Illustration of a figure with sharp teeth and wearing a bow tie on a black background with stars. The white area is glow in the dark.

The Little Friends of Printmaking is the creative idea of artists and designers JW and Melissa Buchanan. The husband-and-wife team of illustrators and printmakers is currently based in Los Angeles. Their work has appeared in WIRED magazine and the book New Masters of Poster Design. The images are bold and multi-colored, featuring animals, buildings, and nature. Many of the designs are silly and filled with intricate details, like a bear wearing a tie using a typewriter. In addition to screen-printed art, they also produce patches, socks, keychains, and lapel pins. Professionally they have created artwork for album covers, concerts, clothing, and advertising.

This button is part of the 2008 “Glow” Button-O-Matic series (the buttons glow in the dark) produced by Busy Beaver Button Company. The Button-O-Matic is a gumball-style vending machine that dispenses limited edition art buttons.

Illustration of a creature's face with horns and a hat on a background with a sunburst design on a glow in the dark background that is off white

Kevin Hooyman is a comic book artist whose work blends psychedelic and humorous styles. He earned his degree in Visual Arts from Brown University in 1993, and currently resides in New York City. Kevin’s illustrations have been featured in magazines, books, album covers, and in Wes Anderson’s film, Moonrise Kingdom. One of Kevin’s most notable comic books is Conditions On The Ground, which is a collection of some of his most popular comics.

This button is part of the 2008 “Glow” Button-O-Matic series (the buttons glow in the dark) produced by Busy Beaver Button Company. The Button-O-Matic is a gumball style vending machine that dispenses limited edition art buttons.

Illustration of a camp light with bugs flying around it on a black background. The white area on this button glows in the dark.

Julia Rothman is a Brooklyn, NY based artist known for her illustrations, paintings, and patterns. She has published numerous books based on her work and also illustrates for editorial and advertising pieces, most notably as a regular illustrator for The New Yorker. She also teaches Surface Design, the design process of adding illustrations to interior decor items, at the School of Visual Arts in New York. Rothman is also the co-founder of Women Who Draw, an open directory of professional, female illustrators, artists, and cartoonists that works to increase the visibility of women and women-of-color in the art community.

This button is part of the 2008 “Glow” Button-O-Matic series (the buttons glow in the dark) produced by Busy Beaver Button Company. The Button-O-Matic is a gumball style vending machine that dispenses limited edition art buttons.

Illustration in glow in the dark of a face with freckles and curly hair on a black background

Alternative comics creator Johnny Ryan promoted his comic strip character ‘Blecky Yuckerella.’ Initially published in the alternative newspaper Portland Mercury, ‘Blecky’ is a second grader known for being smelly, stupid, and gross but with a heart of gold. Fanatgraphics has since published multiple collections of ‘Blecky Yuckerella’ and many other works from Ryan. He is the co-creator of the Nickelodeon TV series Pig Boat Banana Cricket, and his comics have appeared in nearly every issue of Nickelodeon Magazine. Johnny Ryan’s work has also appeared in MAD, LA Weekly, and National Geographic Kids.

This button is part of the 2008 “Glow” Button-O-Matic series (the buttons glow in the dark) produced by Busy Beaver Button Company. The Button-O-Matic is a gumball style vending machine that dispenses limited edition art buttons.

Illustration in glow in the dark of a creature with its mouth open holding a mug on a black background

Jay Ryan is an artist and musician known for his posters and album covers. He began screenprinting in 1995, working under Steve Walters at Screwball Press. In 1999, he opened his own print shop, The Bird Machine, where he began creating posters for his friends’ bands, and now creates posters for rock bands, concerts, and special events. He is known as a prolific poster artist having created pieces for bands such the Flaming Lips, Fugazi, Shellac, the Melvins, and hundreds more. Ryan’s work is known for his use of muted colors, his concerned animals, and his particular hand drawn technique. 

This button is part of the 2008 “Glow” Button-O-Matic series (the buttons glow in the dark) produced by Busy Beaver Button Company. The Button-O-Matic is a gumball style vending machine that dispenses limited edition art buttons.

Illustration of a burst that looks like fireworks in glow in the dark on a black background

Fireworks originated in China during the Song Dynasty, where they were part of New Year's celebrations.

