I'm always a fan of roundup posts from my favorite artists/brands telling me about stuff they like. Whether it be art, entertainment, food, or whatever, I'm always keen to know what they admire and share.
So for my first ever journal entry at Made to Thrill, I've curated a list of 10 independent designers, artists and brands that inspire me, in no particular order. And no, this is not a sponsored post. Just a list of super-talented people and small shops that I appreciate and support.
Though, if you're looking for a theme park and coaster enthusiast specific gift guide, our friends at CoasterRadio and Coaster101 have got you covered.
Disney_Rich
A brilliant photographer with an emphasis on Disney parks. Take a look at some of his prints for sale at Magical Posters, then give him a follow @disney_rich to spice up your Instagram feed.
Ian Glaubinger
Legendary, and sometimes ultra-niche, pop culture icons are Ian’s specialty, and we can’t get enough of his distinctive style. Love it all. We've got a ton of his artwork all throughout our home and it's always a conversation piece. You can follow Ian @hasunow on Twitter.
Hors Catégorie
Beautiful posters for formula racing fans from an incredibly talented designer. We're proud to call Jason our good friend and collaborator. Without him, I don't think Made to Thrill would've existed. Though it looks like the shop is closed for the holidays, you can follow Jason and Hors Catégorie @horscategorie_shop on Instagram to get the latest on when they open back up.
Rob Yeo
From fully designed themed lands, to rich attraction posters, to preserving nich branding of forgotten attractions, Rob continually inspires us with his work. We hope to one day be able to walk through a park he designed. You can follow Rob @robjyeo on Twitter.
Tragik Kicks
In a sea of ultra-hype limited sneakers, Tragik’s work will stand out among the rest. He does all types of hand crafted custom sneakers that's not 1 of 500,000, but 1 of 1. You can follow Tragik @tragik1993 on Instagram.
Afterschool Spectral
No one captures retro, obsolete culture art better than Afterschool Spectral. Their products and posts always bring a smile to our Instagram feed. You can follow them @afterschoolspectral on Instagram.
Judd Helms
Judd was one of the first photographers we followed on Instagram and it was one of the best decisions we’ve made. His work consistently lights up our feed and is regularly published in WDW Magazine and can be purchased in their beautiful, hard-cover coffee table book, The Best of WDW. You can follow Judd @juddhelms on Instagram.
Obscure Belts
Obscure belts has been hand-crafting ridiculously awesome, and super mechanical belt buckles that sprinkle a hit of sci-fi elegance to your fit. I wear them daily and love 'em. You can follow Obscure Belts @obscurebelts on Instagram.
Morgan Ditta
When it comes to finding art that we can identify with, anything by Morgan would be it. Her art tells wonderful stories in all kinds of brilliant colors and is currently for sale in the Art of Disney store in EPCOT. You can follow Morgan @sillywhims on Twitter.
Horsetooth Hot Sauce
If you fancy hot sauce as much as I do, Horsetooth is it. They are purveyors of some of the finest, small-batch mixtures with a delicate balance of heat and flavor. And most have no added sugar (if that's your thing). You can follow them @horsetoothhotsauce on Instagram.
I could really go on and on, but I kind of like the idea of doing an annual list so I'll have to save some for next year. Until then, enjoy this list, support independent art, and have a wonderful holiday season.
- Josh