Recap: Toys, Art Zine, and Christmas Shows
The end of 2015 was a fantastic mix of new art, new people, and new experiences! Last year was the best year of Sotare yet and I’m optimistic about what the future may hold.
TOYS
Making resin and paper toys is a lot of fun. At Uprise Fest this fall, we ran out of paper toys! It’s humbling and exciting to think of people buying little paper sculptures I’ve created and displaying them in their homes, rooms, and offices.
In November I released a new color way of Akumu.
The smiling green monster went a little bit darker this time as a ‘blackout’ version. I really like the way that he looks like something from an old 1930′s black and white cartoon.
It was fun to paint him differently and switch things up. You can get your resin toy in the shop!
ART ZINE
For Christmas I wanted to do something special for some of my Instagram fans. It’s crazy to think that through an app on a smart phone we are able to connect with each other over our shared love of things like skateboarding, art, stickers, graffiti, and clothes. For me personally, Instagram can be a lot of fun- so I wanted to thank my Instagram followers for spending time connecting with me. This gave birth to the first Sotare Art Zine.
The art zine is a 16 page, full color, mini-magazine showcasing artwork, photos, and digital colorings. Only a few people were able to get their hands on this guy, as I limited this giveaway to five pieces.
I also included some stickers in the giveaway, some of which are unrelated to Sotare, but from my personal, non-branded, art. It was a blast to make and the cover turned out looking really sweet. These will be made available for purchase soon!
CHRISTMAS SHOWS
I was fortunate to be able to participate in the Downtown Movement‘s Holiday Pop-Up Shop event. I love the opportunity to share my art and creations with people in my own hometown, a chance that comes seldom. On December 11th and 12th we took over the downtown square and turned one of the storefronts into an artist market. The space was previously used by a jewelry store, so there were lots of glass displays and different cases which helped display artwork and creations in a really cool way. I was given my own room, which turned into a mini shop. Lots of people were buying shirts, stickers, and posters. It was awesome!
The following weekend I traveled down to Baltimore to be a part of the Charm City Flea‘s Holiday Market. Arriving at 8:30 AM at the church I hurriedly unpacked my car. We had a little over an hour to set up our booths before customers arrived. It was a challenge, but I flew through set-up and was ready to go with time to spare. The day was a fun mix of meeting new people, connecting with awesome artists, and selling art to cool locals.
As I move into 2016 I’m excited to be able to meet more people, do more events, and make more art!
Leaping forward,
Adrian Black
Artist // Designer // Owner