Wunderkammern: The Automatons Come Alive!

Automaton from Hugo

After my last post, I was intrigued and decided to do some research to find out more about automatons. They are so interesting and they have become part of my Steampunk Romance. Yes, they fit in with the genre in so many ways. Some may think they are a little creepy, but that's part of the appeal. These mechanical marvels are a cross between oddity, curiosities with intricate insides, I'm loving it. 

I find  their evolution truly fascinating. The steampunk connection makes it even better. How wonderfully odd it would be to own one. It would definitely be a conversation starter. Sweet dreams are made of these. These wondrous devices found a home in the cabinet of curiosities or Wunderkammern of the princely courts of Europe. The Automatons, the wunderkammern in My Steampunk Romance. (which is also a book by Keith Newstead)

Wunderkammern: Automatons! (the nerd version)

The automata in the Hellenistic world were intended as toys, religious idols, or tools for demonstrating basic scientific principles, including those built by Greek mathematician Hero (Heron) of Alexandria. When his writings on hydraulics, pneumatics, and mechanics were translated into Latin in the 16th century, Hero’s readers initiated reconstruction of his machines, which included siphons, a fire engine, a water organ, the aeolipile, and a programmable cart.

There are also examples from myth: Daedalus used quicksilver to install a voice in his statues. Hephaestus created automata for his workshop: Talos, an artificial man of bronze, and, according to Hesiod, the woman Pandora. (see last post)

Solomon on his throne

According to Jewish legend, Solomon used his wisdom to design a throne with mechanical animals which hailed him as king when he ascended it; upon sitting down, an eagle would place a crown upon his head, and a dove would bring him a Torah scroll. It's also said that when King Solomon stepped upon the throne, a mechanism was set in motion. As soon as he stepped upon the first step, a golden ox and a golden lion each stretched out one foot to support him and help him rise to the next step. On each side, the animals helped the King up until he was comfortably seated upon the throne. 

In the mid-8th century, Medieval period, the first wind powered automata were built: statues that turned with the wind over the domes of the four gates and the palace complex of the Round City of Baghdad. The public spectacle of wind-powered statues had its private counterpart in the 'Abbasid palaces where automata of various types were predominantly displayed. Also in the 8th century, the Muslim alchemist, Jābir ibn Hayyān (Geber), included recipes for constructing artificial snakes, scorpions, and humans which would be subject to their creator's control in his coded Book of Stones. In 827, Caliph Al-Ma'mun had a silver and golden tree in his palace in Baghdad, which had the features of an automatic machine. 

blikoton

There were metal birds that sang automatically on the swinging branches of this tree built by Muslim inventors and engineers at the time. The Abbasid Caliph Al-Muqtadir also had a golden tree in his palace in Baghdad in 915, with birds on it flapping their wings and singing. In the 9th century, the Banū Mūsā brothers invented a programmable automatic flute player and which they described in their Book of Ingenious Devices.

The Renaissance witnessed a  revival of interest in automata. Hero's treatises were edited and translated into Latin and Italian. Giovanni Fontana created mechanical devils and rocket-propelled animal automata. Numerous clockwork automata were manufactured in the 16th century, principally by the goldsmiths of the Free Imperial Cities of central Europe.  Hydraulic and pneumatic automata, similar to those described by Hero, were created for garden grottoes.

Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci is renowned for his inventions that were often centuries ahead of their time, so it’s not surprising to learn that he was also active in developing automatons. Da Vinci sketched a more complex automaton around the year 1495. The design of Leonardo's robot was rediscovered  in a sketchbook around 1950. The robot could, if built successfully, move its arms, twist its head, and sit up. 

The Monk

The Smithsonian Institution has in its collection a clockwork monk, about 15 in (380 mm) high, possibly dating as early as 1560. The monk is driven by a key-wound spring and walks the path of a square, striking his chest with his right arm, while raising and lowering a small wooden cross and rosary in his left hand, turning and nodding his head, rolling his eyes, and mouthing silent obsequies. From time to time, he brings the cross to his lips and kisses it. It is believed that the monk was manufactured by Juanelo Turriano, mechanician to the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.

A new attitude towards automata is to be found in Descartes when he suggested that the bodies of animals are nothing more than complex machines - the bones, muscles and organs could be replaced with cogs, pistons and cams. Thus mechanism became the standard to which Nature and the organism was compared. 

mechanical duck

France in the 17th century was the birthplace of those ingenious mechanical toys that were to become prototypes for the engines of the Industrial Revolution.The world's first successfully-built bio mechanical automaton is considered to be The Flute Player, invented by the French engineer Jacques de Vaucanson in 1737. He also constructed the Digesting Duck, a mechanical duck that gave the false illusion of eating and defecating, seeming to endorse Cartesian ideas that animals are no more than machines of flesh.

In 1769, a chess-playing machine called the Turk, created by Wolfgang von Kempelen, made the rounds of the courts of Europe purporting to be an automaton. The mechanical hand moved the game pieces and the device’s cabinet doors could be opened to show a variety of complicated gears and other machinery. There was even a sliding seat that allowed the operator to stay hidden when the doors were opened for people to examine the fake machinery. The Turk was operated from inside by a hidden human director, and was not a true automaton.

Jaquet Droz

Henri Maillardet

Other 18th century automaton makers include the prolific Frenchman Pierre Jaquet-Droz. He created The Writer, The Draughtsman and The Musician, which are still considered scientific marvels today. The Draughtsman is capable of producing four distinct pictures, while the Writer dips his pen in the ink and can write as many as forty letters. The Musician’s fingers actually play the organ and the figure ends her performance with a bow. His contemporary, Henri Maillardet a Swiss mechanic, created an automaton capable of drawing four pictures and writing three poems The automation which illustrates and writes several verses in both French and English, was built in 1805. Over a century later, in 1928, it was acquired by Philadelphia’s Franklin Institute. At the time, the object’s history was uncertain, however, once the automaton had been repaired and operated again for the first time in many decades, it wrote the words ‘written by the automaton of Maillardet’, thus solving the mystery.

