450 - The Collection with Huck Gee - Part 9: John Wee Tom

After covering the viewpoint of the artist and the vendor, Huck Gee and Mark Brickey take on the final and quite possibly most complex component in the designer toy world, The Collector. Hailing from all different cultures and backgrounds, the common bond of collectors is their passion for vinyl and the worlds created around them. In the ninth installment of The Collection, Mark and Huck sit down with John Wee Tom, who has been involved with collecting, commissioning, and even exhibiting designer toys by helping bring This Is Not A Toy to life in Toronto. Through this interview we learn about the passion behind collecting and the inner workings of what sparks interest in the mind of an articulate and cultured person who grasps the importance of art and its accessibility to the people. John Wee Tom brings a voice to the most vital aspect of the entire designer toy industry and sheds some light on the drive to buy, sell, and research a corner of the art world that is still in its infancy.

Talking Points

  • Living your dream doesn't always mean fortune and fame.
  • The role of the collector in the designer toy world.
  • Email etiquette and getting back to school.
  • Plotting out DCon extras.
  • Designing with purpose and nesting meaning into your work.
  • Books and blanks are on the way.
  • Production decisions with Two Petal Rose.
  • The pros and cons of collaborating and where the true value in the project is.
  • Car Talk with Mark and Huck.
  • The importance of supporting your audience.
  • The Magic Pony, I Am Plastic, and the AT-AT that started it all.
  • Commissioning Hick and the genesis of This Is Not A Toy.
  • Bringing attention to a struggling institution.
  • Having fun with art, design, and commerce.
  • Discovering mysteries in life and hoping to always uncover more.
  • Engaging your audience in an approachable and inspirational manner.
  • Missing the vision of a culture.
  • What is keeping the designer toy world form being recognized in the art community?
  • Keeping art affordable and pricing homes.
  • A peek into the real world of a collector.
  • The creatives worst enemy.
  • The $200,000 Project is unveiled.
  • Google: Jizai Okimono
  • What makes a collector want to buy a piece.
  • The rush in curating and budgeting for collecting.
  • Understanding the consumer.
  • The Kid Robot Toy World and other options for sustainability.
The CollectionDavid DefeoThe Collection, Huck Gee, John Wee Tom, Designer Toys, This Is Not A Toy3 Comments