somerville open studios artist statements

On May 4+5 2012 we opened our house up for Somerville Open Studios. I had lifted every artist statement from the open studios' site, split them into sentences and tacked them to a wall. We then asked participants to mark the sentences that made them smile, or stopped them in their tracks. Here is every sentence that someone chose to so elevate.

The very most popular

*****HULA HOOPING is also a passion Martha Forsyth

****In a nutshell, I draw great boobs ;) Jim Downes

****If it takes a year, or two, or five, thats fine Regina Schroeder

****I can throw for hours Arielle Mossberg

****And it's just so damn fun James Goodwin

The Runners-up

***What is a datum? Ted Ollier

***Unless, of course, these creatures made their own source of light Meghann Brideau

***This owl will be different than any other owl that I craft Eric Bornstein

***They add color and pizzazz to any outfit Nicole Soper Gorden

***My haiku on photography illustrates my enigmatic realtionship with images: A PICTURE IS NOT WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS IF IT DOES NOT SPEAK TO YOU Samantha Jane Scolamiero

***Life is just life, that's all it is, ha ha ha ha Joerg Fraske

***I have been drawing from my Victoria's Secret catalogs for a number of years now, and I always find something in them that amazes me, some surprising often frightening glimpse into the realm of what at least one segment of society apparently finds praiseworthy in women Jackie Miller

***I am a HUGE collector of Wolverine action figures Jennifer Swanson Downes

***I also make a series of boxes... Judith Cohen

Also popular

**What does it mean to be nowhere? Gary Duehr

**Tree branches pull me in Cynthia Staples

**This quickly led to all manners of trouble, such as forming the galactically infamous nerd gang known as SCUL, and running a robot-orphanage out of my friend's garage Skunk

**This poetic phrase, Pulling The Legs Off Bugs Was a Cruel, Harmless Waste of Time first came to me the year my father died Stacey Alickman

**Shortly thereafter, I painted my first jellyfish Meghann Brideau

**She is making slow progress with a "serious" tarot deck, but within months managed to complete a full deck of Surly Pink Cartoon Bunnies Julia Tenney

**Not so fast Nave Gallery ARTSomerville

**My paintings have ended up in bars, gambling casinos and bedrooms Bobbi Kovner

**My geckos come from all over the world and each thrives in its natural habitat within my home Aliza Arzt

**May no piece of fabric be forgotten Laura Estan, Director Somerville Community Growing Center Artists Collaborative

**Is data cold, hard, concrete? Ted Ollier

**In this age of technology, when we are steps removed from nature, it is important for art to allow the viewer to experience what is alive and physical Sarah Meyers Brent

**In many cultures the egg is a central part of the creation story Jonathan Hondorp

**If not, no worries Teeru Bihani Blue Helix Designs

**I'm an ameteur balloon photographer Shannon Simms

**I want clarity and I want things veiled Gabrielle H. Sichel

**I know those of you who saw it, many of you are still chuckling Samantha Jane Scolamiero

**He kept it hid Juhi Chandalia

**I enjoy gardening, cooking, high end Vodka and listening to rock-n-roll Jennifer Swanson Downes

**I don't know where they come from George Teshu

**I developed a deep involvement with Things Bulgarian Martha Forsyth

**I believe in the fusion of art and science Bevan Weissman

**I believe in the fission of science and art Bevan Weissman

**I am a paint slinger Paul Arsenault

**ESSAYS MADE TO ORDER Andy Metzger

**Earcuffs are comfortable and don't require any piercings to wear Nicole Soper Gorden

**Doing what you like is Freedom, liking what you do is Happiness Clara Angelina Diaz

**Along with being an artist, I am also a pet groomer, a, 3rd Degree Black Belt in Shoalin Karate, I wrote & illustrated a a children’s science book & published poetry. Jennifer Swanson Downes

Honorable Mentions

*You should come see them, I guess, and judge for yourself Jonathan Rich

*Yet the city is full of stationary elements John Bunzick

*We're not about all that other stuff George Teshu

*We live in a world of cruelty, horror, war, and awful things people do to one another George Teshu

*We have a significant influence on the natural world, but we are not in control Nancy Fulton

