The Art of Comedy - Featuring Nicolas Caesar

The Art of Comedy

Thursday July 2, 2009

6-9 PM

The Comedy Underground

109 South Washington Street (in Occidental Park)

Seattle WA 98104

The Comedy Underground presents The Art of Comedy. This gallery show takes place in the lobby of the world-famous Comedy Underground and features artwork that is either humorous in nature, or made by stand up comedians.

This month we feature the artwork of Nicolas Caesar.

Nicolas Caesar: http://www.scary-art.com/

B. 1973, Santa Clara, CA

Nicolas Caesar was a shy child born in the California suburbs. Fuelled by monster comics and classic horror movies - he sought to capture them through illustration, sometimes even trying to trace the flashing images from his television.

Between a compulsion to collect and compulsion to create he started building sculptures in his High School years. His creations consisted of everything from paperclips, bones, broken toys, to anything and everything he found walking the streets of San Jose. The more he walked the more his creations grew.

In 1992 he began showing his art as backdrops for local industrial bands at the late Cactus club in San Jose. As his reputation grew he then expanded his showings to San Francisco, becoming a staple in the growing fringe culture of goth/industrial/bondage clubs. "They were the only ones who would have me, every gallery I approached thought my art was (physically) dangerous".

In 2003 Nicolas returned to painting as a friend said "It's easier for someone to hang a 16x20 painting in their one bedroom Bay Area apartment than it is to make space for a inanimate roommate". He debuted his paintings in April 2003 at The Alternative Press Expo in San Francisco and sold every one. Now you can find him painting 24/7.

Considered by most as a dark outsider folk artist; Nicolas Caesar makes it clear even though he's now accepted and embraced by cutting edge galleries, he wont turn down a show in a donut shop. Nicolas Caesar is married to photographer Sarah Karas and they live in the Bay Area's Castro Valley. They have a hermit crab named Pee Wee.

The Art of Comedy -- First Thursday Art Walk in June

The Comedy Underground and Urban Craft Uprising joined forces to bring you The Art of Comedy. This gallery show takes place in the lobby of the world-famous Comedy Underground and features artwork that is either humorous in nature, or made by stand up comedians.

This month we feature the artwork of Jenna Colby.

“Bubbles popping and bare feet.” Ask Washington-state artist Jenna Colby to describe her work, and you don’t just get a string of adjectives; instead, you get a lovely little “word picture” that lets you know just how her art feels.

"Blue Ruin Gallery. Pittsburgh, PA"

View Jenna's work at: http://www.soopajdelux.com/ and soopajdelux.etsy.com

And as always, a barrel-full o the funniest indie crafters this side of the Factoria Mall join us in the lobby of The Comedy Underground to show off their hilarious wares. Support us by supporting them. And they'll support you. Or something. Someone will do something to support someone else. Or everyone will. Or we'll all just have a beer and pay for it ourselves and then go our separate ways. One of those things will happen.

Hilarious Indie Crafters of the Moment: 

Ceramics by Urbana

Decapitated Dollies by Scary White Girl Designs

T's by Midairdesign

Underwear by Shesho Designs

Shower Art by Ugly Baby

Shirts, Buttons and Pillows by Man Made Monsters

The exhibit will be followed at 9 PM by an evening starring two of my personal favorite stand up comics -- Feature: Hari Kondabolu and Headliner: Gabriel Rutledge. You may have seen Hari on Jimmy Kimmel Live or Comedy Central's Live at Gotham and Gabriel was the winner of the 2005 Seattle International Comedy Competition. 

Jenna Colby - Biography

http://www.soopajdelux.com/

soopajdelux.etsy.com

Jenna Colby is a self taught artist who has always been creative through different mediums, but decided to focus on painting three years ago. Originally from Ohio, Jenna has traveled and lived in both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, but has called Seattle home since 1999. Growing up in a small town Colby was always fascinated with cities and has been influenced by her travels and the people she has met and observed. “I make it a point to take note and assign a story to the passer by, giving each moment in time purpose and creating color.” After developing and beginning to show her work, Jenna came into contact with the work of artists like Mark Ryden and Yoshimoto Nara. Thinking back, she says, “Their work really moved me. It made me nervous, giddy . . . I’m not sure if there is a word for it. But after experiencing that feeling, I decided that is what I want to do to others. I want to make other people feel that way.”

