I Would Like to Be a Jellyfish

If I could be anything I would like to be a jellyfish. No thoughts, just floating. That's really all I have to say. [I took this at the National Aquarium in Baltimore. It's not the most focused picture but it's pretty]

Rice Paper

So I have a rice cooker and I realized that it creates this crusty, scabby, skin film after it is done cooking. It initially creeped me out and I am still not sure if it is supposed to be doing that but I decided to make 'paper' out of it on my night of card making for my storytelling/bookmaking class, which just happens to be one of the best classes I have ever taken because we sit down for 6 hours and make things [we are required to make/draw/find 5 'cards' every week as a sort of homework]. I had known ahead of time that rice paper isn't called rice paper because it is made of rice but because of the specific ethnicity that produces it, so I thought it was funny to actually make paper out of actual rice. I couldn't decide which picture I liked better and since I'm learning photoshop I just stuck them together [one probably would have sufficed]. I love the more metallicness of the abstract of the first and how in the second you can see every detail and it feels warmer.

Slide Projector Slide Projector Mine Mine Mine

I lied when I said I would wait a week to go to Urban Ore and almost peed myself over all the beautiful equipment they have in, including slide projectors! [They also had an enormous collection of beautiful enlargers and typewriters...Urban Ore makes me wish I had a car...and money...and floor space...] I was so excited I immediately had to get one. The problem was actually finding a functional one. I ended up finding one that had most of its parts in place, although I think it is missing a lens or something that helps to make the picture bigger. It only focuses at a certain point which is only a depressing 2 feet from the wall, but as of right now I am too excited about it. It is one that slides like a cartridge not a carousel which, unfortunately, means a lot less slots to fill. It has a remote which focuses the lens but does not retract the slides themselves, although it does reverse/forward the order though if pressed and slid out manually.

I would have liked to have gotten a carousel projector but the most functional looking one was a 3 prong setting and could not be tested. I might just have to go back. The thought of carrying 2 projectors back onto public transit [along with 2 giant glass bottles that used to hold hypoclear and fixer and a huge file index of the loneliest postcards ever written...soon to be posted] had been too daunting. I got it for $16, though I probably could have gotten it for less if I hadn't been so excited. I also acquired a small box of slides from someone's 1998 trip to the Alps.

So far my idea to double up on the slides to get a new image has been working...sort of...I end up shooting slides across the room or losing them inside the projector. I would also love to try and distort the actual projection more [wall surface wise] and maybe even set about to destroying the slides themselves. Everything is always a work in progress...

ps. I bought the slide projector Saturday and am only now posting this...

Bunny Fishing

I found this in the Creative Reuse bin of photos...and I don't know. I can only assume that it is from a children's book [a small cardboard one]. I just think that its kind of a terrifying painting.

Street Shadows

Found this picture in Creative Reuse as well. I think it's from the 80s/90s. I liked the industrial shadows with the muted colors and the oil/water puddles which almost look like a double exposure; sky on pavement.

4 Corners

I went to the Depot for Creative Reuse [or the Depot] today because it's amazing and it's been awhile. If you live in the East Bay or SF and for some reason haven't heard of it definitely make the trip [also head over to Scrap in SF and Urban Ore in the Berkeley area]. Creative Reuse are more on the leftover bulk supply like paper, medical equipment, slides, beads, etc. Because slides are becoming useless they have drawers and drawers full. I'd love to do a project with them but I have no slide projector. Also the store Upper Playground has a stock of their artists' books there for some reason [publicity?]. But you should plan on getting what you see then and there because they like to change up their stock. I think there is also an antique sale going on Sept. 23rd and 24th. Anyway, these are two of a stack of photographs I bought [among other things]. I usually go to Urban Ore for photographs because it's a lot cheaper but I liked these. Urban Ore will be next weekend. I am guessing these are from a camera with 4 lens' but as to how old they are...no idea but they look like they're printed on pearl photo paper. [by the way I am completely technology challenged so sorry for the small pictures...I'm learning]

The Cuckoo Clock

A children's book that I still have not read but bought because of the beautifully bordered pages and for the horrible name given to the main character; Griselda. Written by Mrs. Molesworth in 1877 and published in 1895, it's falling apart. Bought this at the F&M book fair as well [I bought more than a few books there].

Mythology for Young People

I have a thing for myths...I used to read them when I was little, I don't remember why. I also love old books. Currently I am working on a project that combines books, fire, and mythology[mainly Prometheus]. It's an index of Ancient Greek Gods, Goddesses, Heros, Places, etc...and was published in 1925. I found this at the annual Franklin and Marshall College book fair in Lancaster, PA this summer.