Poketo promotes the work of top international artists by showcasing original artwork through their fun and accessible wares — taking art off of gallery walls and making it a part of your everyday life. Their accessible goods include wallets, apparel, stationery, homeware, accessories, and prints from collaborations with everyone from local artists to Weezer to Nike. via

FROM POKETO… I LIKE THE STYLE OF THE ARTIST PEPA PRIETO

http://poketo.com/shop/archives/616

http://www.seriouseats.com/2008/06/we-all-scream-for-ice-cream-tshirts.html

This is a test post. To begin, this blogging venture has been a long-time coming. I was recently asked at work to help test a company-specific community site and one of tasks asked of me was to blog daily just to see how formatting was affected and how such communications traveled through the site to users of different security settings. It was an easy task with no pressure from an audience of two: the administrator/developer of the site and a peer. Long story short, I got use the idea of blogging very quickly. Alas, my testing-term on the company site is coming to a close as more co-workers (and directors) are joining the community for a soft release; my free-range blogging is no longer appropriate for the virtual workspace. I may receive word as soon as tomorrow to change blog viewability settings.

Enter “inklings and twinklings of an amateur know-it-all.” More to come of what this blog is about (or what – who knows? – it will turn into). In the meantime, this is me -

Time to pick-up Florence!

Nachdem wir aus Raglan in Richtung Norden aufgebrochen waren, fuehrte unser Weg zunaechst nach Poketo zum Eis essen. Abartig, wie groß die Kugeln da waren. Das Eis an sich war zwar lecker, und bei 50 Sorten auch fuer jeden was dabei, aber wie fast alles hier unglaublich suess.
Weiter ging es dann nach Auckland um unsere Steuernummer abzuholen. Naja Pustekuchen. Der Depp auf der Post hat das Falsche kopiert und wir mussten alles nochmal hinschicken. Mal schauen, wann wir endlich arbeiten duerfen. Man sollte meinen Menschen in oeffentlichen Stellen, die sowas oefter machen koennen das, aber nicht die Inder der Post in Neuseeland. Schade!

Weiter ging es dann nach Dargaville, einem verschlafenen Nest an der Westkueste. Schoenes Hostel in einer ehemaligen Schule, mit gigantischen Raeumen und schoenen Malereien an den Waenden. Sonst war leider nicht viel los. Wir wollten noch ins Kaurimuseum, aber das hat leider zugemacht, als wir reinkamen.

Also weiter. Am naechsten Tag ging es dann weiter in Richtung Norden, durch einen gigantischen Wald.
Da waren echt ueberall Baeume, soweit das Auge reichte.
Da wir aufgrund eines Erdrutsches, nicht zum Visitorcenter kamen, sind wir nur zu den großen Kauribaeumen inmitten des Waldes marschiert. Einige Bilder davon sind schon auf Flickr.

Um Zeit zu sparen auf dem Weg nach Ahipara kamen wir auf die Spitzenidee eine Schotterstrasse zu fahren. Die gibt’s hier ueberall und fuer einen Deutschen ist das im Prinzip ein breiter Feldweg mit viel Steinen drauf. Echt krass, was hier so als Strasse durchgeht…
Zeit haben wir dadurch natuerlich nicht gespart, aber ich glaube unser Auto hat ganz schoen leiden muessen. Ein Glueck haben wir 4WD!

Ahipara selber war dann sehr schoen. Wir waren in der Endless Summer Lodge direkt an einer Bucht.
Von dort aus sind wir dann auch ans Cape Reinga aufgebrochen. Das Kapp selber ist wirklich schoen, auch wenn das Wetter immer regnerischer wurde. Die Strasse dahin war aber wieder einmal so typisch Neuseeland: Baustelle auf beiden Spuren und man faehrt halt durch den Schlamm an den Baggern vorbei. Wirklich krass.
Auf dem Rueckweg sind die Maedels dann noch auf Schlitten die Sandduenen runter gerutscht. Ich hatte nicht wirklich Lust drauf, da es zu dem Zeitpunkt schon richtig angefangen hatte zu schuetten.

Gestern sind wir dann an der Westkueste entlang,vorbei an einigen Buchten, nach Kerikeri gefahren, wo ich momentan mit Erkaeltung im Bett liege.
Das Hostel ist eine Orangenfarm und wirklich super schoen.
Inet ist unglaublich lahm, aber die 500 mb an Bildern werden in den Tagen, die wir hier sind schon ihren Weg zu Flickr finden.

Soweit mal fuer den Moment.

Gearing up for one of our massive 15 plus box deliveries later in the week I thought we wouldn’t get much else in. Boy was I wrong.

By Boe - Our largest shipment from them in Minx history. We have all their threaders in every shape and style. A bunch or beautiful rings and statement earrings… It’s really a lovely haul!

