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Trader Gino's Storeroom of Art & Precious Cargo |
Trader Gino
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Aug 10, 2012
Posts: 70
From: Charlotte, NC
|  Posted: 2013-06-15 6:08 pm Permalink
Aloha & Hello Tiki Central!
Such a pleasure to be here with such a talented and dedicated group of people. To make a long story short, I was here a few years back, posted a couple pieces and that was about it. About a year later a switch turned on and I couldn't get enough tiki. I started properly researching the history and scene so my work would look more authentic. My wife goes nuts when she hears bird calls because I have exotica playing 97% of the time. I'm just nuts for this stuff now and wanted to come back to TC and actively be part of the the best online tiki community anywhere. So, I got a new username, new website and am back to take all the advice and great ideas TC has to offer as well as give back what I can.
Quick backstory: I work at Trader Joe's as a regional artist. I have a home store in beautiful downtown Burbank, Ca., but travel to other stores as needed. TJ's has evolved an aversion to tiki over the past few years so I've taken it upon myself to do my part in keeping it alive in my store, at least. My fervor for tiki in my personal life only helps fuel this flame.
Enough ranting now! Bear with me, I'm going to repost only a couple old pics from before in the interest of this being a complete thread of my work.
 
These guys are hand drawn & inked then colored in Photoshop. They're used to denote sections of the store on the shelf price labels, like this:
..and the infamous chalkboards:
Next I'll post some of the painted signs and some more digital work.
Thanks for your time, hope you dug some of the stuff. Comments/critique always welcome and if you have any questions, please ask away!
Gino
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GROG
Grand Member (first year) 
Joined: Jun 21, 2006
Posts: 6838
From: Tujunga
| Posted: 2013-06-15 9:07 pm Permalink
Got some good skillZ. Like the website and blog. Welcome back.
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Trader Gino
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Aug 10, 2012
Posts: 70
From: Charlotte, NC
| Posted: 2013-06-15 9:21 pm Permalink
Thanks GROG!
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VampiressRN
Grand Member (7 years) 
Joined: Nov 23, 2006
Posts: 5667
From: Sun City Lincoln Hills (NorCal)
| Posted: 2013-06-15 10:17 pm Permalink
Lot's of fun wrapped up in your art...I remember when I tried to collect as many Tiki shopping bags as I could from Trader Joes...LOL. Keep up the good work!!!
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 "Oh waiter, another cocktail please!!!"
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Hale Tiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 19, 2004
Posts: 1798
From: Pittsburgh
| Posted: 2013-06-16 08:06 am Permalink
It may be modernized, but you obviously know and respect the history.
I dig that you're able to put tiki out there. In everyday spaces, in places that people will enjoy it, even if they don't fully appreciate it. I'm sure you put a few smiles on faces with your sign work.
Also, although it's sacrilege, anybody that manages a Hoth reference with a tiki is good people in my book.
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MadDogMike
Grand Member (6 years) 
Joined: Mar 30, 2008
Posts: 7257
From: The Anvil of the Sun
| Posted: 2013-06-16 09:00 am Permalink
Welcome back Trader Gino. Nice collection of happy tiki artwork, keep up the good work. (I almost missed the Hoth  )
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When you hurry through life, you just get to the end faster.
Pirate Ship Tree House
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danlovestikis
Grand Member (6 years)
Joined: Jun 17, 2002
Posts: 4658 | Posted: 2013-06-16 2:44 pm Permalink
It's great to see you here again. We love Trader Joes and wish our store had all of your art. Wendy
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tigertail777
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 25, 2004
Posts: 665
From: Oregon
| Posted: 2013-06-16 8:55 pm Permalink
Welcome back! I remember enjoying your old thread and thinking how lucky that Trader Vic's must be to have such exceptional tiki art. Good to see you around again. 
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Hale Tiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 19, 2004
Posts: 1798
From: Pittsburgh
| Posted: 2013-06-17 05:08 am Permalink
Side note: I notice a cannibal looking tiki. You should check out the art swap!
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Trader Gino
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Aug 10, 2012
Posts: 70
From: Charlotte, NC
| Posted: 2013-06-17 5:38 pm Permalink
Thanks for the warm welcome & kind words everyone. Nice to see a couple people from my original post came back for a look.
Hale Tiki I'll take a look!
More stuff very soon
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SandraDee
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 11, 2011
Posts: 929 | Posted: 2013-06-17 6:02 pm Permalink
Today was the first time I had been in a TJs in over 1.5 years and my first thought was "where the heck did the tikis go??"
I love your artwork--thanks for sharing again!
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Trader Gino
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Aug 10, 2012
Posts: 70
From: Charlotte, NC
| Posted: 2013-06-17 6:25 pm Permalink
Aloha all! Back with some more stuff, this time painted signs and digital stuff. Enjoy!
So, if you've got this bag, yours truly is the one responsible for it. It was a lot of fun doing it, but I was definitely in my Tiki-infancy (and digital art infancy while I'm at it). I'd like to take this chance to apologize for the horrid tiki  and palm frawns that are apparently styled with hair gel. 
Glad that's off my chest. Moving on!
Some recent digital work. First guy is for the frozen section so I mixed a little Inuit design in.
Second guy is for the beer section.
A few painted signs
A table where they sell pastries, pies, etc...
This went up in front of a blue wall, hence the blue "vapor trails" behind the beans
This guy was a lot of fun. Can't find the original sketch I made for this sign, but I'll post it when I do.
It was a lot more "Jungle Cruise-y." They wanted something a little tamer.
A couple signs with Polynesian ornament
Thanks for lookin!
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Trader Gino
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Aug 10, 2012
Posts: 70
From: Charlotte, NC
| Posted: 2013-06-17 6:46 pm Permalink
Wanted to sneak this last one in.
Here's some deco I made for our outdoor space.
The Moai and Tiki are made from glued sheets of white insulation foam, then carved & painted.
Did the "Tiki" a WHILE ago as an experiment at work.
A little nod to Frankie's
I'm in the garage working on more and more to add when I have time to.
I'll keep you updated!
Gino
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Trader Gino
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Aug 10, 2012
Posts: 70
From: Charlotte, NC
| Posted: 2013-06-17 6:49 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2013-06-17 18:02, SandraDee wrote:
Today was the first time I had been in a TJs in over 1.5 years and my first thought was "where the heck did the tikis go??"
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See what I'm sayin???
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Atomic Tiki Punk
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 19, 2009
Posts: 5886
From: Costa Misery
| Posted: 2013-06-17 7:37 pm Permalink
O.K. I never see any cool signage in my local Trader Joe's (in Costa Misery)
Oh Gino, why has Trader Joe forsaken us?
This song is for you, just ignore the spelling
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnoUlZnwYy4
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