Photography

About two weekends ago we went to the American Steel SAND by the TON party. So I apologize for the tardiness of this post... but I'm just getting the photos online now, so that will stand as my excuse.
First off... American Steel is an amazing warehouse for all your large scale art storage and fabrication needs. If you have needs like that, you should check them out!

The Sand by the Ton party was awesome and literally had tons of sand on the ground. They even made these really cool sand sculptures:

There were many, many stages with many shows... but one of the best shows there was put on, as always, by the Boiler Bar crew. A vaudeville variety show with great acts. Like crazy fan dancing!

And cans on heads!

There were beautiful damsels serving beer

And a rainbow.

What more could you ask for in a night!?!

I love New Orleans. The history, architecture, culture, art, and food are simply stunning. I honestly believe that you can't really understand this great land of ours without at least visiting once. For when you're in New Orleans, you see that the very melting-pot ideas that founded America, as well as all it's pain and troubles therein, were here well before we were even a glimmer of a nation.

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We saw them on desks. We saw them on lawns. We even saw them on a car. But by far the best was still the one where it was taped to a rock in the wilds of remote Australia:

A big thanks goes out to Clinton & Meech, who will be receiving a real Squirrel Table of their very own shortly (well, shortly being how long it takes to get to the outback)!
Thanks everyone for the pictures!

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We'd like to give a big hearty thanks to Clinton & Meech for this photo of a downloadable Squirrel Table in the wilds of Meekatharra, Western Australia!

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Yup. We are back from our week long trip to Oklahoma. Why did we go there? That is the first question everyone has asked us. Why would you go to Oklahoma? I guess that question comes quickly to mind as Oklahoma is not really thought of as a "place to go". We asked our friend COOP what we should see while there, as he grew up in that state.

He replied "NOTHING. There is NOTHING there."

Well, we had already bought the plane tickets, and we were heading out there to visit some family, some possible business relations, and to go to a wedding. There was no turning back. So we set out to prove COOP wrong. Nothing you say? What about Hugo, OK. -- Circus city USA?!

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Being just down the street from The Crucible , we have been watching them set up for this year's Fire Arts Festival for the past month. More and more stuff started to go up in that lot across from their building, and this year we finally got the chance to go and check it out.

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We know a few mad scientists, and one who works at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. He took us there the other day to see THE SYNCHROTRON (dun dun dun....)

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The old American Flat mill, an abandoned mill that once processed gold and silver ore about four miles out of Carson City has been abandoned for years, and is in the process of being demolished by the BLM.

I first went there in 2001. It was an amazingly scenic place as the buildings, by that point, were just shells of what they once were, being reclaimed by the surrounding vegetation. The apparent numbers of visitors that had come through was seen through the years of graffiti coverage on almost every surface. Burned out shells of cars that had been a night's entertainment for some forgotten squatters, the countless beer cans and squatter encampments. American Flat Of course, all of these things that made it so wonderful are the same reasons it is being torn down.

The American Flat is being completely demolished into the ground. The Steel and what ever else can be reclaimed will be hauled out. Every thing else will be buried, soil samples taken, and re-vegetation planting will begin. In a few years, it will look like it never existed. An area that had mining history dating back to 1859 will disappear. Though, understandably..... it was not a safe place. And with very easy access.

American Flat The place was huge too. 45 acres of enormous buildings. Some as tall as 60 ft. Huge areas open to the sky and bowl shaped, used at some point for the refinery. Tunnels everywhere. Underground tunnels that traveled the area beneath the facility. And graffiti everywhere. Graffiti and puddles of water and plants determined to get in.

American Flat It was one of the most photogenic places i have ever been. So in memory of that beautiful place, I have uploaded all my photos from that trip to Flickr here .

Enjoy the photos. Bye Bye American Flat. I'm glad I saw you when I did.

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The last leg of our trip was Los Angeles. We spent 3 days there- then thankfully zoomed home sweet home. A quick overview of our time in LA. Or at least, this is how quick it felt.......

We went to Machine Project where we saw Mister Jalopy give a talk on some of the projects he has been working on. He spent part of his talk speaking on the merits of Custom Vans, which of course no sane person can argue with, but now has Jeffrey even more convinced that we need one. Thanx for that Mr. J.

After the talk, we hung out with him and Coop and Coop's wife Ruth, all really nice, funny, easy going people. We had a blast. Got to see Coop's studio, and looked at some stencils we are cutting for him out of Aluminum.

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We are still here in Vegas, on our last day, and frankly, it's about time! Jeffrey has given all of his three talks. And luckily only one of them was strewn with technical difficulties including, but not limited to, the light jazz that started playing from the hotel speakers halfway through his talk. That talk seemed to take all the bad luck, as his others went seamlessly, and he received praise from the attendees on all three of the presentations.

All of his talks were taped, so you can watch them by logging onto the AU Online site.

We have been put up at The Venetian, with it's plush accomidations and amazingly friendly service. The interior design of this place is amazing.

This tower here has a long hallway flanked on either side with gas wall sconces. The center of this hallway is a reception area with an amazing ceiling and chandelier. There is so much security here, you have to have a room key to go anywhere in this hotel. Luckily, we did.

We've decided that is the ceilings and lighting fixtures that really hold the personality of a vegas casino- as eye level and below are typically filled with slot machines and a multicolored carpet to hide stains.

The Venetian has a pool that was still open while we were here, even though the temperature high was in the low 50's. I went swimming, and it was *WONDERFUL* as they keep the pool at a constant 85 degrees! And I had it all to myself, as more rational people than I figured it was too cold to be swimming.

They give you heated towels as you are on your way to the pool.

The other day I saw someone vacuuming this lawn. So today I took a closer look at it.

This is by far the nicest and softest, and most likely the most expensive astroturf you can find. I want some for my livingroom!

Even the exit signs are fancy at The Venetian.

Now onto our room... We had 35 people in here on Tuesday night. I'll say it again..... 35 people in our hotel room at one time, and it wasnt even tight! I think this room is larger than our space in Oakland.

The bathroom has it's own makeup table, as well as a separate bath tub, a shower with glass walls, two sinks, and a separate room for the toilet. I could live here. If only it weren't in Vegas!