Open Letter To All Tiki Centralites From Squid

Aloha Friends.

I would like to express my appreciation to Jay Strongman for writing "Tiki Mugs:  Cult Artifacts of Polynesian Pop", a beautiful book that showcases all of the talented mug artists in our community.  I am so proud to have my work included in Jay's book which provides the greatest hope for expanding the Tiki world to a broader market.  It may mean the difference between survival or starvation to my many artist friends in this community considering the current state of economic affairs.

As General Editor on Jay's fine new book, Holden Westland (President of Tiki Farm) had an obligation to perform due diligence to insure accuracy prior to publication.  I was surprised to see that he neglected to correct the misstatements contained in the book referring to me as "Tiki Farm's Dave 'Squid' Cohen", and his failing to recognize me as in independent artist and mug manufacturer rather than an employee of his company.  I have not been employed by Tiki Farm for nearly a decade.

Unfortunately, over the years, the misconception that I am an employee of Tiki Farm has been perpetuated by Tiki Farm and others.  I am compelled to clarify the situation at this point and believe that Tiki Central is the most effective way to reach our community.

I have not been directly involved with Tiki Farm since 2001.  The extent of my involvement has been the licensing of my designs to them for reproduction.  I have sculpted other artists' designs for them on a freelance basis only until the beginning of this year when I decided to cease working with Tiki Farm altogether.

I was also disappointed with Holden's editorial oversight in the omission of my name and website, http://www.squidart.com, operational since 1998, from the Appendix, as well as failing to credit me as the artist on several mugs I designed and sculpted which are pictured in the book.

I will be working with the publisher and Jay to resolve the inaccuracies and omissions in the book in the coming weeks.  I hope that this clarifies, within our community, the circumstances of my association with Tiki Farm, and I welcome your questions.  You can reach me via PM or e-mail, dave[at]squidart.com.
 

at least we all know who the master mug ninja is.

I believe my copy will arrive today. (Very excited!) You are a class act, Mr. Squid... a little slippery perhaps, but a talented guy with class.

thanks for posting this.
I was reading some replies in the mug book thread and I was in the dark.
Guess I don't follow the mug world close enough.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

Dave, your mugs are the best. My only complaint is the Spirit Hut.

The drink runs out of the sides when I try to fill it up.

I support you in all of your artistic endeavors.

Sounds like Korero should have made you general editor Squiddly.
You probably would have spelled ALFRED APAKA's name right in the foreword.

Instead of ALFRED ALPAKA. :lol:

[ Edited by: GROG 2009-03-13 09:25 ]

(And the Bamboo Ben mug might have made into the book!)

[ Edited by: GROG 2009-03-13 09:26 ]

i love you Squid!

there....i said it...

:)

On 2009-03-13 09:40, little lost tiki wrote:
i love you Squid!

there....i said it...

:)

and I love you both! there I said it said it :)

On 2009-03-13 09:43, Clarita wrote:

On 2009-03-13 09:40, little lost tiki wrote:
i love you Squid!

there....i said it...

:)

and I love you both! there I said it said it :)

Aw, I love all of you! there I said it! :lol:

:D

Squid was the only human on earth to be able to sculpt
the Oli-Oli/Kakaka/Pupule mugs and still retain that LLT vibe...
i am forever grateful to his skill and insight in bringing those to life...
the world is expecting even more great things from Dave in the years to come...
a whole book on him would be too cool!

The guy has sculpted like 70 percent of the markets mugs!! :lol: hahah, I really do not know how he has time to attend events, given the amount of mugs he has sculpted...I can't imagine looking at a drawing, and bringing it to life in 3-D form...He is a Master of his craft, to say the least! Keep it up, Dave...Most of us TC'ers know who allows us to hold our alcohol in a piece of art! :P

Anyone that was at the Squid retrospective http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=29416&forum=17&hilite=squid realizes the talent that Dave possesses and the mind boggling contributions he has made over the years. Dave's work is synonymous with the evolution of Tiki Farm and the high standards of tiki mugs that now exists. I know its a cliche thing to say but he has truly raised the bar. When layman people are admiring my mugs i always pull Squids mugs off the shelf for them to hold so they can appreciate the fun little details. Squid is a class act that deserves multiple accolades and acknowledgment for all the enjoyment he has brought to the tiki community on so many levels.

On 2009-03-13 00:09, squid wrote:
Aloha Friends.

