CATSYNTH

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Category: Cats

  • Anne Marguerite Herbst at Far Out Gallery, San Francisco

    Anne Marguerite Herbst at Far Out Gallery, San Francisco

    Far Out Gallery in the Sunset district of San Francisco is currently hosting a solo exhibition of works by Anne Herbst, and we were on hand to see it and cover it on CatSynth TV.

    Of course, the cat-imagery particularly caught my eye, but there are many layers beyond that. Even in the cats, one can see some of the other elements that permeate Herbst’s art, including undulating lines and traces of her body that are used both as textures and bounding elements.

    There are also the frequent connections to her personal history in the inclusion of faces and hints of other people. The connection to blood comes up both in the use of color, imagery, and the context of a couple of the paintings. It features in a self portrait as well as a piece for her father’s 90th birthday, both of which are featured in the video.

    Anne Herbst

    Herbst took the personal history to a new level for this exhibition by re-imagining childhood drawings with her current artistic style and practice.

    We see the lines, shapes, and character of her current work brought to the original cat figure from the drawing. One can also notice the blood-like elements and color in this piece.

    Creatures of all sorts abound throughout. In addition to the cats, the turtle seems to be a recurring animal, and was featured prominently in the work we most associated with the exhibition title “Ripples.”

    Far Out Gallery has been a great discovery for us, a place connecting us more deeply to that sometimes remote western edge of San Francisco. We are happy to have been there for both Anne Herbst’s show and Kasper Rodenborn’s earlier this season. We hope to see more in the future.

  • CatSynth Pic: Picasso and Realistic MG-1

    CatSynth Pic: Picasso and Realistic MG-1

    Picasso the cat means business as he poses with a Realistic MG-1 synthesizer. Submitted by James Bahleda‎ via our Facebook page.

    The MG-1 was built by Moog for Realistic (Radio Shack), and was designed and marketed for home/casual use. It’s no Model D, but it does still have Moog technology and sound. It remains popular with some collectors and artists. You can read more about it here.

  • CatSynth Pic: Rico Suave and Roland JX-8P

    Handsome tuxedo cat Rico Suave poses with a Roland JX-8P synthesizer. Another from Adian Halo on Instagram.

    You can find out more about the Roland JX-8P here.

  • CatSynth Pic: Cat and Roland Juno 106

    CatSynth Pic: Cat and Roland Juno 106

    This cute cat-and-synth combo comes to us via adrianhalo82 on Instagram.

    While not identified in the Instagram post as a June 106, we are pretty confident in our own identification. See for yourself here 😺 🎹 .

  • Serena Toxicat and #OaklandCatFashionWeek

    Serena Toxicat and #OaklandCatFashionWeek

    Today we look back at the recent art and fashion show featuring the work of Serena Toxicat. I was fortunate to be a part of this show as a model, and it was featured in Episode 9 of CatSynth TV.

    Serena Toxicat is a multi-disciplinary artist, working as a writer, visual artist, musician, and now a fashion designer – longtime readers may recognize her via our reviews of her band Protea. Her paintings were featured on the walls of Farley’s East in Oakland as the fashion show took place in the lobby. She also had her music, books, and cat-themed tarot cards on hand.

    One sees themes that repeat throughout her work in various media. There are of course the cats – I particularly liked the painting featuring manuls or Pallas cats – and felines reminiscent of Egyptian iconography. But there are themes running through as well with the bright high-contrast colors and dreamlike arrangements of forms. The feline, color, whimsy and spiritual dimensions are all of a piece and come together in her life experience as well as her outward creativity.


    [Photo from @serenatoxicat on Instagram]

    The show itself was a fun experience. Each of us modeled two looks over the course of the evening, with more formal runway-style processions interspersed with more freeform dance sections.

    A good time was had by all.

    In addition to Serena and myself, the models included Ariel McEtchin, Gina Ghorbani, Charlena Verrette, Kristine Katalyst, Maya Imani, Sam Isis, and Jessa Nico.

    Although the art show is now over, you can see and learn more about Serena Toxicat’s work via her Facebook page.

  • CatSynth Pic: Cat on Modular

    WunWun atop a modular

    Cats find the strangest places to sit. Here, we see WunWun the cat sitting atop a two-row modular synthesizer setup. From flohrdumal on Instagram.

    flohrdumal All modules used in a smoke free pet free studio
    #studiokatze #noboundaries #crazykitty#synthcat #catsynth #modular#eurorack #cat #katze #gato #chatphoto by @sirbananamonkeymowgli

     

    flohrdumal At least now I know that WunWun is 3u x 104hp

     

  • CatSynth Video: AXEL RIGAUD — BAOBAB (Pyramid studio session #1)

    CatSynth Video: AXEL RIGAUD — BAOBAB (Pyramid studio session #1)

    From Squarp Instruments on YouTube, via matrixsynth.

    It’s a beautiful track, and we love the cat’s presence 😺

  • Remembering Luna, One Year Later

    Luna with her beautiful green eyes.

    It’s been a year since Luna passed away. And so today we mark her yahrzeit, or anniversary of death. Over the past year, the grieving process has continued in its complicated and chaotic pattern, sometimes raw and at the surface, sometimes just a fond memory now tinged with melancholy. Perhaps if one plots the grief over the course of a year. it will trend downwards, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t moments of deep loss and sadness.

    Farewell to Luna

    We began observing the yahrzeit at sundown yesterday. After repeated heatwaves and the worst fires and air quality that I have experienced in California, the skies and air suddenly became chilly, crisp, and damp, signaling the real arrival of autumn. The palpable chill in the air brought memories of Luna’s last week back into focus and set the tone for the evening. We switched on the memorial candle – I only use electrical candles for this purpose. A glass or two of red wine, some comfort food, and David Bowie on the stereo. The songs “Dollar Days” from Blackstar and “Prettiest Star” from Alladin Sane are particularly tied to Luna’s passing, along with the chill.

    Sam Sam seemed to sense my state – exacerbated by an unusually stressful workday on top of everything else – and provided a lot of extra comfort last night, breaking her night-time wanderings around HQ to come and lay on my chest and purr. She does this most days, but not as long or as deep. Indeed, her presence has been a great source of love and comfort as I continue to move forward. I will always miss Luna, but my current and future cats need me in the present.

  • CatSynth Video: Acid Cat. ade 2017 (TB-303 and TR-606)

    CatSynth Video: Acid Cat. ade 2017 (TB-303 and TR-606)

    From Space Cat Audio Technologies on YouTube, via matrixsynth.

    New Analogue Dubsta Delay & Dub-Synth.
    TB-303 TR-606 recorded direct to speaker microphone through a Sony SS-CNP700 that is connected from the Dub-Synth headphone output.

  • CatSynth Pic: Ragamuffin at the Piano

    Ragamuffin cat enjoying a little time at the piano.  She looks ready to sing. 😺 🎶

    This picture comes to us from Flora Davis, a local artist here in San Francisco whose work hangs on the walls of CatSynth HQ (and whose jewelry occasionally adorns my ears).  Read more about her and the piece we commissioned from her in these articles.