Dan Goodsell and Mr. Toast

I have seen Dan Goodsell's Mr. Toast and other characters around and I like 'em. They are cute and funny and I kinda wish I could eat them but they are too cute for that. Dan not only makes cute plush toys but he also has comics, cool paintings and a lot of other cool projects to boot. Even though he is pretty busy with toast and ebay I was able to get him to answer some questions. Enjoy!

S-I just got finished reading about the history of Mr.Toast. It was very interesting. How did you begin working on Mr. Toast in plush form?

DG-Well after I had been working on the Mr Toast webcomic, I realized I wanted to make a toy and plush just seemed the right way to go. I made the first one and then found someone to make about 30 more. Eventually I had them mass produced because of all the positive response. Just this year I have begun to hand make dolls again myself. It is really fun because my sewing skills are improving and I just love seeing all my characters come alive in a 3 dimensional form.

S-It seems like you have a large scope of interests and talents including painting, plush, comics, etc.? Any
advice on how you manage your interests and talents to someone that is still struggling with this issue?

DG-I work in a lot of different directions because I am trying to make the World of Mr Toast immersive. I would love to make ceramic figures of my characters and design a Mr Toast Miniature Golf course. Every different medium has a rich history that would be cool to work in and investigate.

S-It seems like you are very influenced by advertisement and marketing. Would you say that is your biggest influence?

DG-Vintage advertising graphics are my biggest influence. But I love children's book art, comics, 50's design, Hollywood musicals, punk rock, and a million other things. It all seeps into artwork.

S-You are also a seller on Etsy. I love how many people are on there. How has Etsy been treating you?

DG-I LOVE ETSY. It is the greatest thing ever. It is so pure and friendly, I hope that it never changes. I find it an incredible tool for artists to sell their work.

S-It seems like you are a big collector of vintage things and anything cute. Is this true? What’s your biggest collection?

DG- My biggest collection is of vintage kids food packaging. I am even the co-author of a book about it called Krazy Kids Food. While I love current design, I think it is important to study the past to have an idea of what has come before.

S-Is this business your full time job?

DG-I actually sell collectibles on Ebay to make a living but more and more Mr Toast is taking over. My ultimate dream is to
make a living doing my art and hopefully that will happen in the next couple years.

S-I really wish the Imaginary World amusement park really existed. If it was an actual park, what do you think would be the biggest attraction?

DG-Yeah much to my wife's chagrin, I do wish I had an amusement park. The one attraction I love thinking about is the Moth
Barn. I have no idea what it would be but I would love to try to figure it out.

S-Any exciting plans for Mr. Toast in the future you would like to share with us?

DG-Right now I am thinking about having some more dolls mass produced, including Joe the Egg and Shaky Bacon. Also I am working on a new kids book which I am trying to find a publisher for.

S-What’s your most popular selling product in the Mr.Toast line?

DG-My little Mr Toast dolls are by far my most popular item. They are the same size as a real piece of toast and everyone loves them.

S-What did you eat for lunch today?

DG-I had a turkey hot dog and some Girl Scout cookies, peanut butter sandwichs, my favorite.

Thanks Dan! As I became a huge fan of miniature golf last summer again, I hope to see Mr. Toast's mini golf park my way soon. That's about the coolest thing I have imagined all day.