As General Editor on Jay's fine new book, Holden Westland (President of Tiki Farm) had an obligation to perform due diligence to insure accuracy prior to publication. 
 

It would appear that Westland had a significant conflict of interest here.

Not very aloha, IMHO.

Looks like there needs to be a "Squid : Squlptures and Sqribbles" Coffee table book.

On 2009-03-13 09:20, GROG wrote:
Sounds like Korero should have made you general editor Squiddly.
You probably would have spelled ALFRED APAKA's name right in the foreword.

Instead of ALFRED ALPAKA. :lol:

[ Edited by: GROG 2009-03-13 09:25 ]

Wow! They guy looks totally different without the lei. :o

On 2009-03-13 10:07, little lost tiki wrote:
Squid was the only human on earth to be able to sculpt
the Oli-Oli/Kakaka/Pupule mugs and still retain that LLT vibe...
i am forever grateful to his skill and insight in bringing those to life...
the world is expecting even more great things from Dave in the years to come...
a whole book on him would be too cool!

Those three mugs still fascinate me. They are among my favorites and the few among my collection that my wife actually likes (and believe me, that's saying something :wink:).

On 2009-03-13 11:17, LOL Tiki wrote:

On 2009-03-13 09:20, GROG wrote:
Sounds like Korero should have made you general editor Squiddly.
You probably would have spelled ALFRED APAKA's name right in the foreword.

Instead of ALFRED ALPAKA. :lol:

[ Edited by: GROG 2009-03-13 09:25 ]

Wow! They guy looks totally different without the lei. :o

You would be surprised what a simple change of clothes and 5 o'clock shadow will do for one's appearance.

Crystal clear message, Dave. Deliriously happy to continue to support you as your variety of art rolls along- you certainly deserve it.

CHEERS, PALLIE!~

Andy & Debbie

On 2009-03-13 12:21, Chip and Andy wrote:

On 2009-03-13 11:17, LOL Tiki wrote:

On 2009-03-13 09:20, GROG wrote:
Sounds like Korero should have made you general editor Squiddly.
You probably would have spelled ALFRED APAKA's name right in the foreword.

Instead of ALFRED ALPAKA. :lol:

[ Edited by: GROG 2009-03-13 09:25 ]

Wow! They guy looks totally different without the lei. :o

You would be surprised what a simple change of clothes and 5 o'clock shadow will do for one's appearance.

I've been saying for years that it's all about the accessories!

In case some of you were not able to attend the Squid Retrospective at Kona I have to say that I'm sure most of us, including me up until the show, didn't know just what a huge body of work that he has. The catalog that was handed out at the show listed more than 170 mugs, scuplts & illustrations (mostly mugs). On top of that, we were all amazed at just which highly prized mugs that were designed by big names, but actually brought to the 3D world by the talented tentacles of Squid. No wonder he always looks like he needs a good 18 hours of sleep.

"You're not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on." -- Dean Martin

[ Edited by: Digitiki 2009-03-13 14:03 ]

thanks for the pics digitiki.even the pictures don't do it justice. just think.
four rows of tiki's--- 24 feet long---yep- 96 feet of high grade contriband. who is the man??? squid is...

On 2009-03-13 10:07, little lost tiki wrote:
Squid was the only human on earth to be able to sculpt
the Oli-Oli/Kakaka/Pupule mugs and still retain that LLT vibe...
i am forever grateful to his skill and insight in bringing those to life...
the world is expecting even more great things from Dave in the years to come...
a whole book on him would be too cool!

Can I just say how frikkin awesome my Oli-Oli is???? One of my favorite mugs.

I must say, when I first wandered onto TC, Squid was the first artist I had any contact with. I saw the Freaky Tikis 3 mug set & was blown away. Being a Hot Rod, Big Daddy Roth, Kustom Kulture kinda guy, I had to have a set. The problem was, they were supposedly already sold out. Taking a chance, I PMd Dave & he hooked me up with a set at great price & shipped them to my doorstep before I could even build up any anticipation. They were even more kool in person. I have since added several more of his mugs & am always amazed at his attention to detail. Recently, tobunga sent me a copy of the program from Squlpture & Sqribbles, as part of my Holiday mug trade, (thanks again, Eric). I never realized the extent of Dave's work & his impact on our community. Dave, you truly are a gentleman & an amazing talent. Thank You for choosing our little world to showcase your talents & passing up that lucrative offer to design WebKinz!:LOL:

On 2009-03-13 09:40, little lost tiki wrote:
i love you Squid!