Joueuse de Tympanon

The Joueuse de Tympanon was built in 1772 and presented to Marie Antoinette, Queen of France, then later restored by Robert Houdin in 1864. Houdin was renowned as an inventor, clockmaker and even as a magician, creating many mechanical marvels of his own. Some figures often simply mimicked the actions in time with a musical box inside the machine, but this automaton really plays the instrument. 

Karakuri Ningyo

Japan adopted automata during the Edo period (1603–1867); they were known as karakuri ningyō. Automata, particularly watches and clocks, were popular in China during the 18th and 19th centuries, and items were produced for the Chinese market. Strong interest by Chinese collectors in the 21st century brought many interesting items to market where they have had dramatic realizations.

Euphonia, by Faber

Euphonia, a machine that could mimic a human voice, was developed by Joseph Faber in the middle years of the nineteenth century. Using German accented English, it could read the alphabet, sing, whisper, laugh and even utter the words “How do you do, ladies and gentlemen”. Apparently anyone who inspected the Euphonia’s mechanical workings was convinced that no trickery was involved, such as Faber employing a ventriloquist.

The period 1860 to 1910 is known as "The Golden Age of Automata". During this period many small family based companies of Automata makers thrived in Paris. From their workshops they exported thousands of clockwork automata and mechanical singing birds around the world. It is these French automata that are collected today, although now rare and expensive they attract collectors worldwide. The main French makers were Vichy, Roullet & Decamps, Lambert, Phalibois, Renou and Bontems.

A walking "Electric Man" was introduced in Strand Magazine of London by inventor Louis Philip Perew - and was demonstrated in 1900. In the late 1890's inventor Louis Philip Perew constructed an electrically operated mechanical man. It was completed in the early summer of 1900, and demonstrated for the world press in October of that year. (more info.)

Electric Man, by Perew

Contemporary automata continue this tradition with an emphasis on art, rather than technological sophistication. Some mechanized toys developed during the 18th and 19th centuries were automata made with paper. Despite the relative simplicity of the material, paper automata require a high degree of technical ingenuity.

In the 2011 film "Hugo", the title character, Hugo Cabret, must fix a "mechanical man" automaton, which he and his father tried to fix, believing it holds a secret message from the latter before his untimely death. Near the end of the film, it is revealed that the very same automaton was created by the character of George Méliès, which he later donated to the museum where Hugo's father worked, after he could not fix it himself.

Noble Studios, Mechanical Beetle

In England, the famous astrologer and mathematician John Dee designed a wooden beetle in 1543 that could actually fly. Noble Studios produced a modern steampunk version of a mechanical beetle. 

Radio Police Automaton, Gernsback

Radio Police Automaton from the May, 1924 issue of Hugo Gernsback's Science and Invention. Such a machine would seem to be exceedingly valuable to disperse mobs, or for war purposes and even for industrial purposes. Note the built-in tear-gas tank. Also the "loud-speaker used to shout orders to the mob." Mr Gernsback notes, "They will be well-nigh irresistible." (more info)

It is known that radio can be used today to produce mechanical effects at a distance. This new art is known as radio-telemechanics. Many years ago it was already possible to start and operate vehicles and machinery entirely by radio. The United States Navy a little over a year ago operated the warship "Iowa" entirely by radio. The firing of the boilers, the steering of the ship and all the controls were entirely effected by radio.

The Radio Automaton can be constructed by any one with means available today.The Radio Automaton contains the machinery which comprises a gasoline engine, a radio control cabinet, a telegraphone, a loud speaker, a gyroscope and other auxiliary apparatus. (more info)

Hugo Gernsback contributed significantly to the advancement of new technologies, such as Automaton and Robots. He was responsible for some of the greatest technical magazines published, and published many articles himself.  

Another such radio man was created by August Hueber, shown in Popular Science Magazine in April 1939. “Radio Man” WALKS, TALKS,AND YODELS.

Radio Man, Popular Science 

TOWERING seven feet high, a strange “radio man” has just been completed after ten years of arduous work by August Huber, a Swiss engineer. Beneath its jointed steel body, the gigantic mechanical man is a maze of automatic switches, relays, and other controls. Microphones within the automaton’s’ ears pick up spoken commands and carry them to an intricate system of twenty electric motors that make the fantastic creature walk, talk, sing, or yodel at the will of its master. Power for these various activities is supplied by batteries concealed in the ponderous legs. When this modern monster talks through the loudspeaker installed in its chest, its lips move in time with its speech. An ultra-short-wave receiver installed in its torso enables the “radio man” to follow orders transmitted to it by radio from remote points.

Today’s rapidly changing technology is set to transform the way we live in unimaginable ways, we should also remember that people thought much the same thing in earlier centuries - whether in the time of the clockwork revolution in the eighteenth century or as a result of the scientific advances of the Industrial Revolution in the Victorian era.

Efforts to imitate life by mechanical means fostered development of mechanical principles, which led to the production of more complex mechanisms. Today we build and program computers to perform even more amazing tasks.  In its own time, Automatons were a wonder that helped pave the way for the greater technological wonders that amaze us today.

Automata is its own culture.  The Automata Blog, has posts about the latest in Automata old and new, books, links, and wooden, paper and metal Automata by Doug North that can be purchased and made.(blog.dougnorth.com) Automatons can be purchased on Ebay. There's a lot to discover about these mechanical marvels and my cabinet of curiosities is fueled by the research nerd in me to gain the facts about my curio-ed obsessions, (hence the title, nerd version). To my delight, all this information and so much more about this is found online as my sources are sited below.

wooden pig

Catch up with what I'm doing with my artwork that's not automata related, but STONE, on my Facebook page "Stonewomynart". See my work in person in the member shows at the Touchstone Gallery, in Washington, D.C., and Glenview Mansion Arts Center in Rockville, MD until September 4, 2013.


Sources: Wikipedia.org Automaton;  Dark Roasted Blend Amazing Automatons; Cyberneticzoo Radio Police Automatons; bigredhair.com The Automatic Man; Modern Mechanix; Yesterday, Tomorrow,Today Radio Man.



