“My studio is in our apartment in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. It takes up the small 2nd bedroom. It gets the morning sun but has no view. The building next door is a small 2 story church which blocks the view but lets in light to my drawing desk. My studio is 6×10 feet cozy. My favorite things in my studio are: my French bulldog, 30 capacity sheet paper shredder, Depeche Mode screen prints, Japanese wood block prints, Cory Feldman autograph– naturally.”

Aaron Meshon is an illustrator and designer. His work can be seen all over the world. When he’s not soaking in hot springs in rural Japan he lives and works in New York City. His days start by walking his French Bulldog Chubu to the bagel shop, and are filled with friends, softball, Kikimoto and his biggest inspiration – his wife, Ayako. Someday Aaron hopes that he and Kikimoto can operate a fleet of restored sweet potato trucks to share their love across the globe.

FROM YOUR DESKS: Let’s talk about the launch, laborious process and evolution of Kikimoto. How did it evolve?

AARON MESHON: Thanks for noticing the “laborious” part of it!  Kikimoto started long before it really started–last January. I’ve been illustrating for 15 years professionally and always wanted to make products and art for the masses. My favorite artist growing up was Keith Haring. I loved his Pop Shop in New York. I would travel from my Pennsylvania hometown to see what new poster or tee I could buy for $20. It was so cool, fresh and inspiring. I wanted to work for magazines and print and create things with a shelf life–like all the cool sheets and toys I had when I was a kid. I really want to be a part of that now.

I was lucky to get involved with children’s toys and puzzles and such with a great company called Crocodile Creek.  My partner’s daughter saw my Kidrobot zipper pull series. She suggested to her dad, that (Kid Robot) call me. Mark and I really hit it off and with massive help from my wife, Ayako and other partner Troy. We decided to launch a solid line of humorous, sturdy and illustrative bags.We decided to launch a solid line of humorous, sturdy and illustrative bags.

The past year (and thousands of hours of work later) we have our first season’s launch. I’m amazed and happy the labor of love has evolved so fast. We’re getting orders from stores across the US and will be in Germany and Japan in the early spring! It’s still evolving and we’ll see where it takes us. As we grow, we might open a store in Japan as we travel there often. My dream is to have a small Japanese sweet potato delivery truck and sell our goods outside in Tokyo and Nagoya!

My dream is to have a small Japanese sweet potato delivery truck and sell our goods outside in Tokyo and Nagoya!

FYD: How did “Dugout Dunny” come about?  Do you love Don Mattingly?

AM: I do indeed love the Yankees but it was forbidden to be a jock in Art School. Let’s say my obsession with the number 23 came way before that movie with Jim Carrey. When I was at camp (age 10), one of our counselors told us a story to scare us in the woods. He asked my Dad’s birthday; I said the 23rd of January…he asked what time…11 pm …( 23rd hour)…the date…July 23…how much dinner was tonight…we had 2 pizzas…it was 23 dollars and change. We were freaking out. For the rest of my life since then everything has been 23. Did Mattingly know this story as well?  I also wear 23 on our softball team “The Pigeons.”

I did sketches for the Dunny for Kidrobot a few years back. Their attention to perfection and detail blows my mind. I love working with them. I also wanted to make a tribute to our softball team…we’re getting old and can’t play so hot anymore.

I love making maps. When I was a kid I would stare at road maps while eating cereal in the morning…

FYD: You rock a great map series. Where would you go on a week roadtrip?

AM: I love making maps. When I was a kid I would stare at road maps while eating cereal in the morning.

A week to go on a roadtrip…

1. North America: start in Vancouver, Canada …down through Seattle and Portland…around the Olympic Peninsula… then over through Utah and across the Rockies to Boulder. Sorry East of the Mississippi!

2. Japan: From Nagoya up to Takayama in the Japanese Alps and just go so slow to the Sea of Japan. Back around through Nagano and then to Tokyo and north to Sapporo. I think tolls would cost about $800 but the cheap convenience store fried chicken will make up for it.

Tis’ the gifting season. If you could pick three pieces from your new Kikimoto collection; what would you buy? Since we only have eleven it is not too hard!  I would choose the School and Bus Daypack in White so I can blend in with the snow (Colorado snow NOT NYC grey snow), The Pop Messenger Bag in Canvas, and the Small Truck Schoolpack for my laptop and French Bulldog supplies!

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