When does art begin and LEGO end? The line is especially vague when the artist being emulated is the late master of skewed perspective, M.C. Escher. The meticulous multicolored masterpieces of LEGO art created by Daniel Shui and Andrew Lipson are a true homage to Escher’s vertigo- inducing vision. The above piece is modeled after the 1953 lithograph, Relativity.

(image via: Andrew Lipson’s LEGO Page)

Other creative recreations including uncanny copies of (clockwise from above left) Balcony, Belvedere, Ascending & Descending, and Waterfall can be viewed at Lipson’s website.

(image via: The Brick Artist)

LEGO has also been used to show that “art imitates life”, none more superlatively than by ex-lawyer turned Lego-er Nathan Sawaya. The now 34-year-old New Yorker has had his brickwork exhibited in reputable galleries and art museums - some of his creations have sold in the 5-figure range.

(image via: Lego Is Fun)

Lego art can also imitate fine art, though the original artists Munch, Da Vinci and Van Gogh might not agree. Then again, they’re not around to take issue.

(image via: Udronotto)

Modern art as well, has inspired its share of imitation in LEGO bricks. The above montage showcases LEGO surrealist art by Rene Magritte and Andy Warhol’s iconic Marilyn Monroe quartet, and beneath them the climactic final scene of the 1942 film Casablanca.

(image via: The Little Artists)

An outstanding - if not outrageous - example of modern art is British artists Damien Hirst’s “The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living”. Created in 1991 and featuring a 14-foot long tiger shark sealed in a glass-walled tank of formaldehyde preservative, Hirst’s best known work recently sold at auction for approximately $15 million. It was also reproduced in LEGO by art cooperative The Little Artists, shown in two views just above Hirst’s original.

(image via: Paula Wirth)

More in the category of Folk Art is the well-worn LEGO Art Car, captured for posterity above by Paula Wirth and Art Car Central. Constructing an actual working car from LEGO bricks and pieces is a major undertaking, so with a little glue and a whole, er, carload of Lego bricks one can create a reasonable facsimile. Trouble finding your car in a crowded mall parking lot? Problem solved!

(image via: Walyou)

Pop the hood on the brick-encrusted sedan and undoubtedly there’s a tired 4-banger wheezing away. What SHOULD be there is this painstakingly precise Lego V8 engine built over a 4-month period by someone who’s either incredibly obsessed or not gainfully employed - or both! Check out the engine in action:

The fine detail of this interminable construction engine and its many moving parts that include a spinning fan and rotating crankshaft adds fuel to the fire of those who ask, “Is there anything that you can’t make with LEGOs?”

(image via: Metro UK)

The answer to that question is, of course, “NO!!”… provided one has enough Lego bricks to get the job done. In the case of this truly amazing LEGO aircraft carrier, that would be about 300,000. This scale model of the USS Harry S Truman aircraft carrier is accurate down to the sailors’ lifebelts and tips the scales at a whopping 353 pounds! Crafted with the utmost care by Malle Hawking of landlocked Munich, Germany, the 14.7 foot long Lego leviathan is the world’s largest Lego ship… cool that someone seems to be keeping track!

(image via: Dr. Momentum)

As awesome as the Lego aircraft carrier is, we wouldn’t want to see it take on Brickley, the Lego sea monster at Downtown Disney in Walt Disney World… wait a minute, yes we would! Brickley is made out of 170,000 LEGO bricks and stretches a sinuous 30 feet long. He calls the Lego Imagination center his home, and really, who’s going to argue with him?

(image via: New Launches)

As long as the theme is quantity, check out this 94-foot tall LEGO tower at - where else - Legoland in California. It took an unbelievable 465,000 Lego bricks to complete this awesome stack-o-plastic, which should make an unbelievable mess once a gust of wind blows it down.

(image via: Leif Pettersen)

Monumental describes many of the exhibits at California’s LegoLand, such as the presidential figures from Mount Rushmore reproduced in LEGO bricks.

(image via: On My List)

From quantity to quality. Jeffrey Hunter specializes in Lego art and his creations range from wacky to whimsical - even including a LEGO self-portrait (above left). Hunter’s sense of humor is prominently displayed in the “Leggo My Lego Eggo!” waffle (right)

Hunter is obviously a fan of legendary British progressive band Pink Floyd, as the two classic Lego album covers illustrate. Just another LEGO brick in the wall, wot?

