Arts at the Armory, one of Tacona’s largest annual celebrations of the arts, is this weekend! Come hang out with No, Mine! Studios from 11 a.m. -5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and check out the other wonderful vendors, too! I’ll have my game demo on hand, as well as a limited stock of stickers, buttons, and the new “Yeetcosystem Licensed Sales Agent Training Manual (Volume 1)” (the manual comes with a free sticker – included in package). Tim Kapler is also making his return to the arts world this weekend, so come say hi!
Concept art for Yeetcosystem. Suzanne Skaar, 11/2/2022. All rights reserved. Visit yeetcosystem.com for more information..
Ten years ago today, I created the website for No, Mine! Studios. The history of this studio has everything to do with my journey as a mom just as much as it does with being an artist.
In June 2013, I graduated with my Master’s degree from the University of Washington Jackson School of International Studies with a 15-month-old Izzy on my hip. I had discovered I was pregnant with Izzy a week before I traveled to Ufa, Bashkortostan, for a Critical Language Scholarship. After losing my first pregnancy in Greece in early 2011, I didn’t think I could get pregnant again. When I started experiencing worrying symptoms beyond the unrelenting morning sickness, I made the decision to leave the scholarship program early and return to the States. I couldn’t risk a second loss. I went to school in the fall, took a break for winter, and then returned to school less than 6 weeks after Izzy was born (and only four weeks after he came home from the NICU). A few months after that, I was on a plane to do thesis research on guerrilla art in St. Petersburg and Moscow. When I returned a few weeks later, I quickly resumed commuting from Tacoma to Seattle every day for school via bus.
I didn’t know what to do post graduation that would allow me to stay closer to my little one. I interviewed for a few positions, but given the cost of childcare for kids under the age of 4, it didn’t make sense for me to return to a “normal” job based on the salaries being offered (despite having a Masters degree in hand). I didn’t have family to fall back on for support beyond my coparent.
With normal avenues seemingly blocked, I decided to take the leap and start figuring out ways to make art a career. Thank you to those who have supported me in this journey. And thank you most of all to Izzy, my now 11-year-old, for giving me a reason to embark on this journey in the first place.
Suzanne working and Izzy helping: January 2014. Photo by Tim Kapler.
Toddler headlock/ a.k.a., what working from home looks like. Photo by Suzanne Skaar.
Getting set up for Arts at the Armory 2021. Photo by Suzanne Skaar, 2021. All rights reserved.
We held out longer than almost everyone we knew, but to no avail. In less than a month, the movie Frozen has changed the way our home operates. Trips to the grocery store take a dangerous turn when the nearly-three-year-old spots “Snowball!” Even worse, us adults have created full-length rewrites of the songs for communication purposes. (The winner thus far is “Do You Have To Be a Grump-Ass?”)
We decided to sell out create a sequel to this blockbuster, and the screenplay is now in progress. It’s set in modern times, based on a true story, and the protagonist is a toddler with the amazing ability to turn things …
Wait for it …
Movie Poster Concept Work. Suzanne Skaar. 2014.
We are seeking representation. If you know of any good agents or have an in with Disney, please forward our information.
Tim Kapler. Album Cover Art: “Exploded View” by The Variety Hour. Paint, paper, digital media. 2014.
We’re happy to announce that The Variety Hour‘s new album, “Exploded View,” is being released on November 18 by Swoon Records. Oh hey, look, Tim Kapler’s work is on the cover!
Show The Variety Hour some love, and check out more of Tim’s work on our website.
The Variety Hour Teaser. Tim Kapler. Mixed Media + Digital. 2014.
We have just finished up the final designs for local band The Variety Hour and their upcoming release Exploded View. We will have the full CD and more details as the release date approaches.
No, Mine! Studios 