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All Hallows Eve

It is Halloween, all the goblins and ghosts are coming out to find their treats by knocking on your door in their ghoulish costumes. Those in the Halloween spirit play tricks that may scare the heck out of some poor kid.  I remember my son wanting to be a Power Ranger or a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, and having to walk around with him and my niece door to door in our neighborhood. She was dressed as some sort of princess. Power Rangers have been on TV for about 20 years now and the hero's in the half shell still come on too. I use the Power Rangers ring tone on my phone for my son, and now I am teaching my grandson that song and the teenage mutant ninja turtle song so he can sing it to his dad over and over. Payback is a Mother! Lol. My niece is now in college dressing like Pikachu from Pokemon for Halloween. To each his/her own I guess.

About this time of year, I get really discouraged, the days get really short, it's cold and before Halloween is done, Xmas trees go up in the store and the mass marketing of the holidays begin.  Some places begin playing Xmas music before Thanksgiving, much to my dismay and sheer annoyance. Thanksgiving and it's turkey is run over and killed by the Xmas reindeer and all the super sales that are going to happen on black Friday and beyond. In fact, commercialism is what makes Xmas a less wonderful time of the year by adding more stress to the pockets of those trying to fill the stockings with the latest gifts. I on the other hand, give gift cards, my motto is go buy it yourself, stand in line and get what YOU want. I will be at home sipping wine and working on my over due blog post. Even shopping online becomes a bit much during this wonder-not time of the year. Can we throw back Holidays on Thursday memories. 

Tomorrow all the Halloween candy will be on sale and costumes will be put away for another year. Halloween never ends for some, they will continue to dress in costumes long after the day is over. They can have an extra day or two if they celebrate with the Mexican culture, cause it's celebrated the first two days of November, instead of on our one day/night. Day of the Dead is one of my favorite holidays.

Dia de Los Muertos, Day of the Dead is an interesting holiday celebrated in central and southern Mexico during the chilly days of November 1 & 2. Even though this coincides with the Catholic holiday called All Soul's & All Saint’s Day, the indigenous people have combined this with their own ancient beliefs of honoring their deceased loved ones.


They believe that the gates of heaven are opened at midnight on October 31, and the spirits of all deceased children (angelitos) are allowed to reunite with their families for 24 hours. On November 2, the spirits of the adults come down to enjoy the festivities that are prepared for them.

In most Indian villages, beautiful altars (ofrendas) are made in each home. They are decorated with candles, buckets of flowers (wild marigolds called cempasuchil & bright red cock's combs) mounds of fruit, peanuts, plates of turkey mole, stacks of tortillas and big Day-of-the-Dead breads called pan de muerto. The altar needs to have lots of food, bottles of soda, hot cocoa and water for the weary spirits. Toys and candies are left for the angelitos, and on Nov. 2, cigarettes and shots of mezcal are offered to the adult spirits. Little folk art skeletons and sugar skulls, purchased at open-air markets, provide the final touches.

Day of the Dead is a very expensive holiday for these self-sufficient, rural based, indigenous families. Many spend over two month's income to honor their dead relatives. They believe that happy spirits will provide protection, good luck and wisdom to their families. Ofrenda building keeps the family close.

On the afternoon of Nov. 2, the festivities are taken to the cemetery. People clean tombs, play cards, listen to the village band and reminisce about their loved ones. Tradition keeps the village close. Day of the Dead is becoming very popular in the U.S.~ perhaps because we don't have a way to celebrate and honor our dead, or maybe it's because of our fascination with it's mysticism.

Day of the Dead is celebrated throughout Mexico and the Catholic world... Italy, Spain, South America and the Philippines all celebrate All Souls and All Saints Day on November 1st and 2nd. Special Masses and perhaps cleaning of the cemetery tombs are part of the traditional activities... it's only in Central and Southern Mexico where the colorful parties take place in the cemeteries and elaborate ofrenda altars are built in the homes to honor specific family members who have passed on. - MexicanSugarSkull.com

On this chilly November 1st, I will begin to celebrate my birthday, 14 days before the actual day, and begin to give myself a small gift everyday, culminating with the big gift on my birthday. It may not be celebrated throughout the country, but it is designed to honor me. One thing I do remember growing up was that family forgot my birthday for whatever reason and didn't treat it like the special day that it was, so it became my goal to celebrate me and my day in a way that left me feeling good, and not feeling hurt because no one remembered. You all know who you are! This year's self gift is a pair of boots from Dr. Marten's website, another pair of shit kickers this time with studs on them! I give the very best, cause I'm worth it! and of course I rock it like no other chick can! Plus, if I have to stomp on any giftmeister's, I will totally crush them with my mighty boots of doom! I Will wear them with my new studded sleeveless jean jacket. Besides some forgetting my birthday, they would give me a gift after Xmas, that just put the icing on the cake. Let them eat that cake, I prefer cheesecake instead. 

