Guest Announcement Tim Clarke

Tim Clarke  Master Toy Designer  “King of Gross”

For over 30 years Tim has been Inventing, Designing and Sculpting some of the most unusual toys to ever be marketed in the US and abroad. Once known as the “King of Gross” after co-creating in the 80’s Sectaurs (Coleco) and Boglins (Mattel). Tim now launches his new line of horribleness  the “TOTIMS”  

I love creating my own mythology. The world is filled with modern day mythological creatures you can find them in every nook and cranny of your bedroom closet. 

Tim Started his career designing and building puppets for the Muppets. Most notable were the Mystics and the Slaves that he sculpted and designed for the movie the Dark Crystal guided by the incredible drawings of Brian Froud. He also worked on puppets for Sesame Street , Muppet Show and Fraggle Rock for which he created Traveling Matt. After Dark Crystal was launched he garnered his first toy sculpting gig with Hasbro creating the Garthim, Mystics and Lanstrider toys. 

He has also created toys for Melissa and Doug toys, EK Success, Hasbro, Mattel, Coleco, Kenner, Ideal Lossirs, to mention just a few. 

Guest Announcement Digger Mesch

Digger is an American Transmedia Artist/ Director/ Writer/ Producer of Toys, Film and Comics. He is widely known as the Founder of Art Asylum, creator of Minimates Toys, Adam Sandler’s Scuba Steve from Big Daddy, IDW’s The Other Dead, Agent 88 and his role as Bain in Payday 2.

The controversial NYC artist founded the U.S.A. design house Art Asylum in 1996 fighting for artistic credit in an industry where all talent operated in virtual anonymity. He was a creative driving force behind the success of Toybiz, Diamond Select, Toymax, Fun 4 All, Happiness Express and worked extensively with Kaiyodo Toys Japan.

Art Asylum Toys was formed in 2001 where Digger reinvented the collectible toy world with the launch of Minimates that had over 50 waves of licensed collectibles for Marvel Comics alone. Minimates is the only specialty brand created in this era to have amassed 20 years of brand equity and is an obvious influence for both LEGO’S animated universe and ROBLOX. As a pioneer in the toy world, Digger led the youngest company to be awarded the worldwide master rights for “Star Trek” by Viacom.

After years of working creatively with the likes of Marvel Entertainment, Lucas Film, Warner Bros, Paramount Pictures, Revolution Studios, Heavy Metal, Clive Barker, Kevin Eastman, Ozzy Osbourne, KISS, & Eminem to name a few, Art Asylum was sold to Diamond Select Toys and Digger has pursued Omni Media as his life’s work. Digger is currently creating for the NFT Drop sensation ZINU The Immortal Zombie Dog , preparing for his first solo exhibition in Spring 2023 and the subject of a feature length documentary about his life Titled Digger and 
The Art Asylum being written & directed by Ryan Brookhart.

Guest Announcement Keone Young

Keone Young is an American actor. He is best known for his television roles as Dr. Michael Kwan in Kay O’Brien, Mr. Wu in Deadwood and as the dual roles of Judge Robert Chong and Mr. Wan in The Young and the Restless. The Greatest baseball player of all time Bookaro Bokai in Star Trek Deep Space Nine. 

His voice roles include Storm Shadow in G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, Katarou in Teen Titans, Dr. Ho in Batman Beyond, Kaz in Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi, Luong Lao Shi in American Dragon: Jake Long, Ishiyama in Ben 10 and Ben 10: Ultimate Alien, Mr. Wu in The Mighty B! and Wu-Chang in Sofia the First.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 13962538_1065095370194956_6399158439212844867_n.jpg

Guest Announcement Bob West The Voice of Barney

West became the voice of Barney in 1988, his first voice work as Barney was for the direct-to-video series Barney and the Backyard Gang. He went on and continued voicing Barney in the television series Barney & Friends and would reprise the role again in a 70 market radio show, on Multi-Platinum and Multi-Gold albums, Barney’s Great Adventure, for CBS and NBC primetime specials, for touring performances, as a Daytime Emmy presenter, for toys, for educational games, and for “personal appearances”. He also voiced interviews on The Today Show, LIVE! with Regis & Kathie Lee, Oprah, The Donahue Show, John & Leeza From Hollywood, Marilu, and appearances around the world

Guest Announcement Dawn Dininger

Dawn Dininger is known for her role as the prisoner Rodian in the Book of Bobafett as well as the mom Rodian and the oboe playing Bith.  She has puppeteered various characters in the Mandalorian series. The highlight being a part of the Grogu puppeteering team. Besides the Star Wars franchise, she has appeared as Monster Marie in One Mised Call.  You may have also seen her performing in various commercials.

Guest Announcement TaMara Carlson-Woodard

TaMara Carlson-Woodard is a Los Angeles-based practical creature effects artist and performer, specialty costumer, and puppeteer.

Since 2018, she has worked in a galaxy far, far away as a puppeteer and suit performer on THE MANDALORIAN and THE BOOK OF BOBA FETT where she appeared as everyone’s favorite blue, keyboard-playing Ortolan, Max Rebo.

TaMara is also part of the Emmy Award-winning team from Legacy Effects that brought Grogu (aka “Baby Yoda”) to life via fabrication and puppeteering.

Additionally, she contributed to the creation and performances of Frog Lady, the Gamorrean Guards, and countless background creatures and droids.

Prior to joining the STAR WARS universe, TaMara lent her talents and skills to over 60 feature films including PREY, AVENGERS: ENDGAME, CAPTAIN MARVEL, KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS, PARANORMAN, X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE, TRON: LEGACY, AVATAR, WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, JURASSIC PARK III, and TANK GIRL.

Guest Announcement Ryan Hurst

Ryan Hurst is an American actor, known for his roles as Gerry Bertier in Remember the Titans  Sgt. Ernie Savage in We Were Soldiers  Opie Winston in the FX drama series Sons of Anarchy  Chick Hogan in Bates Motel  Li’l “Foster” Farrell in Outsiders Beta in The Walking Dead  and Hector Bonner in Bosch  He portrayed the Norse god Thor in the 2022 video game God of War Ragnarök

Guest Announcement Dean Cameron

Dean Cameron is an American television and film actor and musician. He is known for his role as Francis “Chainsaw” Gremp in the 1987 Mark Harmon comedy Summer School. He also played Dave Marshak in Ski School and Ski School 2 The Grande finale of Our Ski School and Summer School reunions at Pasadena Comic Con