The Art of Comedy

The Comedy Underground and Urban Craft Uprising present: The Art of Comedy Thursday April 2, 2009 6-9 PM The Comedy Underground 109 S. Washington St. (in Occidental Park) Seattle WA 98104 The Comedy Underground and Urban Craft Uprising joined forces last month to bring you the first ever Art of Comedy show during the First Thursday Art Walk. The Art of Comedy features artwork that is either humorous in nature, or made by stand up comedians. Last month, our hilarious featured artists were joined by the funniest indie crafters this side of Tukwila. This month we’re back with featured artist, Kelly Lyles, who is sure to make you giggle with her pun based animal paintings. The indie crafters are back as well – and one of them has embroidered some not so nice things on pillows especially for you. Look out. The exhibit will be followed at 9 PM by an evening of stand-up comedy, with headliner SEAN KENT ("Last Comic Standing"). KELLY LYLES - Biography This series features whimsical paintings of animals with 'all-American' household products (i.e., SPAM-STER, MICE-A-RONI, BENSON & HEDGEHOGS, STAR-DUCKS coffee, etc). In these, there are subliminal messages regarding "mass-media, marketing and consumerism.” Kelly’s studio, home & art cars have been featured in innumerable television shows and magazine/newspaper articles including Artcars by Harrod Blank, Weird Washington, Travel Channel, Discovery, HGTV, Canada’s Weird Wheels, NorthWest Afternoon, Evening Magazine, Public Radio, Woman’s World and the NY Times. http://www.comedyunderground.com http://urbancraftuprising.com/ http://www.kellyspot.com/

Gremlins - the scariest movie I've seen

I don't watch scary movies. Or violent movies. I used to -- but not anymore. I just don't like the way they make me feel.

It never even crossed my mind that Gremlins is kind of a scary movie (if you're a total wus) but we went to see it tonight and I totally jumped more than once. It actually scared me. Multiple times. Gremlins. Yes, you heard me correctly. Gremlins. The movie. Gremlins. Yes. That's what I said. Gremlins scared me. You know -- Gremlins. The 1980's film about a robotic doll covered in fur that can't get wet or eat after midnight. No worries about all the snow though -- it takes place in winter and the Gremlins roll all around in the snow with no affect. Because snow isn't actually water apparently. Also -- Doug and I debated the "no feeding them after midnight" thing all the way home (we live less than a block away from the theatre so it wasn't a LONG conversation -- but still). Midnight? Midnight where? If they cross time zones do you go by the new time zone? And then how long after midnight is it until you can feed them again? AND -- it made me feel really old because one of the Corey's was in the movie -- and he's a SMALL CHILD. A Child. But yes, even after all that -- it still actually scared me.

Vintage Video Game Paintings

bARTer Sauce normally trades everything that comes through the inventory for something else. I made an exception once and just gave something away. For charity. Don't judge me. I make the damn rules people. I make the rules.  My friend & ex-roomie Val is involved with SketchFest and they had a fundraiser. I had lots of drinks at said fundraiser. 

At one point in the evening the auctioneer said he wanted to try something different. He told the audience that we could offer up services or things that we own to the other people at the fundraiser. If the thing got a bid of a certain amount -- then we kept going. There were all kinds of cool things -- like for example, I got grant writing help from Brett Fetzer for $75. Worth every penny. 

I offered up the receipient's choice of any bARTer Sauce item I have in inventory. 

Yes, it's true: I'm sure no one had any idea what I was talking about. 

Yes, it's true: I bid on way too many things. 

Yes, it's true: Val liked her paintings. Can't you just tell by the look on her face?

Val came to pick up her item at the last First Thursday Art Walk. She chose two paintings by Sean Leary that both have a kind of 80's video game theme. Awesome!

What's bARTer Sauce?

It's an experiment in trading for art and odd objects. Anyone can participate as long as you tell me a story. Check out everything that's currently up for trade.

bARTer Sauce 7 the Empire Carpet Man

Remember him? Empire Carpet?

588-2300 emPIRE!

I remember him from my college days in Peoria, IL (I know -- you feel for me. You should). Those commercials would always interrupt The Simpsons.

Now, bARTer Sauce is the proud temporary owner of TWO Empire man Bobblehead dolls. 

One is in pristine condition in the original box (not that that will ever matter under any circumstances) and the other has been ripped free of the original box that it was so carefully shipped in because I had to see what it looked like -- and quite frankly -- I wanted to play with it. Mind your own damn business.

Ever wonder about the history of Empire Carpet?

Me neither.

Curious how Empire Man made it into my hot, little hands? 

Read Sean's story.

Read Sean's answers to my "interview questions."

bARTer Sauce is an experiment in trading for art and odd objects. Everything I get -- I trade for something else. And everyone who trades with me has to tell me a story. I document all the trades and stories on my website: bartersauce.com.

Check it out.

Trade with me.

NOW.

I Make Money Mistakes

I went shopping. Then, I looked at my bank account online and said -- "wait, I still have so much money -- I'm gonna buy more stuff." (not something you would normally hear me say -- which explains my excitement) I didn't pause to consider that I SHOULDN'T actually have that much money in my account.So I will pay the price later. None of this will come as any surprise to Doug. He often laughs at me when I pay for things out of the wrong account or send checks to the wrong people or panic when someone cashes a check that they've held onto for months. Well, he used to laugh. Until we started a joint checking account. mmmmmmmwwhahahhaahahahaha.... For some reason he still hasn't given me the login information for that account. Humph! Who cares though...just look at one of the great things I got on Etsy: It's pink. Really pink. And it satisfies that weird urge I've had to buy things with chandeliers printed on them. I once had a plan to have all kinds of pillows with different kinds of chandeliers printed on them, a chandelier wall decal and chandeliers printed on our curtains. These plans all fell through when it came time to actually PAY for said items...but it was still a good plan. And to have your dreams realized for $22 -- well, now that's a good way to go. Hot damn that's pink! Check out the rest of the shop: PrettyRaccoon on Etsy. Everything there is pretty. I didn't see anything with Raccoons.

Do you love free stuff? Me too.

My pretty friend Betsy did a pay it forward-ey thing on her blog the other day. She said if you left a comment she would send you something awesome in the mail.  I LOVE getting things in the mail. So so much. So very much that I send out letter upon letter to friends who rarely write back (you know who you are you monsters) just so that I have HOPE (however slim) that someday I will get something great (or not great - I'm not picky) in the mail.

I order things online (can you say http://www.etsy.com) so I'll get neat stuffs stuffed in my mailbox. And I've devoted the last three years or so of my life to bARTer Sauce - a project that ensures I'll be getting interesting packages from all over the country. I'll do anything for mail. INCLUDING giving away neat stuff myself. That was the only requirement from Betsy - if you get something from her you have to make the same pay it forward-ey offer on your blog. So here it is. If you want a special surprise in the mail just leave a comment on this blog. Then, send me a link to your blog post offering up free surprises to others and you'll get something in the mail from me. What will you get? It's a surprise - but it might be one of my Tater Bot cards. Maybe - just maybe.