Gary Ham Interview

Hello it's +Daniel Herrera Marmolejo again,

This time I bring you an interview I had the honor to make to one of my favorite artists, also the first one to have a production Android (besides +Andrew Bell of course), the one and only +Gary Ham.

On this interview we to talked about his involvement with the Android Collectibles but also about his other toys and projects to come. So, lets begin!

D: Hello Gary!
First congratulations on winning your 2nd Designer Toys Award, two years ago you won your first with Hermees, and now you won with Wooper Looper, how do you feel?
G: Thanks. It's a nice feeling to know that my toys are appreciated by collectors and a panel of very well respected peers.

D: Give us a little introduction about yourself
G: Father, husband, toy designer, Geppetto wannabe, identical twin, dog owner, Arizona.

D: Most of your toys have been self produced, how did you start in producing your own toys?
G: I have been a toy collector since 1995 and in 2007 I got the itch to start designing my own toys. At the time I had never done toy design before nor was my art recognized so I knew no one was going to offer to help produce it for me. I did a bit of research and discovered my dreams of having a toy of my own design was a very real possibility through self production. I took the financial gamble and went about producing my first vinyl toy, Carrot Shake Jake. The following year was Hermees, then Wooper Looper and a couple months later the Monster Toytem.

D: Of all your toys, not including androids which one do you think has been the most popular?
G: Hmmmmmm....they all did well, but I think Wooper Looper appealed to a broader audience for some reason.

D: It looks like your favorite medium is wood, is it? Hermees, the Toytems, the Sucklords, a lot of customs, your sentimentrees pieces.
G: Definitely. Love working with wood. Easy to work with and smells good.

D: I have seen photos of your workshop and looks really complete, nice and dusty. What's your favorite tool on the shop? Do you have a favorite brand of tools?
G: The bandsaw is my favorite and the most used by far. No favorite brands. I go by reviews and what is affordable for how much the tool will be used.

D: Have you ever done some furniture for your house?
G: I have built several furniture items for the home. The office has a build in desk and shelving unit.

D: Have you ever had an injury while in the workshop?
G: Just one. I sawed the tip of my finger on the bandsaw and required several stitches. Always know where your appendages are kids. 

D: Which would you consider your second favorite medium to work on?
G: Paper for sketching. 

D: What do you think about 3D printing? Do you ever considered to start a new toy using the 3D printing process? Do you see it changing things in the future
G: I think 3d printing is great. I used it for Carrot Shake Jake.
3D printing has changed the toy industry a lot and will continue to play a big role in the future.

D: Let's talk about Androids... You were the first artist besides Andrew to design a Android Mini, How it happened? How you meet him, how was the process?
G: I first met Andrew at New York Comic Con in 2009 and later that year was asked if I would like to submit designs for a new project. This was before series one came out so I wasn't familiar with the toy, but knew of the Android mascot.

The process was laid back and Andrew was encouraging with his feedback. Initially we used Google Wave to share our designs and discuss.

D: What do you feel when you knew your design was selected?
G: Learning that one of my designs was selected was exciting. It was my first time being a part of a blind box series and the best part. . . I didn't have to produce it. :)

D: Looking at your Android Trickertreat looks very similar to your Pumpkinhead Letterpress, did it serve as inspiration to make this design?
G: I am sure it was. I submitted the design shortly after the letterpress. I am a big fan of vintage Halloween, so Trickertreat and the box design is a reflection of that.
Editor note: Some still available on the Circus Posterus Store 

D: This Android Series 4, you didn't have any design, did you submit any design for this series? If you did, can you show us some of your discarded designs?
G: I did not submit for series 4, but was very happy to see other artists getting the opportunity to design for the Android collectible and think it’s the best series to date. I am not able to show unselected designs because they could one day be used. It is not uncommon for designs to go into production many years after submittal. In fact, the Toy Soldier was my very first submission for Android back in 2009 and the design was later used for the 2011 Special Edition Android.
Editors note (Not before it was made public on an interview for Toys'r'Evil on July 2011) 

D: Now that we are closer to have the 10" Android Collectible, which of your previous designs would you like to see produced on that scale? (I would vote for Flake the snowman).
G: Trickertreat

D: How do you view the Android Collectors community compared to the general Art Toys Collector community? Do you think one as an extension of the other or like two different entities? I know about some people who started collecting Androids and had shifted to collecting Art Toys in general

G: The Android Community shares a common love for one platform and are very passionate about it. When you get into the designer toy community personal taste plays a much larger part because it's such a diverse group with a wide range of styles and mediums. I know several collectors were introduced to the designer toy world from collecting Androids and think that crossover is awesome.