"Art Star Gallery. Philadelphia,PA"

Jenna Colby's work is clearly reminiscent of Mark Ryden and Yoshimoto Nara--anyway, that's what I thought as soon as I saw it--but is sweeter and more ethereal.

"Urban Craft Uprising. Seattle,WA"

“Bubbles popping and bare feet.” Ask Washington-state artist Jenna Colby to describe her work, and you don’t just get a string of adjectives; instead, you get a lovely little “word picture” that lets you know just how her art feels. Jenna seems to know a thing or two about states of mind. Even her exhibit title—It’s Not Real: Dream Diaries, Secret Messages, and Other Clues from Far Far Away—lets you know you’re in for something special when you view her work. Delicate, ethereal, sweet, Jenna’s paintings capture a curious personality in a brief moment of time ready to take you on an internal voyage. Her take on it is this: “A random passerby on a random day in a random moment has a story to tell, a history, a set of beliefs and intentions, all happening, all true and real, but unnoticed by most.” It is these moments that Jenna freezes in her colorful yet airy portraits of characters who are twiggy in form but bursting with emotion, sensation, and moodiness. That is her intent—to communicate the language of mood. “I make it a point to take note and assign stories to the passerby, giving each moment in time purpose and creating color within supersaturated environments even if the color exists only inside.” Now residing in Bremerton, Washington, Jenna once made Pittsburgh her home for a period of three years: “Pittsburgh woke me up and started me on my way. I have carried the lessons learned in that town with me and although I just lived there for a few years, I feel like I am from Pittsburgh.” And so she’d like to share her work with its residents with the help of Blue Ruin Gallery. Enter into the charmed world of Jenna Colby’s airy, emotional portraits.

"Blue Ruin Gallery. Pittsburgh, PA"

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/

What do you get when you put Urban Craft Uprising and Comedy Underground together?

The Art of Comedy that's what. Urban Craft Uprisingand the Comedy Underground are teaming up to bring you the Art of Comedy. When the Comedy Underground decided to open it's doors to local artists who use humor and beguiling sensibilities in their work, they called on Urban Craft Uprising, organizers of the largest indie craft show in the Pacific Northwest. Twelve of the funniest indie crafters and artists in the city will be showing off their talent in the Comedy Underground lobby located at 109 S. Washington St. (at Occidental), followed by a full night of comedians bringing the funny. Please join us during the First Thursday Art Walk for our first curated event, March 5th from 6:00 to 9:00 pm. At 9:00 the funny continues with headliner John Roy. John has appeared on Comedy Central's "Premium Blend" in the 2005-2006 season, and a November 2005 episode of CBS' "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson." John appeared in several episodes of NBC's "Last Comic Standing" where he advanced to the semifinals of the reality show/ competition. In January, 2008 John made his debut performance on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno." Tickets for the comedy show can be purchased in advance at http://www.ticketweb.com/snl/VenueListings.action?venueId=underground. Come for the Crafty, stay for the Comedy. http://www.urbancraftuprising.com/ http://www.comedyunderground.com/

First Thursday - The Boofday Edition

What a nice pre-birthday celebration. Seriously, I posted a little blurb on the bottom of my bARTer Sauce newsletter last week that if thy wanted to hang out with me on my birthday they could come by on First Thursday during the Art Walk. And people showed up. Some with CAKE! Kelly Lyles baked me a german chocolate cake that we ate all of even though we had no forks! I should have taken a picture but I was too engrossed in CAKE! She put a little mutant baby on the top. It was super-duper good. My cute studio partner, Kimberly, made me a Happy Birthday Rosalie sign on our chalkboard. Super cute. I got the most evil looking teddy bear lamp as a bARTer Sauce trade from Emmett (now he and Kate are contractually obligated to make art projects with me & Doug next week). Brit (the creator of the paper bag puppet costume that Emmett got for the bear lamp) even stopped by long enough to see the trade happen in person.

