When Angie Myung and Ted Vadakan commissioned a handful of their artist friends to create original work for a collection of affordable wallets as part of an exhibition back in 2003, they didn’t know the concept – originally intended to support their local creative community – would become a catalyst for significant change within the larger art industry. “We were throwing art shows in San Francisco for our circle of friends but none of us could afford to buy art and no one was making money from doing their art,” says Angie Myung co-founder of poketo.com (with Vadakan). “So we decided to try something new- showing wallets with accompanying wall art…and the wallets became an instant hit.”
Poketo has become a collaborative marketplace for hundreds of up-and-coming and established artists to create affordable, limited-edition products- wallets, t-shirts, home wares and paper goods-that double as objects de art “for everyday.” Poketo allows anyone, anywhere to enjoy and celebrate original art at reasonable prices- increasing the accessibility and reach of the work. “We’ve believed from the very start that art should be affordable,” says Myung.“You shouldn’t have to have a lot of money to have access to beautiful artwork, and we’ve applied that concept to everything.” The up and coming artists have benefited from their designs populating countless back pockets- many Poketo artists have gone on to land notable gigs with other companies and brands.
Lisa Congdon, a San Francisco-based fine artist-turned-illustrator attributes some of her burgeoning success to her early collaborations with Poketo. “I think any time your work is on products that are in the marketplace, it definitely opens up your work to a wider audience,” she says. “[Angie and Ted] were sort of instrumental in helping me launch my illustration career.”
Poketo promotes awareness of the arts, but also drives social change through art. Myung and Vadakan partnered with 826, the national nonprofit tutoring, writing, and publishing organization co-founded by writer David Eggers. “A few years ago, we made wallets where we invited a handful of amazingly talented LA-based artists to create artwork around stories written by some of the kids in the program,” said Myung.”The final result featured the artists’ illustrations on the front and the kids’ stories on the inside.” That project raised funds for 826LA and cemented the relationship that has since inspired musician, Neko Case – an enthusiastic fan of Poketo products- to design a pair of Poketo t-shirts to benefit the innovative programs of 826.
Myung and Vadakan have discerning curatorial skills and keen eyes for talent, and Poketo has emerged as a destination for inspired design and creative innovation. Despite their success and growing currency in the art and design world, Poketo’s mission remains simple- to connect the masses with the kinds of everyday artwork they will simply and seamlessly incorporate into their lives. “You shouldn’t buy art work because you think that someday the artist is going to blow up,” says Myung. “You should buy art because you like it. There’s no point in buying something and then locking it up in storage– you should live with it and enjoy it every day.”
