Non-profit organization, 826LA presents Chickens in Love, an online pledge-a-thon, fundraiser, full-length album, and one-day music festival. 826LA workshop students, ranging from 7 to 13 years, wrote these songs in an 826LA workshop titled Songwriting with The Submarines, led by singer/ songwriters John Dragonetti and Blake Hazard of The Submarines.

From there, the kids had the opportunity to write their own music and lyrics in their own bands. The result was a full-length album titled, Chickens in Love, with 12 songs from 826LA students who then had their songs covered by Los Angeles-based musicians including, She & Him, Fiona Apple, Cold War Kids, Tim and Eric, The Submarines, Summer Darling, The Happy Hollows, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Dum Dum Girls, The Growlers, Crystal Antlers, and The Pity Party. Check out some videos of the original songs, followed by a sample track of the recording artist who covered it:

The Peeps: “Mamacita”

Coldwar Kids cover of “Mamacita”

The Taco Shells: “Mexican Food”

Summer Darling cover of “Mexican Food”

The Gummy Bears: “So Sleepy”

Fiona Apple’s cover of “So Sleepy”

The public can listen to these songs and bid on their favorites, with all proceeds going directly back into the organization itself, that will help fund writing and tutoring workshops for kids in L.A. (Pledges of $30+ will also be tax deductible!) When the bid closes on April 30th, 2010 the band that raises the most money will win the ultimate bragging rights with the 826LA Gold Record! The one-day Mini Music Festival showcasing Chicken in Love songs will also be held at the Echoplex on March 6th

Support children’s literacy and creativity through this great cause! Pledge now!

We are huge fans of Jayme McGowan and her work, so it was a no-brainer when we teamed up with her to do a wallet for our Papercut Series. Jayme’s attention to detail is so evident in her work, you can’t help but be in awe of her miniature and dream-like interpretations of everyday life. We conducted an interview with her recently we see who she was, and where her inspiration came from.

When did you really start experimenting with 3-D paper construction?
About 5 years ago - but it took a few years for me to start taking it seriously. I was in college studying painting in a “Fine Art” program at the time and started working with cut paper separately, away from my studies - I actually began working this way in an attempt to quit smoking. The construction method of cutting and gluing, cutting and gluing, over and over - requiring extended periods of focused concentration – turned out to be pleasantly meditative. My very first instinct was to work dimensionally for some reason, maybe stemming from a love of dioramas/shadowboxes. It wasn’t until 2008 when I started posting some of my cut paper work online and began receiving a lot of really encouraging feedback, that I was able to fully see the potential in my unusual form of papercraft.

Your dioramas must’ve been outstanding in elementary school…
I remember them being about five times larger, and more detailed, than the assignment required! I did love making those – except for the crappy elementary school art supplies. I hate hot glue to this day. I think my best childhood diorama was for a 4th grade history assignment - I built a Native American village with moss, sticks and miscellaneous debris collected at the park- and tiny handmade paper teepees.

Dream collaborations?
I would love to collaborate on something that uses paper in a way I haven’t tried before – like an all-paper window display or theater set. I’d love to collaborate with an author to illustrate a children’s book someday too. Oooh, and do a stop-motion animation… I’m basically down for anything.

Your pieces are painstakingly detailed.  If you were commissioned to create an “Aspiring Paper Crafter Starter Kit” what would it include?
You really don’t need much to get started, just a few essential tools: tiny precision scissors, sharp X-actos, a cutting mat, quick-drying glue. And paper of course, but you don’t necessarily have to pay for that. The beauty of working this way is how cheap it is - for years I didn’t even buy paper – everything was made out of found or re-purposed scraps, pages of old books and magazines. The most important thing is the patience and focus to see a really slow-moving project through to completion.

How much of your art work is directly related to your personal life?
Well, I haven’t raced birds in the sky and I haven’t parachuted with cats - I have played a banjo in a tree but it wasn’t some magical ‘Snow White’ type of thing where all the animals flocked to listen to me or anything. I think more than anything, my work is simply evidence of my insane jealously of pet owners. I can’t have dogs or cats where I live so I have to get my pet envy out by making pictures of them.

What would your personal heaven look like?
Like this, I suppose. Ladders to hop from cloud to cloud… fantastical hats.

What is the most memorable dream/ nightmare you’ve ever had?
Recurring flying dreams, not surprisingly. They’re really more like floating. I just quietly lift off the ground unnoticed and float up higher and higher into the sky very slowly and peacefully. I usually wake up while trying to grab hold of a tree top or antennae to keep from floating up into space.

