Rik

Rotofugi Designer Toy Store & Gallery, established in July 2004, is located on the border of Chicago's Lincoln Park and Lakeview neighborhoods in a beautiful vintage building. Since opening, Rotofugi has grown to become one of the world's premier sellers of designer toys from artists all over the world. Rotofugi features a diverse selection of vinyl figures, capsule toys, plush and more from both eastern and western designers. The adjoining Rotofugi Gallery features monthly art exhibits by a range of both local and nationally known artists. Beginning in late 2007 Rotofugi partnered with Chicago based product development specialist Squibbles Ink to begin producing artist-designed figures by the talented designers located in their home town. Click here for more information on Squibbles Ink + Rotofugi projects. Rotofugi is owned and operated by husband and wife duo Kirby and Whitney Kerr. You can find the couple in and around the store on most days. They love to talk about toys and art. The Foomi is a miniature version of Kidrobot’s customizable vinyl figures, designed to inspire creativity and artistic expression. Standing at approximately 2 inches tall, Foomi features movable joints and a smooth surface, making it an ideal canvas for customization. Artists and enthusiasts can personalize Foomi using various mediums such as paint, markers, stickers, or other decorative elements. This DIY approach allows for a wide range of unique and personalized designs, contributing to the vibrant culture of designer toys. We're always happy to have Ken Keirns back in the gallery for a new exhibit. Ken returns for his seventh solo exhibit (if we're counting right) making him easily the artist we've exhibited the most…and for good reason! Ken Keirns is a Northern California artist who grew up in Flint, Michigan. After spending nearly a decade in Chicago, Ken moved out West in late 2007 to paint full-time and complain about the lack of snow. While his primary focus has been working with oil paint, he has been known to deliver the odd sculpture, toy prototype or mixed media piece. His recurrent subject matter revolves around cranially endowed women and monkeys interlaced with personal experiences, dreams, and the occasional bad pun. Ken's education was in graphic design. He only took a few formal painting classes -- he is mostly self-taught through research and trial & error.