Thank you for reading, See you next time...

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Automatons; The Greek Mythology

Hephaestus

I have always been fascinated with mythology from all corners of the world. When my son saw my new sculpture piece he said it looked like the God Hermes from Greek mythology. Being intrigued with the idea, partially because I had thought of Zeus as a name for my piece but I kept that tucked away, I immediately started comparing imagery and the mythology of both to decide what name it should take on. I like to title my pieces in Spanish, mainly because the words flow better together, it evokes a certain sensuality within my work, and because I just like to hear the titles in Spanish. 

Zeus

But then I got side tracked and started looking at the creatures and monsters in mythology and I found that Hephaestus created automatons which are the earliest known versions of robots, and he created Pandora. This was truly fascinating because they are also considered creatures or monsters in Greek Mythology. Totally forgetting that I was looking up Gods and Goddesses, not to say they aren't worthy, but this was more interesting because there is not a lot out there about these automatons. At least not in mythology. This myth starts with Zeus and eventually becomes the story Hephaestus which is just as equally interesting. I know Greek Mythology has been harped on for decades, so there's nothing new here. However, this story maybe one that's less popular and not as well known. Plus, I like to see how many degrees of separation is between Zeus and the other Gods, Goddesses and creatures known in Greek mythology.

Automatons were creatures crafted out of metal. They animated men, animals and monsters in order to perform various tasks. In other words, they were self-operating machines or robots. Hephaestus, the divine smith created quite a few, but some were made by the famous Greek inventor Daedalus who used quicksilver to install a voice in his statues.  Here are the automatons that were created by Hephaestus and what purpose they served.

THE HIPPOI ATHANATOI were the immortal horses of the gods. The majority of these divine steeds were offspring of the four Wind-Gods who themselves were said to draw the chariot of Zeus in the shape of horses.

THE HIPPOI KABEIRIKOI were four horse-shaped automatons crafted by the god Hephaestus out of bronze to draw the adamantine chariot of his two sons, the Kabeiroi.

Fire breathing Steeds

The Kabeirikol rode in a car of adamant; a pair of colts beat the dust with rattling hooves of brass, and they sent out a dry whinnying from their throats. These father Hephaestus had made with his inimitable art, breathing defiant fire between their teeth, like the pair of brazen footed bulls which he made for Aietes the redoubtable ruler of the Kolkhians, with hot collars and burning pole. Eurymedon [one of the Kabeirikol] drove and guided the fiery mouths of the iron foot steeds with a fiery bridle.

THE AETOS KAUKASIOS (or Caucasian Eagle) was a gigantic eagle sent by Zeus to feed on the ever-regenerating liver of the Titan Prometheus, after he was chained to the peak of Mount Caucasus as punishment for stealing fire from the gods.

The eagle was variously described as a bronze automaton constructed by the god Hephaestus, or as a member of the brood of fell creatures spawned by the daemon Echidna. Its siblings included the Nemean Lion and the Hydra. 

When Heracles set out to free Prometheus from his bonds, he shot down the eagle with a volley of arrows. Afterwards the Eagle, the Titan and the Arrow were placed all among the stars in the form of the constellations Aquila, the Kneeler and Saggita.

THE KELEDONES (CELE′DONES) were magical singers crafted of gold by Hephaestus for the the second mythical temple of the god Apollo at Delphi. These Automatons (living statues) had the shape of either beautiful women, wry neck birds, or a combination of the two--Siren-like bird women. The soothing goddesses, were frequently represented by the ancients ill works of art, and were believed to be endowed, like the Sirens, with a magic power of song. For this reason, they are compared to the Iynges. Hephaestus was said to have made their golden images on the ceiling of the temple at Delphi. 

Other forged golden women, the Kourai Khryseai, were personal attendants of the god Hephaestus.

"Hephaestus left his bellows took up a heavy stick in his hand, and went to the doorway limping. And in support of their master moved his attendants. These are golden, and in appearance like living young women. There is intelligence in their hearts, and there is speech in them and strength, and from the immortal gods they have learned how to do things. These stirred nimbly in support of their master." 

TALOS was a giant, bronze automaton or living statue forged by the divine smith Hephaestus. Zeus presented him to his lover Europa, as her personal protector, after delivering her to the island of Krete (Crete). Others imagined him as a bronze bull or the last of the bronze race of men. 

Talos was given the task of patrolling the island, circling it three times in a day, and driving pirates from the shore with volleys of rocks or a fiery death-embrace. He was eventually destroyed by Poeas or the Dioskouroi twins with the aid of the magic of the witch Medea, when he tried to prevent the Argonauts from the landing on the island.

In the genealogy of the epic poet Cinaethon, Talos was apparently the Cretan sun-god, a son of Kres (that is, the island of Crete), and the father of the fire-god Hephaestus. He was probably also the father of King Minos's wife, the Cretan moon-goddess Pasiphae. Talos' name means "the sun" in the Cretan dialect, and "cut down" or "hewn" in Greek.

Source: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, www.Greek Gods.org.

Hephaestus

Hephaestus had his own palace on Olympus, containing his workshop with anvil and twenty bellows that worked at his bidding. Hephaestus crafted much of the magnificent equipment of the gods, and almost any finely-wrought metalwork imbued with powers that appears in Greek myth is said to have been forged by Hephaestus. He designed Hermes' winged helmet and sandals, the Aegis breastplate, Aphrodite's famed girdle, Agamemnon's staff of office, Achilles' armor, Heracles' bronze clappers, Helios' chariot, the shoulder of Pelops, and Eros' bow and arrows. In later accounts, Hephaestus worked with the help of the chthonic Cyclopes—among them his assistants in the forge, Brontes, Steropes and Pyracmon.