What is your ideal workspace?
I’m lucky enough to have a near perfect workspace already… a big room of my own with beat-up old hardwood floors and tall ceilings, lots of widows to let the light in, interesting people bustling past. I can listen to music as loud as I like and the post office is directly across the street. But my studio is an extension of my apartment and it does get a little rough working at home sometimes – a bit lonely and lots of distractions. So I guess my ideal workspace would be what I have now, only in a building with other artist’s studios.

The proudest moment in your life thus far?
Wow, that’s hard to say… taking the plunge into self-employment is something I’m pretty proud of. It was scary at first, not knowing any other full-time freelance artists and not having a ton of support. So I’m proud of myself for being stubborn and trying it anyways – it’s working out well so far. **

You can check our her wallet here! here! and here!
And visit her website here!

Our next Papercut Series Artist, Joe Rogers of Colourbox, designed an awesome wallet for us that we know you will appreciate. Along with eye catching graphics of what seems to be innocent scenes taken from Rogers past, we found out through our interview with him that his designs are much more intellectual and powerful than we could’ve ever imagined. Take a look inside Joe Roger’s world…

Can you tell us about the theme of your wallet design?

The one with the children flying kites (back), was initially made for an album sleeve design a couple of years back, Julian Sanza’s ‘Communication’. The image was inspired by the children in Palestine, who fly kites to communicate their protest about their peoples plight. It seemed to be a powerful and simple act of communication and a powerful message of defiance. Children fly big colourful kites, some with the colours of the Palestinian national flag, while other kites have slogans such as: The Children of Palestine Have a Right to Life, a Right to Play, We Refuse Occupation, We want to live like other children in the world, No to the Israeli Occupation. The soldiers would often fly into a rage, storm the camps, seeking their target: Children with kites. The children could determine the location of the raid when all the kites from a particular location would fall from the sky in unison.

The second piece (front) was a personal project it is called, ‘We Used To Dry Our Socks Outside In the Summer’. I made this in the summer of 2008, the driving idea behind the work was really a comment on modern family life. I was looking back to childhood activities and how many of those simple everyday activities, such as helping put the washing out, can bring children closer to their parents. I don’t believe that type of important bonding really exists to quite the same extent it should anymore, maybe due to changes in technology or changing social trends. That’s a whole separate topic!

In your “People Badge Pack”, specifically the C@%T series are these people you have personally encountered in the past?  If so, do they suspect anything?

The people badges are not of anyone I know at all! All the faces come from a piece of work I did a few years back called ‘Meet New People’ It was one of the first ever purely digital works I did so was a bit of an experiment really, I still like the contrast of the intentional wobbly amateurishness of the writing, done with a mouse, to the crisp vectors of the faces. A while back I fancied making some badge packs and I suppose those faces kind of just found their way into them. I wish I did know some of those people though, I think if you got them all in one room it would make for a fun night!

The C@%T badges are a different story. It may just have been a bit of mischief on my part! I think it has always fascinated me though, out of all the swear words why people have such a strong reaction to this one in particular? I don’t see any reason why C%!T should be any more or less offensive than any other swear word, surely it should all be about the context in which the word is used? It’s a very visceral word I suppose. I don’t really have a problem with it. It seemed at the time to be the right word to use given the visceral power to those images. I put them onto badges because it just childishly tickles me to see some peoples faces when they are wading through a mountain of badges, come across one of those and look at it in horror. It’s only a word, get over it!

Album of choice when working in the studio?

I like to sit and listen to all sorts of genres together. I generally just stick iTunes on random, or put a bit of vinyl on the turntable, and go with the flow. I tend to cherry pick singles to buy instead. Here are the last 10 songs I’ve downloaded!

Jocko Homo - Devo
Dislocation - Ultravox
Hot On The Heels Of Love - Throbbing Gristle
I’m Your Money (12” Extended Version) - Heaven 17
Leave Me Be - Spectrals
Reflections Are Protection - La Roux
Colorado - Grizzly Bear
Got 2 Let U - The Knife
Pigmy Pig - Moondog
Apple Bobbing - Joe Goddard

How did the inception of Colourbox come about?

Colourbox is basically just a pseudonym for me to work under. I’ve always produced work or promoted myself under one pseudonym or another, the reason for this was generally as a result of an unease about being around my own work when people know that I’ve made it. Using a pseudonym allows me some distance, some breathing space and anonymity. It’s easier to be in a room with your own work and know that no one knows you made it. You feel like people are free to give their real opinions, positive or negative.