(image via: The Brick Testament)

Sunday School might be a lot more enjoyable if kids learned their bible stories through The Brick Testament, clever re-tellings of the psalms in polystyrene.

More from The Brick Testament, whose creators have obviously spent a LOT of time preparing a wide variety of biblical scenes including that all-time favorite, the Original Sin starring Adam, Eve and an uncredited snake in a rare speaking role.

(image via: The Bootlego Beatles)

Taking on organized religion is pretty big, even for LEGO. In closing then, it’s only appropriate to segue to the seminal 1960s band said by one of their members to be “bigger than Jesus”. It is, or course, The Beatles, and their classic album covers have now been reproduced in Lego under the funny, punny title of The Bootlego Beatles. Can’t buy me love? Just put it on plastic!

(Part Two in an Eight-Part Series on Brilliant and Unusual Artists of the World)

Being an artist, of course, necessitates a certain amount of creativity. There are some artists who are able to constantly surprise with their level of creativity, turning out art that is completely original. New York artist Jason Hackenwerth’s art is so distinctive and unusual that it’s safe to say the world has never seen anything like it.

Jason Hackenwerth creates massive sculptures from colorful latex balloons. The same balloons you might see taking center stage at a child’s birthday party. He spends days twisting and attaching the balloons to create huge creatures that are simultaneously bizarre and wonderful.

The creatures look like a strange cross between sea invertebrates, bugs, and alien monsters. When put into a setting like the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History (above), they truly come to life. Their otherworldly anatomy and bright colors make them almost believable as fierce airborne predators.

At first glance, the creatures may appear whimsical or even silly. And they are - but that’s not the whole story. The sculptures begin their lives as jovial, plump celebrations of life. As they age, the trapped air begins to escape. The sculptures that were once full of life begin to sag and droop, reminding us all of the transience of our own lives.

That’s not to say that seeing Jason’s work is depressing. In fact, he sees to it that each installation is full of life and joy. His sculptures are not meant only to hang from the ceiling; they are also wearable. He has made and performed in huge wearable sculptures called Megamites at shows and festivals around the world. Jason’s sculptures bear a surprisingly organic look, so it seems almost logical that they would walk around and interact with people.

Watching the videos on Jason’s website of his balloon creations in action, it’s easy to see why his sculptures have been welcomed in galleries across the country and internationally. He injects fun and playfulness into what he does, and it reflects in the finished product. He could easily take it the other way and highlight the decay of the youthfully rotund creatures. But the message of his art seems to be that life is short, so have fun and be youthful for as long as you can.

(images via: Jason Heckenwerth, Raid Projects, Site Projects, and Blarg)

One of the limitations of photography has always been the camera’s limited field of view.  Even the fanciest and most technologically advanced camera can’t match the ability of the human viewer to see the entire landscape around them.  Since the birth of photography, photographers have been looking for a way to make the photo viewing experience more dynamic and inclusive.

Panoramic photography is the usual choice of photogs who want to give their pictures a wider frame.  However, there are several ways to define panoramic photography.  The methods used to create panoramas range from the simple piecing together of overlapping prints to wide-angle cameras to sophisticated computerized 360-degree virtual reality (VR) photos, and everywhere in between.

Special cameras make panoramic shots simpler for the photographer than methods like segmented panoramic or full rotation panoramic photography. Fred Yake uses a variety of cameras to produce his stunning panoramic shots all around the world. These wide-angle photos appear to have been produced with the use of a fixed-lens or wide-field camera. This type of camera allows the photographer to take advantage of a wide frame, capturing more of the subject without the difficulties of taking multiple shots.

Photographs like these by London photographer Will Pearson are a great example of the unique perspective that can be gained with the use of fisheye lenses and some special software. These images turn mundane landscape photographs into absolutely amazing one-of-a-kind works of art.

Panoramic photos open a whole new world of possibilities to photographers.  It’s possible to depict an entire scene as though the viewer is right in the middle of it. These images of Burning Man 2008 by Brad Templeton draw you into the picture as though you’re seeing it all first-hand. (Click each photo to see the full panorama.)

