We’re very proud to announce that our founder and creative director, Joe Hodnicki, was asked to showcase his linoprint art at the G:40 Summit, as one of the 500 featured artists from around the world!

This event will feature 75,000 sq ft of exhibition space with 4 floors of art! Each floor will represent different hot hubs of the New Brow movement: The DC, New York, and California metro areas, plus one all encompassing floor for international and other regional artists. Visitors of G-40: The Summit will, for the first time, be able to experience entire floors showcasing artists from these regions, and because of this set up, connect the dots of how the different sub-cultures and environs affect the art. From the laid back California Style, to the fast paced New York way of living, the art will bring a fresh visual perspective that words cannot provide. With all the different styles in one place the New Brow movement, now growing and expanding worldwide, will be more comprehensible to the viewer, finally defining the line between the movement’s beginnings to its future. A movement that currently exists without much literature or founding in “traditional” institutions, yet includes some of the most highly recognizable and sought after art in the world, will inevitably become a major player in the intellectual and mainstream art world.

You can find Joe’s work on the 5th floor, dedicated to the New York/Metro Artists.

Read more about this one of a kind art exhibit here.

back to okoto.com

There are few things in this world that I find more beautiful than a collaboration of talent. To see people from different walks of life, each with a story of their own, channeling their energy to create something as a whole just moves me. No limits, no boundries, just love.

Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie’s “We Are The World” came back in a big way last night at the 2010 opening ceremony of the Olympics. You can download We Are The World 25 for Haiti at iTunes - all proceeds from the album will go to Haiti relief efforts.

There comes a time
When we head a certain call
When the world must come together as one
There are people dying
And it’s time to lend a hand to life
The greatest gift of all

We can’t go on
Pretneding day by day
That someone, somewhere will soon make a change
We are all a part of
God’s great big family
And the truth, you know love is all we need

We are the world
We are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So let’s start giving
There’s a choice we’re making
We’re saving our own lives
It’s true we’ll make a better day
Just you and me

Send them your heart
So they’ll know that someone cares
And their lives will be stronger and free
As God has shown us by turning stone to bread
So we all must lend a helping hand

We are the world
We are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So let’s start giving
There’s a choice we’re making
We’re saving our own lives
It’s true we’ll make a better day
Just you and me

When you’re down and out
There seems no hope at all
But if you just believe
There’s no way we can fall
Well, well, well, well, let us realize
That a change will only come
When we stand together as one

We are the world
We are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So let’s start giving
There’s a choice we’re making
We’re saving our own lives
It’s true we’ll make a better day
Just you and me

Each of us can make a difference, all we have to do is try.

-amy

back to okoto.com

We’ve all heard the news of the recent earthquake and it’s devastating effect on Haiti, and like many of you out there, we’d like to do our part to help in any way we can.

Through our +relief program, we are donating 20% of proceeds from all of all online sales to Partners In Health, as of January 12, 2010.

If you are interested in other ways in which you can do your part, visit Partners In Health, or you can text “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10 through the American Red Cross (the charge will appear on your next monthly statement).

Every little bit counts, so please, do what you can.

back to okoto.com

We want to end the year right, so we’ve lowered all our prices from now until January -  all tees only $15! That’s an awesome price to hook up your friends, family, neighbors, bartenders, whoever, with some sweet gear. For all of you within the continental US using standard shipping - it’s FREE!

Remember nothing says, “I think you’re rad” (and “I’ve got great taste”) more than an OKOTO tee! Grab ‘em now, as it will be the last run for many of the designs you see, and they are selling out fast.

CHRISTMAS DELIVERY GUARANTEED with FREE (standard) SHIPPING if you place your order by Friday 12.18 1pm EST.

We wish all of you a great holiday season and a very happy, healthy, stoke filled new year.

See you guys in 2010!!

.ps. Don’t forget, 20% of proceeds from all our sales are donated to SurfAid International from now until the end of the year. So not only will you look good, but you’ll be doing good, too.

CHEERS!!

back to okoto.com

Most of you by now have either seen or heard of MTV’s ridiculous show, Jersey Shore. Like all of us here at OKOTO, we’re pretty bummed at the way this reality show is depicting our coast. For those of us who live, work, hang and surf here, it’s not at all how we’d like our home state to be represented.

Needless to say, we were pretty stoked when we found out about MTV2’s show, School of Surf. Finally, a bit of acknowledgment about what life is really like living in the North East, searching for momentary swells and making the best of it. Produced by VBS, and considered more of a documentary, it follows the stories of two surf teams - from sunny Malibu, and Ocean City, NJ - as they pursue their dreams in the industry.

The first show aired Dec 7, and will run every Monday for 6 weeks. Let’s see if MTV can do a better job this time …

back to okoto.com

and they are awesome.

seriously … probably one of the most down to earth, nicest and creative couples you’ll ever come across. we were stoked when we first met them at a a mutual art show and have been admiring their work ever since.

they kind of seem to do it all when it comes to design, from posters (their specialty) to shirts, cards and logos. they even designed the official merch logo for the 2009 bonaroo art & music festival! they’re fun, nature loving people and it shows in their art.

check out their interview below for a peek into their storming brains. we bet you’re gonna love them, too.

