January 7, 2016 by the tow path

Alexander Jansson Fairytales

Alexander Jansson was born in Uppsala, Sweden. His first drawing was a ghost when he was only two years old. By the time he discovered Star Wars, his world view changed forever. Because of a loss at a young age, abandonment has always been a part of his work.

Alexander runs his own design studio, called Sleeping House. While he specializes in cover art and illustration, he also created his own style called “Greenpunk”. His mixed media technique is a collage of elements from his photos, models, drawings, and paintings that he blends into the same picture. In order to give these digital pictures a natural touch, he spends much of his time adding scratches, dust and brush strokes.

Mr. Jansson influences include a dark and mysterious touch like that of Tim Burton. The artist creates a mystical world full of miniature houses and characters that are into music.

This artist has done work for Disney, Radio Sweden, and the NYC Ballet among others. Alexander Jansson is well worth following, if only for the inspiration from his work .

<p><a href=”https://vimeo.com/15423744″>Ramone Bosco teaser trailer</a> from <a href=”https://vimeo.com/user3086663″>Alexander Jansson</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a>.</p>

October 1, 2014 by the tow path

Burning Man Festival

Originally held in 1986 at San Francisco’s Baker Beach, the week-long Burning Man Festival now takes place in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert. The festival is a week-long event that starts on the last Monday in August, and ends on the first Monday in September. Up to 68,000 people from around the world gather at the festival and spend a week in the remote desert isolated from the outside world.

The festival gets its name from the ritual burning of a large wooden effigy, which is set ablaze on Saturday evening. The event is considered an experiment in self-expression, art, and self-reliance. It’s become a gathering for hippies, artists, musicians and dancers who can for a week explore artistic expression. Money is never exchanged at the event, instead the participants gift each other to get what they need. The main attractions of Burning Man include massive art installations, all-night dance parties, marathon kite-flying sessions, unconventional fashion shows, and classes where festival goers can learn things like Hula Hooping.

They head off one week later, having left no mark whatsoever and wait for the next Burning Man.

http://www.burningman.com/

August 27, 2014 by the tow path

Ventriloquist Dummy

Ventriloquism was originally a religious practice that got its start in ancient times, somewhere around the sixth century. The name “ventriloquist” means “belly speaker” in Latin. It supposedly was used to communicate with the dead. The noises made by the stomach were thought to be the voices of the dead, who took up residence in the stomach of the ventriloquist. For a long time, it was viewed negatively by the Christian church.

The change from being a sign of spiritual forces to being considered entertainment happened in the eighteenth century at travelling fairs. It came of age as entertainment with the help of vaudeville in the United States.

Ventriloquism is the illusion of creating life, but the fear of ventriloquist’s dummies is called automatonophobia.

http://www.matthewrolston.com/

http://venthavenmuseum.com/

September 5, 2012 by the tow path

The 5th Annual Coney Island Beard and Moustache Competition

Donny Vomit is looking for the natural, the fake, the best and the worst beard or moustache: this year every whisker counts.

Join judges Donny Vomit, Mike Haar; Tonsorial Artist, Trixie Little, The Evil Hate Monkey and co-host Adam The First Real Man, to celebrate a night of burly beards and manicured moustaches! Flock to Coney Island for a night of tiki music from Fisherman, Strait Razor demonstrations and some fabulous sideshow performances and burlesque beauties.