ToyCyte: Toy Culture Collected

ReVisions/SF is an unusual collab between Los Angeles’ Eco-LogicalART Gallery, CBS Outdoor and Clear Channel. The “drive-by” public art project features nine 14′x48′ billboards across the San Francisco Bay Area made possible by a grant from the Vinyl Institute, free “hosting” from the billboard owners (which costs up to $40K per month) and some “de-vinyl inspiration.”

It began with a bang: In 2004, Peter Schulberg was working in his studio underneath what, at the time, was an unattractive billboard. He heard a thump and went outside to see a bundle of vinyl that had been thrown down from the billboard. When he inquired about where the fallen vinyl went, he learned that tons of billboard advertising is tossed into landfills monthly.

So he began experimenting with applying paint to the vinyl and invented a stretching process so that the material could be used as canvases. He then placed notices on art newsgroups offering free canvases and exposure on the exterior of his gallery. The response was overwhelming: more than 60 artists have painted on the old billboards, thousands of people see the new billboards each month and more than 20,000 square feet of vinyl has been diverted from local landfills.

Schulberg described the inadvertent installation of one of the first billboards on his blog:

A few days ago I saw the Van Wagner billboard installation guys taking the one off the other side of the board that’s above the gallery. I assumed they were here also to put the art piece up. Turns out they weren’t but I was convincing, which got someone yelled at. I felt terrible but… take a look. First they took down the Fantastic 4 vinyl– which was actually a pretty cool image. Then Kim, Leebs and Dawn started going up….And in about 30 minutes is was actually up there…

Leebs happens to be Lee Ann Goya, a California artist whose Muchas ‘n’ Poquitos characters are currently part of a triptych at the intersection of University and San Pablo Avenues in Berkeley, CA. Leebs first heard about Schulberg’s concept via the Awesomeartists listserve. Said Leebs, “What caught my interest in submitting was the ecological idea behind the project. It forced me to take a look at our society and how we directly affect the earth. It challenged me to see other ways in which I can creatively recycle things.”

She began painting with a 4’x4’ square of vinyl from the backside of a billboard and gradually progressed up to 14’x48’. “What’s funny about seeing the billboards up close is that the printed image on it is LARGE! I mean, it’s like someone’s eye could be the size of your head!”

Leebs’ billboard is in a location I pass through frequently. Indeed, it’s one of the busier intersections in Berkeley. I got in touch to find out more about the process.

TOYCYTE: In 2003, you did a painting called Muchas (Big) Poquitos. It was 5.5’ x 6.5’. What were the challenges of working on a 14′x48′ piece?

LEEBS: Physically it’s demanding. There I was standing on a 16’ ladder twisting and turning, painting different areas of the vinyl. I remember spending about 6 hours painting one day and coming home feeling like my back was ready to break. That’s when I decided to paint only between 3-4 hours a day. I think it took me a total of 15-20 hours to finish the billboard. Good thing for a projector which allowed me to trace out my image first. After that, I used rollers with extensions, large brushes and lots of paint.

TOYCYTE: Did vertigo, paintfumes or sheer awe lead to any revelations?

LEEBS: What’s interesting about painting up close is that I became unaware of the size of the billboard, so it didn’t seem as big. Upon completion of my 14’ x 48,’ it was amazing to see Poquitos and the two other new characters so large! I remember saying to myself, “this is it, this is the one.” The characters were bigger than life and for the first time bigger than me. It really felt different, as if they’d come to life. I would have to say the 14’ x 48’ size conquered my fear of painting large.

TOYCYTE: “Chillin’” features Poquitos, half of your duo Muchas ‘n Poquitos. Where’s Muchas???

LEEBS: This is kind of a sore issue with Muchas. It (Muchas is unisex) wanted to be on the billboard but its head was too long and it didn’t fit nicely in the 10′x13’ dimensions. And Poquitos is a little bit more chilled than Muchas, who at times can be mischievous and loud!

TOYCYTE: I see that you do 3D work in clay, acrylic, papier mache and other mixed media. Do you have any plans to produce either a mass or limited line of sculptures or toys?

LEEBS: Currently I don’t have any plans to produce a limited line, but would love to in the future. There are so many things I want to do, like short animations, crayon paintings, and these days I am excited about creating more child size 3D papier mache creatures. These creatures are the friends of M&P who have been appearing in my recent paintings. It’s quite endless, and finding the time is of the essence.

TOYCYTE: We always ask this question: Do you collect anything?

LEEBS: Do I collect anything? At the moment it seems to be the lint coming from my dryer. When I had more space, I collected wind-up toys, matchbooks, bottles with cool labels, and design magazines. Now that I have a cozy studio, simplicity is key. I find that working in a clear studio helps the flow of creativity. But don’t get me wrong: I enjoyed working in a room filled with my collections. They were things I liked, and it’s good to have things you like surrounding you.

I did collect the Gary Baseman dunce series when they first came out, but soon I realized that this could be dangerous, especially for someone with an addictive nature who was strapped for cash. So now I drool over vinyl toys through the window glass. Poor me, but rich me for not spending!

Lee Ann “Leebs” Goya continues to work on getting Muchas ’n’ Poquitos out into the public via exhibitions, shows and other venues. I, for one, will miss Poquitos when the billboard is inevitably taken down. Visit her whimsical website (where some of her art is for sale) to keep up with the adventures of Muchas ‘n’ Poquitos.

UPDATE: Leebs just emailed with info about her 14′x48′ billboard at Howard and Van Ness in SF. Here’s an image by Richard Pechner.

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