Verdier Contemporary – A good friend of mine out of Atlanta re-envisions antique findings into cool modern jewelry. This is the debut of her lower-end/affordable line and… it doesn’t look that way! Giant brass cuffs, beautifully scripty earrings… to die for!

Paige Premium Denim – A pair of high waisted slim leg jeans. Always a best seller round here.

Divine Rights - Skinny navy cords made by Level 99 but at a lower price point!

Ernest Sewn – Black Harlan skinnies (always a favorite… in fact I NEVER wear skinny jeans and I have a pair that… I love. I really do.) and a pair of perfectly faded, soft as flannel, Decca straight legs.

Tulle – I put out the rest of the amazing coats from last weeks shipments. This might be the end of coat deliveries for the season! If you need a coat now’s the time.

Poketo – Amazing graphic T-shirts designed by artists and brought to you by this uber cool small company.

Mary Ink – Another graphic T company but this time out of Nashville and all hand screened. Perfect layering pieces for under all your Kersh cardigans!

Shae – One perfect nubby Chanel-esque sweater in a rose, cream, brown and chartreuse mix.

The Sak – One lager messenger in the most stunning deep sea blue and 2 perfect wallets, pewter and navy.

Stripy scarves in pink, navy, black, and blue

Today’s Self Portrait Thursday is a little goofy looking but features my new favorite shirt from Poketo, swoon! Today I have a pile of stuff to do and I’m feeling way grouchy! lol XP Rawr!! Turns out I’m not the Zen Master that I thought I was, hehe ;3

The SPACETIME Collection is co-curated by Poketo and Kitsune Noir. Designed by four world-class artists, Mike Perry, Cody Hudson, Damien Correll, and Andy Miller this collection offers wall art decals, signature wallets, and t-shirts. Available @ poketo.com

1. Feathers Indigo t-shirt design by Betsy Walton 2. The Middletons plate set design by Marco Cibola 3. Lets get old fashioned with this Blackbird Fly Twin Lens Reflex Camera 4. Wood bird brooch by Beci Orpin 5. Where I End and You Begin – Limited edition giclee print by Lisa Congdon 6. 100% Recycled felt bag

I received this wallet for a present last xmas. I feel the need to change things
up a bit and get another one. Not because I’m sick of it but I need options.
Here are a few cool ones I found!

Toddland Space Shuttle Wallet

This one is from Urban Outfitter’s

I could go for this one which would compliment the one I already have. This
series is from Poketo by the artist Christopher Bettig.

This is another Poketo favorite by the artist Sidney Pink.

Or this one from Mmsomewhere’s etsy shop. I like that it’s a simple, bright
color photo of a bike.

It’s a tough decision!

If you haven’t already scoped out the wonderland that is Poketo, you should make a beeline to their website immediately. Immediately, that is, after feasting your eyes upon the following diversely brilliant items offered in their online shop:

Custom diary:

Wallet:

Animal journals:

Hippie pens:

T-shirts:

You can also follow Poketo on Twitter HERE.

Behold the Rare Device brilliance…

Initial Pillows from MyPerennial:

An unbelievably intricate and lovely travel journal from Poketo (complete with pouches! who doesn’t love a good pouch?!):

Nikki McClure’s adorable Things To Make and Do, a Journal:

Test your weaving skills with Les Assortements de Cartes Ficelles from Xcidia:

And gawk at your box of 100 stellarly illustrated McSweeney’s postcards from Chronicle Books:

All products above for sale at RareDevice.net, or from the individual sellers listed.

All photos from RareDevice.net.

“Wake up, Andy Warhol!” was the name of a exhibition of designers riffing on the tropes of … well.. Andy Warhol. The exhibition took place at SSamziegil, a popular bohemian shopping area in Isadong, Seoul, South Korea. The LA-based design collective Poketo! created the bags above as a facsimile of a facsimile work from the exhibit. The bags were made in limited edition and can be found at their site here. As Rueben Miller questions on his art/design blog, “When ‘real’ is mimicked so much that ‘fake’ is as common as ‘real’, then what would you rather have – ‘real’ or ‘fake’? Think about it.” The work certainly does raise some funny questions about authenticity and the multiple. You can see pictures from the exhibition here.

Poketo é uma associação nascida em São Francisco que possui mais de cem artistas filiados a ela. A marca nasceu com o intuito de  incentivar a venda de diversos produtos artísticos que vão de quadros a bolsas e carteiras.

Selecionei alguns cartões vendidos no site. Tem para todos os gostos, desde mini cartões capsulas até velinhas envelopadas para ocasiões especiais.

Querem ver mais?

Vejam aqui.

