Kismet Arts Tangent

ASMR: Blossom Creature and Chef Cat’s Forks and Prismatic Ventricles Present Two Dances – YouTube.

I was inspired to create masks when I saw the promotional material for Beats Antique’s Creature Carnival. I noted the symmetry of the masks and thought, well, that’s definitely in my scope of capability. At this point, I’ve been reflecting images for so long that when I see symmetry in media, it’s for me. I can do that.

I painted the masks to scale with acrylic paint and a chinese calligraphic paintbrush on newsprint then scanned it and reflected it in Photoshop, printed the mask, glued it on some scratch watercolor paper I had lying around. Then, cut it out and attached some string and voila! Unique mask for something like a couple of dollars. Durable, yet disposable.

These masks inspired the Two Dances. Melanie and I filmed each other dancing in the lab. I drew strength from my improv classes and did the live voice over, giving the dances some context and texture. I enjoy the storytelling aspect, creating myth and legend. Melanie Blossom is a sweet dancer and then I come in and Melanie in her skilled translation of my behavior/fashion.

The mask, the pillowcase, the scarves, the forks, deemed me Chef Kat. And well, there’s a whole character in there and I was happy to elaborate on some fork dance moves and then using the binaural microphone to create a surround sound experience of forks. Most people will never hear forks grinding against each other around their head, but you are lucky to have Chef Kat to help you out with that.

The collage overlay: I discovered visual feedback loops spiral depending on the angle of the camera. The effect is a cosmic fern that unfurls and refurls and it’s mezmerizing. Try it at home when you have a chance. So that’s one piece. The other is my field trip to a garden fountain showroom. Architecture and water texture are my two favorite things to kaleidescope, so this video is one of my favorite things to look at.

The audio

Recorded on a 3Dio Freespace Pro Binaural Microphone: the clanking of forks, voice over, slowed down piano and some other clicking,

ASMR: Vlog- Artist-Designer Label – YouTube.

Lately (and always), I’ve been trying to figure out who I am. I wanted to capture this moment in my life where I am making things that I love and wondering where does the “profession” come into play.

The audio

Recorded on a 3Dio Freespace Pro Binaural Microphone: the sound of making a label using the label machine slowed down and soft spoken me talking about where I’m at.

ASMR: Prismatic Ventricles Present “Transposing Empathy” – YouTube.

A weekend hanging out in Portland made this video what it is. It’s collaged with some footage from Volunteer Park Conservatory.

The audio

Recorded on a 3Dio Freespace Pro Binaural Microphone: Rattles, light metal rods, an electric guitar, Proust, whispering, monologues, a trip to the conservatory in Volunteer Park, Seattle and to Jamison Square Park in Portland.

ASMR: Lake Wenatchee – YouTube.

A good scrape on a camping trip to Lake Wenatchee. Yes, this is the same trip where we set out rafting a little too late on an Autumnal day and ended up getting out of the river halfway through, too cold and too dark to continue.

The next day we went to bask by a lake and it was a lovely time.

The audio

Recorded on a 3Dio Freespace Pro Binaural Microphone: the sound of  hiking, water and conversation

ASMR: Sunday Hike of Ira Springs Trail – YouTube.

Friends and I went to Ira Springs Trail. It lead to a crater esque lake. Surrounded by a ridge, hidden away as if waiting for idyllic picnickers to come and get swallowed up by its beauty.

I love the way trees look when they are kaleidescoped. An ornate ceiling of stained glass only the metal has been replaced by wood and the glass the magnificence of the sky.

The audio

Recorded on a 3Dio Freespace Pro Binaural Microphone: soft spoken words, the breeze, friendly chatter, breathing, water and dirt

ASMR: Lovely Human Being – YouTube.

A walk through the cemetary on the way home. I was pleased with all the little features of this place. Several water fountains and sweet tree groves. Architecture in the kaleidescope is really effective.

That night, my housemate (and muse) Melanie was feeling a little sad. I channeled that into some sweet and perhaps too intimate words of soothing. I find that when I speak from the heart, there’s no pause to find the words. It’s like I’m just reading what’s already written.

I really enjoyed the end of the video where there’s a pool of water that the point of view turns to as if the flourish at the end of a beautiful name.

The audio

Recorded on a 3Dio Freespace Pro Binaural Microphone: Soft spoken words, clarinet, and whispered gibberish

ASMR: The Clock of the Ages – YouTube.

I asked James to read for me. He did a great job. I feel a little awkward when I ask people to read for me. Are they worried that I would do something weird with the clip? Credit them with the wrong name? What are these hesitant collaborators afraid of? I nag to the point of annoyance for all parties, but I know deep within my creative soul that I’d rather be that person who will get the real life stuff that no one wants to be that person.

I think creating from real life (not just synthesizing sounds) gives a limit and a depth. When I have a guest star in something, willingly, creatively, there’s a radiance of shared creation. We made something together with our molecules in the same room at the same time. We both said, this idea might not be the best, but it’s what we have presently and we have the capacity.

If you haven’t recorded with me and you are in the Seattle area, I implore you to get in touch. I’m always on the prowl for new voices, different sounds and aural surprises that will make the stuff strong in its unique perspective.

The audio

Recorded on a 3Dio Freespace Pro Binaural Microphone: reading an excerpt from Clock of the Ages from The Best American Science & Nature Writing 2000: David Quammen, Burkhard Bilger and street noise and a slowed down track of a lawn fountain showroom.

ASMR: Mix of the Beginning – YouTube.

It felt like a time to reflect. I saw a transformation in my videos. A kid of the 90s. I appreciated the television season’s end because of the fun montages of the season. Sharing moments again in a collage of nostalgia.

It’s always weird to look back and think that I’m a different person now, but I guess I am. Videos are a wonderful way to capture a moment, real or staged because there’s a bit more authenticity-feel to it. The voice, the vision, it feels like a memory. I think about this a lot. Video is so accessible for me as a reflective machine.