The 360-degree interactive panorama gained popularity as a way to provide virtual tours of real estate and places of interest. Today, the method is used for a variety of causes. Jook Leung’s photos of the World Trade Center site memorials and NYC New Year’s Eve celebrations let people all around the world experience these events without making the trip to New York City. (Click each photo to see the full interactive panorama.)

Panoramas by Rolf Ris take the method to new heights. His technique makes every photo seem like its own little world. With a wide variety of subject matter and interesting locations, his panoramas are among the most interesting and visually stimulating out there.  (Click each photo to see the full interactive panorama.)

“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free!”

These words, bronzed into the foundation of the Statue of Liberty have been a symbol of hope and freedom for nearly two centuries. And while this sentiment may or may not be widely held in contemporary America, there is no denying the liberal spirit in which the Statue was originally built.

One of the most recognized landmarks in the world, the Statue has lent her visage to countless artists. And to each, the Statue’s true meaning has been a source of artistic expression for the individual and for popular culture. This larger-than-life landmark has, as a result, become one of the most popular icons in global recognizance. The complexity and the virtuosity in Her meaning ensure that she will remain one of the world’s most popular sources of artists’ inspiration.

Below you will find some of the noteworthy examples of the ways in which the Statue of Liberty has impacted the world, as well as how different individuals have decided to portray these same concepts.

(image from The Saturday Evening Post)

The Saturday Evening Post began circulation in August of 1821, and this particular issue was released after the fourth of July during the height of the depression. The artist of this piece was German Born American, J. C. Leyendecker, and his interpretation of the Statue of Liberty was iconic for the time. Leyendecker drew over 300 illustrations for the post that spanned over five decades. Interesting enough, Leyendecker was said to be Norman Rockwell’s main influence, and Rockwell was actually a pallbearer at Leyendecker’s funeral.

(images via Flickr)

Star Wars isn’t just for geeks and fanboys anymore, it’s for pop artists too. Animator and special effects designer, Wade Lageose created this interpretation of the Empire’s most feared icon for the Vader Project art exhibit. This exhibit was unveiled in 2007 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, for the 30th anniversary of the original release of Star Wars. Some of the most influential underground and street artists were sent Darth Vader helmets to use as a canvas for this project. The resulting exhibit was a fanboy’s dream that included tributes to the dark sith lord, abstract interpretations, and anti-war sentiments. Artists included: Gary Baseman, Buff Monster, Mister Cartoon, Marc Ecko, Paul Frank, and Shag.

(images via Flickr)

This picture was taken outside of the former US embassy on Taleghani Street in Tehran, Iran. Seemingly, this unknown artist is not doing an interpretation of the the famous Patrick Henry quote, “Give me liberty, or give me death,” although he may be doing a parody of it. Rather, one can assume that this artist is publicly dealing with the West’s mounting tensions with Iran. This piece seems to link liberty with death itself, being that Statue of Liberty’s face has been replace with that of the grim reaper.

(Image viaNeatorama)

This piece is from the actual illustration found on the U.S. patent that was filed by Frenchman Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi, on January 2, 1870. According to Bartholdi, the American monument would be a colossal statue of a woman entitled “Liberty Enlightening the World.” Nearly 17 years after the application for the patent was submitted the Statue of liberty was complete and erect for the world to see. If you are interested in learning more on the details of this two decade long saga, please visit the source link below the picture.

(Image via Danny O. Art)

Artist Danny O., native to Lexington, Massachusetts, created this collage piece. His original artwork is known for its use of incorporating recycled materials from a range of media, such as comic books, magazine cut-outs, scotch tape drawings, vintage album covers, and old lottery tickets. His interpretation of the Statue of Liberty is very playful and almost seems juvenile, but regardless, Danny O.’s artwork has hung in prestigious galleries and museums across the country.

(Image via Photo Pumpkin)

This picture was arranged and taken by Arthur S. Mole and John D Thomas at Camp Dodge, Iowa in the summer of 1918. 18,000 Iowa National Guardsman were used to create this quarter-mile tall interpretation of the Statue of Liberty. The purpose of this piece was to use it as war propaganda to sell war bonds during the First World War.