*We all have common needs, common desires, common longings Mike Papadopol

*Walking through my neighborhood I observe the gritty urban/industrial surfaces of rusted, pitted, corroded metal, cracked concrete, crumbling brick and melted tar; in nature the patterns of tree bark, rippling pond waters and moss encrusted boulders intrigues me; molecular structures, DNA and other forms seen only with a microscope; the rhythms, energy and emotion found in the music I hear all find a way into my art Ron Brunelle

*Using the tools of the 21st century, and aesthetics that transcend textbooks, my aim is to encourage curiosity and revive the citizen naturalist Natalya Zahn studio animaux

*Through art I strive to interpret my highest joy of being a constantly evolving and growing human being Clara Angelina Diaz

*Though clay is breakable, I embrace the sturdiness of the medium, knowing that if something breaks, it can be re-imagined again Arielle Mossberg

*This year the theme is The Divine Feminine Pampi Das

*This creation is not on a deadline Regina Schroeder

*They searched for blue Juhi Chandalia

*There is no reason to rush Regina Schroeder

*Then passed right by Juhi Chandalia

*The work is inspired by organisms living in or generated from parasitic and symbiotic relationships Jenn Levatino

*The technical aspects of creation have always held a compelling fascination for me Jeanne Flanagan

*The surface of the ground we use daily hides what is underneath Carolyn Muskat

*The sensuality of texture and color provide great inspiration Laura Hughes

*The photograph seems to work only if the light is just right Randi Freundlich

*The larger works take more time and thought Kimberly Becker

*The Cosmic Egg...the earth and sky from halves of shell, the sun from yoke, the clouds from white Jonathan Hondorp

*The art in facts -- the subjective interpretation of documentations of individuality Janet Si-Ming Lee

*The ambiguous territory of modern airports represents a kind of limbo that is neither here nor there Gary Duehr

*Thanks for taking a look James Goodwin

*Story-teller, repli-cator, investigator, mad-scientist, moonlighter, expressionist, innovative, stodgy, aching, colorful, shabby, and intuitive are a few of the many, both good and bad Paul Arsenault

*Some have a sense of whimsy, even humor Naomi Alexandroff-Brest NAOMI A DESIGNS

*So keep an eye out...if not for my photos...then for my camera Scott D. Friedman

*I enjoy using old curtains, sheets, and other linens for my materials Laura Estan, Director Somerville Community Growing Center Artists Collaborative

*Seek out community Regina Schroeder

*Rustic, casual and biker friendly Hang Em High

*Research includes academic work, sketching, and many hours of thought and visualization, perhaps discovering that it must be a Great Horned Owl for this piece Eric Bornstein

*pen + ink, acrylics Juhi Chandalia + Pampi Das

*Painting for me is the ultimate freedom - no rules, no wrongs, no politics James Goodwin

*Our works have been showcased in fine shops and galleries around the country, and worn by many in the performing arts Hang Em High

*Our unique outdoor garden gallery features nature-based creations and environmentally-themed art Laura Estan, Director Somerville Community Growing Center Artists Collaborative

*Our shops include tooling for welding, precision metal working, wood working, electronics and robotics, sewing, a computer lab, and more Artisan's Asylum

*Only themselves, only this Josh Bartok

*Of course it is, as are all raw materials Ted Ollier

*No one gazes at a Rembrandt and shudders at the slickness of the glazing Ted Ollier

*Naturally, i've turned to humanity's best collaborator in such endeavors: socks Bonnie Denis

*My work is divided into projects Adam Leveille

*My work has evolved into creating tiny environments and universes, with small houses perched on the brink of precariousness Arielle Mossberg

*I consist of: 27 % ridiculous, 73 % awesome Julie Cahill

*My signature garments are one of a kind capes for women JoAnne JoJo

*My paint is thick, soft, translucent and mysterious Jessica Chickering

*My manuscript has been a finalist in several national book contests Anna M. Warrock

*My Jewelry designs, likewise, are influenced by Victorian design fused with a Steam Punk sensibility and a hint of the Tribal Nancy Wood

*My goal is to create an object of beauty that nevertheless expresses the complexity and anxiety, and sometimes despair, of our modern existence Pauline Lim

