Meet Timmer Sam | Artist/Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Timmer Sam and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Timmer, what role has risk played in your life or career?

Risk is an evaluation of probabilities, and probability always includes some ratio of all possible outcomes. Looking at risks in the creative world we’re talking mostly about how we spend our time and the ideas we present to others. Risk equals consequence for most people. The risk of creating outside ‘normal’ boundaries is the consequence of audience perception. The emotional context of the consequence relies largely on the artists perception of their audience. A two way street is created where the artist is risking the attention of the audience, and the audience is risking the work of the artist.

I feel like every creative endeavor involves risks if done properly. If one isn’t pushing the boundaries of thought and emotion, what is the purpose of the art? Here we ought to clarify that risk doesn’t require any specific context. The risk may be neither good nor bad, and the outcome may also be neither. Either way the risk involves an evaluation of probability and outcome. The outcome is determined by the riskers ability to determine the risk alongside things like morality, survival, profit, etc.. Though these things influence, they are not required participants in any thought process or determination involving risk taking.

If consequences and processes of risk taking are neutral, taking risks can become a daily activity. Every decision becomes a determination of probabilities and the thought process behind the decisions become a game of paying attention. The attention payed to any probability increases your awareness of the risk associated with those outcomes and the outcomes have more meaning the more the risk was previously considered. I like to always reevaluate my thoughts in any moment and allow myself to make big risks every day as if I could rely on them like a healthy habit. By habitually taking risks my ability to determine probability and outcome is enhanced. So I spend less time relying on technique and learned behavior when creating; instead more time can be committed to plotting new routes for creative outcome.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

My creative journey has largely progressed under the umbrella of the pseudonym Sirius Phun. Since my early days of philosophical musings paradoxes have fascinated me in a unique way. I wanted to capture the essence of the paradox while making a shot at some overarching life philosophy. The name came about one night around a camp fire after a friend pointed out the star Sirius.

Since that time I’ve taken on a variety of creative projects through a variety of mediums.My strongest presence has been in my painting and music. Though I’ve played music my whole life, painting was a skill I only discovered 6 years ago. It quickly evolved into something I could do professionally and the two mediums (paint+music) began to influence each other. For most sensory input my brain experiences some level of synesthesia, so practicing either medium usually helps me with learning the other as well.

From time to time you can find me live painting at music venues across the front range. Live painting is unlike any other creative experience. It feels like being the scribe/historian for moments in music. In the short term Im focused on a handful of projects which are designed to connect artists and showcase their work. My long term goals with my art are to create fine furniture and design a fully programmable Audio/Video experience to describe the way I experience synesthesia.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

Im a big outdoors guy so Im gonna be finding the hardest hikes my visitor is willing to take on. This state has an insane amount of beautiful nature to explore. I probably didn’t have to tell you that though.

As far as the city goes – Fort Collins is great for taking visitors to unique locations. We would likely end up at a coffee shop to begin exploration. Bean Cycle, Alley Cat, and Mugs are strong contenders for some quality bean water. Don’t ask me to take you shopping, but I know there are plenty of good options and I could show you around old town so you could find out yourself. Fort Collins has an abundance of places to see local art and it’s usually simple to find some live music. The Lyric is an excellent option to explore some of those possibilities. Probably one of the coolest venues in the country and thoroughly supportive of local art. Chippers 830 North is another option for some unique entertainment. Ever played a game of bowling next to a stage with live music?

To be honest I’m a bit of a hermit so we would probably end up hanging out with one or two of my few close friends at home and then eating a home cooked meal. Its pretty easy to find quality locally sourced ingredients round these parts. If we went out to eat I wouldn’t know the best spot, but I do know a few good enough spots if we had to take that route. A classic Fort Collins restaurant for a brew and bite is The Colorado Room. They earn a shoutout for being a part of my journey and taking care of the artist community as well. Check out their walls for a large rotating selection of local art.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

Bri Long with Longevity Productions in Fort Collins paved the way for the majority of the success I’ve encountered here. She was one of the first industry professionals I met in the state and lined me up with a job at Hodis Half Note in 2018 (r.i.p. to a treasure of time). Through that job I was exposed to several networks and given an abundance of opportunities by sharing space with her and the friends she had cultivated.

Stephen Herdlund (Mr. Crumbs) was my unofficial mentor as I was learning to paint. There are plenty of things I didn’t learn from him, and even more that I did. The greatest value I found in him as a mentor is he never attempted to give me a formal lesson. I once asked him “What does this brush do?” – he responded with a bewildered look and a shrug of the shoulders.

Mindbeam Productions – this project deserves a shoutout for dedication to vision. I attended a Mindbeam event shortly upon arriving in CO which sent me on a path of inspiration unlike any other I’ve followed.

Gulch Fest Colorado – A small network of artists who helped me make my dreams come true.

Jordan Quam (Tokes McFloats) – A wise friend and luminous soul. Nothing I’ve done here could have been possible without your generous heart and perceptive mind. Thank you for seeing value in me when I couldn’t see it myself.

I could list dozens more. So for a final shout out: Thank you COLORADO for moving my soul and making my manhood.

Instagram: @sirius,phun.guy

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timmerart

Other: https://soundcloud.com/sirius-phun