Last one

The distinctive color of the smokestacks of the Cunard Line. To get us back on track for art...the paint was mixed of straight ochre (a form of iron oxide) and buttermilk. Evidently, the smokestacks got so hot that regular paint roasted right off. I assume the buttermilk was used just to achieve "flow" when painting it on, since it would burn right off too. Imagine how that must have smelled!

I have a few projects going on, and am neglecting all of them. All the travelling got me off track, but I'll be back in the studio again soon. I was toying with the idea of having a show in October at cricket engine but that isn't going to happen at this rate. Maybe in the spring.

For now I have to make pink art for pink week. Ack! Wish me luck. If you are interested in participating there is a form you can download at the link.

I'll stop soon, I swear.

More QM eye candy

Some format changes, etc.

Sorry about all the testing. My image software that was recommended by this site has taken a powder. But now I can publish photos directly thru the blog software (not able before, why, who knows...) so I'm just trying to figure out how it works. The nice thing is I don't have to think of a caption for each picture to publish a photo! Yeah!

Anyway. Obviously, this are more pics from the engine rooms of the QM. Sorry some are dark and blurry. It's dark in the engine rooms, but everything is made out of brass, so if you use the flash: *POW*, one big light show!

I have a few more QM pics I'd like to post, just because I think this boat ended up being really influential on my work. And, heck, art deco science instruments...what's not to like?

Next up, I have a post about seeing the Jean-Michel Basquiat show at the LAMOCA. For right now, go, go, go, go see it. The short review: he was a friggin' genius. The movie does not capture the MONSTER brains this guy had to have to create what he did. I was blown away. Tons of good stuff. Go. We parked at 1st and Beaudry for $4.00 dollars in downtown L.A.

More later.

P.S. I have shut off the comments feature to all but registered Blogger users. I got my first spam, so, sorry. Don't want ads on my site.

MPK

More testing

Testing New photo posting

Queen Mary Part One

24 years ago I spent a week with my family staying on the Queen Mary in Long Beach. It was very cool and one of my favorite childhood memories. Alex and I went to LA late last month to visit family and hang out with friends. I convinced Alex to let me take him to the QM on our way back. We spent an hour and a half there and I was amazed at how much I remembered. I also suspect that all the stuff below decks had a serious effect on my 11 year old psyche!

I have lots more pictures but my blog stopped accepting them this morning. Hopefully I can post more soon. I have included two that I found in my childhood photo album. The little boy is my now ginormous brother.

MPK

Turning gear. About a foot taller than me.

Here is the remaining propeller attached to the ship. It's in a creepy little dark room they built off the side of the ship. It's on the "Haunted Tour". It does feel a tad eldritch.

Same equipment depicted below from different angle.

The kernspawn in 1981 playing in the boat. This area is rather crudely blocked off now with a fence made of two by fours.

Alex humoring me with the wrench used for the big ass thing in the pic below.

Still looks the same 24 years later. Ulp.