“If you don’t have fun with the stuff that you’re making, then what’s the point?”

That’s how it should be in the grand scheme of things, and Jappy said it best when we sat down with him to talk about his collaboration with Plain Sight Coffee. Jappy Agoncillo is an artist and muralist from New York by way of Manila, and at first glance of his works, the joy in creating is very much palpable. Comic books, video games, and skateboarding colored his childhood, and it only made sense that they became a big influence on Jappy growing up as an artist. But in a parallel universe, there might have never even been a Jappy who paints murals across the world: After feeling burnt out at his fine arts course in college, Jappy changed course and thought law would be a better fit. But as art was still on the sidelines, with Jappy doing school projects, art markets, and freelance work, he realized that it was where his purpose truly lies. Fast forward to today, Jappy made the dream work—working as a full-time artist in New York, where he made the big move in 2023 to chase bigger opportunities. Now, he’s working with brands like PlayStation, Marvel, and Warner Bros. to create vibrant illustrations displayed around the world.

 

For Jappy, behind every piece of art is a staggering supply of coffee. “I feel like I can’t get anything done if I’m not sipping coffee while doing it,” he admitted. “My routine would feel off. It just feels like there’s something missing. I’d think, ‘Can I get through this without a giant cup of coffee next to me?’ For my creative process, I need to know I have the energy to do it.” His coffee routine in New York would involve three to four (huge) cups of black coffee, which he usually drinks from morning till night. He’s built up quite a tolerance, and it’s resulted in many iconic artworks, including his signature characters, wolves Juan and Dante.

 

Jappy’s signature wolf characters, Juan (gray) and Dante (blue).

 

“I came up with them when I moved to New York. It was a time where I was given this clean slate, and I didn’t know who I wanted to be. Do I wanna take myself super seriously as a NYC artist? Well, I don’t find that fun at all. Or what if I want to be silly and playful—but will that elevate me to the heights that I want to be at? I guess it manifested in these two characters that I was just doodling around everywhere, until I eventually fleshed them out into actual artworks. They’re an interplay between wanting to be taken seriously and wanting to enjoy oneself. If I can’t be one, I just present the two all the time,” Jappy shared.

“Now, I’m able to accept both where I do have higher aspirations as an artist but I never wanna lose the whimsy and playfulness of it.”

 

Juan, Dante, and Jappy’s penchant for coffee ultimately became the inspiration for our summer collaboration, which Jappy aptly named “Beastly.” Beastly is a line of coffee and merch, which includes a limited-edition blend, art prints, socks, and stickers designed by Jappy exclusively for Plain Sight Coffee.

“I wanted to show the playfulness of my characters’ love-hate relationship, with coffee as the main driver,” Jappy explained. “Juan is the serious one who’s trying to drink a cup of coffee, but Dante is getting in his way. I wanted to find the interplay in that and how that relates to my creative process.”

Alongside designing the merch, Jappy also collaborated with the Plain Sight roasting team to come up with the Beastly Artist Blend: “I like black coffee, I like dark roasts, and I like cold brews,” he said. “It was about what I think would be a great cup of coffee that I would enjoy while working or just for my daily life. I just wanted it to be a no-frills coffee that you can drink at any time.”

 

And just like a full-circle moment, Jappy revealed that he was most excited to work on Beastly because it allowed the fun, whimsy, and creativity to run free. “I just wanted to work on the stuff that makes me happy, so working with people who are also so passionate about those things and making them bring it to life is so exciting,” he said.

“That’s why I had so much fun making the artwork for this collaboration because it’s for us—the people who love coffee and art.”

 

The Beastly Coffee & Merch Box is officially launching on April 13! Join the waitlist to be among the first to purchase from the collection when it goes live.