'I Life My Lamp Beside the Golden Door...'

The cartoons of Maira Kalman, on New York and America.

'What are we doing here? Who knows? How did we get here? I'll tell you...'




For Goodness' Sake.

Another Kalman cartoon, on New York.

'My love of New York City and love of cleaning are well known. A clean city if a beautiful city. And I want to help. My city it like any city: mind-bogglingly complex...'




5000 Years of Indian Art.




Roadside America: Mega-Messiahs.

' It's still fashionable, during these post-millennial years, to ponder The End of Everything. Media-worn warnings from the Bible, Nostradamus, and assorted bunker-dwellers continue to give us pause. Fans of Hollywood Apocalypse films believe the End will be laden with spectacular special effects. And while students of the Book of Revelation may not agree on all the details, one thing is very possible:'

'A giant Jesus will be looking for you. '




1930s Russian Experimental Homemade Photography.

'These photos are from a private collection of a typical Moscow family. They are dated back to 1936-1940 - the years known as the period of Stalin’s most cruel political repressions. Several million people are said to be affected: sentenced, shot or sent off to labour camps.'

'There is a Russian movie about those times – “Burnt By The Sun” (Utomlennye Solncem), which in 1994 won the Academy Awards as the best foreign language film (imdb rating 7.9/10). The story is about love in the times of political turmoil, the love that survives all fears of purges and uncertainty. Surprisingly enough, people still managed to try and have a few laughs during those harsh times.'




Harry Clarke, Illustrations for E. A. Poe.

'A friend gave me her parents' copy of this 1923 rarity to scan: Tales of Mystery and Imagination by Poe, illustrated by Harry Clarke (Ireland, 1889 - 1931). She remembers being fascinated and haunted by details like the killer's toes from "The Tell-Tale Heart" (see above).'




The Appetite of a Bird.

'This is an actual film sequence from Appetit d'Oiseau (Appetite of a Bird) by Peter Foldes. I scanned thumbnails from the book Graphis: Film & TV Graphics (1967), which says the film "recounts in harrowing images the pursuit of the female by the male."'




Microscopia.

Tiny creatures. 'On a rainy afternoon visit the Micropolitan Museum to find revealed the most amazing things:'




Film Posters Paintings from Ghana.



Tibetan Anatomical Paintings.




Magician Souvenir Programs.




Hypnotist Posters.




A Japanese Historical World Map.




African Barber Shop Signs.




Tom Thumb Trade Cards.

'Shown below are thumbnail images (at 25 percent of actual size) of 7 trade cards and 4 cartes de viste having Tom Thumb as their main subject. '




Jumbo Trade Cards.

'Jumbo was brought as a baby from Africa to the Royal Zoological Gardens in London, England, and grew to be 11-1/2 feet in height and 6-1/2 tons in weight. In almost 20 years of service there, he gave rides to thousands of children.'

'P. T. Barnum wanted Jumbo as an attraction for his shows and made an offer of $10,000, but had no hopes of ever owning him. But in 1881 the Zoological Society accepted Barnum's offer after Jumbo threw some temper tantrums. A controversy arose between the English and Americans, mostly instigated by Barnum for publicity, as to whether Jumbo should be allowed to leave England.'




Roadside America: Big Fruit.



Querying the Hive Mind.


'What is a Buddhist to do about bullies?'


'Looking for good quotes from evil men.'


'What cooking secrets take your food to the almost-pro level?'


'What are we fighting when we fight against depression?'


'What are the most interesting or unusual questions you've ever been asked at a job interview?'


'What are good examples of jokes with long story-telling set-ups?'


'What’s the probability that I have drunk the same molecule of water more than once in my life?'


'I’m interested in learning more about meditation. I also have ADD and find it impossible to shut off my brain and clear my mind.'



Astro Pics.


Dark Sky over Sequoia National Park.


Moon and Mars.


Pillars of Eagle Castle.




How to Make Primordial Soup.




Milwaukee Neighborhood Posters.

'The Milwaukee Neighborhood poster series began with Bay View in 1983. In the ensuing seven years, Milwaukee graphic artist Jan Kotowicz added 25 posters to the collection. The reverse side of each poster carries a history of the neighborhood written by local historian John Gurda. '




Pulp Fiction Book Covers.




Yangtze River Sketchbook.

'At 3,900 miles, Yangtze River is the longest river in Asia, and third in the world. It winds through most beautiful land forms in the world, the Yangtze River reaches the edge of the Tibetan plateau, and plunges off the roof of the world through huge gorges.'




Japanese Temples and Shrines.




Disassembled Household Appliances.




New York Summer.