In the Spotlight: Claire Sommers Buck Jewelry

For jewelry artist Claire Sommers Buck, adornment is a way of carrying stories, history, and personal meaning through everyday life.

Working from her studio at Canopy in Building 1, Studio #206, Claire creates handcrafted jewelry that draws inspiration from ancient aesthetics, global cultures, and the landscapes of the American Southwest. Each collection reflects a deep commitment to craftsmanship, intentional design, and the belief that objects made with care can enrich our lives. Every piece is designed and handmade in her studio, using thoughtfully sourced metals and gemstones.

Claire's connection to making began early. Raised by ceramicist artist parents, she spent her childhood immersed in a creative environment where art and entrepreneurship co-existed. Later, while studying metalsmithing at Penland School of Craft, she discovered a passion for the technical and expressive possibilities of jewelry-making, a practice that continues to evolve through travel, curiosity, and a fascination with world cultures.

What makes Claire's work distinctive is the way it balances ancient and contemporary influences. Organic forms, botanical motifs, relic-like textures, and references to cultural traditions appear throughout her collections, creating jewelry that feels timeless and deeply personal.

Visit Claire Sommers Buck's studio during Open Canopy, every first Saturday of the month from 1-4pm to shop and explore her collections, learn more about her process, and experience the craftsmanship behind each piece.

Want more information? Email claire@clairesommersbuck.com

Photo Credits: @kellymartucci | @sanetralongno | @ashleenewmanphoto

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In the Spotlight at Canopy

She works in a spontaneous way, frequently changing yarns and colors, a method not commonly used in traditional loom weaving.

Primarily working with wool, silk, and linen - we thumb through her finished pieces, the quality of the fabric is immediately evident. Nearly every item floor to ceiling has depth and tactile qualities.

Lynne shares the historical connection between weaving and early computing: looms were among the first systems to use binary logic to create patterns, a foundation that later influenced modern computing through sequences similar to zeros and ones in code.

One brightly colored textile currently on display in her studio has been in progress for nearly two years.

Cartoon weaving, a process that involves dyeing her own yarn, drawing a design on paper, painting that pattern and then translating that drawing into fiber.

The physical demands of weaving are an important part of the work, particularly when working on the upper sections of a piece, where the artists arms must remain raised for extended periods, making the work possible only in short bursts of time.

Often inviting visitors to sit at the loom, touch the art, and experience the process firsthand, Lynne welcomes guests to explore her creative practice.

During the Austin Studio Tour, blind and low-vision guests visited Lynne’s studio through Art Spark Texas’ accessible art crawl for a tactile art experience.

Each guest spent time at the loom, exploring the mechanics of weaving through touch and movement.

Her studio reflects a deep interest in learning directly from source traditions. Lynne continues to travels internationally to study and expand her processes in weaving, fabric dyeing, and encaustic painting, sometimes referred to as painting with fire.

Looking around Lynne’s studio, the space becomes a showcase of process.

Hand-carved gourds combine basket weaving and dye, encaustic paintings incorporate fabric - and shelves and coat hangers hold wearable weavings, table runners, and colorful custom tapestries.

Visit Lynne every first Saturday of the month for Open Canopy, from 1-4pm at 916 Springdale Rd. Bldg 1 #117

Follow their Instagram — @lcbrotman123

At the Loom: Weaving with Lynne Brotman

At the Bench: Encaustic Painting with Fire

At the Bench: Encaustic Painting Demonstration

At the Cartoon Weaving

On the Walls: Dyed, carved gourd with turquoise embellishments

On the Walls: Weaved, Dyed and carved Gourds

At the Bench: Encaustic Painting

In the Spotlight: Kaitlin Maud of Maud and Moon

Kaitlin Maud’s mission is to help get great ideas into the world.

She is a researcher, artist, and soon-to-be licensed Art Therapist operating out of a small trailer studio at Canopy called Maud & Moon. She loves to teach and speak at events such as TEDx and SXSW, and can be heard on a number of podcasts.

There are 3 things that guide her work (and life):

➜ You can design the future.

➜ Inspiration is created, not found.

➜ Intuition is a valid data point.

Prior to becoming an art therapist, Kaitlin spent 15 years in the private sector as a strategist and design researcher working with brands like Beats by Dre, Taco Bell, and Nike. After enrolling in grad school, Kaitlin worked as an intern at SAGE Studio. She loved working with the SAGE artists so much, she decided to stay at Canopy! 

Since joining the community, she researched and published her thesis on the use of Art Therapy in clinical psychedelics, and has another paper in peer review on the therapeutic role of art activism with asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border in Juarez.

Kaitlin is currently finishing her hours toward clinical licensure working at a middle school in South Austin. Starting in Spring 2025, she will begin taking individual art therapy clients at Maud and Moon and offering group art therapy workshops in the community. 

Visit maudandmoon.com to join the interest list, and swing by Trailer 9 on Fridays and Saturdays to shop tools for nurturing your inner artist! You may also tour during Canopy’s monthly studio tour on the first Saturday of every month from 1-4pm.

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Individual and group art therapy at Canopy arts complex books open in May! Sign up below to be notified about launch events and, in the meantime, visit the studio during Open Canopy the first Saturday of every month from 1-4pm.