(Image via Wikipedia)

This Italian World War II propaganda poster reads “here are the liberators.” Once again the Statue of Liberty is portrayed here as an iconic figure of death. What is unique about this piece is that it seeks to point out the seeming hypocrisy of the Allied Forces. On one hand the Allied Forces represent liberty with one face, but on the other hand the real face of death and destruction is revealed behind the mask.

(Image via Art Knowledge News)

This piece was created in 1986, and was one of Andy Warhol’s last. It is now part of the private collection of Mr. and Mrs. Graham Gund. Last year, Warhol’s “Statue of Liberty” piece was displayed in public at the War and Discontent exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Warhol’s work, of course, was known for its interpretation of popular icons to convey a message and his trademark use of acrylic and silkscreen ink on canvas.

(Image via Art Knowledge News)

Banksy has unofficially become the spokesperson for a generation of young people who are fed up with the mainstream and status quo of our elected representatives. His inspiration and challenging pieces can be found all over the world. This one in particular can be found in London (if it hasn’t already been painted over). Banksy’s original pieces have sold at Sotheby’s for nearly £60,000 ($120,000).

(Image via Wired)

In the wake of the attacks on September 11, a seventeen year old by the name of Eliza Gauger sketched this piece called “Mommy Liberty” and posted it on her live journal page. Immediately the picture was sent all over the world via email, and it ended up being published in many newspapers all over the country as an editorial cartoon. Eliza was reported saying this pencil sketch was an illustration of what her own mother would do for her children if someone attempted to hurt them.

(Images via G. Sampson)

This photo was arranged and taken by Greg Sampson for the Breast Cancer Fund’s “Art.Rage.Us” Campaign. This piece graced the posters for a breast cancer inspired art exhibit at the San Francisco Library in 1998. The description of this piece reads, ‘Visually arresting photography of the “Statue of Liberty” figure with a mastectomy illustrates America’s uneasy relationship with women artists and breast cancer’ but also represents the pride that these artists feel.

(Image via Picasa)

Not much is known about this young artist except his name is Ryan and he is a toddler. Regardless of his age, his willingness to illustrate a picture of the Statue of Liberty is inspirational. To know that the idea and icon of this statue inspired him in one of his weekly drawing activities is amazing. It is important to encourage young children to be creative, not only does this encourage growth in the young children, but it encourages adults in the same way. We can all learn a lot from the youngest in our communities.

(Image via Winds of Change

The caption for this photo reads, “The head of a replica of the Statue of Liberty is shown in Bordeaux, France, Wednesday March 26, 2003, after vandals set it on fire overnight Tuesday.” Even if this piece was the result of vandalism, it personally speaks volumes on what this current administration has done to the liberties Americans once enjoyed.

(Image via Flickr)

This stenciled piece is by an unknown street artist, and this photograph was taken on Brick Lane in London. Street artists in the UK have been using their unique form of propaganda to persuade their fellow Brits for years. Though it seems since the invasion of Iraq in 2003 the world has seen a surge of creative messages being put up all over the UK. Here the Statue of Liberty is seen throwing Bombs at a crowd of people running away, one can’t help but see the parallels between this piece and the Italian propaganda poster from WWII.

(Image via Art for a Change)

Gee Vaucher is best known for the remarkable graphics she produced for British punk rock acts in the late 70’s and early 80’s. Her works have always been socially conscious depictions of upsetting political realities. This painting is no exception. She uses simple tools to produce her works such as paper, pencil and water based gouache paint. Simplistic, real, and telling, Vaucher’s works are set to influence and inspire young artists for generations to come.

Across most of the developed world, railroad was once king. The installation of train tracks across America was a momentous occasion that made wide commercial trade possible from one coast to the other. Today, railroads have fallen from their previous glory days. They’re still used, but not anywhere near as much as they were once. As a result, it’s not difficult to find the ruins of our former railroad culture scattered all across the country, including trains lines, tunnels and even entire stations.