I love you more than Kinney could ever love. My spooning technique is above and beyond his.

Painkillers rule!!!!! And Dave is the man!!

I'm pretty sure Holden will chime in soon. He's pretty quick to respond to these mug threads.

Outch. I felt bad when I mistakenly labeled the Duke Carter's "Tiki Quest" mug as a Squid design (instead of a Munk Tiki mug) in "Tiki Modern (which was not the only mistake I made in it), but this is one biiiiiig "OUTCH!"

I know that Jay tried his damndest to do right for everyone, and I know that he (and Holden) meant no harm, but I can imagine the frustration that Squid must feel for not having his contribution to the genre portrayed correctly. The majority of the artists in the mug field are very humble and low key guys with a passion for Tiki who do not make a big-to-do about their talents, so it is easy to not get "noticed" --but in this specific case and circumstances it is a bit hard to swallow.

We all try to do our best, but are human and not infallible. I am glad that there is a forum like Tiki Central so folks have a voice to publish their view and correct mistakes, at least for the immediate Tiki community.

Squid,
First off, I'd like to say that I understand completely the reason of this post. With that said, Sir Squid, let me say it makes ABSOLUTELY NO DIFFERENCE to me whether or not you are an employee or an independent. You and Tiki Farm are very well respected members of the Tiki Community. Your work is incredible (and you are a damn fine drummer too). I will continue to support you and your efforts no matter what umbrella you stand under.

On 2009-03-14 06:32, bigbrotiki wrote:
but I can imagine the frustration that Squid must feel for not having his contribution to the genre portrayed correctly. The majority of the artists in the mug field are very humble and low key guys with a passion for Tiki who do not make a big-to-do about their talents, so it is easy to not get "noticed" --but in this specific case and circumstances it is a bit hard to swallow.

Very true Bigbro, and well-put. Squid is definitely one the most humble, but like you said, in this circumstance it's bit different because it affects his ability to earn an income. This book is number one on Amazon for pop culture books, so it'll definitely reach a wider audience than just TCers. Dave has both Squidart.com and Castaway Ceramics, and the omission of any links to either of his websites in the appendix was definitely a grievous error.

As the author of the book I'd like to offer my humble apologies to Squid for omitting his contact details from the appendix and for not making clear he is an important independent mug artist in his own right. I have spoken to Dave about the whole situation and I and Korero will make sure the next pressing of the book rectifies this major SNAFU. Dave is one of the most genuine and creative characters on the scene and I am deeply embarrassed that this has happened. I hope people understand though that this was in no way a deliberate slight on Dave or his artistry and I will do everything in my power to make amends. The intention of Korero, Holden Westland and myself in doing the book was to celebrate the creativity of the Tiki community and I am very upset that what was supposed to be a unifying moment for Tiki has inadvertently caused any ill feeling. As author I have to take responsibility for any mistakes in the book and I want to point out that although Korero originally approached Holden about doing specifically a Tiki Farm project, he was extremely supportive of expanding the book's scope to include the other mug makers & artists in the community. In closing I hope that this year sees all the mug artists continuing to thrive and prosper and, judging by all the love, respect and support shown for Dave on this thread, it's clear that Squid and his art will definitely and deservedly go from strength to strength. Mahalo, Jay.

Not to SPAM this thread but how bout a book on all the new tiki temples being built??

Squid could do the intro to make up for the mistake in the mug book.

On 2009-03-14 12:26, RevBambooBen wrote:
Not to SPAM this thread but how bout a book on all the new tiki temples being built??

Squid could do the intro to make up for the mistake in the mug book.

The "Book of Ben"...?!? :D

The book was originally to be solely on Tiki Farm and I said no. Sorry for ommissions, hope you enjoy it!

Love yer work Squid!
Hey least you got in a book.
Some tiki artist did this all their lives and never got any press.

In Ohio we call this not living in Califoria.

Squid - Squid, he's our man...if Squid can't do it no one can!!

It's a love in!! I love you too Master Squid!!

I remember that I really wanted to make it out to the Retrospective to see all the fine work - I know there would have been a few surprises in there - the "Squid did that one, too? Wow!" moments. Squid has had a hand in so many of today's mugs, and this book had a real opportunity to highlight his broad-reaching contributions. It is highly unfortunate that not only did this book not highlight Squid's contributions, it seemed to actually bury them.

Thanks everyone for your objectivity and support. Thank you Jay for your graciousness and professionalism in the whole matter.