As always, art is a good gift to give on any occasion, Sculpture is the perfect gift. There are plenty of artists who would love to sell you their work and will even wrap it up with a nice bow. Some will even negotiate the price with you, how may stores will do that! Everything does not have to match your decor, sculpture fits nicely anywhere. I'm just sayin'. I do not give the gift of art to family. They like their material gifts purchased in a store, not handmade by me or any of my crafty friends.

This year, I do not expect to get trick or treater's knocking at my door, the building is secure and the management has a Halloween event planned for the kids in the neighborhood. Wonder if they will have reindeer games for the kids at Xmas.

The gift of giving, and good will towards men/women sometimes is second to all the hoopla. For Xmas this year, I would like to adopt a dog, a companion that I can share my madness with and I can rub their tummy at the same time. We shall see about this one. Don't want to have to stomp some giftmeister with my studded boots, cause they are tryin' to trample over my Xmas dog to get to some sale item. Don't want giftmeister goo on my boots.

I will be back tripping the art light fantastic next time. Seems that my posts go out on these throw back Thursdays which are always fun. Have some scary fun and watch a few scary movies, check out the crib keeper and his ghoulish stories, or go to Georgetown to see all the frightening people who are out and about, or scare yourself out of your costume by looking in the mirror, cause you know you shouldn't leave the house with it on! You know who you are! LOL 

Happy Throw back Thursday. Happy Halloween! Feliz dia de los Muertos!

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Back In The Day to The Here and Now

When I first started this blog, I had plenty of time to decide my topic, which is mainly art related and to research all the elements to provide a well rounded view of the subject. Now things have changed a little, okay a lot and now time seems to slip by before I realize it and my blog post date slips by. Life has a funny way of letting you know it exists. Stares you down, until you make eye to eye contact.

My last post reflected on childhood issues with robots and how they came into my life. The issues that I have been dealing with these past few months often leave me wondering how I got to the "here and now." I've also noticed that my friends post pictures of themselves from way back when on throw back Thursdays. Ha! no picture from my past will be posted anywhere, at least not by me. Nothing wrong with the past, it helped shape the current me. As for the here & now part, not so sure, still connecting the dots cause it represents my current situation and not so much the me I have come to know. It is apparent the two are connected, although I feel very disconnected at times dealing with the day to day. So when I see my friends post about being "back in the day" and their pictures, It dawned on me that my back in day seems like a rather mind boggling, eyes closing lack luster time. 

I don't remember any great family reunions, birthdays or major events. Oh sure, there were piano recitals in which I was terrified to death because people were "looking" at  me; and then of course my sisters wedding and no one believed I was just "thirteen", they kept looking at me; my prom dress that my mom made for me, that just recently I gave to goodwill. It was Magenta colored 3/4 length taffeta dress with a lace jacket, and my date wore a charcoal grey suit with coat tails, everyone thought we looked good and were looking at us; my first car, a Chevrolet spectrum 2 door hatchback, thought I was cute styling and profiling! and wanted people to look at me; being pregnant with my son, and people looking at me saying "you don't look pregnant!";locking my hair during a time it wasn't acceptable, people stared at me; the grey streak that started in the front of my head and went back towards the middle at an angle that became increasingly hard to color, then changed course and decided to stay front and center spreading from left to right, the first thing people commented on when they looked at me (thank God for haircolor); coworkers who looked at me funny when I told them I was leaving the Federal Govt to go back to school and get my degree(s);currently people cock their heads to the side while they are looking at me from head to toe eyeballing my shit kicker boots, nose ring, labrey piercing, and locks then their eyes bug out when I say "I teach art!". No, don't remember much about being back in the day, or yesterday for that matter, aside from people looking at me, staring at me.

What I do remember is a lot of great music and TV, especially cartoons, Kung Fu theater, Creature Feature, Captain 20 and all the Godzilla movies (which I still watch). Buying albums for a $1 from Columbia Music club, everything from Rita Coolidge, Tom Jones, Electric Light Orchestra, the Wizard of Oz (disco version), The Bee Gees, Donna Summer, Earth Wind & Fire and much more! Yes, you could get records and tapes for a $1. And guess what! TV was FREE! yes free! and all the cool shows came on like Barney Miller, The Jeffersons, All in the Family, The Phil Donahue Show, The Flip Wilson Show (Hey Geraldine!) Dick Clark's Rocking New Years Eve and Soouuul Train!. Call waiting didn't exist and you had to call the operator to break in on the line to reach someone if they were on the phone. My first computer was an Etch-a-Sketch! People actually talked to each other, texting didn't exist nor did cell phones. Radio played music that required real singing and Casey Kasem did American Top 40 every Sunday. No it wasn't during the time of dinosaurs, even though thinking of this does seem kind of nostalgic but not prehistoric! For some, the 70's seems like a prehistoric time, the 80's were my rebellion years, but why do people keep trying to bring back the 80's? Do me a favor, leave the 80's alone, it hasn't done anything to deserve your millennium torment.