Oh Poketo, you’ve done it again with your five minute candles, cleverly disguised in a matchbook-like package — very cute.  And a great solution if, you know, you need to plan a birthday party on the fly or something.

Buy a four pack at Supermarket.

Ever notice how, at major league sporting events, they unscrew the top of your wide-mouth Bud Light and don’t let you keep the cap? It forces you to finish the beer faster before it flattens out, causing you to then order another and another until before you know it, you’ve spent close to $50 on a six-pack. If vendors really wanted to increase profits, they’d unshell your peanuts for you too so you wouldn’t spend all that wasted time cracking shells and littering the concrete under the seat. I’m gonna snag a Poketo Bottle Opener ($18) and open all my friends’ beer when they come over and watch the games with me. Except I’m not going to be selling the beer…wait.

Poketo has some really cool wallets, among other artsy stuff.
I just got this:

Pretty? It’s made of vinyl. I hope it won’t be too thin. I’m excited for it to arrive!

These are completely delicious. I love the bullfinches.

4 set melamine plates designed by LA based Muscovite Oksana Badrak. Available online from Poketo, $40.

The most recent addition to Kitsune Noir’s Desktop Wallpaper Project comes from California based artist and illustrator Marco Zamora. While I loved the work that he did for KN, I was even more impressed with the rest of his work available on his site.

Marco draws inspiration from the urban landscape around him, experimenting with colors and scale to fit his own unique style. His recent work has been featured in a number of galleries down the coast and also in a number of Vans advertisements and collaboration projects (such as “Islands in LA” which did a piece for Poketo recently).

If you like his work, be sure to pick up the wallpaper from KN, and also take a look at his site at www.marcozamora.com

photo courtesy RobotScrapYard via Flickr’s Treeson Group

Hong Kong artist, Bubi Au Yeung has captivated the world with Treeson. What started out as a sketch soon resulted as a worldwide phenomenon within the designer toy industry. TokyoBunny perhaps sums up the secret of Bubi’s success with Treeson in a short testimonial left on Bubi’s Flickr profile: “I looove Bubi’s work! It makes me so happy!!!”

Bubi kindly took time away from a hectic schedule in Hong Kong to be interviewed by me. Bubi also sent me an original sketch for one of you lucky readers (below)! Read on.

SteveRack(SR):
When was Treeson born?

Bubi:
Treeson was born on 8th August 2005. I love to think on my way to work and whenever I have an idea, I write/draw on my sketchbook. A story idea story came to me from an article about deforestation I read at that time, and I was inspired to draw the story to bring out the message, so I created Treeson.

SR:
What/Who is Treeson?

Bubi:
Treeson is a kind creature raised by the trees in the forest. He was stabbed in the chest with a tree branch by the logger who was trying to cut down the tree that raised him. After being wounded, he met Ren, his only human friend, who played with him and became his best friend. Neither Treeson nor Ren were very popular with the local kids, but they kept each other company and tried to save the trees in the city from being cut down by humans that wanted to put up more buildings.

SR:
What is Treeson’s favourite food?

Bubi:
Treeson loves green food, such as vegetable, grass, leaf, fruits and dessert.

SR:
What are Treeson’s hopes and ideals?

Bubi:
Treeson hopes to tell the world the importance of protecting our nature and to spread love among us.

SR:
What is Treesons proudest moment thus far?

Bubi:
Treeson proudest moment is having his first exhibition with many great talented illustrators from all over the world on his 2 years old birthday.

SR:
What’s in the future for Treeson?

Bubi:
There will be different versions of Treeson vinyl figures coming out and also his friends such as newspaper boy, circleboy, Ren, etc. are to be produced as vinyl figures. Besides that, there may be tee, bag. etc. with Treeson printed on it.

SR:
What do YOU think makes a great character design?

Bubi:
The uniqueness. The unique characteristics of the character which give a special impression to other, and i think the tree branch stem out from the heart of Treeson and the fluffy outlook make Treeson a unique character.

Story background. This is something i insist to develop a story and background for my character, coz the story and background help to tell people the personality of the character.

Message or mission. It would be great if your character has a mission or message behind its story and background, it let people who share the same thought and make use of the character to help spread the message, such as the green message by treeson.

Special element. Use Treeson as an example, he always with a warm smile on his face but when u look at his chest where a tree branch stem out from his heart, u would feel for him, and have a question in mind, “What happen to him?”, this arouse the curiosity of those who want to know more about him.

SR:
Picachu or Peanuts?

Bubi:
Peanuts for sure

Links:
Milkjar.com
CrazyLabel
Treeson’s Flickr Page

Did you know: You can get a Treeson USB Flash Drive by Mimobot (below)!? I did a search, and I discovered that you can still buy them at Poketo!