Hephaestus also built automatons of metal to work for him. This included tripods that walked to and from Mount Olympus. He gave to the blinded Orion his apprentice Cedalion as a guide. Prometheus stole the fire that he gave to man from Hephaestus's forge. Hephaestus also created the gift that the gods gave to man, the woman Pandora and her pithos. Being a skilled blacksmith, Hephaestus created all the thrones in the Palace of Olympus.

Hephaestus forging revenge

According to Hesiod`s Theogony, Hephaestus was the son of Hera alone. Several sources confirm this story, while others claim that he was the offspring of the kingly marriage of Zeus and Hera. Anyway, he is often described as lame, imperfect and not appreciated by parent or parents and dropped in the ocean, where Thetis and Eurynome received him. Vulcanus forging revenge, He dwelt with them for nine years in a grotto, surrounded by Oceanus. He improved his skills over those years and in a myth of his return, he built a golden chair with invisible fetters and sent it to Olympus as a gift for his mother. When Hera sat on the chair, she had triggered a trap which bounded her to the chair. The gods were unable to release her and therefore asked Hephaestus to free his mother. But he refused the request stating that he had been treated like a boy without mother. He wouldn't listen to any of them except Dionysus who had full trust from Hephaestus. However, Dionysus was only going to talk to him on the condition that they would let him back to Olympus. Thereafter, he went to Hephaestus and offered him wine during the debate. When Hephaestus was drunk enough, he brought him before the council at Olympus. Zeus offered him anything, if he was to release Hera. Hephaestus, who was drunk enough, asked for Aphrodite to be married with him. Zeus had no choice, but to grant his wish and Hera was finally released.

Hepahestus captures Aphrodite

But this marriage couldn't work out in any way, as Aphrodite had her eyes already on Ares and the love was mutual. They had an affair and were taking action right there in the palace of Hephaestus. However, this affair has not gone unnoticed, because Helios, the Titan god of sun, randomly spied one day on the couple and immediately reported to Hephaestus, when found out of their affair. Hephaestus in fury went to his workshop brooding revenge. He made a magical net in his plan to trap the couple in action. He placed the invisible net on the bed and all around it, even on the roof wall. Then, after he departed, Ares came to make love with Aphrodite. When they had lain in bed, the net of magical chains enveloped them and they could not escape. In the meantime, Helios was reporting everything to Hephaestus and the god of craftsmanship was already on his way home, frustrated and angered. He also called all the gods to come and see this infidelity. Because of this adultery, Ares was banished from Olympus.

Shortly after Ares was banished from Olympus, Aphrodite took revenge on Hephaestus by casting a spell on him. Clouded by the love spell, Hephaestus fell in love with Athena, when she came to him with desire for fashioning her arms. He began to pursue her in order to embrace her, but she didn't submit to him. When he got close, he tried to enter her by force, but Athena was able to prevent him and therefore he dripped his seed on her leg. Disgusted by his act, she wiped the seed with wool and threw it on the ground. And from the earth Erikhthonios, the giant serpent, was born. Some sources claim that it was Gaea who made this birth possible and make her the mother of the serpent, while others simply say that Athena is the mother.

Hephaestus, yet with another of his crafty inventions, chained Prometheus to Mount Caucasus, when he was punished by Zeus for stealing back fire for mankind.  The most famous of his creation is Pandora who he created by order of Zeus to punish mankind. He made her out of earth and clay, filled with water, and infused her with human voice and vigor and make her face like immortal goddess. Other gods were instructed to fill her with their gifts. Athena also clothed her with silvery raiment and embroidered veil. They gave her name Pandora and married her to Epimethius.

PANDORA was the very first woman who was formed out of clay by the gods. The Titan Prometheus had originally been assigned with the task of creating man. But because he was displeased with their lot, stole fire from heaven. Zeus was angered, and commanded Hephaestus and the other gods to create a woman, Pandora, and endow her with the beauty and cunning. He then delivered her to Epimethius, the foolish younger brother of Prometheus, for a bride. When he had received her into his house, Pandora opened the pithos (storage jar) which Zeus had given her as a wedding present, and released the swarm of evil spirits trapped within. They would ever afterwards plague mankind. Only Elpis (Hope) remained behind, a single blessing to succor mankind in their suffering.

Temple of Hephaestus

The early Greek experiments with automatons are believed to have been produced as 'fancies', gadgets, and on occasion for temple adornment. While it is true that ancient Greece never entered an 'industrial' phase in the modern sense, they were very close as can be seen in the adaptation of the principles of these mechanical 'toys' into weapons of war, systems of irrigation, and scientific objects such as the Antykithera object, now believed to have been built as an astrolabe.

Da Vinci Inventions

The next accounts of automatons are in Renaissance and Early Modern Europe. Leonardo Da Vinci is credited with creating the first humanoid automaton in 1495. In the 1500's, several automatons were produced primarily as decorative pieces for the wealthy. They were similar to design in clocks, consisting of several gears and axles. Automata remained a minor popularity (more specifically a curiosity) in Europe until the 1800's.


This turned out to be an interesting story. As I write this, the show "Clash of the Gods" is on the History Channel. They have talked about Zeus, Medusa, and now Thor. Could my timing be any more appropriate? This hasn't resolved the title of my piece, however, but I love a good story and Greek Mythology always provides stories of interest. The automatons are what peeked my curiosity.  Next post, I will explore more about Da Vinci and his automaton inventions. I see a Steam Punk connection here and I want to see where they meet.

Source: Automatons- Greek Gods, Mythology of Ancient Greece.

My new piece is carved from Arcobaleno Alabaster, Click on my StoneWomynArt tab to check it out. You can also read more information about my work on my Facebook Page, Stonewomynart.

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Art Online, Right on time!

Don't hate me cause this is late. I'm only human of flesh and blood I'm made. Sometimes things get prolonged cause life has a way of getting in the way, or I let it sidetrack me and get in the way. No matter how you want to look at it, the bottom line is, life got in the way, damn it! LOL

Salvador Dali

But I digress, this about art online and I have found in my social networking circles, sites that deliver an artful experience. They expand my ideas of what art is and provides new and inspirational ways art can change one's existence. There are some that are inspirational, funny and scary. I appreciate all of them in every format. Some have websites, a lot are located on Facebook.

