Meiko & Maia

photo courtesy of JUCO

LA-based photographer Meiko Takechi Arquillos is known for her colorful, graphic compositions which employ a sense of humor somewhere between sincere and cynical. We recently lent her adorable daughter, Maia, a bunch of new goodies from our kids collection and asked Meiko to document, which resulted in this amazing gif. Totally enamored, we decided to do a quick interview with the mother-daughter duo.

Your work is varied, from portraiture to still life, fashion, and kids photography. Do you have a favorite subject matter?

Meiko: I love to photograph everything! I always say if my photograph makes someone smile then I accomplished something. To me, it is not so much about what I photograph but more about sensibility. All of my pictures tend to be lighthearted, whimsical, and playful. It’s not like I don’t have a dark side—it just isn’t how I choose to connect with viewers.

What’s the best thing about raising a kid in LA?

Meiko: We live in Eagle Rock which is a neighborhood in North East LA. It feels like we live in a small town, because we can walk everywhere and we see our friends everywhere we go. There is a strong sense of community here, which I never expected from living in LA. We are very very happy here!

How do you and Maia spend mommy-daughter time?

Meiko: I have been taking her to photo shows and museums. I wasn’t exposed to art when I was little, so it is nice to be able to share this part of life with my daughter. I also enjoyed photographing her for the Poketo shoot. We took turns and photographed each other. It was a great way to show her what I do as photographer.

What do you do for fun?

Maia: I like to dance and play with my friends.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Maia: I would like to be a cooking dancer (someone who cooks and dances professionally).

What’s your favorite toy from the Poketo shoot?

Maia: The Red Fox and Monster Blocks are my favorites. (She kept hugging and kissing the fox! I think she found a special connection with him).

Shop the entire Poketo Kids collection on poketo.com