D: Do you feel your carer changed after being a part of the Android Collectibles?

G: I think it helped get my art noticed a bit more for sure.. opened the window a bit.

D: Just recently a doodle and two of your customs you did for SDCC 2011 (Garry Potter and Captain America) went for sale on eBay and sold, or at least appear to sold for a huge amount of money, what do you think about it?

G: ha, well... after thinking about it I think we came to the conclusion that some people in the collecting community became offended by the price, or maybe jealous they couldn't pick them up, that they decided to sabotage the auction by making fake user accounts and taking the auction to a point of ridiculousness. I really don't mind a person flipping their collection for profit so long as at some point they did enjoy and appreciate the pieces. I only have a problem with flippers that do not care about the work and buy something with the sole intention of flipping. As a collector myself, it drives me nuts to miss out on something I really desire to see it ending up in a flippers hands. Now if the item was picked up by a true fan of my work and they later decide to sell it and can get some money for it, I am okay with that for sure. I understand times and tastes change.


D: Let's talk about the future, what do you have in store for us? Any info on new Wooper Loopers? Another toy you are working on?
G: There is a Chauskoskis ( +Walter Jacott ) colorway of Wooper Looper releasing soon and next year we will see Chris Ryniak's take on Wooper Looper in vinyl form. I did a design for the RAAAR platform by DynamightRex that should be releasing next year and have a couple other fun projects I am really excited about in the development stages for next year.

 

D: What was your inspiration for your show Sentimentrees at Stranger Factory? Does having a son, made you remember all those items you enjoyed when you were young?
G: I drew inspiration from childhood memories and all the things I look forward to sharing with my son one day. I thought, how could I make them into toys and the Sentimentrees is what I came up with and couldn’t be happier with how the turned out. It was sad seeing some of them sell because they are so personal to me.

D: Talking about Lukas, how do you feel your toy making process has changed after he was born?
G: Not much different as I have always leaned more towards the simple and cute side of design. I think now I am trying to think of how I can add playability to it rather than just being a toy that sits on a shelf.

D: You have had Hermees and Wooper Looper done in plush, are you interested in doing more plushies? Have you ever been approached by companies like Squishables to do your designs on plush?
G: Designing for plush is a lot of fun and will be doing more in the future. No companies have contacted or approached me for designs.

D: After you won Best custom Munny, I thought I would see one of your designs on Dunnys, but it not happen. Then there was your custom Wooper Looper dunnies what everyone loved and praised, and considered production quality, but still you haven't had you chance on the platform. What do you need you have to do to have your own dunny? Have you had another relationship with Kidrobot apart of their Special colorway of the Monster Toytem?
I have never been approached to submit designs for the Dunny. The designs I had done on their platforms were very well received, but there are hundreds of artists that have done the same that also do not have dunnies.

D: Have you thought of quitting your regular job and live from working on your own art?
G: Sure, I think every artist thinks about that, but I have a family to take care of now and they are my number one priority. The day job takes care of them and affords me the luxury to take some financial risks with toy production. It also allows me to keep my art “fun” by keeping the “work” out of it.

D: How do you see this industry on 5 - 10 years?
G: Not sure. I have been apart of it for 7 years now and there hasn’t been much growth. It is a very small scene and with manufacturing and shipping costs escalating it is hard to predict the direction of small business. If I had to guess, I think in ten years we might see less mass produced items with a focus on small self produced items.

D: How do you see you in the next 5 - 10 years?
G: I see myself enjoying family and continuing to make things I enjoy.

D: Thanks Gary, any closing comment?
G: Getting the opportunity to design for the Android Collectibles is one of the highlights of my toy life and the support and kindness Andrew and the Android Community has shown me has been overwhelmingly amazing. THANK YOU ALL!

If you like to know more of Gary Ham, you can follow him on the social networks.
Google+: +Gary Ham
Twitter: @GaryGepetto
Instagram: GaryHam
Blog: ttp://haminals.blogspot.com/
You can also go and buy something at his store: SuperHam.com

And read one of the previous interview he has given:
2011 Toys'rEvil Interview
2011 Urban Vinyl Daily Interview
2012 Circus Posperus Interview
2013 Clutter Magazine Interview