Contest: Win a very special original piece of art featuring Treeson by Bubi Au Yeung. Press here!!

Marissa Nadler’s haunting voice dregs up ravens and lost gardens. Here is a little glimpse of her, lost in another time, singing out to us from her “Mexican Summer.”

At the store we are swimming in springy things, but this beautifully beaded Hazel blouse ($97)  jumped out at me. It felt so antique, so special, and it reminded me of Marissa immediately.  Pair it with some dainty, yet stunning earrings (Made by Joti, $40), a birdy journal (Poketo, $9), and you are ready to sit in your own secret garden and pen the lyrics to your latest meandering songs!

I was attempting the american version of what we italians call “the struscio” (a slow walk with no direction with a friend on a crowded main street) here in Seattle, when we decided to take a look at the stuff on sale at a well know second hand clothing store. I was going through some unexpensive sweaters and then i saw sitting in a corner by itself something that looked like a Louis Vuitton monogram top handle handbag. Price: 35 dollars. Ready to go. Everything was there, the marked leather tag claiming the “made in Paris” status, the monogram (at least it was it and not some of the hilarious variations on it) and anything else. I admitted that I didn’t have the tools to recognize a replica from the original and I’m willing to look deeper into that. I wanted to ask the girls but i believed they didn’t know either so i convinced myself that you own an original and you sell it you are either desperate for money, you’re crazy, or just very rich. So i realized the obvious. Yes, of course its a fake.  What was I thinking? Every fashionista wannabe apparenlty owns a Vuitton Bag. The Vuitton monogram can probably compete in the “replica war” only with the Lagerfield’s double C Chanel logo. An army of high-heeled ladies with the status bag dangling from their hands. Some of them can afford the real thing, some of them can’t. But no one will stop them and try to spot the difference. They play “I’m some one that I’m not” game. Maybe it’s what at the end of the day fashion is all about, a game of masks, a game of identities. But i do believe that in the case of these attempted luxury items is just the sad masquerade of the regular people aiming to be vip and get some kind of glamorous aura and attentions standing out as special in the crowd. But the more interesting question that this lousy Vuitton was arising (by the way, behind the counter there was a Chloe bag  marked for 650 bucks so it does make sense) was another. Replica production is clearly different from plagiarism. I can’t live with both, i just can’t stand creativity-theft, but if designer replica handbags – as also claimed by journalist Roberto Saviano in the book “Gomorrah” in his analysis of the market of the fake – use the same materials, the same details, the same designs, what justify the price difference in some cases (Prada, Hermes, Gucci..) of thousands of dollars? Can be the approval of the Maison enough? Is it the advertising? The distribution channel? On each one of the designer handbags replica websites you can put your hands on -let’s say- a Louis Vuitton Monogram Vernis for 185$ that has “the look, color and feel of the authentic”. Some of you could say that is not that far from burning a copy of a record from the original of a friend or buy it from a street vendor, or photocopying books but i believe that there’s something that makes the market of the designer knock-offs more interesting. In purchasing a fashion item as a prosthesis of your body that is just a copy of something that you can’t really afford, there’s something else involved: you’re trying to buy your ticket for a world of luxury and exclusiveness you don’t belong to. Portraiting a glamour that money reserve to few privileged people. It’s the extreme democratisation of luxury goods. You can choose to be part of it or not. What pushes people that can afford the “real thing” to choose that instead of a replica? Or viceversa? My friend Alessandra, while we were still staring at the 35 dollars Vuitton bag analyzing all the possible Warholian questions on what is real and what is fake in the golden age of reproduction, suggested that maybe, in the end, it’s knowing that what you’re getting is the original to make the difference and, last but not least, the “overall experience” of going to the exclusive store, being part of the brand transmitted values it’s a pleasure of the senses, a moment frozen in time in which you’re buying something special and everlasting for yourself, something that you don’t actually need but that you (really) want. Rich people though can actually defeat this pleasure too. When everything is affordable and accessible, a luxury good looses its power so much that real or fake can not really make the difference on the image the famous person is sending out to the world.

We left the Vuitton bag there. I’m sure someone will find her a loving home.

“Someone once sent Louis Vuitton the cover of a British magazine featuring Victoria Beckham with a Vuitton Bag that was patently fake, upon whoch the company immediately sent her one of its bag with the comment that they thought ’she should have a real one’. ” (Karin Schacknat, “The Magic of The Image” in “Fashion & Accessories”, ArtEZ Press).

Image: Poketo Fake Bag, 3in1 Bag. It visualizes and satirize the current era by combining the Louis Vuitton brand and graphic image of FAKE. Through this project, the artist critiques idolization of brand names and prevalence of knock-offs. Featured at the London’s 100% Design. Available at Poketo for 80$