Buddha Head

Being old school, I love going to museums and recently visited the Kreeger Museum, formally a home, this past weekend.  If you know anything about D.C., then you know that on Foxhall Road, there are many mini mansions. The Kreeger Museum is one of those places that was a home to art collectors, and now just houses the art. The museum is on a two lane road with no bus service and joggers run freely in the street, like animals on the loose. Around my way, they are called roadkill!

I must admit that the most of the museums have become boring, at least the big, free ones. Its the same 'ol art, by the same 'ol dead white males. Some of the same dead men's work are at the Kreeger too. They invested heavily in the works of "popular artists of the day" who just happened to be men, and white. Did you know that the Kreeger's never invested in any female artists works? Any works there now by females, have been "acquired", "donated" or loaned by the artist.  My former instructor and friend Kendall Buster has a sculpture piece out on the grounds. I noticed that all the women's artwork is outside. Most of the free museums only change out a few galleries and keep the permanent collection out to bore people to death.  The portrait gallery has had a few good exhibits, featuring more contemporary artists. Some of them are a mystery to me, as to how they made it as a contemporary artist, and who thought their work was relevant enough to be considered as such.

Kendall Buster

So, I have begun to go elsewhere for art and seek out places that have a variety of images in all mediums. Not enthusiastic about it being on line cause it can't be seen up close and personal, but you can't touch the art or get too close in the museum either, so either way there is a barrier. Choosing the lesser of two evils allows me to sit in my skivvies if I want and look at art anytime I want. There is a lot out there to see online. So I will focus on my faves and share them, maybe you have a few faves too that I don't know about, but most of the sites feature artists that are ALIVE and Kicking! If they are dead, at least they are not the same dead people called the Masters. 

Terrica Atkins

Sandrine Replat

First are the ones that show photos of art, sometimes there is an artist named. The images come from various sources. Some are images created that are more morbid and creepy, rather than scary. TerrorArtists images are more about the dead rising up and scaring the living and their life beyond our mere mortal existence. Like this photo to the right, it's an image that is based on Addams Family, somewhat, okay maybe not all. But you get the idea.

 TerrorArtists and The Macob and Beautifully Grotesque, both of which have imagery that can shock and amaze you. I find them to be thrilling, in that I really don't watch horror movies, my imagination is active enough and I can scare myself silly by looking in the mirror! LOL but I love the odd and mysterious, and my brain doesn't animate them and play back the scary parts over and over....while I'm sitting at the computer in the dark!

Leon Bonnat

From The Macob and Beautifully Grotesque- Bishop Denis, having alarmed the pagan priests by his many conversions, was executed by beheading with his companions on the highest hill in Paris (now Montmartre), which was likely to have been a druidic holy place. After his head was chopped off, Denis is said to have picked it up and walked six miles from the summit of the hill, preaching a sermon the entire way, making him one of many cephalophores in hagiology. 

I love the stories behind the imagery. Can't get any better than art and religion, the best stories come from here. So much contradiction, filled with juicy inexplicable acts beyond belief. Just think this is considered macob and grotesque, by some. All in the name of the church.

Paper Artist Jeff Nishinaka

Twisted Sifter features artists that defy all laws of nature. They go beyond ones perception of art and exposes you to illusions created simply by angling the art a different way and photographing it.  They also provide information about the artist that created the image, and often show other pieces that the artist has done and a brief bio. Totally cool, and often gets the reaction "how they do that!?"  Here's an answer somewhat.

From Twisted Sifter- Artist Jeff Nishinaka. Deragon and Phoenix-Relief Paper Sculpture. Los Angeles native Jeff Nishinaka is a relief paper sculpture artist who has a stunning array of work that needless to say can blow anyone away. His portfolio spans a wide range including Bloomingdale’s, Sprint, Visa, Penn State University, Paramount Pictures and Coca Cola. Over the years he has found various techniques in how to manipulate and bend paper to make these magnificent masterpieces.

Steampunk image

Others that rock, in a similar way are Ink Army, Steampunk and Megaphoto. Each one offers something different, like tattoo images  from Ink Army that are unreal, they make you want to bring the pain! for these images. The mixing of the Victorian era and Sci-Fi of Steampunk, which offers a real life connection through clothing, books, music and conventions. Photos of nature and life that maybe altered slightly, but still totally awesome from Megaphoto.

Daniella Bonachella

If you want something more gallery like and demure, try the online galleries of The Hemphill Gallery, Touchstone Gallery, The Baltimore Museum, Solomon R. Guggenheim, Woman Made Gallery, Saatchi Gallery and a host of others that I'm sure have more interesting work by working artists. Plus, they rotate on a more frequent basis so you won't get bored looking at the same thing every time you visit their site. One of my favorites is Artfinder which features artists work for sale. They often give background and artist website information. I find it interesting that some artists often copy in some way the work of an artist they admire. Gustav Klimt is one that has been copied and interpreted in more ways than can be counted. But I still love his work. Oh yeah, and he's a dead white male, but not considered a master.

Ceramique Contemporaire is a unique site that features the artwork of ceramic artists who push the art of clay manipulation to the extreme.  A lot of it is just plain beautiful to look at. Sculpture features, what else, sculpture. Something that I can admire, drool over and copy in my own special way. Yes, I ponder copying some of the sculpture pieces that are shown, but when I sit down to work, copying them escapes me. I infuse my work with the ideas of the sculpture I've seen. I would need it in front of me to remember to copy it. Must be the Tequila infusion.

Jean de la Huerta and Antoine Mounier

Mourners from the Tomb of John the Fearless and Margaret of Bavaria

1443-1457

On the lighter side of art is Last Kiss Comics; Humor, life with Lip, Third Eye Comics,World of Black Heroes, (yes, I said Black Heroes, there are a few, you know)
There are several online comics sites that show cover art and allow you to read online.

