C. Somes

Musings

2011-11-11T12:09:00.001-08:00

One thing I would really love to see more artists (and actually airports) do is infuse their art work with a sense of place. There is this huge push all the time to subscribe to the American identity, and often that pushes our true identities to the side. The best example I can think of is how when Christmas rolls around the acceptable imagery is pine trees, snow, snowmen, sleighs. But, we don't really get snow down here in Austin. And we have a lot more deciduous trees than coniferous. Even palm trees. At least in the city.

What I'm trying to say is, this is how we connect with our unique-ness. This is how we create "new" ideas. Last Halloween my friend carved a pineapple instead of a pumpkin. It looked so adorable! Not that we don't get pumpkins down here, but it was fresh, new, and the little dude had a tuft of palm as a little mohawk. It was precious. Plus, you can eat the insides right away. It says something about where we live and who we are.

Can we merge our traditions with our new surroundings? Of course! Like this czech recipe book I picked up over at the Czech Stop. It's got a mashup of Czech, Teaxan, and Mexican cooking in it. Topped off with a good dose of semi-homemade ingredients. Think Rotel+nacho casserole. Totally unique. And all the men and women who contributed recipes get credit for it. I love it because it is connected to a time, a place, and a group of people.

Bakery Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/akbuthod/2480658986/sizes/l/in/photostream/

Re-Knitt Challenge

2011-11-09T09:01:00.001-08:00

Think of it as apartment therapy for sweaters.

Spring/Fall Cleaning?

2011-10-03T23:07:00.000-07:00

At their very soul, the protests of the past several days seek to shine a light on the disconnect between businesses who have abandoned the idea of working in and with a community in favor of "every man for himself".

A lot of people think the protesters are a bunch of no-nothing brats and hippies. Maybe they're right, or maybe they just forgot who is, and how to work with their community.

I am afraid of the protesters demonizing their fellow human beings in the corporate world, however. As long as the protests are peaceful, I'll support them.

It's time for spring cleaning ;) This is a healthy process.

Treasure ahoy!

2011-09-30T13:31:00.000-07:00

Fantastic new treasury:
http://www.etsy.com/treasury/NTI4NDQzN3w3OTg1MzkxNDY/you-wont-believe-your-eyes

Glutton for embarrassment

2011-09-23T13:49:00.000-07:00

New product dancing demo:

Bubble bubble...

2011-08-25T17:44:00.000-07:00

In the next couple weeks I will be unveiling a brand new etsy shop called, {Noun} Masks. Here's a sneak peak at one of my new projects. A fancy schmancy Narwhal mask! More info to come:

Straight from the oven.

Gessoed and ready to go.

Acid wash narwhal??? Hell yes! Add some finishing touches...

Fin...? Perhaps a decorative piece around the tooth (yup, it's technically a tooth on them whales).

New Stuff, Yay!

2011-06-26T14:23:00.000-07:00

Very blue coffee table from City Wide Garage Sale! $55 Blamo!

Tableware

2011-03-21T08:15:00.001-07:00

Here is how my plate collection is stacking up, tee hee...

And here is a look at a possible permutation you might sit down to at my house:

The napkin is cool because it's a fortune telling napkin! You open it up and spin your spoon in the middle and where ever the bowl points that's your fortune. Purchased at the Renegade Craft Fair in Austin, TX.

Wedding Palette

2010-11-18T09:49:00.000-08:00

Oh yeah, did I mention? I'm getting married!!

Here are the colors we're considering for our wedding. Blue and gold are the grooms favorite colors. You can see that I extracted those particular hues from the photograph below (from the bouquet):

Color by COLOURlovers

Colour Lovers

2010-11-12T17:04:00.000-08:00

So I am making some color palettes on this website called ColourLovers, and in order to make one from a photo, it has to have it's own URL. Hence this random photograph on my blog...

Sketches...

2010-07-14T16:18:00.000-07:00

Arrt

2010-02-15T14:58:00.000-08:00

Continuing with old ideas...

2010-01-21T20:26:00.000-08:00

2009-10-21T11:34:00.000-07:00

2009-09-18T09:08:00.000-07:00

2009-09-18T08:16:00.000-07:00

New Art

2009-09-18T07:48:00.001-07:00

Things are slow here in Austin. But, I'm pumping out the art!

I think I'm sick...

2009-05-12T14:08:00.000-07:00

with consumerism!
Between 2 people I have:
5 drawers
4 suitcases
3 laundry bags
1 Giant toolbox
1 closet
1 trash bag
1 backpacker's back pack
1 crate

FULL of clothes!
Disturbing? Yes.
Seriously disturbing.

Road series

2009-04-30T09:49:00.001-07:00

No idea what they're saying...

