Oni Baba (Blue Demon)

Self-produced art toys are designer collectibles created and manufactured independently by the artist or small teams without the backing of a large toy company or mass-market brand. These toys are often highly personal, artistic expressions and are usually made in limited runs. Key Characteristics include independent creation where the artist is in control of the entire process from concept, sculpting, and painting to production and packaging. These are usually made in small batches, often 10–100 pieces, which adds to their rarity, made using materials like resin, sofubi (Japanese soft vinyl), or 3D-printed components. My love affair with toys stared at an early age. As a child I collected and played with the traditional 80’s mass market action figures but as I grew older I began to realize the unique beauty that these “toys” possessed. In high school I could be found skipping class to hang out in the aisles of ToysR’us waiting for the new shipment of figures to come bursting out of their cardboard coffins. In 2002 on an extended visit to Japan I discovered the world of designer vinyl and art toys. Since then I have become an avid collector and customizer of unique 3D art figures …. as well as the mass produced action figures of my childhood. Currently living in San Francisco, I spend most of my free time collecting and creating one of a kind toy art for pleasure and for SF's own Blamo Toys.