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Services
About
Contact
CLAYBEASTS

THE GRIT SHOP

an artistic fabrication studio by

Brian Somerville

Lauren Snelling - Artistic Director, YoungArts

"Brian Somerville is a creator, a problem-solver and the brilliant imagination behind a menagerie of fantastical beasts. He is also one of the kindest and most thoughtful artists with whom to collaborate. Brian makes ideas come to life! He thinks through every element from the first sketch to the final installation."

ORIGINAL Sculpture

BARNSTORMER

H-76" x W-85" x D-35"

ceramic, metal, wood, foam

status: available

The Wrath

H-47" x W-45" x D-17"

foam, fiberglass, wood

status: sold

Shell-Shocked

H-36" x W-13" x D-25"

ceramic, metal, wood, foam

status: sold

Tim Ozgener - Co-founder & President, OZ Arts Nashville

“Brian Somerville is a brilliant and imaginative artist. He is a meticulous artist with a keen attention to detail and quality.

We are proud to say that he helped us make OZ Arts Nashville the destination that it is today with his wonderful sculptures in our outdoor spaces.”

Commissions

Donelson Gateway Arch

H-8'6" x W-6' x D-6'

foam, fiberglass, epoxy, concrete

Location: Donelson, TN

Fly Away, Fly Away, Fly Away...Gone

H-10' x W-14' x D-3'6"

foam, metal

Displayed at Nashville International Airport in 2017

Photo by: Elevated Lens

Where They Dwell

H-15' x W-10' x D-10'

concrete, metal

Location: Jeffersonville, IN

(decommissioned)

Herb Williams - Sculptor, Painter, Curator

"Brian Somerville is an outstanding sculptor and artist. I've collaborated with him on several of my public artworks over the past nine years and he's exceeded my expectations every time."

Fabrications

We Are Wild

H-15' x W-15' x D-20'

wood, acrylic, foam, metal, epoxy

horns and nose created for

Tuck-Hinton Architecture and Design

Displayed at Cheekwood Gardens

Flower Monster

H-12' x W-10' x D-10'

wood, foam, plastic, acrylic, LED lights

Created for OtherWorld Entertainment

Ultra Lounge Bar

H-5' x W-8'6" x D-3'

foam, fiberglass, epoxy, acrylic, LED lights

Created for OZ Arts Nashville

Sheri Oneal - Writer/Photographer/Artist, Nashville

Brian Somerville, owner of “The Grit Shop,” is one of these unique, modern-day conceptual artists. He possesses an ingenuity and craftsmanship that is capable of using styrofoam, wood, and concrete to transform creative ideas of any scale into reality."

Concrete Rockwork

Concrete Sculpting Sample

Rockwork foundation

Location: Private Residence - Nashville, TN

Concrete Rockwork Samples

Duncan Ragsdale - Designer, Duncan Ragsdale Creative

“Brian Somerville is an amazing talent. He has sculpted sets and characters for my production designs over the years. He can make anything better!”

Entertainment

Mothra Set and Props

H-16' x W-25' x D-6'

wood, foam, paper, cardboard

Art Director: Duncan Ragsdale

Client: Rifftrax Live

CMT 25 Championship Belt

Presented to Carrie Underwood in 2022

H-24" x W-36" x D-3"

wood, leather, fringe, denim, faux rhinestones, epoxy

Art Director: Duncan Ragsdale

Client: CMT

Dog Props

H-4' x W-3' x D-2'

foam, metal

Art Director: Duncan Ragsdale

Client: Rifftrax

Cory Basil - Painter, Filmmaker, Author, Gallerist

"Heart, character and work ethic. These are traits that must be solid if I'm going to create with another artist. Brian embodies them all. Complete with a skillset and imagination to rival the best working today."

Collaborations

Giant Fishboy

H-12' x W-15' x D-12'

foam, fiberglass, epoxy, metal

Collaboration with Cory Basil

Location: Tennessee First Baseball Stadium

TANK CHICKEN

H-14' x W-9' x D-6'

wood, metal, foam, LED lights

Collaboration with TANK 615 Collective

Laughing Bacchus

H-12' x W-16' x D-16'

foam, fiberglass, epoxy, metal

Collaboration with Cano Ozgener

Location: OZ Arts Nashville

Mary Grissim - Curator, Nashville International Airport

“Brian Somerville is one of the most original creatives working in Nashville today. The boundaries of his imagination are limitless because of his exceptional ability to craft those ideas into three dimensional objects. His work is surprising, thought provoking and entertaining.”

Interactive

Nest Hideout

H-5' x W-7' x D-8'

wood, concrete

Location: Fernvale, TN

Mud Kitchen Playhouse

H-12' x W-30' x D-15'

wood, concrete, acrylic

Location: Louisville, KY

Water Tower

H-4' x W-2" x D-2'

metal, wood, fiberglass

Location: Louisville, KY

Randy L. Purcell - Visual Artist, Nashville

“There are few artists who have the sense of worldbuilding of Brian Somerville. The color, texture, and narrative elements of his work are like a giant, visible signature. I love the seamless way that he composes dynamic 3D objects.”

Sculpture
CLAYBEASTS
Entertainment
Composites
Concrete
Wood
Metal
2D
Molds
Maquettes
Ceramics
Interactive
Epiclog Island
Donelson Gateway Arch
Where They Dwell
OTHERWORLD
We Are Wild
TANK 615
Network
Germantown
classroom