Remembering
Johanna Velasco and Mark Deutsch of Happy Garaje, 2021
Mixed Media (Wooden toy with music box and objects)
42 x 24 x 12 cm
Johanna and Mark build a toy that holds memories for their daughter, Summer. A little over a foot tall, it houses a music box, a small drawer for letters, and a cabinet filled with objects that she can take with her. Done in their signature visual style, it also inspired them to expand their way of making toys. It is by sparking the senses — sight, sound and touch — that they hope to create a more wonderful experience, a collaborative project creating new memories for their family.
Happy Garaje is the creative duo of Johanna Velasco and Mark Joseph Deutsch. Both are artists, designers, and storytellers. Their work can be seen across the fields of graphic design, illustration, gallery work, production design and picture books. They have received the Gold Award from The Society of Illustrators in Los Angeles, and included in the list of 200 Best Illustrators Worldwide for the years 2009 – 2012 by the advertising index Luerzer’s Archive in Europe. Happy Garaje’s work has been featured in notable publications such as Communication Arts, Semi-Permanent, Australia, BluPrint magazine, among others. They are based in Cebu City surrounded by friends, family, the mountains, and the sea.
