There’s nothing like art that just jumps off the page, but what if that art literally did jump right off of the page? Dave Avanzino likes to call his art mixed media paper sculptures and his work is truly unique and original. I’ve never seen anything like Dave’s work and if you have a home tiki bar, his art would feel right at home in it. Here is Dave’s story …
Continue reading “Tiki VIP #43 Dave Avanzino – Mixed Media Paper Sculptures”
It’s not hard to find cocktail how-to videos online. But what if you’re curious about how to work with bamboo or how to renew a rattan chair? Well, I have a show for you. It’s called A Moment of Tiki and the videos are top notch! Jayme Blaschke is the host of this incredible show and I’ll let him take it from here …
Continue reading “Tiki VIP #42 Jayme Blaschke – A Moment Of Tiki (A How-To Tiki Show)”
Kat Reeder is an artist that lives in Honolulu and her artwork makes me want to get on a plane right now and head to Hawaii! Kat is a digital artist, but her work looks like it’s from the 60’s and 70’s. I could totally see Kat’s “vintage-inspired tropical glamour girls” hanging on the walls of a travel agency or in the pages of a magazine. Tiki is escapism, but it can also be a time machine. Kat’s work will take you back to a simpler time. Here is her story …
Continue reading “Tiki VIP #42 Kat Reeder – Tiki Artist from Honolulu”
While browsing through the video choices on Amazon Prime, I stumbled upon a documentary about the tiki scene up in Winnipeg Canada. It’s called Mai-Tais, Toques and Tikis and it is awesome! I loved this documentary so much that I bought it on Amazon immediately. It’s about thirty minutes long and it leaves me wanting more every time I watch it! The man behind this great tiki documentary is Steve Ward. Here’s his story on how Mai-Tais, Toques and Tikis became a reality …
Continue reading “Tiki VIP #41 Steve Ward – Mai-Tais, Toques and Tikis”
I just finished reading Michael Zadoorian’s new book THE NARCISSISM OF SMALL DIFFERENCES and I totally relate to the characters. Joe, one of the main characters in the book, is a 40 something Gen Xer, no kids, doesn’t want kids, into old stuff and hangs out in tiki bars. This would describe me as well. I hope to meet Michael in person someday, but I already feel like I know him. I know where he’s coming from. Here is Michael Zadoorian’s story …
Continue reading “Tiki VIP #40 Michael Zadoorian – Author/Detroit Tikiphile”
Tiki is all about escapism and when I look at Marc Atkinson’s paintings I feel like I’m being taken back a couple decades to a time when tiki was dark and mysterious. Marc’s paintings feel like something that could have been found on a wall in a dark tiki bar back in the sixties. Here is Marc’s story…
It took me a while, but I finally made it to TikiCat in Kansas City! I knew the place looked awesome from all the pictures I’ve seen online, but how are the drinks? In one word: Incredible! The tiki mixologist behind the bar during my visit was Tiki-D. She has serious drink making skills and I knew I needed to make her a Tiki VIP! Here is Tiki-D’s story …
There are ukuleles and then there’s Moore Ukuleles!
As a guitar player, I’ve always had a love for the six-stringed instrument that I hung down in front of me. Not only is a guitar an instrument, but it’s also functional art. A guitar can sound good and look even better! Howard Moore III makes Ukuleles and I don’t know if they should be played or hung up on the wall, because they are so beautiful! Oh, and Howard also carves Tikis. Here is his story …
Continue reading “Tiki VIP #38 Howard Moore III – Moore Ukuleles and Tiki Carver”
Danielle Mann is a tiki mug maker from Brisbane Australia and her work is truly incredible!
The name of her company is Black Lagoon Designs and she pulls influences from old school tiki bars, mid-century and the female form.
Her plan for the future is world domination! I think it’s safe to say that she already conquered the tiki scene in Australia. Watch out USA, you’re next!
Here is Danielle’s story …
Continue reading “Tiki VIP #37 Danielle Mann – Black Lagoon Designs (Tiki Mug Maker From Australia)”
Graffiti and Tiki, what a combination! Bobby Doran’s art, Graffitiki, combines elements of tiki with graffiti and a little bit of nostalgia thrown in for good measure. What makes Bobby’s art so special is that it pulls from the past, yet is still firmly planted in the present day. I could totally see Graffitiki painted on the sides of buildings just like Banksy work, but it’s tiki! Here is Bobby Doran’s story …
