Stir 'Splainer: 5 holiday gift ideas from Downtown Vancouver art-vending machine

Art prints, egg-tart pins, embroidered patches, and more at Vancouver Vending Co. site in Bentall Centre

By Janet Smith

Jocelyn Wong’s cute kewpie mayo, egg tart, and white rabbit candy pins.

THIS FALL for the first time, Vancouver Vending Co. partnered with Downtown Van (formerly DVBIA) and Bentall Centre to bring an art vending machine to the city’s core.

Fully stocked with prints, pins, stickers, zines, and more from local artists in Vancouver, it makes a quick stop for eclectic little holiday gifts.

The project was the brainchild of founder Crystal Lau, after she saw local artists experience setbacks during the pandemic. The not-for-profit initiative also prioritizes BIPOC and LGBTQ2SIA+ artists.

A portion of sales get donated to Yarrow Intergenerational Society’s Winter Solstice Fundraiser, a grassroots organization in Chinatown and the Downtown Eastside that works to support low-income Chinese seniors.

You’ll find the vending machine in the Garden Court of Bentall Centre (Tower 4 food court at 1055 Dunsmuir Street).

Here are just a few of our favourite gift ideas. Prices for original artworks in the machine range from a buck up to about $50 or $60.

#1

Jocelyn Wong’s Asian-food-culture pins

For the foodie on your list: kewpie mayo, egg tart, and white rabbit candy pins, all made with high-quality polymer clay and fired in a dedicated clay oven. Well-known local art director-illustrator Wong hand-molds and -paints each creation with acrylic before glazing it.

#2

Aleeza Yusuf’s art prints

Yusuf is a Pakistani psychology major at UBC by day and a multidisciplinary artist by night, creating art across poetry, animation, apparel, and music. In this series Yusuf explores the burning question: “Has anyone really figured out how to do this growing up thing yet?” Note the image of the birthday cake emblazoned with the icing message “Maybe you’ll get your shit together this year.”

#3

Sua Hong’s Santa pins and cards

Hey, Santa has a sensual side too. Check out Sua Hong’s assorted illustrated Christmas card designs, which feature old St. Nick pole dancing or reclining, pinup-style, in the snow. Or opt for a funny enamel pin with Kris Kringle in his red, white-fur-lined gonch.

#4

Bethany Pardoe’s embroidered patches

Offbeat bunnies and sullen pigs are among Pardoe’s hand-sewn embroidered patch pins, all one-of-a-kind. Working across sculpting, mask-making, murals, and doll-making, the Nelson-born artist studies at Emily Carr University of Art and Design.

#5

Carson Ting’s Billion Buns patches

The Billion Buns Collection is the brainchild of award-winning Vancouver artist-designer Ting, aka Chairman Ting. The story behind the characters: “In a galaxy, not so far away, a progressive and highly inquisitive little species called the ‘Buns’ have been hit hard by an astronomical cosmic solar storm that has forced billions of them to flee their home planet Bananas.” These limited-edition patch-and-postcard sets go for $20.

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