I was a chubby kid with severe allergies and stayed in the house a lot. My mom made most of my clothes until Lane Bryant came along. They started off selling children's clothes, then switched to women's clothes. If you were husky built then you went to Morton's clothing downtown. Hecht's, Garfinkels, and Woodies department stores were the Macy's and Nordstroms of today. Being chubby or overweight was not the move back in the day. No one made clothes for that body type. Couldn't get the Jordache look if you were bigger than a toothpick. Super sizing was a spray starch used in ironing your clothes. Wrinkle free was a hand cream, it was not a term for wash and wear clothing. You could go to the Barbizon School to be a model or just "look like one," now just get plastic surgery to look like Barbie, so everyone can look at you. The metro cost .75 cents to ride when it first opened, phone calls were .10-.15 cents at a pay phone, yes, they actually worked! Then technology kicked into high gear and the years flew by bringing me to the here and now. Now, to talk to people I have to text on my "smart phone" or contact people through facebook, forget actually talking to them. We have to pay for some 500 channels including local ones and there still is nothing on worth watching for long. My favorite Godzilla and Kung Fu action flicks have been relegated to DVD, YouTube or Hulu. I'm waiting for the robots to take control of all technology.

I spend more time on my laptop, cell phone and listening to my ipod. They all come equipped with the ability to watch music videos, movies, take pictures etc.,that can be instantly posted to whatever site suits your fancy. So much for the man in the monster costume stomping on a miniature size Tokyo and fighting other monsters. Now with all the CG animation and such, the monsters can be manipulated with a few key strokes and look hella real. Don't even have to buy a book anymore, just download it on your e-reader, or kindle. Nothing wrong with the here and now, just sometimes I want a simpler time where things are a little slower and you could figure it out before it was upgraded.

If I'm showing my age, then know I'm not THAT OLD! I may not be in my 20s anymore, but I still got lots of life kicking in me and I've gotten better with age AND I'm keeping up the technology, its fun. Just want to take my time and smell the roses before they get mowed down! At least now, I can do that without sneezing my head off! Have grown out my allergies a bit, modern medicine has improved greatly as well. Also, as American's we have gotten larger and so have the clothes, all I had to do was maintain my size and the rest of the U.S. caught up to me! One size does not fit all, check the mirror.

Now that I've watched the Roots/Jimmy Fallon do a rendition of the Sesame Street theme song, and the crazy songs that mock real life conversation in a video, my world has come full circle. Everything old is new again...except things from the 80's leave them there, especially the clothes!


My throwback Thursday request, just step away from the 80s clothes, go ahead, just back away, you can do it, say it with me step away from the clothes and read my blog instead.

See you all next week at the....

Same blog time, same blog channel, I'll be watching You!

Childhood Fantasy, Robot Reality

robot workers of the future

Ultraman

Growing up I always thought I should be somewhere else and often fantasized about being some one else. Any TV show or song that I enjoyed interrupted my thoughts like an extended music video and I would often daydream my time away imaging that I was apart of the show, because I didn't know back then that it was possible for a chubby black girl to actually accomplish a play those roles. One of my daydreams was that I was in outer space with robots and aliens, and I was the super warrior woman/hero/ultimate goddess that saved the day. Years later, I reflect back and laugh on how I would scare myself with the idea that Ultra Man would be sitting in my living room, waiting for me on Xmas morning to use his mighty powers to slay me. On Xmas morning which was supposed to be a delight for most children, I would tip toe into the hallway and peek around the corner into the living room to see if it was true. Once I realized that Ultra Man wasn't there, I would gleefully go into the living room to open my gifts. It was some what of a let down and a relief that Ultra Man did not play into my idea that I had hidden super powers, whatever they were, and wreck havoc in the house while my parents slept. For I would transform into this super alter ego and save my family from the perils of disaster and the mighty Ultra Man. For a long time, I had no clue that monsters didn't exist, at least not the ones that came on TV after school and on Saturday mornings. I chuckle to think that I pondered how Japan could rebuild so quickly after a monster attack by Godzilla, until I figured out it was a movie set. What disturbed me more was that I wasn't there with my super powers to help save the day. 