This button is part of the 2008 “Glow” Button-O-Matic series (the buttons glow in the dark) produced by Busy Beaver Button Company. The Button-O-Matic is a gumball style vending machine that dispenses limited edition art buttons.

Illustration of a man's head on a glow in the dark background with black text

The smiling face of a person with glasses and dark hair is the image of Bronx-based artist and writer Alex Jovanovich. Jovanovich, an associate editor at Artforum, has exhibited internationally including the 2014 Whitney Biennial and the inaugural edition of FRONT International: Cleveland Triennial for Contemporary Art 2018. Much of their work consists of video projection installations, performance art, text, and small handcrafted items. Jovanovich’s projection work blends old technology with modern computer graphics creating a balance which the artist views as hot and cold. With the intention of easing viewers into a meditative state, the artwork imagery tends to focus on the concepts of life, death, and spirituality.

This button is part of the 2008 “Glow” Button-O-Matic series produced by Busy Beaver Button Company. The Button-O-Matic is a gumball style vending machine that dispenses limited edition art buttons. 

Illustration of two connected green figures on a pink background

Keith Allen Haring (May 4, 1958 – February 16, 1990) was an artist and social activist from Pennsylvania whose work was influenced by the New York City street culture and graffiti art of the 1980s. A 1997 Vanity Fair article states that "some of his most characteristic imagery involved figures twirling around and playing together, happy but never aimless." Since Haring's death from AIDS-related illness in 1990, images he created that speak about racism, drug addiction, AIDS awareness and tolerance have become iconic.

The Keith Haring Foundation was established in 1989, and it concentrates in 2 areas of giving: “the support of organizations which provide educational opportunities to underprivileged children and the support of organizations which engage in education, prevention and care with respect to AIDS and HIV infection.”

This button is part of a 12 button series that was made by the Busy Beaver Button Co. for the Keith Haring Foundation's Pop Shop. 

Illustration of a red barking dog on a white background

Keith Haring's Barking Dog is one of his most iconic figures, featuring in much of his work throughout the 1980s and until his death in 1990. The dog appears as both a solo figure and as part of multi panel comics and large scale illustrations and is depicted on all fours and standing on its hind legs. 

Keith Allen Haring (May 4, 1958 – February 16, 1990) was an artist and social activist from Pennsylvania whose work was influenced by the New York City street culture and graffiti art of the 1980s. A 1997 Vanity Fair article states that "some of his most characteristic imagery involved figures twirling around and playing together, happy but never aimless." Since Haring's death from AIDS-related illness in 1990, images he created that speak about racism, drug addiction, AIDS awareness and tolerance have become iconic.

The Keith Haring Foundation was established in 1989, and it concentrates in 2 areas of giving: “the support of organizations which provide educational opportunities to underprivileged children and the support of organizations which engage in education, prevention and care with respect to AIDS and HIV infection.”

This button is part of a 12 button series that was made by the Busy Beaver Button Co. for the Keith Haring Foundation's Pop Shop.

Illustration of a red person on a white background

“Dancing Figure” is a reoccurring style of a person in Keith Haring’s art. Keith Haring was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, on May 4th, 1958. He loved drawing from an early age and went to the School of Visual Arts in New York where he found an alternative art community. From 1980 to 1985, Haring did a lot of his work in the subways of New York. Many commuters admired his work as he experimented and honed his craft. A lot of his work was set in public. The Crack is Wack mural on FDR Drive is one of his most famous works. He painted a mural on the Berlin wall in 1986. 

He held his first exhibition in 1981 at the Westbeth Painters Space. He gained popularity in 1982 at his exhibition at the Tony Shafrazi Gallery. The Pop Shop opened in April 1986 where items with his art were sold. It let people have access to his work at a low cost. This was not the norm at the time and Haring received some criticism for it. He ignored it and kept the shop running. 

In 1989, Haring created the Keith Haring Foundation in response to his diagnosis with AIDS a year prior. The purpose was to, “provide funding and imagery to AIDS organizations and children’s programs, and to expand the audience for Haring’s work through exhibitions, publications and the licensing of his images”. He died in 1990.