Liz OhanesianBefore Bwana Spoons was commissioned by Dov Kelemer and Sarah Jo Marks of DKE Toys to paint the Kenner Star Wars toys, he had a 60-piece collection of the action figures released between the late-1970s and early-1980s. During the course of the project, the collection shot up to 150 action figures. Only a few, though, he had owned since his own youth.
“Only a small handful were from my childhood,” he says. “When I first moved from home, I took this little Flintstones bucket with me. It had a handful of Star Wars figures, some Micronauts, and some Smurfs. From there i started hunting flea markets and thrift stores (pre-bay).”
“Spoonful of Star Wars” at DesignerCon; Credit: Shannon Cottrell
“Spoonful of Star Wars” features over 100 of Spoons' paintings of the toys. Some are straightforward portraits, others re-imagine the characters in comedic situations. We first saw the exhibition at DesignerCon last November.
Spoons recalls the first Star Wars toy he bought.
“The first one i remember buying was Greedo,” he says. “I remember it was kind of a big deal as my mom let me walk down to the hardware store (which had a small toy selection) all by myself to buy a toy.”
“Spoonful of Star Wars” at DesignerCon; Credit: Shannon Cottrell
He says his favorite, though, was “hands down, Snaggletooth.”
“i used to carry that little dude in my pocket wherever i would go.”
When you look through the exhibition, which you'll be able to find at booth #4728 in the San Diego Comic-Con exhibit hall, you will be able to figure out which figures are the ones that date back to Spoons' youth. He said that they're marked with a “little 'b' on their foot.”
There will be more than just Spoonful of Star Wars for Bwana Spoons at San Diego Comic-Con, who has been attending the event “off and on for about 12-13 years.” He'll be at the Gargamel/Grass Hut booth (#4739), where you'll be able to find original art and prints, t-shirts, sloth toys, blind boxes and “hopefully a few mountaintop cookie/stash jars.”
“Spoonful of Star Wars” at DesignerCon; Credit: Shannon Cottrell
“Spoonful of Star Wars” at DesignerCon; Credit: Shannon Cottrell
“Spoonful of Star Wars” at DesignerCon; Credit: Shannon Cottrell
“Spoonful of Star Wars” at DesignerCon; Credit: Shannon Cottrell
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