Iraq Museum

There are so many tragedies to speak of in Iraq since the US invasion. Among the many is the near total loss of historical and cultural artifacts from it's extensive history. The Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago has created a database of Iraq's lost treasures. It's well worth checking out.

Unlike the hording by Germany in WWII of cultural and artistic artifacts (see my post on Rape Of Europa), it seems highly unlikely that their cultural assets will ever be recovered.

Musical Instruments: Acordians Rule!

Smythe's Accordian Center - If you're into accordians, then this is the place for you in the Bay Area. Accordian repair, workshops and classes.

smythesaccordiancenter.com

Artist: Eva Martin - Jewelry

Our friend's Bradly and Felicity had their wedding ring created by Eva (see pic to the left). What makes her works so amazing is that she weaves a story into each piece of jewelry she creates.

www.evamartin.com

Artist: Natasha Dikareva

I found Natasha's work during an Open Studios night in the Mission, SF. What I particularly liked about her work was the installation, and this melding of materials, periods - clay and metal, old and new.

Visit Natasha's Site

Documentary: Rape Of Europa

I saw this film at the San Francisco International Film Festival and would recommend it to anyone!

Based on the non-fiction book of the same name, this documentary tells the story of systematic theft, deliberate destruction and miraculous survival of Europe’s art treasures during the Third Reich and the Second World War.

It's incredibly well told and illustrated with lots of film footage and pictures from that time.


http://www.therapeofeuropa.com/

Planet Unicorn Heyyy

Even if you don't watch the entire thing, watch the intro for this. Unicorn Planet, planet Unicorn, heyyy!

Adorable Animated Short : Burning Safari

Robots vs. Monkey
Burning Safari

New Life Forms on Film

No matter how many times I see this video it enthralls me.

Educational Video: Julius Sumner Miller!

Talk about a nutty professor. In this episode he teaches you the Drama of Very Cold Things.

Color photos from 1910s

Apparently the Tsar’s official photographer figured that if he took 3 black and white photos of the same thing with red blue and green filter, eventually the technology would come along to re-combine them into actual color photographs. Well, he was right. And now you get to see color photographs of life in Russia in 1910. Absolutely remarkable.

What fascinates me the most about this is that I’ve come to expect people dressed in clothing from the turn of the century to be in black and white. And when I see them in color, it doesn’t feel as distant to me. It gives them more of a human, rather than historical appearance.

See the site!

Artist: Josh Heilaman

A mixed-media artist from Oklahoma whose palette and sensibility are continually evolving. He uses acrylic paints and just about any other medium he can put hands on to create environments heavy with seas, forests and cities — all populated by creatures of whimsy. Heilaman's work has been featured in publications and exhibitions throughout North America.

I found this artist at Flavor Pill.

Women in Art

500 Years of Female Portraits in Western Art morphing together.

Flash Animation: Animation vs Animator

Really fun flash animations!
http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/316541

http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/368557

http://www.gladdening.com/FlashFun/desktop.html

Artist: Chad Mount

I found this guy on FlavorPill

www.chadmount.com

Maker Faire 2007

Jaime Zollars Really wonderful illustrator. I purchased the silkscreen featured in this post. She introduced me to a place where I could get good prints (postcards, etc) done. Her postcards were pretty cool. The place is Overnightprints.com.

The Paper Source - A guy managing the Papersource in San Francisco taught people the art of Goco Printing. He even demonstrated how one could use Brownie Camera flash bulbs to create a print.

Craftgym Here's a great place if you don't want to invest to heavily in crafting supplies, or crafting space in your own home. For a fee, you can print on their Gocco printer, user their paper marbleing vats, etc. There's also a ton of classes that look like alot of fun!


Metallurge Casting - This gal made some pretty rad dinnerware.

Lulu.com - Looking to make your own books, cds, dvds? Lulu will do this with their really great selection of binding types and high quality printing.

The Neverwas Haul made an appearance. Inspired by the sci fi of jules Verne, the Neverwas Haul is a self-propelled 3 story victorian house on wheels. The haus is home to The Travelling Acadamy of UnNatural Science. A collaborative group of artists and adventurers.

Pod Pod Post Gallery/Store of Mail Art.

Craft Mafia - resource / coop for crafters

The Stereo Club of California Has a bunch of info on their site related to 3d imaging.

Mrs Grossmans is a sticker making company located here in the bay area. They even give tours.

Martin Hsu - Awesome Illustrator / Artist

This artist captured humans in bottles

The Skank Sack

This sack is designed with the active Skank in mind.


http://www.devilducky.com/media/61980/

David Blaine Mock - u -mentary

David Blaine Mock - u -mentary

http://sjl.funnyordie.com/v1/view_video.php?viewkey=c3f7e2336b27310f0b9e

New Taekwondo Gym in Martinez

Our pal Jordan has *just* opened his new Taekwondo gym.
http://www.bay-ata.com/instructors.php

1848: When America Came of Age - from Time Magazine

I love the way in which you can backtrack through time and find remarkable parallels in the way people thought about themselves. Kurt Anderson recently wrote about the parallels between the year 1848 and the present in the 3.18.07 issue of Time Magazine.

A snippet: "Miraculous new communications technologies have suddenly appeared, transforming everyday life. Everything is moving discombobulatingly fast. Globalization accelerates. Wall Street booms. Outside San Francisco, astounding fortunes are made overnight, out of nothing, by plucky nobodies. The new media are scurrilous and partisan. Marketing spin and advertising extend their influence as never before. A fresh urban-youth subculture has emerged, rude and vibrant, entertainment-fixated and violence-glorifying. Christian conservatives are furiously battling cultural decadence, and one popular sect insists that the end days are nigh. Ferocious anti-immigration sentiment is on the rise. Both major American political parties seem pathetically unable to deal with the looming, urgent issue of the day. Insurgents practicing asymmetrical warfare have, practically overnight, threatened to bring down the political order of Western civilization. And the President has tapped into patriotic rage to invade a poor desert country, having dubiously claimed that the enemy nation represents a clear and present military danger to America."

To read more of this article:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1597503,00.html

3d commercial - I'd love to play this game!

http://seewhatyoumean.3ds.com/