Poketo welcomes Julia Sonmi Heglund! She is a force to be reckoned with. Her art is grotesque, bizarre, beautiful, but she also loves dogs, likes spaghetti, and has a wedding in the works! In celebration of her newest t-shirt and wallet release, we conducted an interview with her. So take a peek inside the mysterious mind of Julia Heglund!

Can you tell us a little bit about you t-shirt and wallet design?
My t-shirt is a play between real and fake animals, but also is able to utilize geometry and angles, which I love so much, through the interpretation of the paper cranes. Friendship bracelets are so nostalgic and precious, and can also make for fun design elements because of their crazy color schemes and patterns.

A unique characteristic of Madison, Wisconsin that is hard to find elsewhere is ________________.
There’s apparently a taxidermy museum underneath a funeral home here. The Oscar Mayer plant is also here, so it’s not uncommon to see a caravan of weinermobiles during rush hour.

What would your ideal Sunday afternoon consist of?
Fixing a nice dinner that we can enjoy in the sun, and going grocery shopping. I really like grocery shopping with my fiancé. Finding good deals and dreaming about the upcoming week’s meals… (I really like food). Though, once I went to the grocery store and found odd piñata versions of myself, instead.

What is one thing that non-graphic designers/ illustrators should know about your profession?
The amount of money you can make for a piece of art can really vary, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Many of your pieces (i.e. Unseeing, Sherbert Pal, and Axis of Weevil) are grotesquely decapitated in one way or another, but then reveal beautifully colored innards.  Can you explain the themes around these pieces?  What do the bright colors represent?
The first design I did in this style was Sherbert Pal a few years ago. Sometimes I get random imagery in my head that I think might translate well on paper (or on a computer). I thought this combination of rendered imagery versus graphic colored rings ended up working well, so I experimented with it a bit more. Any meaning for the bright colors would be one I’m making up on the spot! It just helps to balance the outside image, and to hopefully create intrigue.

What is one thing you can express through your art that you can’t otherwise?
I guess a side to my sense of humor. I couldn’t really verbally articulate how a mashup of Fred Flintstone and Tweety Bird could be amusing.

Was there a particular piece of creative work from your childhood that you still remember and are proud of?
Absolutely. It’s a drawing of a rabbit parade with rabbits of all trades. I drew it in 1990 (age 7), and very distinctly remember drawing it on my kitchen table during the evening. It ended up making its rounds and being xeroxed and mailed to all our relatives.

A lot of your pieces take us to another world—some grotesque, some bizarre, some too beautiful to exist in real life.  How are all of these environments related to each other, and are they attempts at escaping reality? or confronting it?
It’s sort of confronting it. Showing other ways in which familiar objects can be viewed alone or in conjunction with other objects. I just hope to conjure some response from the viewer, even if it’s usually confusion.

Lastly, are there any upcoming projects in the works that you can share with us?
T-shirts and album art here and there. I’m trying not to invest in too many lengthy projects right now since I have a June 5th wedding to plan!!

Julia and Angie discover they are identical wallets twins at Comic-Con 2008!i

Thanks for the interview Julia! We hope you have a beautiful wedding!

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Check out her Poketo t-shirt and wallet here.
Visit Julia’s official website here.

Photo via IMAKETHINGS

Andrew Groves of IMAKETHINGS has been all over the world and seems to have a deep connection with the natural world. A lot of this is seen in his art, including the newest t-shirt he did with us, “Mountains” but isn’t in a granola, tree-hugger-type way with beiges and browns. Groves’ natural world is fun, super fresh, and grotesque. Check out the interview we did with him this past week!

Tell us a little bit about your t-shirt design.
My design is about spending time in the mountains and the magical things that you see there.

Any projects you have coming up in the near future?
I’m creating work for a group show called ‘Freakshow’ at the moment and for a fun book about beard related things.

Photo via IMAKETHINGS

What kinds of things(if any) can you only express in your art that you can’t otherwise?
The kinds of things I think in my head but that wouldn’t make sense if I tried to tell you about them, the stuff that lives in my imagination.

Photo via IMAKETHINGS

Favorite Spring time activity?
Surfing or walking in the woods.

