Hello, tentacle fans. As you may have noticed, I have (sadly) been unable to update this blog as frequently as I would like. Today in Tentacles? More like Annually in Tentacles. And that has no ring to it at all.
I've decided to experiment with Tumblr, which makes it easier to upload images (blogger requires more clicks to deal with the spacing). We'll see how this goes.
Please adjust your RSS feeds to: TodayInTentacles.Tumblr.com!
20091016
20090513
Tentacle Pizza
No, really. They have a pizza with calamari on it. And I don't even eat calamari.
That's right, I do not dine upon tentacles.
Ignazio's Pizza in DUMBO, discovered by Chassy on a menu in our wacky office.
That's right, I do not dine upon tentacles.
Ignazio's Pizza in DUMBO, discovered by Chassy on a menu in our wacky office.
20090504
Tabular Tentacles
Chul An Kwak, a Korean designer, created these tables to inject more emotion into what he sees an otherwise static aspect of our lives. Which is kind of beautiful, actually.
I think these are the bees' knees. Or rather, the octopus' kneew.
At Boing Boing and Nerve.com and a bunch of other places. Sent in by @publichistorian and Jonathan Harford, because you all know me so very well.
20090430
Dumpling Tentacle
They call it a "dumpling squid." I kind of wish I were this squid. Although it's a bit smug.
From Redbubble.com, by James Peak. Found by my stupid friend Max, who was clearly making fun of me.
From Redbubble.com, by James Peak. Found by my stupid friend Max, who was clearly making fun of me.
20090427
Tentacle Terror!
More fabulous tentacle fashions, this time by Hogboy. Sometimes I feel as though I could wear tentacle threads head to toe, 365 days a year. Plus accessories and leap day!
Not a bad idea.
Via Threadless and thanks to Dan, who thinks I'm weird.
Not a bad idea.
Via Threadless and thanks to Dan, who thinks I'm weird.
20090425
Alma Mater Tentacles
Glass Sea Creatures Shatter Expectations of Harvard Museum Visitors
by Michelle Hunter
2/12/2009
CAMBRIDGE - The spineless sea creatures on display at the Harvard Museum of Natural History look as though they were once alive. They don't look like they were hand made, and crafted more than a century ago. Yet for the first time, Harvard is displaying its incredible collection of "Sea Creatures in Glass."
The collection of glass sea creatures by father and son duo, Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka, were acquired by Harvard University around 1878. Fifty-eight of Harvard's 429 glass sea creature models are on display at the museum's special exhibit, which is on until March 1.
"I never would have guessed that these models were over 100 years old," said Suet Wong, a Northeastern University student visiting the museum.
The intricacy of each jellyfish, amoeba and octopus model demonstrates the preciseness and complexity each one required to be made. But why glass? The glass models were preferred to real specimens, traditionally kept in formaldehyde, because they kept their color and would also never lose their shape - as specimens do when they sink to the bottom of the jars they're kept in, explained Blue Magruder, the museum's director of communications.
With tools that were big and awkward, nothing like modern technology that glass makers use today, the Blaschkas fused and glued glass together and created their own pigments by melting colored stone. They would also use copper wire for certain models for tentacles that were too fine to be made of glass.
"It's exciting that the models are both beautiful, exquisite works of glass art, as well as anatomically precise and scientifically valuable teaching models of marine creatures which can be so difficult to preserve and display," said Elisabeth Werby, the executive director of the museum.
This special exhibit also displays the original work station and tools the Blaschkas used to create these delicate models.
"These are the tools they used. These are tools you would pluck your eyebrows with. It was human skill," said Magruder.
The museum exhibit provides an extensive background on the Blaschka family, who had a long history of glassmaking. The family actually got its start in the business by making glass eyeballs. As the family business succeeded, Leopold Blaschka (1822-1895) the fourth generation and father to partner and son Rudolf (1857-1929), decided to create sculptures of living organisms that would document natural history, which was becoming a popular field at that time. The family commissioned invertebrate to museums and educational facilities throughout Europe.
"I can't believe that the museum had these special artifacts hidden away in the back," said Carly Yarbrow, a student at Quinnipiac University.
As museums and private collectors began to buy the Blaschkas' work, which also included replicas of plants and flowers, the glass works caught the attention of a botany professor at Harvard, George Lincoln Goodale. He thought that these may be an excellent way to teach the students about flowers because the glass would not lose its shape or color and would remain three dimensional.
"The Blaschkas made over 4,000 plant models for Harvard University," said Magruder. "It took them over 10 years to get some of the colors to be exactly of the real specimen's."
The plant exhibit has been permanently on at Harvard since 1893 and people have come from all over the world to see it.
As for the sea creatures, they are not permanently on display and will go back in to storage with the rest of the collection in March. However, works for a smaller, permanent installation of the sea creatures are being discussed, said Werby.
From the boring-sounding Journalism Students' Online News Service
by Michelle Hunter
2/12/2009
The collection of glass sea creatures by father and son duo, Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka, were acquired by Harvard University around 1878. Fifty-eight of Harvard's 429 glass sea creature models are on display at the museum's special exhibit, which is on until March 1.
"I never would have guessed that these models were over 100 years old," said Suet Wong, a Northeastern University student visiting the museum.
The intricacy of each jellyfish, amoeba and octopus model demonstrates the preciseness and complexity each one required to be made. But why glass? The glass models were preferred to real specimens, traditionally kept in formaldehyde, because they kept their color and would also never lose their shape - as specimens do when they sink to the bottom of the jars they're kept in, explained Blue Magruder, the museum's director of communications.
With tools that were big and awkward, nothing like modern technology that glass makers use today, the Blaschkas fused and glued glass together and created their own pigments by melting colored stone. They would also use copper wire for certain models for tentacles that were too fine to be made of glass.
"It's exciting that the models are both beautiful, exquisite works of glass art, as well as anatomically precise and scientifically valuable teaching models of marine creatures which can be so difficult to preserve and display," said Elisabeth Werby, the executive director of the museum.
This special exhibit also displays the original work station and tools the Blaschkas used to create these delicate models.
"These are the tools they used. These are tools you would pluck your eyebrows with. It was human skill," said Magruder.
The museum exhibit provides an extensive background on the Blaschka family, who had a long history of glassmaking. The family actually got its start in the business by making glass eyeballs. As the family business succeeded, Leopold Blaschka (1822-1895) the fourth generation and father to partner and son Rudolf (1857-1929), decided to create sculptures of living organisms that would document natural history, which was becoming a popular field at that time. The family commissioned invertebrate to museums and educational facilities throughout Europe.
"I can't believe that the museum had these special artifacts hidden away in the back," said Carly Yarbrow, a student at Quinnipiac University.
As museums and private collectors began to buy the Blaschkas' work, which also included replicas of plants and flowers, the glass works caught the attention of a botany professor at Harvard, George Lincoln Goodale. He thought that these may be an excellent way to teach the students about flowers because the glass would not lose its shape or color and would remain three dimensional.
"The Blaschkas made over 4,000 plant models for Harvard University," said Magruder. "It took them over 10 years to get some of the colors to be exactly of the real specimen's."
The plant exhibit has been permanently on at Harvard since 1893 and people have come from all over the world to see it.
As for the sea creatures, they are not permanently on display and will go back in to storage with the rest of the collection in March. However, works for a smaller, permanent installation of the sea creatures are being discussed, said Werby.
From the boring-sounding Journalism Students' Online News Service
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