because I love them so so soooooo much. I mostly love Lorini’s work for her prints (which I intend to fill my home with when I’m living on my own), but she has customized some vinyl toys as well….I think I’ll look up kid robot next since a lot of artists like to use their bases and they’re really cute.

Love the Bomb by =Blush-Art on deviantART
New Tamos by =Blush-Art on deviantART
pinky munny by =Blush-Art on deviantART

Kidrobot
Not an artist…but if you’re someone interested in custom toys then they’re probably one your radar. At my internship last year I worked near a kidrobot store and after work if I didn’t go straight home, I’d browse around. Honestly just being in the store alone makes me happy. I was so tempted to buy a blank munny doll, but I’m so scared I’ll mess it up, lol.

Takahashi Murakami || MURAKAMI
I first learned about Murakami from an exhibition in the Brooklyn Museum…well actually I’m pretty sure I’ve seen some of his work in books before, but I was never really able to identify it. Anyway. I wasn’t able to go see the exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum because I was working and didn’t really have much time to go to Brooklyn or to any museums really (it really sucks because either the Met or Natural History Museum had this exhibit on mythical creatures and I really wanted to see it!!). However, my cousin, who–due to his mad computer skills–has managed to land himself in a high paying job before 30 and therefore has time to chill at museums, took pictures of it and showed me some of the work. Some of it I think is really awesome, other pieces don’t really appeal to me…though it can be quite amusing… I really love his paintings, prints, and drawings, but his sculptural pieces art pretty impressive too.

Crazy Label Toys
I looked this up after looking at Miss Kika’s dolls. They have some pretty cute bases. I really like the mei mei and di di ones, plus they’re more affordable than Munnies and Dunnies so I wouldn’t be as scared about messing them up…I think I might try it out some day.

Nonsculptural faves:

Jamie Hewlett || Tank girl & The Gorillaz

The Gorillaz were one of my favourite “bands” in high school simply because it was so strange that they should be represented by cartoon characters. I was also taken by the style in which they were drawn. The characters could come off as cute (like Noodle) and some of the situations they were in could be taken as funny and playful, but there was definitely a very dark side to it, in some cases sinister (like Murdoc). I loved the combo. I think dark and cute work very well together which is why I’m a fan of Hewlett. This reminds me that I really wanted to buy his book on tank girl when I got the chance…I’ll have to remember that.

Karincoma
She is by far one of my most influential artists. The way she draws hair, particularly curly hair has always put my in awe and I take a lot from her when drawing…I just can’t put into words how her drawings have affected me. I love her work so much.