*My father befriended and worked and wrote about Native peoples Katherine Harvey

*My delicate obsession is natures essence Jessica Chickering

*My body of work examines the masks I wear and what it might mean to shed these masks Juhi Chandalia

*My artwork has been exhibited locally, nationally, and in Canada Jennifer Swanson Downes

*My art has been featured on accessories from Tattooed Steel Jim Downes

*Listen to criticism Regina Schroeder

*Laugh a lot Regina Schroeder

*Its meaning is layered; that children easily pull the legs off bugs without remorse or regret Stacey Alickman

*It's the thing that keeps us all going Danita Jo Talbot

*It's almost like I was made to do what I do George Teshu

*It is fun just to try stuff on Teeru Bihani Blue Helix Designs

*It is a jungle here so come and swing from a tree with me!! Maria Marx

*It can create a pot, a house, or a hydroelectric dam Ted Ollier

*In recent years, when all my friends were saturated with articles of clothing, I began entering crafts fairs Susan Zeichner

*In recent months I have been engaged in high-speed charcoal portraits Alejandro Fischer

*In painting my 6-foot waves my intention is to recreate that state of mind Jane Sherrill

*In 2009, my work started to change Steve Novick

*In 2009, I expanded my business to include jewelry making Katherine Elliott

*I work in 2 media: one, ceramics, is generally recognized as "art" Aliza Arzt

*I welcome special orders Lyn Brown

*I was seeing the north in a new way Sandra Allik

*I try to strike a balance between horror and humor, a nice mix of Hammer Studios and Mad Magazine, if you will Salty Dave

*I start with a textured ground Peter Freeth Belford

*I shape constructions that mimic the patterns of science and reflect on the temporal nature of growth and change Jodi Colella

*I see this form as a surface John Bunzick

*I see the world through Caribbean eyes Winston Breedy

*I realized that I was able to stop time, if only for a second, and reflect back at a later time to create or recreate the story of that moment Scott D. Friedman

*I rarely have a preconceived notion of what I will write or paint Jane Chakravarthy

*I particularly love combining bright colors and using a wide variety of fibers Susan Zeichner

*I ofttimes find conventional boundaries between countries, cultures, even species a little arbitrary Bettina Burch

*I make photos, small mostly Sylvia deMurias Cherry Street Studio

*I love the weird in life Brian Edson

*I love doing it on people Iku Oseki

*I look forward to hearing or seeing your moments as well and making new ones together Samantha Jane Scolamiero

*I live in Maine, in the summer Jill Hoy

*I hope that my art reflects the exuberance we all share Laura White

*I hope my art elicits laughter, smirks, questions and a bit of an adrenaline rush Ariel Freiberg

*I have recently started to work with wood Brian Edson

*I have finished an abstract series in acrylics called "I can't go on Sandra Allik

*I have been interested in the human figure since I started photographing, and by its infinite potential for generating abstract compositions, that I often integrate with the landscape, or photograph underwater, using reflection and refraction to make the images even more compelling Christian Waeber

*I have been creating zines, most of them autobiographical, since 1995 Marissa Falco

*I have an intense fascination for monsters, skulls, mollusks, bunnies, and beer ehawk

*I had a breakthrough, watching Blue Planet Meghann Brideau

*I feel that my work is successful when I can detect a pulse in it Melissa Ross

*I don't think about that a lot but I think it's a motivation George Teshu

*I create automatically, alternately suppressing and welcoming the conscious act of creation Ira Cummings

*I create art because I can Keith March-Mistler

*I combine my two artistic pursuits by making accessories for the gecko enclosures Aliza Arzt

*I began knitting when I was 5, taught by a babysitter Susan Zeichner

*I am now in college Marcia Ahearn

*I am inspired by nature, iconography, and fabric design Susan Hagner

*I am inspired by Van Gogh, Matisse, Monet and Chagall because of their bright palette and their brushwork Amy Epstein

*I am happy to announce that I now take commissions for pieces based on your photo - children at play, weddings, favorite locations, pets, etc Susan Livada

*I am especially drawn to texture and tension, and seek to surprise and challenge my viewers Charles Bandes Photography

