By Emily Winters

 

Phil Barbato makes stuff – monsters, mostly. He has had a creative streak ever since he was a child, using whatever instrument he could to make a mark on something.

His high school teachers and parents gave him the encouragement he needed to pursue art at Virginia Commonwealth University in mid-1990s. “It was school that brought me here, but it was the city itself that kept me here,” says Barbato, who has emerged as one of Greater Richmond’s favorite makers.

“I sort of felt like that’s all I wanted to do, and all I could do,” Barbato says. “That’s all I ever really wanted to do, was just make things.”

In 2007, Barbato participated in the online beard community, Whiskerino.org, and he found his inspiration for the little monsters he’s become so well known for.

In the Whiskerino community, members shave on November 1 and then grow their beards for four months, periodically posting pictures of themselves to show their growth. Barbato decided to make what he coined “whisker bears” to pose with in his pictures. Those in the Whiskerino community wanted a bear of their own, and his work took off from there.

Over the past three years, Barbato and his wife have built their business around little felt monsters of all varieties. Barbato has made baby apes, baby Viking octopi with horns and a beard, baby yaks, and most recently, tiny octopi. The baby Viking octopi and little apes come named by Barbato, but the rest are left up to the buyer.     Barbato’s monsters are sold at World of Mirth and Quirk Gallery in Richmond. He also has a store on Etsy and over the past year he has expanded distribution to cities all over the country including San Francisco, Portland, Atlanta, and even small towns in Minnesota. He’s found a lot of these shops through connections he has made by attending craft shows and comic conventions.

Barbato has a unique approach to creating new creatures. He thinks of a shape that would be challenging to make, then incorporates an animal into that shape. “The challenges I set for myself are what force me to learn more and expand my ability,” he says.

While each animal is unique in shape, they all share little oval teeth and in general they all have an oversized face. Barbato’s favorite animal to make is his tiny octopus. “They’re really difficult to make, and I curse a lot when making them, but when I turn them out and stuff them, I still smile at how cute they are,” Barbato says.

Barbato thinks the size of Richmond works well for independent crafters like himself. “Richmond is a great city for artists and a great city for makers.”

As a member of the Richmond Craft Mafia, a local community full of other talented makers, Barbato sees collaboration and mutual support as key to the region’s creative streak. “There are a lot of resources here for people. Other places are so saturated with people and shows that you can just get lost in the noise. I think the size of Richmond is really beneficial. We’re a small city; everyone kind of knows each other.”

Barbato will be selling his monsters at the 2012 Spring Bada Bing in April, along with other makers and members of the Richmond Craft Mafia.