The Boy

In 2002, Miami-born artists Sam Borkson and Arturo Sandoval III began FriendsWithYou with the aim to promote a different kind of creative practice; one that is fundamentally inspiring, developing larger-than-life artistic environments to immerse patrons into their FriendsWithYou universe, one that seeks common ground to give people the chance to believe in themselves, and connect with one another. The imaginative world of FriendsWithYou has taken shape in the form of designer toys, large-scale installations, experimental gallery exhibitions, digital video, graphic design and other media—running the gamut of fine arts, public events, advertising and entertainment. From the “Skywalkers Parade” with 60-foot tall characters for Art Basel Miami, to an inflatable fun house for 30,000 people at Scope Art Fair, to creating a permanent playground “Rainbow Valley” inside Miami’s largest shopping mall, one can see why Borkson and Sandoval would describe their large-scale art projects as an “explosion”. Creating modern-day sanctums, they curate wonderful performances that are part confessional and part mystical ceremony—furthering the artists’ mandate to foster good wishes for luck, friendship and fortune. As a message that is invariably accessible and positive, FriendsWithYou believe in promoting a sense of exuberance against today’s general attitude of detachment. As Borkson feels, “In the A plush art toy is a collectible, artist-designed soft sculpture that blends elements of fine art, character design, and traditional plush toy craftsmanship. Unlike mass-produced plush toys, these are often handmade or produced in limited editions, featuring unique designs, high-quality materials, and intricate detailing. Artists and independent designers create plush art toys to express their distinct styles, often incorporating surreal, cute, creepy, or abstract aesthetics. They can be purely decorative or interactive, with elements like movable limbs, embroidered details, or mixed-media embellishments. Many plush art toys are sold through galleries, designer toy conventions, or directly by artists, making them sought-after collectibles in the designer toy community. Based in San Francisco, CA but catering to the world at large, STRANGEco creates and distributes unique, high-quality design-oriented consumer products. Working closely with contemporary artists from a variety of subculture art genres – pop surrealism, graffiti & street art, independent comics, illustration, graphic design and others – STRANGEco takes original character design and transforms it into beautiful three dimensional art objects. Founded in 2002 by Gregory Blum and Jim Crawford, STRANGEco has become a dynamic force in the worldwide “Art Toy” movement with a reputation for the highest quality, best produced and intricately realized items. STRANGEco has produced hundreds original products from designs by a literal “who’s who” of contemporary art: Gary Baseman, Ron English, Shepard Fairey, Jeremy Fish, FriendsWithYou, James Jarvis, Mars-1, The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), Todd Schorr, Tokidoki, Jim Woodring and others. STRANGEco goods can be found in fine retailers worldwide, including art, design and gift stores, boutique toy stores, lifestyle and apparel shops, museum stores, comic, record and bookshops, and a select number of lifestyle-oriented national retailers.