*I am currently teaching myself to play rock music on the xylophone Jennifer Swanson Downes

*I am a young man who grew up in the Midwest and replanted in Boston Tobias Hathorn

*I am a retired chemical engineer, licensed historic trolley operator (Pennsylvania Trolley Museum, Washington, PA), and practicing professional genealogist, who inherited the handwork gene from both sides of my family Kathryn Black

*Hello Pampi Das

*Further, I enjoy morphing natural images with abstract and geometric forms, am drawn to the simplicity of modern design, and am fascinated by observations on how well or poorly manifested ideals exist within reality David Palmquist

*For me, art making has gone from being a pass time at the age of 13, when I was not allowed to play outside, to a communicative tool from the Devine that allows me to make my most complex dreams, experiences and ideas into a beautiful thought provoking image and mirror of my unconscious mind Clara Angelina Diaz

*For information about the joys and expenses of responsible house bunny ownership, look up the House Rabbit Network Fang Friends

*For after all, doing what you like is freedom and liking what you do is happiness Clara Angelina Diaz

*Finish, yes, but dont feel obligated to finish fast Regina Schroeder

*Film is dead, right Nave Gallery ARTSomerville

*Field work might include locating and visiting owls, so I can observe and mimic them, to discover essential characteristics which must be shown in the mask Eric Bornstein

*Every "messed-up" line is a singing line for me Iku Oseki

*Each bag is made by me using designer fabrics, such as Amy Butler Pretty Neat Designs

*Downplaying its liquidity, water is one of several textures in my photographs Timothy Wilson

*Don't make what someone else says you should be making Regina Schroeder

*Do you have friends that are in need of a present Maria Marx

*Choose from pouches, wristlets, purses and totes Elemental Threads

*But, maybe they are the subject John Bunzick

*But where did these things come from Ted Ollier

*But the sentence also implies a kind of denial; that ones actions might be cruel, but then again, maybe not Stacey Alickman

*Breathing, tasting, smelling rich fertile environments invades me Jessica Chickering

*Blur it, average it, dice it, compress it, and the mind still gleans some sort of information from the inputs it is provided Ted Ollier

*Being someone who often literally did not "fit in" (imagine a 6'2" female in Asia), I learned life is best met with smiles and laughter Laura White

*Because it is what I was meant to do Keith March-Mistler

*At my day job, I'm a journalist constrained by facts and fairness Andy Metzger

*Ask me more and I will be happy to share Nicole Soper Gorden

*As The Beatles said "All you have to do is act naturally." Su Red

*As I ventured into the streets, the adventure began Scott D. Friedman

*As far as style is concerned, I lean toward a hipster comic vibe Jim Downes

*Art is making something out of nothing and selling it Cristian Gazmuri Gazmuri Glass

*Art has been my best friend through everything Keith March-Mistler

*And...you might even see some modular ORIGAMI Martha Forsyth

*And then once we know, we box it away under the description, ?It is a picture of? Josh Bartok

*And now, years later, it's no different Pete Timothy Linus Reed

*And maybe they will act as guides to a parallel world between the mind's vision and our deepest feelings Ariel Freiberg

*All of my pieces are food safe, microwave safe, and dishwasher safe and are priced between $15-$100 Heidi Kador

*After decades of vague praise for her "serious" work, and gushing approval of her doodles, she began to catch on Julia Tenney

*Adriana enjoys thinking of her art as bold, intriguing, and sensual Adriana Prat

*Add a speck, a dot, a mark, and something emerges from the gloom Ted Ollier

*A recent series, Coffee Mandalas, has received positive reviews Julia Tenney

*A psychologist once asked a troubled child, "Which would you rather do: come to my office and talk or build things out of popsicle sticks and set them on fire?" Eco-friendly crafts for children and women made by Haitian artisans--paintings, papier mâché, painted iron and wood objects, little clothes and embroidered items--all original and fun Nathaniel Price

*A fascination with traditional singing led me to Bulgaria as a young woman Martha Forsyth

*A designer looks to solve problems, while an artist seeks uniqueness Naomi Alexandroff-Brest NAOMI A DESIGNS