If you want a little art history and more of a story line, similar to religious art but not quite, check out the posts of Mark Dylan Sieber.  He will be featured on my blog in August. I follow him because he gives great background on the images he posts and I love the historical references and story line. This excerpt is from "Pompadours" in which he explains the images of outrageous hairstyles of women that actually existed. Some of the hair styles are totally out there! Tartuffe's Folly is a good post to follow, it can come to you via email.

"Fashionable hairstyles for women began their vertical climb in the late 1760’s, as they quickly raised the ire of social critics. Editorials appearing in London periodicals immediately decried the large headdresses that English ladies were all too eager to copy from their French counterparts.

These mostly late-18th century engravings, often hand-colored, capture such coiffed extravaganzas in grotesque caricature. Naturally, we still have quite the fascination with "big hair" today, as it is said to approach the heavens! Some of the images are modern interpretations of such an "art of hair" and its hived fashion.

Chronicling the rise and fall of the fashion takes us from the courts of France, to the print shops of London, and finally to the streets of Philadelphia, where all that the high roll represented in a new nation at war with an old empire was brought quite literally to a head." - Pompadours, Mark Dylan Sieber.

Pompadours

For a little inspiration via quotes and imagery, check out Rumi, the messages are always profound. Just as profound as the quote I memorized from Kung Fun Panda. Something about mysteries, histories, and the present being a gift. The Tequila infused margarita has a way of making me forget. I will remember the whole thing after I post this, no doubt. Sometimes Rumi strikes a chord within me with their inspirational messages, but so does the work of Salvador Dali, pictured at the top of the page. He's considered a Surrealist master that's dead and stinkin' but Dali was quite the character in his day and it's reflected in pictures of him with his mustache and artistic flare. Often images of him or his work is accompanied by poetry, mostly in Spanish. Se habla Espanol?

Uzumaki

This has only touched on a few on line/Facebook sites that can enlighten you. There are a million more and I've barely scratched the surface with my faves. Now, get on line and find a few faves for yourself, you can borrow mine, but it's always better when you find your own. 

Don't forget if your on Facebook, feel free to like my page StoneWomynArt. Your always welcome to follow me as well. I will get my shit together eventually, so if your a social network junkie, my bi weekly posts may not be enough for you and you may need other sites to fulfill your social junkie needs. I'm cool with that, just don't you forget about me! One day soon, I'm going to do an 80's music flashback, cause there are several in this post. 

Check out the new blue mist alabaster piece that I'm working on, click the StoneWomynArt sidebar. To see more of my work, check out that StoneWomynArt page on Facebook, and Women's Art Collaborative at zhibit.org.

Thank you for reading my blog, I'm getting myself together...honestly!

See you next time, Same blog time, same blog channel!

A Moving Experience

People let me tell you about the moving game. It's a lot of pain for a little gain. I was a pawn in the game and got played. Back pain, scratches and bruises magically appear at the end of the day. Who said moving is a great way to implement change? They aren't moving anytime soon are they?

Yes, I have moved and it has taken me since the last post not only to move, but try to recuperate and get set up in my new place.  Everyone doesn't move well, I am one of them, but a change was a comin'. It came and somewhat dragged me along, half of me went willingly, the other half went kicking a screaming. So what's the big issue about moving? Well, here's a little story and it goes like this.

After ten years of living in one place, it was time to move. At first, it seemed like a task that could be handled. Here was a chance to start over someplace new, then it became a daunting task, a major chore to complete. I did not know that packing up a house would be so....HARD! Since it was planned, I packed a little everyday, labeling boxes, sorting through old things and cleaning out the excess baggage that had lived with me all these years. Working within my budget did not include a moving company complete with helpers to get the stuff out the house.  No, it was me, my husband and one or two others who rotated in and out of the help zone and a U-haul. Never, ever again! I will save my pennies everyday until the next time just to have the luxury of a moving company come with people to help pack.

While sorting through the memories of the house, I found my class photo from high school, my cap and gown, my prom dress that my mom made for me and a host of other memories too numerous to mention. Did I mention that I was living in the house my mom bought back in 1979! When we moved in, it was already furnished and decorated with someone else's ideas and designs. I should have emptied it out then, but I was excited about being able to return to the home that I spent my early teens and twenties blinded me to the fact that if we ever moved, we would be the ones cleaning all this stuff out.

Once the packing began, my eyes opened up, real wide. There was sooo much stuff, especially in the basement, a culmination of our stuff and the 20 years prior that had accumulated.  We were overwhelmed with what to do with all this stuff. How do we get rid of it all? We wanted and needed to lighten our load, and I did not want my parents furniture. It was solid wood, heavy and bulky, it had served us well in the house. But we just couldn't fathom moving it out and moving it in somewhere else. Besides, I wanted my to be able to have my new home set up the way I wanted, with my own things. A yard sale was out of the question, the homeowners association doesn't allow it. The difference between a single family home and a town home is lawn space, so no yard sales. So I began calling places that would accept donations. My mom had a large formal dinning room set. Unlike today's  smaller dinning rooms, this was solid mahogany wood furniture made in the 1950's (no, not old enough to be antique and I wasn't holding on to it until it became one);  A one piece breakfront or china cabinet, buffet, tea cart, table that seats six. Yes, sounds lovely doesn't it, but I had no idea of how the movers got it into the house, but I was about to find out how it was going to be taken out. But before that could happen, it had to be emptied. I don't own a dinning room set, so I had no place to store the china she collected, nor did I want it. When my sister said she wanted it, I breathed a sigh of relief. She has a daughter to pass it on to, I don't. My niece probably could care less about the china, she's in college and it's not a thought for her right now. Here's the thing, my mom's been dead for 25 years, the furniture has been sitting unused for that long and was covered up for the last 10 years. At first my sister wanted the dinning room set so I didn't sell it, but she never came to get it. By the time we were getting ready to move, my sister had become ill and just getting the china was going to be a major accomplishment for her.  Needless to say, my aunt and I packed up the china and my aunt took the china to my sister. I donated the heavy dinning room set, and heavy bedroom furniture.