A little nerdy fact, not many people know this, I actually got the name Colourbox from a random sample in a song, within a mix by the DJs, Chicken Lips. It also fits me quite nicely because a lot of my work contains quite bright colours, I am also colour blind so it has a nice ironic twist to it too!

You seem to play around with many different mediums than just paper–is there any medium you aren’t comfortable working with?

I look to the execution of the idea and what media would best suit it. I don’t really have too many problems at giving any type of media a go, if I think it would benefit the idea. I like experimenting and pushing the limits of my abilities to see what I can come up with, some things work, some don’t. I would say that I’ve never really worked out how to use oil paints effectively and am always really quietly impressed with artists who get the best out of that medium.

I love your signature: j^±^.  Mine just looks like this: -j. Any recommendations for jazzing it up?

Thanks! Its quite hard to jazz up a “J” isn’t it! I think you have done well though, turning the “J” into a smiley mouth is a nice little touch! I think you should keep it like that, after all I suppose you have now made that signature your own!

A lot of your work features the hybridization of man and animal.  What is the overarching relationship between the two? What do they sound like?

I suppose I see animals as just another form to get the ideas out. People are forever anthropomorphising animals, we do it all the time with our pets. You can give animals human characteristics– maybe make them say or do things that you may not want a human character to say. It also changes the context. If you could hear any of them speak they would definitely speak with thick Northern British accents. Who wouldn’t want to hear a Panda speak like a Geordie, or a Bull speaking like a Lancashire Coal Miner?

What is your favorite vice?

I don’t know if any of my vices would actually constitute vices? I had to look up the definition to see if my vices are actually vices!

In the severest definition of a vice I can’t say I have any immoral, depraved and/or degrading vices! I like a drink on occasion, I like food…thats about it. Sounds all very dull doesn’t it!

What is the worst advice you’ve ever received?

The advice I give always seems to be completely terrible so I can’t point too many fingers! My general rule is to view with some suspicion advice from people who don’t really know that much about the subject they are advising on. I sometimes think advice is only as good as the person who receives it. A lot of people only ask advice because they want their own opinions to be confirmed. The person who gave bad advice then can’t really be blamed, only your own decision to acting on that advice!

Last exhibition you’ve seen that blew you away?

I am ashamed to say that I don’t really get out to see many exhibitions. There aren’t many great exhibitions put on where I live. I went to the Tate Modern, probably for the first time since I was in college! It was lovely to sit in there and reacquaint myself with some great works that I hadn’t seen for a while. I may be moving down to London later this year, I could see myself whiling away quite a few hours sitting in there!**

You can check out his wallet here!
And visit his website here!

When you first look at the work of London-based illustrator Thereza Rowe, you instantly feel warm and fuzzy inside. Her vivid paper designs remind us that it’s never too late to have a childhood. Thereza Rowe is one of four artists we’ve collaborated with for our recently released Papercut Series wallets, and we know that after you read the recent interview we’ve conducted with her, you’ll feel the same way.

Can you tell us a little bit about the theme of your wallet designs?

I wanted to create a magic forest scenario, where everything is calm and soothing and your imagination can be unleashed to create your own narrative from the scenery and characters involved.

East End

Southbank

Charing Cross

Where are three places in London you absolutely cannot live without?

1. The East End: I just adore that area. It’s so randomized and diverse, and fool of colour and inspiration. Whenever I need to refresh my ideas process, I spend half a day there and it usually does the trick.
2. The Southbank: I love walking along the river looking at my favorite bridge (Hungerford Bridge), being amused by the people around and just taking in the aesthetic beauty and mood of the city.
3. Charing Cross: Where the best book and art supply shops are! And I also love Camden Town for its markets and the canal, very inspiring…

What is your creative process like from conception to completion?

It normally starts from drawing and playing with paper cut outs on my sketchbooks. They work like a laboratory for ideas and are essential, especially within the brainstorming process. After that, it changes almost every time depending on the project. Sometimes I have the ideas sorted in my head and start drawing from scratch and sometimes most of the elements that I sketched on the Moleskines end up in the final piece. I also like making mood boards with both my own past sketches and things I collect. Taking photographs and documenting is also a big thing for me, I carry a camera with me at all times. The completion bit is usually a joint venture between myself and the art direction party I happened to be working with. It’s all great fun though, all the phases.