Xena Warrior Princess

Now that I am much older and know that these were made for kids, Saturday morning action packed TV drama, the idea that I could never sing like Barbara Streisand or Karen Carpenter; that my head could not spin around like the little girl in the Exorcist and that I could not, no matter how hard I tried beam myself up on the Star Trek Enterprise; or be the super warrior women to put Ultra Man down; or be lost in space; I was left with the discouraging fact and acceptance of the notion that I couldn't be anyone else but me. Although it's somewhat disappointing to have figured this out, I still daydream about being a more realistic type of person, like a super rocker chick with amazing guitar skills. LOL! These things play into my childhood fantasies, and I am fascinated with the idea of being super human woman however non existent they actually are.

Stop Killer Robots

Okay so what does this have to do with robots?! quite a lot, as robots were both scary and interesting to me growing up, they were also a rather fascinating curiosity that once was something only seen or read about in Sci-fi magazines, movies/TV, now they are a real world entity. Should I now be concerned that Ultra Man may really be able appear in my living now! That I have out grown the super warrior woman of my childhood and settled for a soapbox containing a degree or two that I stand on to yell my feminist manifestos from and have no super powers or devices that could actually take him down! Other than to run like hell, which would be a joke all in itself, what would I do to escape the rogue robot that wants to kill everything and everybody?! These questions plague me and yet I stopped going to the movies long ago, because I can't sit still in a dark place with strangers that long.  I wait for them to come on Showtime/HBO or whatever movie channel, that way I can move about and catch it at my leisure or not at all. My imagination is too vivid so I stay away from horror movies, for they will become part of what my mind does to scare the hell out me when the lights are off. Took me forever to not think about Freddy Kruger, and the dead guy with the mask on from Halloween,in the midnight hours and I was into it horror back then.

District 9 Alien Robot

Robotics

The robots of today are new and improved, a major upgrade from Robocop, and now there are alien robots that want to take over the world. If the military can't stop them, and some masculine hero with a death wish damn near annihilates everything in an attempt to take them down with the technology we have today, then my warrior woman sword won't do a damn thing but irritate these irate robots that will come to take over human kind. Whats even scarier is that there are no black people in the apocalyptic world of a robotic takeover/take down, that I have seen. Maybe we catch a clue and get the hell out of dodge and go elsewhere unlike others who feel they have to fight a seemingly losing battle to possibly save the day and save mankind, which oddly enough doesn't include everyone. That's another soapbox manifesto for a different time.  The real concern is how does one deal with the technology that has been created and the alien technology we know nothing about, assuming aliens exist of course.

The day the Earth Stood Still

But we know something is out there, right? Just like in the movie "The Day the Earth Stood Still," an alien being (Klaatu) who looked a lot like a human and a robot (Gort) who looked a lot like a human in a robot suit, came to warn us about changing our evil ways or they would be forced to annihilate us. Would we really be that gracious in our acceptance as humans to entertain their ideas of peace without first trying to dissect them to see how they are different from us? Would we not try to take their space craft apart to see if there is alien technology that we don't understand? Would we find alien robotics to be beyond our comprehension and not know how to stop an alien robot invasion if one should occur? Would we be dumb enough to yell out "Klaatu Barada Nikto!" in hopes that it would somehow stop the robots in their tracks like in the movie? While we're at it, let's get Harry Potter to wave his wand to turn them into toys and let's get Ultra Man out and dust him off, cause he can fight alien monsters as long as he stays in Japan. But Dr. Who can travel anywhere, anytime via the Tardis, has defeated the daleks who are a robot species of some sort, bring him on board. Let's not forget our military hero death wish seeker who will blow them to smithereens in the ultimate showdown of robots vs. humans. As long as we are on a movie set or a TV studio we can write and rewrite the outcome of our robot take over encounters.

Lost in Space

Modern technology is moving fast, and soon we will be a robot oriented society of sorts soon enough. Robotics has taken over car manufacturing to some extent and mini robots are there to clean our floors at the push of a button. Cars have mini computers installed in them that monitor everything from climate control to parking, we have GPS systems that talk us through getting from point A to B, and robot crash car dummies can report car impact data after a test crash. Not to mention the mini computers we carry around as phones, e-readers and note pads, easy fodder for artificial intelligence to interface and control, just ask your local hacker. Robots dismantle bombs, the military uses them for who knows what and then some, they are available to kill germs in hospitals, as just heard on the news as I'm typing this. Robots can and do have artificial intelligence and can be programmed to do almost anything and look human according to IEEE Spectrum website for robotics. So the day of the robot takeover is coming and they will become smart enough to override human commands and think for themselves. Once they realize that we are expendable, no super hero will be able to save us from our own creations. The new and improved Terminators are here, it's just a matter of time. Warrior women powers activate!

Terminator

As always, thanks for reading my blog! Don't forget to check out what I'm sculpting on my StoneWomynArt tab and page via Face Book. See you next time....

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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.



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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.

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