How has your artwork evolved over the years? What aspects of your art (if any) do you hope to improve upon?
It has become much more simple and flat. I’m also more focused on what I want to achieve with an illustration and from where I get my inspiration. I hope to create more hand made, tactile pieces in the future as well as continuing with my regular work.

If you could have a beer with someone, living or dead, who would it be? What would you want to talk about?
Bushcraft genius Ray Mears. We’d chat about forests, axes and bears.

Photo via IMAKETHINGS

Sexiest font: I generally prefer hand drawn typefaces.
Not-so-sexy font: Any script style font.

Photo via IMAKETHINGS

What is the relationship between geometric shapes, nature, and your art?
You can see geometric shapes and patterns everywhere in nature, particularly when you simplify natural objects which is something I like to do in my illustrations.

First art piece you saw that you were affected by?
Jim Phillips’ skateboard graphics for Santa Cruz.

Biggest celebrity crush as a kid was:
Jet from the UK version of Gladiators.

Thanks for doing the interview Andrew!

You can check out his site here!
And also check out his shirts here!

We were so fortunate to have teamed up with illustrator, Will “Mr. Fancy Pants” Bryant, for his awesome “Cubic World” t-shirts! Get to know him a little bit more, as we talk about his future projects, music that makes him dance, and which artists he finds inspiring!

Photo via Will Bryant and poster available here.

Tell us a little bit about your t-shirt design.
This design was inspired from another cube piece that I made and was originally produced as a poster! For the tshirt we reduced it to a 3 color palette, but it still captures the trippy goofiness of the piece.

Photo via Will Bryant

Any projects you have coming up in the near future?
Oh yes! Things are nuts right now with SXSW. Working on a few identity projects, a book for Chronicle Books, and recently made a cover for GOOD Magazine. I’m really excited to see work released later this year for Nike, Stussy, and Benefit Makeup!

If your art could be displayed anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Michael Jordan’s bathroom would be pretty cool.

Do you and your wife have a song
Yes, Ray LaMontagne – “Shelter”

Photo via Will Bryant

A freakish bodily talent I have is…
I’ve broken my nose 9 times…is that talent? I can also wiggle my ears, have hobbit feet, and beefy thighs.

We hear you like to dance.  What’s the most recent dance song that you’ve had on repeat…
Douster – “King of Africa” gets me moving!

What would you tell 16-year-old Will Bryant?
Start drawing funny stuff now, spend more time with your parents, play even more basketball/football, and don’t worry about Sally. Things will work out, you’re going to date her for a decade before you get married. haha

Stanley Donwood CD Cover for Radiohead’s, Hail to the Thief (2003)

First art piece you were affected by?
All of Stanley Donwood’s artwork for Radiohead. Then Mike Perry’s 2006 guest lecture at Mississippi State was monumental. 

Converse Collaboration. Photo via Will Bryant

What’s one thing you wish art school taught you about your profession?
I would really like to have learned more about the business aspects of graphic design, but honestly this is probably best learned by experience. “They learnt me good”

Most rewarding memory of your career as an artist so far?
Oh my. This is tough. I feel like having this career is one big rewarding memory. It’s remarkable that I’m able to do what I’m doing and that I’m supported by respectable artists, friends, and my family. AMAZING. I am very blessed and grateful. Thanks so much for this opportunity!

Thanks so much for your time “Mr. Fancy Pants“! Can’t wait to see what 2010 has in store for you!

You can also purchase his Cubic world shirt here.

Melissa Contreras is an artist who embodies the feminine spirit, as you will see in the upcoming interview we conducted with her for her recently released Creature Friends II t-shirt. She’s a dreamer, mysterious, strong, beautiful, and spiritual. We always love working with her, and we hope after you read this interview, you will love her too!

Tell us a little bit about your t-shirt design.
Creature Friends II features the sister of the original Creature friends. It’s like morning and night, this is the night, all the creature friends are dreaming as the owl’s and sister friend keep a protective eye out for them.

Photo via Axel Honey (aka Melissa Contreras)

Any projects you have coming up in the near future?
Yes, I am working on a jewelry line. The pieces are inspired by my illustrations. There are lots of owls and other creatures. I start by hand sculpting them in wax, then get them cast, locally, in silver or brass. I’ve been playing with adding stones, too. I will be doing my first jewelry show in June.