Are there any future projects you’d like to share for 2010?

There are a few projects coming up and I’m excited because a couple of them involve collaborating with artists whose work I absolutely adore. I’ll keep you guys posted.

What is your reaction to the phrase, “Print is dead.” ?

Nonsense, utter rubbish! Although it’s all so good to have such a massive archive of good online publications, nothing compares to the tactile feeling of holding the physical object, a book for example always translates into pure joy for me.

Last thing you’ve seen on TV that’s made you teary-eyed.

Forest Gump…It was on the other week and having seen it twice before I didn’t think I was going to be in tears again from about 25 minutes into the film through to the final credits…I’m such a softy!

What do you do when your creative juices run dry?

Anything from taking a trip into somewhere cool in London, sitting around in some random place with my Moleskine, watching the Pink Panther cartoons, drinking a fresh pint of pink milk, listening to great music…This could become quite a list…

A typical Sunday morning would consist of…

A total guilt free ’sleep-in’ followed by a heart brunch. Nowadays my Sundays have become my ‘lazy, do what you like, even if it consists of doing nothing’ day. It’s good to have a day off to rest and recharge the creative wires.

What would you like to be remembered for?

Someone who’s managed to remain a child at heart, who was kind, happy, made people smile, supportive of others, fulfilled and lucky enough to work with what they love.**

It was an honor taking a glimpse inside Thereza’s world. Your work is truly inspiring!

You can check out her wallet here!
And visit Thereza’s website here!

Poketo is proud to present one of four Papercut Series artists, Jared Schorr, and his incredibly cute and intricately hand-crafted wallet design. A graduate from Art Center College of Design, currently residing in Montclair, California, Schorr has worked with such publications as GOOD magazine, and the New York Times. After conducting a recent interview with Schorr, we were pleased to get to know him not only as an artist, but a devoted family man, a dreamer, and an infectious optimist.

Can you tell us a little big about the theme of your wallets design?

I wanted to do a wallet with a lot of monsters running and having fun–kind of like a Ryan McGinley photo. You don’t really know what is going on, but you wish you were there. Though the monsters are running for their lives, they are still enjoying themselves.

What can’t you construct out of paper?

There is NOTHING. Mwahahaha… nah, there’s lots.

All of your characters in your art work seem so happy. What are they happy about?

I think that my characters’ happiness is just an extension of my own happiness. I am so excited to be alive and doing exactly what I want to be doing.

Have your dream collaborations already happened? If not, who would you like to work with in the future?

I’ve been really fortunate to have some amazing collaborations. There are still people out there though. I would love to work with Mike Perry. I imagine him being like an octopus with four brains cause the dude is soo creative and never puts out anything bad. Plus, there is a TON of it. I would love to make some prints with Studio On Fire. Amazing craftsmanship! I think it would be fun to brand a season for Target. I worked at Target stocking the shelves for four years so it would be cool to see my work all over the place. McSweeney’s would be a dream as well because..they’re McSweeney’s. You don’t get any better.

What impact do you hope your artwork brings to other people?

I mostly want my work to make people happy and put some sunshine in someone’s day. I hope that it makes other people want to make art. I think that that is the greatest compliment. When someone sees your passion and it creates passion in them.

Is there a brand or type of paper you work with the most?

I was trying to use Martha Stewart Collection paper. Amazing colors and its really easy to cut, but it is harder to find so I use mostly paper from the Paper Source.

Biggest influences as a child?

Bugs Bunny, skateboarding, chocolate, and San Francisco.

If you were commissioned by the City of Los Angeles to do a public arts commissioned project, what would it look like and where would it be?

I think it would be amazing to design a children’s park. What I can imagine is like a 100′-200′ long metal wall that stands about 4′ tall. It would be winding in and out so it could be a maze, but it would have designs and cutouts so you could play hide-and-seek or climb. I would try to put it in a very visible park. Let’s make it happen cause I want to play there!

Happiest when ________. Want to punch ________. I’m afraid of ___________.

I’m happiest when I’m with my wife and son. I want to punch the end of (500) Days of Summer. I’m afraid of losing my hands. **

Thanks Jared for your time, and we hope to work with you soon!

You can find his wallet here!
And visit Jared’s website here!

Allow us to introduce FAESTHETIC; by artists, for artists, the Fast Aesthetic! A collection of art and oddities from around the world, Faesthetic is presented as part book and part zine, and we are happy to announce that we’ve collaborated on the Poketo x Faesthetic wallets that many of you have already caught a glimpse of!

