Appealing Companion

Los Angeles based artist Josh Mayhem's lifelong habit of collecting children's playthings has fueled his passion for transforming said toys into objects d'art. Among his best-known pieces are those constituting his “Blown Away” series, in which mass-produced forms are covered in strands of resin and layers of acrylic paint to create gravity-defying drips that give the impression of the work being deconstructed by a strong wind. The popularity of this aesthetic has led to Mayhem winning the Custom of the Year (Fan) award at the 2019 Designer Toys Awards, multiple releases with the many of the worlds top designer toy artists and producers, participating in TRASHed: Art of Recycling at Coachella Festival, and solo exhibitions at Clutter Gallery in Beacon NY, Bruce Lurie Gallery in Los Angeles CA (as well as an artist residency) , PIQ Grand Central Terminal in NYC, and The Crown Collection Gallery in both Denver and Los Angeles. In the process of creating his coveted sculptural works, Josh Mayhem uses gallery-quality canvases as drop cloths. As each becomes decorated with an accumulation of colorful drips, patterns begin to emerge in the artist's mind. Augmenting each one with coatings of synthetic resin and additional paint splashes, these works KAWS’ Companion is one of the most iconic figures created by the artist Brian Donnelly, known as KAWS. The Companion character features a cartoon-like figure with a skull-shaped head, crossed-out eyes, and gloved hands, resembling classic animation characters but with a distinct melancholic and introspective expression. Since its debut in the late 1990s, Companion has been released in various forms, including vinyl toys, large-scale sculptures, and limited-edition collaborations. The character is often depicted in different poses, such as covering its face in distress, reclining, floating, or standing tall, reflecting themes of isolation, vulnerability, and contemplation. Strangecat Toys is a designer toy store based in Tampa, Florida, specializing in urban vinyl toys, art toys, customs, plush toys, and more. Owned and operated by a husband and wife team, the store offers a curated selection of collectibles from both established and emerging artists. The physical store is located at 4338 S Manhattan Ave, Tampa, Florida 33611