It was so inspiring visiting the Broad Contemporary collection at LACMA yesterday. There are pieces we’ve seen many times, but, for some reason, I found myself snapping away, getting excited all over again. Maybe it’s the time of year, the symbolic time of renewal as we head into the new year, the idea of new things to come, and fresh starts.

Something we’ve been doing a lot of this year is going to the museums, becoming members, and supporting the arts. Museums like LACMA are established, but, these institutions, along with independent galleries need our support to survive. We can support through memberships, donations, attending a special event, checking out an exhibition, telling friends and spreading news. Supporting and contributing to the arts and creative culture continues to be a mission for us in 2012. This doesn’t just mean becoming a member of your local museum, but, it’s also about patronizing creative, independent business’, buying works from your favorite artist, attending a gallery show, going to a music show and buying the record. After all, the artists, makers, designers, collectors, enthusiasts, the fans… we are all the same, we all need each other, without one, there is not the other.

The very photogenic, “Urban Light” by Chris Burden.

Larger than life sculptures by Robert Therrien.

Andy Warhol… need I say more?

Our friend and artist Miki Amano is out here visiting us. She’s an inspiration alone.

Jeff Koons is part of the permanent collection at the Broad Contemporary wing of LACMA.

One of the current exhibitions at LACMA, Glenn Ligon.

One of forefathers and pioneers of experimental video arts, Nam June Paik.

The famous Tomato Soup can, Andy Warhol.

Actually, full of ideas… John Baldessari.

Below is one of the most exciting, fun kinetic sculptures at LACMA called “Metropolis II” by Chris Burden. Certain times of the day, the metropolis is in motion… hundreds of toy cars and trains move through the city guided by magnets and gravity. Check LACMA’s site for times, you don’t want to miss it. It was a kids dream come true. Amazing.

See her bracelets on Poketo.
More of Tanya Aguiniga at Aguinigadesign.com.

Our good friend and long time Poketo collaborator Heisuke Kitazawa (PCP) will be exhibiting new work at GR2, Los Angeles. You’ve seen Heisuke’s work here on Poketo for years now, we’ve collaborated on tons of products, artshows, you name it, we’ve done it. Heisuke sent us a few preview images from pieces you’ll see at the show. As always, fantastic and mind blowing.

We had dinner the other night and he was telling me about all of the new work, the frames he was custom building, the pieces he was still inking up until yesterday, the posters he was getting made, the pins he had for the show…. all of this over Korean BBQ…It was a good night. Heisuke Kitazawa at GR2, Saturday, July 30, 2011. Here are the details.

Starting this month, we’re releasing a limited-edition set of artist postcards with every order you place. No, there is nothing special you need to do to get it. It’ll come with every package we send out to. The best part? We change it up every month.

This is our July postcard by one of our upcoming featured artists. Want to guess whose work this is? We won’t tell (at least, not yet)

It looks great with a package.

It’s even better on your refrigerator.

We’ve also gotten a lot of Poketo orders meant as gifts, so we’ve designed a special gift tag for you. We have mean gift-wrapping skills but we think this will make every package even more special.

1. It just looks so cool.
Don’t you just love the old school analog look and feel of the camera but it’s so much more than that.

2. Sprocket Rocket shoots beautiful panoramic.
You want to shoot a city scape or a group shot with a bunch of your friends? No problem. Sprocket Rocket shoots beautiful panoramic pictures. No need for shooting multiple shots and putting them together!

3. Doing multiple exposure and long exposure has never been this easy:
With the Sprocket Rocket’s dual winding knobs you can travel through time by simply moving backwards and forwards through your frames. Try combining different pictures to remix your memories!

Sprocket Rocket comes with a B-setting which enables long length exposures. Make sure that your camera is perfectly still. You might want to use a flat surface. Open that shutter for as long as you want! Try light painting or shoot night scenes of moving cars. The possibilities are endless.

4. You can shoot with all kinds of 35mm film: color negatives, slide, black & white, redscale

5. Okay. I love it but what are sprocket holes and why are they so cool?
The sprocket holes are the small rectangular perforations on 35mm film, located on each edge of the film. They are used to guide the film through the camera from its canister. With the Sprocket Rocket you can get the most out of your film by exposing the image by extending past the sprocket holes!

Now, what are you waiting for? Get out there and make memories!