Founder and creator of Faesthetic, Dustin Hostetler, a.k.a. UPSO, has featured an array of talented artists, and he took some time out of his busy schedule to quench our inquiring minds with his thoughts, inspirations and little snippets of everyday life!

1. We’re excited about the Poketo x Faesthetic wallets! Can you tell us why you chose Dan Funderburgh as the designer and where you first discovered his work?

Dan Funderburgh was in the 2005 issue of Faesthetic. His work has evolved leaps and bounds over the past 4+ years, but as soon as I discovered his art I was a fan. The pattern he created earlier this year for our Scion show made perfect sense for a wallet.

2. What inspired you to create Faesthetic? Can you tell me a little more about your Studio Sans Nom and how it all started? P.S. How is it like co-owning it with your wife?

I started publishing Faesthetic in 2001 as a way to document all of the amazing art I was finding online. I was worried that the temporary nature of the web wouldn’t properly archive all the talent I was falling in love with, so I did my part to archive it for myself.

Studio Sans Nom is a project between myself and my wife Jemma. In some ways it’s a clearing house for projects we work on separately, but it’s also a great excuse for us to work on projects together. In addition to Studio Sans Nom (which covers tradition print and web design projects) we also do things like Purpastoe. Working with Jemma is awesome. We work from home, and are around each other 24-7. Thankfully we get along really well and respect each others’ work so it’s a great combo.

3. Who first exposed/inspired you into the world of art, and who are 3 artists you would like to work with in the future?

I was raised by creative people. My mom is a graphic designer and painter, and my dad was a chef. They surrounded my life with creativity and are the reason I’m an artist today. If I had my way… the three artists I’d love to work with in the short term are: David Byrne, Mark Mothersbaugh and Stefan Sagmeister. I know it’s a long shot, but I really want to work with the creatives that have been inspiring me since day one. It’s always been my goal.

4. As a graphic artist yourself, you’ve designed for some big clients. What was your first design project ever?

Wow… good question. Beyond school work, I started out doing flyers for friends’ bands and DJ sets when I was in college. Those early poster projects set everything in motion for me.

5. What’s your favorite hot-spot to hang out in Ohio on a Friday night?

My favorite spot in Toledo is a bar called the Ottawa Tavern. Drinks are crazy cheap (pitcher of PBR for $4!) the staff are all my friends, and the shows are always free. Life is awesome in Ohio.

6. If you weren’t an artist/curator/publisher, what else might have you pursued?

Without a doubt I’d be a chef.

Look forward to a recipe next time! Thanks Dustin for taking the time, super stoked on our collaboration!

While supplies last, we are giving away this latest issue of Faesthetic and the Poketo x Dan Funderburgh wallet with online purchases of $100 or more at poketo.com. Get them before they are gone!

This is a special promotion until we run out. We are giving away 50 of the mag + wallet combo on poketo.com for online purchases of $100 or more. Perfect holiday bonus!! Go now before they run out!

This is the latest Faesthetic mag. We worked with Dustin Hostetler of Faesthetic and the Dan Funderburgh to put this special package together. This issue features the work of not only Dan Funderburgh, but, Maya Hayuk, Joel Speasmaker, Ashkahn Shahparnia, Mathew Dent, and many others. Also, a nice photo essay of the Faesthetic show, This Must Be The Place, at the Scion Gallery in Los Angeles. We were there, it was awesome, here are some pics!

Dan Funderbugh wall

Joel Speasmaker

Dustin Hostetler taking a pic of me taking a pic of him

Ready, set, Action! Are you excited for the Poketo Pop-Up Shop kick-off event at Rare Device tonight? We know it’s going to be an awesome time, not only because the Pop-Up Shop will be “poppin”, or because the new Poketo x Lisa Congdon wallets will be available, but because of all the wonderful peeps we’re expecting to see! To add a little extra sugar, San Francsico DJ artist and long-time Poketo collaborator, Nathalie Roland has painted the town red! Well, actually, she’s been painting the Rare Device Gallery red, yellow and more!

Here’s a sneak peak at what Poketo and Nathalie have been up to….

Aren’t you curious to see how it all turns out? Well, be curious no more and stop by tonight!

TONIGHT! Friday, December 4, 2009 - 7PM - 9PM

Rare Device Gallery
1845 Market Street (@ Guerrero)
San Francisco, CA 94103
415.863.3969
www.raredevice.net / www.poketo.com