American Visionary Art Museum    
What is visionary art? Like love, you know it when you see it. But here's the longer definition, straight out of our Mission Statement: "Visionary art as defined for the purposes of the American Visionary Art Museum refers to art produced by self-taught individuals, usually without formal training, whose works arise from an innate personal vision that revels foremost in the creative act itself." In short, visionary art begins by listening to the inner voices of the soul, and often may not even be thought of as 'art' by its creator. - AVAM
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Pokey the Platypus Returns | 2008-05-03

Pokey the PLATYPUS (Personal Long-range All-Terrain Yacht Proven Un-Safe) returned once again to perticipate in the Kinetic Race. This is an unstoppable well (elbow-)greased machine.

Also observe Wilma, the Wombat and Bob Buerger's Kinetic Airways.

Disclaimer: The photos comprising this image had been taken over a prolonged period of time so people and machinery may appear together when in fact they took their spaces at diferent moments in time.

Pokey the Platypus Returns
Wilma the Wombat and the Wombats | 2008-05-03

Wilma the Wombat is a surfer girl and that's just one of her many assets NOT shown off in this panorama. You may discover the letter Y on her arm, the tail end of her tattoo reading 'I ♥ Pokey' (see the Platypus above). Give the Wombats extra credit: they continued playing once afloat.

Wilma the Wombat and the Wombats
Pilots of the Fiah Twuck | 2008-05-03

Somehow I missed the fireball candy give-away by this brigade, but I was offered a sandwich as I snapped their picture during their break.

Pilots of the Fiah Twuck
Fifi in the Sandpit | 2008-05-03

Fifi is an eight year veteran of the Kinetic Race. She hardly needs introduction and reamins a crowd favorite. Dont let the fluff fool you, there's a mean machine underneath that Baltimore charm.

Fifi in the Sandpit
The Mudders of it All | 2008-05-03

These are the kind souls who spared no article of clothing or square inch of skin to make sure that the mudpit was deep, wet and dirty.

The Mudders of it All
Tactile Collage with Loring Cornish | 2007-12-08

Tony Deifell, author of Seeing Beyond Sight: Photographs by Blind Teenagers told stories of those taking the photos published in his book. The event was hosted by the American Visionary Arts Museum and earlier the day's events also included a "Seeing Beyond Sight Photography Challenge" workshop. Many of the images from it were shown. As further part of the evening's interactive art events, you could participate in making a 'tactile collage' with Baltimore artist Loring Cornish.

Tactile Collage with Loring Cornish
George Washington | 2007-07-04

You will see mostly dogs on these pics, but that's because the bold rats, goldfish and hermit crabs are diffiicult to make out. As a matter of fact, prizes were granted to a goldfish and a hermit crab. The Goldfish won for home decorating abilities, but I am now unsure if it was for the fish's habit of rearranging its bowl accessories or its owners patriotic dressing of the glass the fish came in. The Hermit Crab, I do remember, won hands down as the most inanimate of the animals. Hmmm, our hermit crab, Sara is more than animate: she disappears for 4-7 days at the time, to be returned by either a neighbour or to be found by the washing machine in the basement.

George Washington
The French | 2007-07-04

You will see mostly dogs on these pics, but that's because the bold rats, goldfish and hermit crabs are diffiicult to make out. As a matter of fact, prizes were granted to a goldfish and a hermit crab. The Goldfish won for home decorating abilities, but I am now unsure if it was for the fish's habit of rearranging its bowl accessories or its owners patriotic dressing of the glass the fish came in. The Hermit Crab, I do remember, won hands down as the most inanimate of the animals. Hmmm, our hermit crab, Sara is more than animate: she disappears for 4-7 days at the time, to be returned by either a neighbour or to be found by the washing machine in the basement.

The French
Fifi Sees All | 2007-07-04

Fifi has been AVAM's nominee in the "wacky display of art on wheels and in water", known as the Kinetic Race, and has placed well in the National Championships, if I am not mistaken. So its only befitting that Fifi had been invited to the event, and surely, she was looking one of the finest of the ladies there.

Fifi Sees All
Home & Beast : Art Exhibit Opens at AVAM | 2006-10-06

Thanks to the American Visionary Arts Museum for inviting me to photograph their Home & Beast opening.

Loring Cornish lives in Baltimore, and his entire house is like the room you see here. he sleeps on the floor and channels all is being into working on the live-in art.

Home & Beast : Art Exhibit Opens at AVAM
Home & Beast : Art Exhibit Opens at AVAM | 2006-10-06

Nancy is pointing at her tooth hidden in the little tin box fronting one of her urn creations. Another of her urns, the biggest one at the Home & Beast exhibit, (slightly visible by her right shoulder in this picture) poses the question embedded in scrabble pieces: "Does this make my ashes look big?"

Home & Beast : Art Exhibit Opens at AVAM
Fifi and the Frog | 2006-05-06

Both Fifi and the Frog are the brain children of AVAM, the American Visionary Arts Museum, who host Kinetic Sculpture Race in Baltimore (hitting the decade mark soon!).

Fifi and the Frog
2 Goats Meet on a Bridge | 2006-05-06

This one was nowhere near as obvious to me as Thing 1 and 2, which should be a clear indicator to you of my level of intelligence. Let me put it this way: I kept remarking to myself: "nice bulls". You would think the horns ought to have been sufficient clues. I need to do more Bible reading perhaps, and am anxiously awaiting the panoramic version to come out . . .

2 Goats Meet on a Bridge
And to Think that I Saw It on Pratt Street | 2006-05-06

How is this not a match made in heaven: Dr. Seuess meets wacky kinetic sculpting? Complete with green eggs and ham, accompanied by both Thing 1, Thing 2and Sam I Am - brilliant, indeed.

Will it go?
Oh yes it can!
In the mud
and in the sand,
in the water,
across the land
Powered by green eggs and ham!
 - from the 2006 Spectators' Guide

And to Think that I Saw It on Pratt Street
Two-Headed Dragon | 2006-05-06

It really has two heads, you just have to take my word for it ;^)

While you cannot see the other head, you do get a peek at the Hillbilly House and the Kansas Twister.

Two-Headed Dragon
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