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The most common question we typically get is “So you don’t design kitchens?” Sadly, no. However, the majority of my inspiration comes from the kitchen through cooking, books, countless recipes, and our love of Formica.
He is a User Experience Designer, Front-End Developer, and visual artist based in Indianapolis, IN, known as Brisket Kid. He possesses a passion for Tiki and Polynesian Pop, but above all, he enjoys the act of creating.
His journey into design-related fields began during college, where he worked as a stage technician and sound designer for the school theatre. Shifting his design focus from the aural to the epicurean, he worked in restaurants, ascending to the role of head baker while concurrently completing his degree in broadcast and electronic communication.
Upon commencing his Master’s at Marquette University, which he completed in May of 2009, he narrowed his focus of study from radio, TV, and film to Computer Arts and New Media, showing particular interest in visual rhetorical criticism. During his time at Marquette, he initiated work on Captain Dementia, an online animated series featuring a superhero with an unconventional mindset. Currently, he is in the process of completing his MFA at the Academy of Arts University in San Francisco, with a concentration in Computer Arts and New Media.
Although his spare time is limited, he finds joy in playing with his two sons, spending time with his wife, collecting memorabilia from the Tiki and Lounge culture of 1950s Americana, playing bass, and adorning himself with ink. His other hobbies include indulging in cartoons, reading, cooking, bicycling, developing a warped sense of humor, and listening to a diverse range of music, from Charles Mingus and Juan Garcia Esquivel to the White Stripes.
How does an ex-percussionist with no artistic skill whatsoever get himself into stained glass tiki lamps. Well, strap in and prepare
yourself for a thrilling tale of….a simple dude you got bored. Apologies, but alas, there is no real grand tale.
Rico Teal is just an average fidgety person who’s always been artsy crafty to some degree. It wasn’t till November 2021 however that he attended Atomic Tiki Bazaar at Max’s South Seas Hideaway in Grand Rapids Michigan, just a few minutes drive from his own abode.
He was in attendance merely to help his brother Aric of Tiki Kitchen Studios manage the vending booth. During a lull in foot traffic, Rico Teal gazed upon all the other vendors, the displayed arts of Exotica and myriad of Tiki trinkets.
Sipping his soda he brought up the observation of a lack of Tiki Lamps, but specifically…Stained Glass Tiki Lamps!!!
Eyebrows raised, intrigue ensued, ideas exchanged, and by the next morning, Rico Teal was at the craft store to start to dive into the abyss of an idea that he wanted to see if he
could pull off.
Starting mainly with Aric’s own artwork off of a Mai Tai glass, Rico brought the TOTEMS Tiki Lamp to life. Next came another lamp called VOYAGES, also inspired by Aric’s art designs.
He’s even designed some on his own such as the JADE TILE type tiki lamps, the STOIC MOAI lamp, and the Halloween favorite, JACQUES-O-LANTERN. Recently he dusted off an earlier idea and brought to life the stained glass TIKI-LAVA lamp.
After only two years, Rico Teal is still making improvements, and Tiki Kitchens unique hand made stained glass lamps are only getting better.
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