One of the coolest surprises of NYCC was running across Creatures of Delight. They were literally at the FAAAAAAAR end of the show and I almost didn’t make it there, but I’m glad I did.
Now, Creatures of Delight isn’t strictly a toy. It’s more like a foam plushy. But the fabulous critters created by T. Oliver Kopian, the mind behind the Creatures of Delight, are just so neat that I couldn’t not write about them. I’d actually seen some of Mr. Kopian’s work on people’s backs or in some stores, but hadn’t realized just how varied his creations were until I ran across the booth. He makes everything from dragons to fish to plants. He even makes wall mounted items like a rhino or dinosaur head. They also come in a pretty impressive array of sizes, from something perfect for your work desk to some items that pretty much need their own end table to display.
Below is a gallery of some of my favorite pieces from across the different categories of toys that Creatures of Delight makes. I have to be honest, the pictures don’t do them justice. In person the colors are so much more vivid and they are just plain fun to hold. The only downside is that they are really much more “art” than “foam plushy.” I don’t know if I’d let my 7 year old play with it because I wouldn’t want her to mess it up. She probably wouldn’t, but they’re so neat I wouldn’t want to risk it. But most of my toys don’t really get played with, so I’m not concerned about durability for my purposes. 🙂
For the most part, Mr. Kopian’s work is found in specialty stores and boutiques, but if you’re dead set on picking up one of his critters (and who doesn’t need a monstrous plant for their desk?) you can go direct to the artist via their web site and pick your own Creature of Delight.