During the fifteen years between my mom's death and us moving in, my father had made the drawers in the dinning room his catch-all for things. What a pleasure it was to separate the good stuff from junk, I mean how far away was the trash can Dad!? Slowly, I was starting to feel like I was on an episode of hoarders, the light version. Little did I know that it was an actual episode when I hit the basement. I kept telling myself it wasn't that bad, we had cleaned out somethings when we moved in, guess we didn't clean out the right areas. O M G! the storage space under the basement stairs was crammed with stuff. Everything from big gift boxes of Xmas ornaments, cedar closets with clothes still in them, an old freezer, (I remember my mom buying things in bulk and then freezing them in it) an old grill, vacuum cleaner, books, dishes, my old roller skates along with every drawing and writing paper my son ever did, and that's only a few things found.  The space was super tight cause my dad had the basement finished and the contractor just built around those things I guess. There was about maybe 3-4 ft of space between the outer wall and the cedar closet doors. My aunt, God bless her, was small enough to be able to get in there past the cedar closet to the lower part of the stairs and  pull all the boxes out from that part. My fat ass wasn't able to squeeze between the wall and the closet doors at all. The basement just filled me with dread, I tried to avoid it and focus on the rest of the house. My dad and my husband had massive magazine collections, my dad collected playboy, my husband collected music mags.

When I went to clean out what was supposed to be a studio but ended up being a storage place for my work, I found my own hoard of stuff called Art supplies! My friend Sarah, came over to help me and I loaded her down with a bag of stuff. I then donated two bags of supplies to a teacher friend of mine for her school, packed what I wanted to keep and trashed the rest.  That should be the end of it, but no, that damn basement had more supplies in boxes that I had yet to uncover. The funny part of that is, I almost couldn't give them away. I offered a large garbage bag full of yarn, mostly new to someone that I knew made a living crocheting and knitting for $20, turned it down.  I finally found someone through my aunt, who wanted the bag and couldn't believe that I didn't want more for it. By this time, I just wanted to get rid of it. The same was true for my Masonite boards, they got trashed. The accumulated artwork seemed to come from nowhere, popping out the woodwork saying "hey, don't you forget about me, I'll be alone thrown out and broken baby."

By this time I was through, moving day just meant moving out the things I wanted to keep. I spent an entire week after moving still cleaning the house out. Meanwhile, my new home looked like one big storage unit. Ugh! now I have to unpack this stuff, my back, knees, arms, and eyeballs hurt from moving. All I could do was take Aleve and shake my head as I walked passed my own packed things in disbelief. I donated three times, and that's 3 times that a truck backed up to the door and took stuff out.  Bulk trash was called 4 times and I know they were hating me by then. Stored a few things at my aunts barn. She has an Alpaca farm, and I got to climb up a ladder w/my stuff in tow, working my fatback and bingo wings out (my arms for those who don't know what bingo wings are) Feel a slightly more toned now (look at that body ahw, I work out!) with more scratches on my hands and arms, then I get when carving stone. Still left a lot behind because every time we looked, there was another box, bag or something that had to be looked at. I was done looking and trying to figure out WTF to do with this shit. That's right shit, no longer our stuff, it was long past that. Hoarders would have had a field day with us. I needed an intervention and an ice cold beer. It took us a week before we could begin unpacking our own stuff. We just lived out of boxes and bags for that time. Even though we are more settled, there are still boxes and bags about, but my art space is set up. Did that rather quickly, since I lost a roll of fat moving all my....stuff. That beer still sounds really good.

Guess now I can focus on my new place and new beginning. I really like the diverse neighborhood we are in, with the Hispanic grocery stores bakeries and shops. I can work on improving my Espanol. Plus, I can get anywhere from here via bus, with little or no use for the subway or a car for that fact, buses run every 20-30 minutes, 7 days a week.  Bus hoping at it's best. Another way to work my body out, cause walking up the hill to the nearest bus stop ain't no joke, especially in the heat. That beer will be walked off in a matter of 12-15 minutes which is how long it takes to walk from my place to the nearest bus stop at a normal walking pace. At the old place, buses only run this frequently during rush hour, non rush hour and weekends they run every hour, nothing past 10 pm. Better have cab fare or good shoes on your dogs at that time.

It's on to bigger and better things. I will always have the memories of the house, but it was time to go and now it's a whole new world, so shiny bright and new! So onward and upward from here. BTW, come join me this Friday, June 7 6:30-8:00 for my first member show at the Touchstone Gallery, located on 9th and NY Ave. N.W. a short walk from Gallery Place 9th street exit. The exhibit will last until the end of the month.




Thanks for reading my blog. 

Chat with you in a week or so at the same blog time, same blog channel!

The Shmoo Review

What is a Shmoo? I would always get the snuffleupagus from Sesame Street and the Shmoo confused.  Thinking that shmoos were hairy and large, I called the bush in my front yard one and concocted a story about the gnomes that lived in it. My students would often ask for proof, like a picture, but other than showing them an over grown bush, I had no proof the gnomes, so the story couldn't go on for long. I also called one of my former bosses a shmoo, only cause she had a mustache and her whiskers stuck out to the side. LOL  Well, that's a better description of a shmoo, or at least the image of the creature.  So, I decided to look up exactly what a shmoo is, it was a trip back in time to the old comic characters that I read in the newspaper comics section, what I saw after school or Saturday morning in the cartoon lineups on the major networks. Let's find out about it, shall we?

A shmoo (plural: shmoon, also shmoos) is a fictional cartoon creature. Created by Al Capp (1909–1979), it first appeared in his classic comic strip Li'l Abner on August 31, 1948, and quickly became a postwar national craze in the USA.

A shmoo is shaped like a plump bowling pin with legs. It has smooth skin, eyebrows and sparse whiskers—but no arms, nose or ears. Its feet are short and round but dexstrous, as the shmoo's comic book adventures make clear. It has a rich gamut of facial expressions, and often expresses love by extruding hearts over its head. Cartoonist Al Capp ascribed to the shmoo the following curious characteristics. His satirical intent should be evident:
They reproduce asexually and are incredibly prolific, multiplying exponentially faster than rabbits. They require no sustenance other than air.

