Tyler Poncho Interview

Say hello to Kaeti, maker behind, Tyler Poncho Toys!

What is your favorite part about working in this medium?

I love playing with completed toys. I can't interact with a painting in a similar fun way by making it dance around the room.

What is your background?

I grew up in Wisconsin as the youngest sibling. I was given many hand-me-down stuffed animals from various people growing up, also collecting many as gifts until I had over one hundred, naming all of them. Eventually it was only natural to start making some of my own. I've earned a degree in Graphic Design and Illustration, currently doing some freelance work along with my business, Tyler Poncho Toys. I also love video games, we recently moved to North Carolina so my husband could become a Technical Artist at Epic Games.

Favorite crafty tool?

Rotary Cutter

Favorite fall activity?

Hiking on mysterious looking paths in the woods, canoeing, camping and looking at leaves change colors.

Did you have any inspiration behind the toys you are submitting for Plush You!?

Inspiration for Enneabear: I was originally inspired to make two-headed bears by seeing conjoined humans. I've made a few variations with many more heads and the process of making those pieces was always very fun. So I decided to make a nine-headed bear. Ennea is a prefix the means nine, and is also used to describe the Egyptian pantheon of nine gods known as the Ennead.

Inspiration for Falkoner Henry, PhD: Falkoner is a character in my new series, Plutonian Zoological Society. The characters are either scientists or the specimens they study. Recently I've regained an interest in astronomy and science and thus created this new series. Falkoner was the first creature I imagined for the series. I first pictured him to be significantly larger and huggable, and thought the hollowness would be an interesting aspect for that. At this size it makes him wearable as a bracelet. His many paws enable him to walk in a rotating circular motion, using all legs one after the other. 

Inspiration for King Bobby Snake: Bobby Snake is a creature from Tyler Poncho's Amalgamated Menagerie, Volume Two. I thought a kingly version would be entertaining and amusing to create. I was interested in using more embroidering in his design. He would be the King of the Snakes that live in Bobby's dismal and frightening swamp that is haunted by flying chickens.

http://tylerponcho.com/