Okay. These are FABULOUS and FUN!
THESE are known as Art*o*Mat machines: vintage, retired cigarette machines filled with small pieces of original art. Seems back in 1997, a clever fellow named Clark Whittington saw the decline — or outlawing — of public smoking as a chance to give new life to these classic but unused machines while at the same time, giving artists a way to repackage their work in fun, fresh ways. Right now, Art*o*Mat machines can be found at over 80 galleries, museums and other public places. About 400 artists worldwide contribute, pricing their little, 2-by-3-inch pieces at about 5 bucks each.
If you happen across one of these machines, you can select which artist’s work you’d like to receive, BUT since each piece is handmade and unique, “you never know what you’re gonna get,” I guess.
You’ve just gotta let go and take a chance on ART!
Look at some examples of what you might get if you DO:
I like the art, but, can I say this — I REALLY want one of these machines!! In my house. So I can sell my “stuff.” Oh, hullo, Betty. You want that necklace I made? Machine. What’s that, Peaches? You want one of my Mocha Chip Cupcakes? Machine. Oh, it’s you, Joey. You want all my posts about how you think I have demons? Umm, yeah …. you ain’t NEVER gettin’ those.
(Anyway, check out the link above if you’re interested to see if there’s an Art*o*Mat near you!)
I love vintage deco. Love it. Those machines rock. I have a soft spot for ’50s era vending machines of any kind. And pinball machines also.
As for the art, I really dig the Japanese kanji one as well as the banzai tree looking one at the bottom.
But can you fit a sweater in one?
Perhaps little knitted people?
Oh, the doll! and the watercolor.
You find the neatest stuff.
Fantastic!!! On so many levels.
The little doll in the sari cracked me up.
that is so cool! i love it…
speaking of things that i love – we are down to the final 12. are you gonna post your reviews now? i have been so patient!
Those totally rock! I save all kinds of little “art pieces”…they dot my apartment and give it a bit of an odd flair:-)
AS — I’ll TRY. Sometimes I’m not home when it’s on, though. I could tape it, sure, but who’d even read my reviews 3 days later??
I know — the little doll is too much. I clicked through all the artists’ work on that site and that was the only little doll I found. I was kinda surprised, actually.
Yeah, Cullen, the Japanese one is cool, I agree. And the tree — somehow it makes me think of Monterey, CA, where we went on our honeymoon.
Our whole house is deco. If Tef gets even a whiff of this, I’m doomed. We’ll have one in every corner.
It’ll spit out comic book panels though… Of course…