Shmoos are delicious to eat, and are eager to be eaten. If a human looks at one hungrily, it will happily immolate itself — either by jumping into a frying pan, after which they taste like chicken, or into a broiling pan, after which they taste like steak. When roasted they taste like pork, and when baked they taste like catfish. (Raw, they taste like oysters on the half-shell.)

They also produce eggs (neatly packaged), milk (bottled, grade-A), and butter—no churning required. Their pelts make perfect boot leather or house timber, depending on how thick you slice it.

They have no bones, so there's absolutely no waste. Their eyes make the best suspender buttons, and their whiskers make perfect toothpicks. In short, they are simply the perfect ideal of a subsistence agricultural herd animal.

Naturally gentle, they require minimal care, and are ideal playmates for young children. The frolicking of shmoo is so entertaining (such as their staged "shmoosical comedies") that people no longer feel the need to watch television or go to the movies.

Some of the more tasty varieties of shmoo are more difficult to catch. Usually shmoo hunters, now a sport in some parts of the country, utilize a paper bag, flashlight and stick to capture their shmoos. At night the light stuns them, then they can be whacked in the head with the stick and put in the bag for frying up later on.

Okay, they are shaped like bowling pens with legs, and are great to eat, and want to be eaten.  Not my idea of a shmoo, but hey, I didn't create the character. There is a great story about how Li'l Abner discovered them and I thought I would share a tid bit of it with you.

In a sequence beginning in late August 1948, Li'l Abner discovers the shmoos when he ventures into the forbidden "Valley of the Shmoon" following the mysterious and musical sound they make (from which their name derives). Abner is thrown off a cliff and into the valley below by a primitive "large gal" (as he addresses her), whose job is to guard the valley. (This character is never seen again.) 

There, against the frantic protestations of a naked, heavily bearded old man who shepherds the shmoos, Abner befriends the strange and charming creatures. "Shmoos," the old man warns, "is the greatest menace to hoomanity th' world has evah known!" "Thass becuz they is so bad, huh?" asks Li'l Abner. "No, stupid", answers the man — and then encapsulates one of life's profound paradoxes: "It's because they's so good!!"

Having discovered their value ("Wif these around, nobody won't nevah havta work no more!!"), Abner leads the shmoos out of the valley — where they become a sensation in Dogpatch and, quickly, the rest of the world. 

Captains of industry such as J. Roaringham Fatback, the "Pork King", become alarmed as sales of nearly all products decline, and in a series of images reminiscent of the Wall Street Crash of 1929, the "Shmoo Crisis" unfolds. On Fatback's orders, a corrupt exterminator orders out "Shmooicide Squads" to wipe out the shmoos with a variety of firearms, which is depicted in a macabre and comically graphic sequence, with a tearful Li'l Abner misguidedly saluting the supposed "authority" of the extermination squads.

Wow! a creature that makes a person to never have to work again. I thought that already existed! It may not be a creature, but some of its slang names suggest one - it's called money.

I watched The New Shmoo. The New Shmoo is an American animated series based on the character from the Li'l Abner comic strip created by Al Capp. It was produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions for NBC. The series aired in September 1979.  

Similar to Scooby-Doo, Where are You!, the show follows a group of teenagers—Mickey, Nita and Billy Joe—who solve mysteries and crimes with their friend, Shmoo. The teens worked for Mighty Mysteries Comics. Great! another mystery solving team. (Maybe this is why I like crime shows so much) Mystery solved by those meddling kids in thirty minutes or less. Scooby-Doo remains number one with me!

Another set of creatures similar to the shmoo is Gleep and Gloop from the Herculoids.  Their shapes are the same along with the button size eyes, but that's where are similarities end. No mustaches for these two, Gleep and Gloop are made of totally different components and they don't taste like chicken.

Gloop and Gleep (both voiced by Don Messick) - Two protoplasmic creatures. They are able to absorb and deflect energy blasts and laser beams, often placing themselves between attackers and other Herculoids to act as shields. They can also form shapes including, but not limited to: cushions, trampolines or parachutes to break falls; stretching themselves between tree limbs or rocks to act as slingshots; encircling an attacker's limbs to restrain them, or the entire body to squeeze and render them unconscious. Gloop is the larger of the two.

The Herculoids were cool, living in a prehistoric period where people are scarce on the planet, but there's always someone trying take over.

Cartoons have always been cool. Some more memorable than others.  During my search on shmoos, I found other cartoon shows that I used to watch, but have long forgotten. There are so many, and most are beyond stupid and brain numbing to watch now.  Back then, they were some of the best shows out and Network stations competed for young viewers attention and each had it's own Saturday morning lineup that started at 8 and ran until 11 am or noon. The afternoon weekday cartoons ran from about 4pm until 6 pm, each network station running their own afternoon cartoon lineup. Not like now, where cartoons are on designated channels such as Disney jr, DXD,The HUB,Cartoon Network, Boomerang, Nickelodeon, Nicktoons and all their east,west coast, jr, sr., Sprite and other sister/brother stations. Even PBS have their own cartoons.  So many to choose from, yet only a few really have good cartoons on them. At least what I consider good cartoons.

So now we know what a shmoo is, and how their distance relatives Gleep and Gloop are similar in shape but have different abilities.  Venturing back in time to a long lost cartoon, only to find it's been altered to appeal to a younger generation. Brings to mind that everything comes back around in time. Right now, the 80's are back in a horrible way, at least fashion wise. That's a whole other post that would be waaayy too long because some of it is just, well....WRONG! It would have pictures with just the words WRONG stamped across it! A photo essay! LOL. Well, I'm done shmooing around!

Check out my Stonewomynart page on Facebook, and the new Women's Art Collaborative art site at www.zhibit.org/womensartcollaborative. Always something new to see.

Thanks for reading my blog. Chat with you next time at the...

Same blog time, same blog channel.