Meet Mr. Mars | Designer toy artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mr. Mars and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Mr. Mars, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
At this point in my life and my career, I think of risk the same way I think of steps to a recipe, it’s just part of the process now. Risk isn’t really risky at all when you step back and realize what you could possibly gain or achieve. Take your usual 9-5 job for example, most people are afraid to take a risk at running their own business, leaving a company, or even starting at a new company, but when you consider the amount of time you spend at your job/s, say even 1/3 of your life, don’t you owe it to yourself to “risk” your future to do something you really enjoy? I almost seek out risky opportunities at this point, as they can help you understand who you are and how far you can go. Sometimes things may not work out the way you want, but in my my experiences if you’re receptive, risks always lead to an answer. Some of these answers can unfold to be keys to your life. So go risk it! If you “fail”, take a step back recognize why, learn from your mistakes, and keep risking it. Somethings going to work out, but if you don’t risk it your only left with regret.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Getting to where I’m at today professionally was not easy in any way shape or for, but when you want something you just keep pushing! I remember creating toys at Harley Davidson and looking nuts as the dude who’s playing with dolls not bikes, haha. That was just the beginning, I just kept sticking to what I knew and loved with every turn. And in the end, how I got to where I am now is being DIFFERENT. I saw what everyone else was doing and simply didn’t want to follow trends. I wanted to set a trend. Yes you can’t fight clean artwork but I loved graffiti and street and gritty themes, so I just took what I knew and loved and pushed it. Graffiti, toys, pop art, BAM, BOMBERS were born. Branding absolutely never hurts. Being an artists with quite a sensible business minded father I knew I had to get a twist on what I loved (graffiti and toys) to make it new and in turn profitable. So I named em’. Bombers, now Mitosis and Strikers, all of these help cement my style and works with a recognize able name. I think that’s most often what i find wanting my brand to showcase, fun and the fact you don’t have to be the coolest or the best in the room to be happy, successful, and do what you love. I taught children as a school instructor for many years and I hope to inspire many more for years to come with my art.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Whew, this is a hard one as I’m an old soul. So I’d have to say Brass Armadillo to roam around and check out vintage collectibles, as well as 5280’s vintage. I love the colors brewery and kicking it around golden all day, then I’d bar hop to barrels and bottles (try the wine slushees) , then the mountain toad brewery, and end it with some indulge bistro food (all in golden) and I can’t ever fight Italian food for dinner, which one of my all time favorites is Romano’s kitchen (family owned and operated) in Littleton, Co. there’s so many more to name but that would be a pretty well rounded day!
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Man oh man. There’s so many… ALL MY FAMILY for the crazy support even though I don’t deserve it sometimes. From my mom for buying me my first airbrush and telling I could do anything to my friend Jack for being my first custom hat sale. Every person and relationship I’ve realized have almost out there hands on around or he, led me in some way with my “work”. I feel very grateful. That being said, I had some amazing mentors in the art industry here in Colorado, two of whom MIKE LEE, and JOHN PUGH taught me everything I needed to know about art. You know that poster you see that states, “everything I ever needed to know I learned in kindergarten”? That’s these two in a bottle. Everything amazing cut the crap, no filler, no bullshit. Sometimes they were rough, sometimes they were pushy, sometimes it was just too fun, but no matter what these two men taught me everything I could imagine. Color theory, scale, form, depth, portraits, AND EVERYTHING ABOUT AIRBRUSHING. I was lucky to learn from two of the best in the game and I’m very proud to absorb even a glimmer of their work and represent it in my own twist on my works. For instance, I always loved the way my art director John Pugh would pinstripe Harley tanks. Not always a straight perfect line (he very well could if he wanted to) but he was always breaking the boundaries, he had his own STYLE! I call it to this day the JERRY GARCIA PINSTRIPE, and I do my own twist of it as a homage to one of the best to ever do it. He’s just retired with multiple and I mean MULTIPLES of prestigious awards, RESPECT, and happiness. Thank you forever John and Mike. Thanks for training a young stubborn kid.
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Other: Thanks for all the love and support y’all!