Here's a close-up of the Evil Teddy Lamp:

I got the best belt ever made by the woman who made the best skirt ever, Betsy. I'm wearing it today and two guys stopped me on the street to tell me how much they liked it. Guys. And I don't think they were being smarmy...I think they actually just liked it. I got to visit my friend Sara at her art show down the street at 619 Western and deliver her Shower Art I promised her ages ago. Tim & Veronica brought me Betty Boop paraphenalia and an awesome ring that will totally come in handy if I ever get into a fight. They're awesome! And Doug, the best husband ever, surprised me with a skirt I fell in love with about 9 months ago in Les Amis. He's been carrying it around in his car for 9 months waiting for surprise me. It worked! Sorry Betsy -- I think I'm going to have to relegate your skirt to number two best skirt in the world. Don't be sad though -- that's still pretty good. The night was a little bit of a blur -- in part because of the level of activity -- and in part because of the red wine.

MMmmmmmmmm....

Thanks everyone!

The Museum of Bad Art in the House

Michael Frank, the curator-in-chief of The Museum of Bad Art, spent the evening in our studio on First Thursday signing copies of their new book Masterworks and also giving two presentations on what makes bad art. Thanks to The Stranger for suggesting it:

Michael showed a slideshow of some pieces in MOBA's permanent collection and some submissions that have been rejected. For example, they don't do velvet, they don't do paint by numbers, they don't do 'kid art', but they do do this (ha -- do do):

Some folks brought items to submit to MOBA's permanent collection and one lucky lady, Marlow, from Unusual Life, had an item Michael thought was worthy. His pronouncement was met with her screams of, "It's going in the museum! It's going in the museum! It's going in the museum!"

Local artist and bARTer Sauce supporter, Kelly Lyles, stopped by for the second presentation and took studious notes.

After getting a piece into MOBA, Marlow invited Michael and I to check out their house full of art -- specifically their Paint By Numbers Room. It was breathtaking. They even have an Elvis-shaped topiary in on their patio!

All in all, it was a lovely evening.

Especially if you don't count the pat where I borrowed a projector from work for the slide show portion -- a projector that was stolen within minutes of me borrowing it -- which required that I procure a second projector within one hour of the event starting.

Yeah, it was totally awesome as long as you don't count that part.

Ahhhhhhhh, MOBA. You rule.

Museum of Bad Art in Seattle - One Night Only!

Yelp It Michael Frank, curator-in-chief of The Museum of Bad Art will be in Seattle for one night only. August 7, 2008 from 6-10pm Michael will be signing copies of the Museum's new book, Masterworks. At 7pm and 9pm he'll be doing a presentation about bad art. Everyone is invited to bring Michael some bad art to evaluate. You just might end up in the Museum's permanent collection. And if he doesn't take it, bARTer Sauce will probably trade you for it. So drag your bad art to Stir, 216 Alaskan Way S (under the viaduct between Main & Washington).

April First Thursday

How has an entire month gone by already? Oh wait, I remember, I was laying on the couch with a fever of 102 for quite a bit of it so maybe that's why it seems like we just went through the First Thursday madness. Luckily it's a really comfy couch. Like sleeping on a marshmallow. Or maybe it was a marshmallow. I was a little out of it. Some pretty potatoes stopped by to say hey: Jessica, Lauri (& the alien inside her), Jen & her boyfriend whose name I forgot (but who should not be insulted because I never remember names -- in fact, I so rarely remember names, it seems ridiculous to write a blog where I name people who stopped by First Thursday -- so ridiculous in fact that I think I shall stop. Now.) A couple of bARTer Sauce trades happened -- one I was expecting -- and one was a complete surprise. The one I was expecting: Patrick brought over the Time Machine Parts he had promised me. And a tiny, little landscape that he painted on an asprin. In exchange, he got one of Nicolas' clown paintings. Here's me & Patrick: Here's a close-up of Patrick's shirt: Here's the Pill: Here's the Time Machine Parts: The One I Wasn't Expecting: Tim stopped by again. He traded with me once before (Abandoned Artist Sketchbook) and stops by most First Thursdays because he lives in the area. This month he brought me a big, gigantic painting of a pig head. Huge. Here's the pig: Here's me and Tim rolling around on it: Tim got the other Clown painting from Nicolas. Which is unfortunate because it wasn't until both trades happened that I remembered I was supposed to take pictures of the clown pictures hanging and send them to Nicolas. I did the only thing could do at that point. I took pictures of the empty spaces on the wall where they used to be and told Nicolas he'd just have to trade with The Sauce again. He agreed. Phew! Here's a few Shower Arts from our most recent batch:

