TOYMAKER TEAM

Hey, I’m Joel Pinkham—the Master Toymaker and founder of Ants on a Melon, or AOAM for short. I started the company back in 2012 here in Springfield, Oregon, with the goal of creating light toys that would spark creativity and connection for performers, flow artists, and dreamers all over the world.

These days, it’s still a small, hands-on team. My friend Toymaker Chris has been working with me for over three years now. He and I handle the day-to-day—answering emails, packing orders, and keeping everything running smoothly. Together, we also design all of our products, the website, and our mobile apps. Once we finalize a design, I work closely with our global network of contract engineers—from places like Kathmandu and Indonesia—to bring each product to life.

We’re also lucky to have Maia on the team. She’s our Community Outreach Manager and Content Creator, and she’s been working with me for over nine years. Maia manages our social media, connects with the flow arts and festival community, and helps create content and demo videos. She’s also a super talented costume designer and performer, and a huge part of what makes AOAM shine creatively.

AOAM is what you'd call a “virtual business”—most of our collaboration happens remotely, but the passion and care behind what we do is as real as it gets.

Featured Picture: Chris (left) and Joel (right) standing in front of the original whiteboard sketches for the Ants on a Melon app design.

THE POWER OF STAYING SMALL

To be honest, I used to think having such a small team—just the two of us—might be a limitation. It sometimes felt like we had to work extra hard to keep up with bigger companies. But over time, I’ve come to see the value in it. Being small means we stay closely connected to our community. We can respond personally, focus on the details, and make sure everything we send out reflects the creativity and care that inspired AOAM in the first place.

We don’t have outside investors, which allows us to grow at our own pace and make decisions that feel right for the company and our community. We focus on quality, creativity, and staying true to our vision—rather than chasing fast growth. For us, staying small and intentional helps us keep the process fun, flexible, and full of meaning.

Featured Picture: Joel (left), friend Dave (center), and brother Ben (right) vending at Oregon Country Fair.