2009-04-29T06:36:00.000-07:00

but so well made!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1s2rLRWlkI&feature=player_embedded

2009-03-31T15:26:00.000-07:00

I updated my website a little. I am slow at web-ifying images.

Awesome new art!

2009-02-10T12:29:00.000-08:00

Yaaaaay op art! (sung to yaaaaay packages! oh yeah camp!)
I'm gonna paint the left side and print the right side! woot!

Detail

2009-02-09T12:06:00.000-08:00

Better picture

2009-01-23T16:04:00.000-08:00

Still haven't finished molly's face...

Mom and Holly cont. WORK IN PROGRESS

2009-01-23T16:01:00.000-08:00

Working from this photo...
I made this, which is not flipped in real life. PhotoBooth flipped it and messed up the colors :(

Pale

2009-01-22T21:07:00.000-08:00

My version

Kari's version

New Painting, Old Painting

2009-01-19T13:12:00.000-08:00

Molly and Eric Nix, sorry about your face molly, i'll get to it...

Holly and Mom

2008-11-17T08:35:00.001-08:00

Cool thing I made. I think these are David Chung's assets though. I just made it move... and he told me how...

Side note...

2008-11-05T13:01:00.000-08:00

How do we feel about pop-up video home movies?

Upcoming work...

2008-11-05T12:53:00.000-08:00

This is a sketch of a sculpture I randomly want to make. I have also started another painting featuring molly (yet again!) and a dog (yet again!). I'll post pictures of the painting later...

Today is my birthday

2008-11-05T11:34:00.000-08:00

For all of those less than thrilled with the new president for whatever reason I offer you this:

"All experience is great providing you live through it. I would tell these classes of art students, the more experience you get, the better, if it doesn't kill you. But if it kills you, you've gone too far. That's all. You never learn anything like you learn it by experiencing it."
Alice Neel

2008-10-28T13:10:00.000-07:00

katie and i were talking about halloween costumes and that we should be our WOW characters, but then we couldn't decide which ones to be. we noticed that we treated wow like playing dolls. raiding dungeons for boots and stuff. a girl's gotta get her kicks somehow.

2008-10-27T01:36:00.000-07:00

new painting... sneak peak

2008-10-14T11:26:00.000-07:00

short story

2008-10-06T07:43:00.001-07:00

their once was this frog.
this frog died, and a mad scientist brought it back to life but never studied it. he just forgot about it. he made a big deal about this monster he made in the shape of a human. but he forgot about his super-strength frog. so now you know, the other frogs thought he was ugly but he had babies anyway and now there is this super strength frog colony that is wiping out all the other frogs. it's really serious. we can't even beat these frogs because they're so strong, and numerous. and they eat like a thousand flies a day each. i mean they have to, to keep up that muscle mass. and that's the other thing: they are obsessed with physical strength. it's like a colony of body building frogs started by this demon frog. talk about evil incarnate. this mad scientist invited the devil to earth in the form of a frog. good luck, i say. good luck man kind. in beating the devil.

Developments...

2008-09-22T15:01:00.000-07:00

Piece for the Show.

2008-09-22T13:19:00.000-07:00

I haven't photoshopped the pictures yet, but here it is kind of...

Wow, it doesn't look like this at all. Can you say washed out?

E.B. and Maggie

2008-09-22T13:13:00.000-07:00

First animation I've ever made:

2008-09-15T14:31:00.000-07:00

Yay, stop motion. I'm really starting to like this class...

My Second Animation of All Time

2008-09-15T08:14:00.000-07:00

Poetry...

2008-09-13T17:31:00.000-07:00

I found this old poem I wrote and decided to share:

Will it be?
I never act
I always feel this sad contract
I've pledged my eyes, my ears, my lips
to the promise of prosperity.

"So you're never blue"
is what they say
but the money's all gone down the drain.
I'm left here with the memory;
I never acted actually

What is the point?
We all implore.
It seems as though they just ignore,
So what is a year I ask myself.
Are you convinced,
or do you doubt?

All that you need is conviction
To see you through this decision.
Perhaps a map to guide you
They said there was nothing you couldn't do.

What is a year?

My beautiful dahlias...

2008-08-21T08:30:00.000-07:00

New Notebook! and The Tree I Drew.

2008-07-28T20:07:00.000-07:00

Still there...

2008-07-20T09:21:00.000-07:00

And my day off is just about over. One more image. We went around and asked people to draw a shape. This was about the size of a wall. We never hung it up anywhere. It was one of those due-the-next-day projects.

CAMP CAMP CAMP

2008-07-20T09:19:00.000-07:00

I'm at camp.

1.

2008-06-13T11:06:00.000-07:00

I love color.
Which is why I love speed racer.
And this is some old work. Someday I'll photograph new stuff.