Photo via Axel Honey (aka Melissa Contreras)

Photo via Axel Honey (aka Melissa Contreras)

I also illustrated a children’s book, Butterfly’s Circus for the Australian Broadcasting Network. It just got released last month.

What kinds of things (if any) can you only express in your art that you can’t otherwise?
Imagination and confidence.

Photo via Axel Honey (aka Melissa Contreras)

All of your female characters are really beautiful and seem like mysterious forest nymphs.  What are they thinking and feeling?
I always think of them as lonely, almost by choice.  Strong and withdrawn. Observers & fierce protectors.

Photo via Axel Honey (aka Melissa Contreras)

Favorite Spring time activity?
Bike rides to the beach and art openings.

Women are way better at _____ than men.
Multi-tasking.

Photo via Axel Honey (aka Melissa Contreras)

What would you tell 16-year-old Melissa Contreras?
Don’t try so hard, have more fun &  don’t be afraid to dance!

Favorite sound?
The dry crunch of walking on loose gravel and a baby’s uncontrollable laugh.

What would your personal heaven be comprised of?
Fluffy floating sheep and lots of sleep.

First art piece you saw that you were affected by?
One of the first that comes to mine is Klimt’s, The Kiss. I was drawn to the use of geometric patterns, beautiful colors and strong emotion.

Thanks for letting us get to know you on a more intimate level Melissa!

Check out her newly released Poketo shirt here!

Happy Friday!
Early this week we released a new batch of tees. So in response here are a few behind-the-scenes photos from the shoot.

The grown ups

Things got intense….

Poketo family portrait

Enjoy!

SUPERbrand Surf

SUPERbrand Apparel

Our good friends at SUPERbrand are doing amazing and completely new things for surf culture. Founded in 2008, SUPERbrand stands out from the rest in their unique vision of merging skateboard culture and aesthetic to surfing. Come to think of it, there’s definitely a natural cohesion between the two. We’re so happy to be collaborating with Creative Director and friend, Tony Larson, who was in charge of designing SUPERbrand’s newest and freshest apparel line that is currently previewed on their website.

Pretty rad, right?

Also be on the lookout for future collaborations with Tony Larson and Poketo. We’ll keep this a secret for now, but, it’s part of a bigger project that will be huuuuuge!!

If you can’t afford the clothing sold at Opening Ceremony, you can at least appreciate a cute little nouvelle vague film they’ve made starring old time friends, Jason Schwartzman and Kirsten Dunst. I’ve always really liked Kirsten Dunst, mainly for her understated, cool, fashion sense, and was envious of her porcelain skin. But the chemistry between her and Jason Schwartzman was always enjoyable to watch as well.

This short film, which was set to air tomorrow at the newest store at the Ace Hotel in New York for the Spring 2010 line, is titled Non Plus One and was directed by yet another Coppola. This time, Gia, and Tracy Antonopoulos. Consider it a sneak peak! Or cover your eyes and listen to the laid back tunes of Schwartzman’s band, Coconut Records:

The readers of the blog will know how much we adore the singer song-writer, Neko Case. The coolest thing is that our love is mutual. Whenever we come out with new shirts, she’s one of the very first people to order them.

Photo by Matt Parish

About 4 years ago, I remember getting repeated orders from someone named Neko Case. I thought…huh, could this be the same Neko Case? So I emailed her back, “Hi Neko, Thanks so much for your continued support. Just wondering, Is Neko Case your name, like the singer? You probably get that a lot…=)”

To my surprise, she emailed right back and said, “Hi Angie, the shirts I received were so great that I ordered the new ones. ( I’m wearing one right now!!! ) And yes, I get that a lot because I am one in the same. In fact the t-shirts are coming in so handy because I’m on tour and they are so soft and comfy ( I get loads of compliments, and pass on your info…..) and I need a bunch cause I never get to do laundry. So thanks to you folks for keeping me comfy AND sanitary on tour. take care and I’ll keep checking for your new designs”

How cool is that?

Last year, we went to her show at the Greek, and we almost fell when we saw her coming on stage in one of our shirts! Ted had to stop me from screaming.

Photo by KCRW

Well, we’ve got a big surprise for you guys coming your way for those who love Neko Case as much as we do. We’re collaborating on something really cool and awesome together. I can’t wait to share with you all!