First Thursday Art Walk -- March

This First Thursday was lovely. As always.

Some special friends stopped by:

• My lovely husband, Doug, although, he kind of has to be there
• My father-in-law, Robert, who probably had other things he might have wanted to do in Seattle, but instead came to my art show. Nice.



• My ex-roomie, Val, (& her new boyfriend - teehee) who filled up on Shower Arts even though her birthday party is today and now I have no idea what to give her. Sigh.
• A past bARTer Sauce supporter, Kelly Lyles (possibly my favorite bARTer Sauce trader to date) who literally gave me the coat off her back after I told her I liked it
• Roxanne, who is 1/3 responsible for bARTer Sauce now having trading cards and who has agreed to design more of them for me until we have one for every trade and then we will rule the world
• A past bARTer Sauce trader -Josiah - came by with some friends and bought an entire bottle of sparkling apple cider
• Another past bARTer Sauce trader, Tim, who gave me an artist's sketch book that he found (which is still available and awesome!)
• Some new bARTer Sauce traders -- Staci and Stacy - weird, I didn't even realize they had the same name until just now
• EtsyRain folks: Kimberly (of course she's there -- we share a studio!) & Carrie & Marlo & Laura & Jill & Tarah & Halina & Trina....Did I get everyone? Yikes, there were lots!

This was the first show where I hung Parisite, possibly the best bARTer Sauce item ever (no offense everyone else, no offense). Everyone who came by commented on how awesome it was and then when I pointed out that Paris is actually PAINTED and not a magazine cutout, why then people pretty much just fell on the floor and fainted and we had to get smelling salts and stuff to revive them.

So, in short, I expect to get lots of trade offers for it.

Starting....NOW!

Staci traded me this fantastic box 'o stuffs with Mona Lisa on the back and drawers full of jewels. It's called "Mona didn't need bling". It's awesome. She got "Wood Face" for it.

Stacy traded me two paintings that I thought from the picture were going to be tiny, but they are actually quite large and even cooler than I thought. One has a tiny tomato that has fangs. FANGs people! I call it "Fangy Tomato." I'm sure the artists I trade with must love it when I re-name their work. Yeah, I'm sure they do. Now, Stacy's last name starts with an S too and these paintings are from when she was younger, more naive maybe, and she signed them SS but she swears she is in no way responsible for crimes against humanity, just naiveness.

Stacy, I love her, Stacy took the CREDIT CARD COSTUME!

oh man, I am not sorry to see that gigantic foamy thing leave my posession.

Go free young credit card. Ride into the night with Stacy and fill up her stupid closets with your credit card-ness!

That's pretty much all I have to report, except for one magical quick thing.

Ariane traded me a cardboard cutout of myself that she made. Well, she had the package in her car to mail to me....and her car got stolen. She emailed me last week to let me know and I mourned and got angry and went through the seven stages or something.

And then today, while I was writing this blog, there was a knock on the door.

And what was it?

A surprised mailman.

Yes, my hair is a mess and I'm wearing jammies.

It's 11am on a Friday. What do you expect?

And in the surprised mailman's hands....

A box from Ariane with a cardboard cutout of ME inside.

I wonder if that means she got her car back?

Or if the thief felt bad enough to mail it for her?

I'll never know....until I finish this stupid blog and email her.

Bye suckas!