While living in San Francisco, artists Angie Myung and Ted Vadakan lived on a tight budget. But every so often, they managed to host art shows for their friends. "We had a ton of artist and musician friends," the Korean-born Myung says. "None of us had any money, we were all really poor. But we wanted to make something affordable, that people could walk away with."
For their first show, the couple had friends submit drawings to be used as images on wallets. Manufactured in their living room, the portable art was an instant hit. Before each show, they would make more wallets, determined to get art off the wall and into pockets.
The novel idea has since turned into a rapidly growing company that offers affordable art for the everyday. Original designs are imprinted on T-shirts, bags, stationery and dinnerware. Merchandise ranges from quirky to chic: A popular tote bag shows knockoff Louis Vuittons and the word "FAKE." There's also zen Japanese lampshades and poetic drawings emblazoned on baby tees.
Since Poketo started in 2003, its products have been featured in the New York Times, DailyCandy.com and ReadyMade magazine. They've also designed wallets for bands like The Shins and Weezer.
Artists submit artwork to Myung and Vadakan, who transform the designs into a line of products. Whether the images become a T-shirt, wallet or stationery is up to the couple. Each limited-edition item includes a short bio of the designer. Poketo only makes two to 300 of any particular style, so each piece remains unique. People can buy these inexpensive gems at boutique stores and museums worldwide, as well as online. The best-selling products are the wallets, which cost about $20. Some customers collect the wallets and hang them on the wall.
"We wanted people to have art around all the time, whether it's clothes, plates or planners," Myung says. "And these are not generic prints; these are all original pieces from artists."
The name Poketo comes from the way Angie's grandmother pronounces "pocket" in English. Many of the designs are fun and eclectic with bold colors. The couple says they're drawn to work that's passionate, warm and has a sense of narrative.
"Sometimes artists have a hard time selling their stuff because arts and crafts shows are really limited," Poketo contributor Leah Chun says. The graphic designer and animator works for Big Buddha Baba Productions, an interactive company that services Disney and other big clients.
"It's an online store as well, and it's a great way to say, 'Hey, I'm on Poketo,'" she says. "You get a chance to represent yourself."
When Myung and Vadakan started their company, they didn't know the first thing about running a business. They met in San Francisco, while Myung was studying graphic design in graduate school and Vadakan worked for a nonprofit called the Bay Area Video Coalition. Myung had also freelanced as a producer for the Discovery Channel and Learning Channel. They started dating and were making wallets for Poketo as a hobby. Both felt restless at their jobs and wanted a change. They wanted to take Poketo to the next level, so they headed to Los Angeles. They thought the sprawling city would be the perfect place to open a storefront. At first, though, they lived with Vadakan's parents in a small house in Long Beach.
"We kept stock there, and there were boxes everywhere," says Vadakan, who is Thai. "My parents were walking sideways in the living room."
Despite the cramped quarters, the couple was able to save money and figure out the industry. At first, they wanted to open a store, but decided against it. Instead, they asked museums and small boutiques to carry their merchandise. They also created an online store. That decision was a huge part of Poketo's success - they were able to put profits directly back into the business and not into overhead.
Myung designed the website herself, which finally went through an overhaul last year. Poketo now pays its artists a consultant fee, but in the beginning, they could only afford to give free merchandise.
"We never lived beyond our means," Vadakan says. "And we still do that today."
The couple, both 33, worked from their Echo Park home for the first four years. In August, they moved the office to a loft in downtown Los Angeles. They have a part-time assistant, but Myung and Vadakan do practically everything themselves - from selecting designs to meeting with artists and administrative work. This month, they'll celebrate the grand opening of their new space and will offer fine art prints for sale from more than 25 international artists.
Those artists are culled from various meetings held around the world. They will travel to Korea this month, Glasgow in April and Australia in the fall to hold art series for local artists there. Their future plans include opening retail storefronts and spreading the Poketo philosophy.
"Sometimes we look at each other and think, how did we ever end up doing this?" Myung says. "We feel like we're living in a crazy magical time right now, because anything is possible."