Age … Jay-26/Briana-23

Born in …Brooklyn/ New Brunswick

Currently living … Central Jersey ( Likely relocating to Philly area soon)

Describe your perfect day …Waking up without an alarm clock, preferrably outside in a tent, having no plans, no email/computer connection, just letting the brain rest outside in nature.

Five things you cannot live without … Eachother (aww), passion, a vegetable garden, creativity, and our quesadilla maker.

Who do you admire most? Any group or person that exhibits an extraordinary amount of passion for life and doing what they love while they’re here on this earth.

How did you find your niche? When we met eachother in college, collaboration was a key to our most successful silkscreen prints…so we have “brainstormed” ever since!

Where do you find your inspiration? Look outside…

Current projects you are working on? An Autism awareness poster project. A kind of “grassroots” campaign to dispose of the negative view of Autism. Also we are working on growing the company and our capabilities, expanding our web presence, and designing/ printing new work!

How/What do you gain from your work? Positivity, most definitely. The final product is almost always positive in some way. We like our prints to make us laugh and feel happy.

If you had a superpower, what would it be? To be able to make grass or gardens grow really quick. There always seems to be a lot of grey concrete out there that should be replaced with nature.

What do you dig most about OKOTO?…..OKOTO relief, giving back is super important!

check out their site:

Back to okoto.com …

NEW YORK SURF FILM FESTIVAL

Joe and Amy with Andrew Judge, COO of Surfaid International, Christian Driggs of Driggs Bros Pro, Jason and Elizabeth Ritter of Surfaid in NYC.

morgan berk, co-founder of the New York Surf Film Festival, interviewing with the Driggs Bros.

Beau Young setting up to perform at the Film Festival.

The crowd partying in between films at the Tribeca Cinemas Bar.

Stefan Hunt and Jonno Durrant of Surfing 50 States interviewing with Driggs Bros.

We were proud to be among so many other amazing sponsors.

The Offical 2009 New York Surf Film Festival teee, designed and produced by OKOTO … 20% of the proceeds from every sale of this tee will go to benefit SurfAid International.

New York Surf Film Festival 2009 from Driggs Bros Pro on Vimeo.

BELMAR PRO

Amy, Joe and Mike hanging in the tent.

“INNERMOST LIMITS OF PURE STROKE”

Art Show at the Belmar Art Council

All the money raised was donated to SurfAid International.

Joe’s piece, Under the Lip [ oil on wood] won “Most Radical”, awarded by Don Tarrant, owner of Eastern Lines Surf Shop.

Joe with his other piece in the show, Ensenada [mixed media oil on wood, vintage cedar].

For more pics, BECOME A FAN of OKOTO on Facebook.

As many of you know, on Wednesday September 30, a 7.6 earthquake hit Sumatra. Our friends at SurfAid International have launched an Emergency Response Appeal to help the people of Padang.

There has been extensive damage and many homes, buildings, schools and hospitals have been destroyed. The death toll stands at 704, as reported by the Associates Press, with many people injured and still missing.

OKOTO+relief is in the process of developing a platform that allows our customers to donate to the non-profit of their choice with every OKOTO purchase. But, until we launch our next level OKOTO+relief, we will now be donating 20% of proceeds from every sale at OKOTO.com to support SurfAid’s relief efforts in Indonesia.

If you would like to donate directly to the Padang Earthquake Relief Appeal, you can do so here.

Big THANK YOU to Laura Vorps and our the founders of the New York Surf Film Festival, for including OKOTO in the fall surf fashion show that ran on the local NY news station last Friday. Check it out below …

We’d like to pass on to all of you, the news we’ve just received from our friends over at SurfAid International. Please remember, no donation is too small as every little bit counts. We all, as individuals, have the ability to make someone’s situation better. It’s in times like these we can pull together and help in a big way.

Please read on …

PADANG EARTHQUAKE RELIEF APPEAL

Thursday 1 October 2009

SurfAid has launched an Emergency Response Appeal to help the people of Padang who were hit by a huge earthquake (7.6 on the Richter scale) on Wednesday 30 September.

Our Program Director, Dr David Lange, narrowly escaped death as he fled the Ambacang Hotel, which then collapsed, killing many and trapping others.

Many buildings have been destroyed with people caught underneath the rubble.  There is a report that schoolchildren are still trapped underneath three schools.  One hospital is destroyed and another so badly damaged that staff are working in tents outside. Doctors used car headlights and torches to operate on the injured overnight.

Dr David Lange said:  “People are trapped and screaming for help but they are below huge slabs which will take heavy equipment to move.  I saw dozens of the biggest buildings collapsed in town, most of the damage is concentrated in the commercial centre market, which was fully packed.”

Any donations you can make are greatly appreciated.

Please donate here.

Thank you

The SurfAid Team