My open letter was written to set the record straight and to bring the facts to light, and not to detract from the overall greatness of this book. I really appreciate everyone keeping the discussion on this thread.

I'll be working with Jay and Korero on this and knowing Jay as I do, everything will be hunky dory by the second printing.

Here's to a 10th printing and of course to "Tiki Mugs II, The Sequel"!

Cheers,

Squid

ok just placed an order for a copy on amazon. squid how's the luau pig coming? can't wait to see it.

On 2009-03-13 10:34, Kālai Waʻa wrote:

It would appear that Westland had a significant conflict of interest here.
Not very aloha, IMHO.

Please, IYHO, don't jump to conclusions or point fingers, read all the rest of the posts and see that nobody else did.
I have always found Holden to be the classiest of the classy, a gentleman through and through, a champion of all TiKi, I would vouch for his integrity any day. I was not involved in this in anyway but I wanted to throw in for Holden.
I am a huge fan of Squids work and am very sorry that his info did not make it correctly into the book. I'm glad that the next printing will include it.

Back to your regular programing.

On 2009-03-14 13:48, tikiskip wrote:
Love yer work Squid!
Hey least you got in a book.
Some tiki artist did this all their lives and never got any press.

In Ohio we call this not living in Califoria.

I heart Tiki Skip!

We call it the same thing in Florida, by the way.

On 2009-03-15 19:36, Chip and Andy wrote:

On 2009-03-14 13:48, tikiskip wrote:
Love yer work Squid!
Hey least you got in a book.
Some tiki artist did this all their lives and never got any press.

In Ohio we call this not living in Califoria.

I heart Tiki Skip!

We call it the same thing in Florida, by the way.

Why do you think I moved from Kansas? :) OK, the snow sucked too. And the ice. And the no beach thing...

And I heart Tiki Skip as well. Lamps of greatness!!!

[ Edited by: squid 2009-03-15 21:12 ]

On 2009-03-15 12:59, tikiauction wrote:
ok just placed an order for a copy on amazon. squid how's the luau pig coming? can't wait to see it.

The pig? Well he's been a slow little porker. I'll definitely let you know when it's makin' bacon time!

[ Edited by: squid 2009-03-15 21:10 ]

ubiq·ui·tous (Pronunciation:yoo-bi-kwit-us)
Function: adjective: existing or being everywhere at the same time; constantly encountered
(Big Props from Holden I thought!)
PAGE 83

And while you're there...check out Squid's quote AND Squid's illustration on the process of sculpting a tiki mug (One of my favorites!..I'm glad the world can see it now!)

"Mortgages and Mai-Tai's...Whatta life!"

[ Edited by: SoccerTiki 2009-03-16 16:45 ]

On 2009-03-15 12:19, squid wrote:
I'll be working with Jay and Korero on this and knowing Jay as I do, everything will be hunky dory by the second printing.

Here's to a 10th printing and of course to "Tiki Mugs II, The Sequel"!

Cheers,

Squid

That's when I'll buy mine.

SOK

On 2009-03-15 21:08, squid wrote:

On 2009-03-15 19:36, Chip and Andy wrote:

On 2009-03-14 13:48, tikiskip wrote:
Love yer work Squid!
Hey least you got in a book.
Some tiki artist did this all their lives and never got any press.

In Ohio we call this not living in Califoria.

I heart Tiki Skip!

We call it the same thing in Florida, by the way.

Why do you think I moved from Kansas? :) OK, the snow sucked too. And the ice. And the no beach thing...

And I heart Tiki Skip as well. Lamps of greatness!!!

[ Edited by: squid 2009-03-15 21:12 ]

As the PROUD owner of a TSkip lamp which is hanging in my living room, I can vouch for the cool-ness of his stuff and the quality of his work.

You should all buy one!

P.S. My living room is in LA....

[ Edited by: skitiki 2009-03-17 21:47 ]

okayyyyy, NOW I understand what's happen with this book.(the frenchgirl talk) sorry if my english is bad... it's been a long time I didn't practice...
unfornately I didn't see the book... BUT I guess it's a great one...SINCE...... SQUID made the big part of IT!!!
I'm really proud of you! and I'm finally relieve you clarify your position with tikifarm. There is no doubt (for me) you deserve to be known as the great Artist I know. you are the best anyway... :) and I'm gona wait the real edition with YOUR name in it before buying it....
just let me know when it will be available... Hoo! and....could you sign it for me? :) pleeeeaaase!

Baï