(images via Derek Farr and Mr. Myron Watkins)

Few places embody the remnants of the industrial age like Detroit. The city that was once the automotive manufacturing capital of America is today filled with all kinds of abandonments. One of the most impressive is the Michigan Central Train Station. This massive station was built in 1913 in a somewhat remote part of the city. Developers counted on commercial interests moving toward the station and making it into a centrally-located building. Due to many unfortunate circumstances, this never happened. The building was abandoned in 1988, but it was open to visitors for most of the 1990s. After extensive vandalism, the station was closed up and is now patrolled.

(images via: Brian894X4)

The Vance Creek Bridge in Washington state was built in 1929. It was once part of the Simpson Timber Company Railroad, and it still holds the distinction of being the highest railroad bridge in America. Although many former railroad bridges were converted to transport cars and trucks, the Vance Creek Bridge has remained a railroad bridge. It is now completely abandoned and closed to explorers.

(images via: K. Barhow and Cincinnati Transit)

Among the most infamous abandoned train lines is the Cincinnati Rapid Transit subway system. This system was supposed to connect suburban dwellers to the heart of the city. Construction began in 1920, but the entire project was abandoned in 1925 when funds ran dry. Many attempts were subsequently made to revive the project, but none have been successful. A few remnants of the never-completed subway system can still be seen, such as the above portal near Central Parkway and I-75.

(images via: Sandy Lydon and Wikipedia)

The Ocean Shore Railroad is another rail project that never really got off the ground. It was begun in 1905 as a way to connect Santa Cruz and San Francisco along the coast. After the 1906 earthquake, the construction was significantly delayed. Portions of the line did operate at one time, but the overall railroad line was scrapped in 1921. Several attempts were also made to resurrect this defunct line, but none gained the ground they needed. Remnants of the tracks can still be seen in places, and several of the stations have been transformed into offices and homes.

(images via: Mooreta)

Among South American travelers, the small town of Uyuni, Bolivia is a must-visit spot. Besides being home to the world’s largest salt flats, the town boasts an impressive train graveyard. What was once meant to be a major railroad junction is now the final resting place for these massive machines and a surprise tourist attraction.

(Thanks in part to contributions by urban explorer and photographer Jon Dubar)

Abandoned buildings, properties and places take on remarkably different aesthetic character and are treated differently from one culture to the next - particularly in Asian nations where beliefs about the cultural role of architecture or the whims of a dictator can vary greatly. From South Korea to North Korea, Cambodia to Thailand and Azerbaijan to Hong Kong here are seven amazing oriental and subcontinental abandonments from the Near East to the Far East, from skyscraper hotels and pod cities to shopping malls and amusement parks and everything in between.

1) The Lawless Kowloon Walled City, Hong Kong

(Images via MirageStudio, DoobyBrain, MissMeneses and StanleyNG)

In the rogue ungoverned Kowloon Walled City in Hong Kong things were so tightly packed that trash blocked off parts of buildings and many occupied apartments literally never saw the light of day. Like something straight from a William Gibson novel, there were no police or building codes - there was no law. For nearly 50 years this slice of Hong Kong was allowed to exist and grow independently due to a legal technicality. After the Japanese left following the second World War squatters swarmed to fill the space, with the population at 10,000 people (living on seven acres) by the early 1970s - a combination of dissidents, outlaws and both organized and disorganized criminals. Professionals who couldn’t get a license set up shop, criminals hiding from the law thrived, and the self-organized community grew to 35,000. Then in 1993 everything changed - no one wants to deal with this lawless place anymore and it is promptly destroyed and turned into a park.

2) The Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang, North Korea

(Images via: Pbase, NomadLife, MyNinjaPlease and Vanibahl).

The Ryugyong Hotel in the capital city of Pyongyang, North Korea, was supposed to be a record-setting testament to the power, pride and ingenuity of one of the most totalitarian and self-insulating nations in the world. The building, meant to be a core monument to the strength of North Korea, was added to city maps and stamps before it was even half-built and was all set to be the tallest hotel in the world. At first the project simply ran out of funding, then as the low-quality concrete of which it was built began to sag and crack the sobering reality began to set it: the structure would need a massive overhaul to ever be completed. Now it goes unmentioned by tour guides, absent from maps and stamps, a symbolic blight towering on the capital city skyline.

3) The Pod City of San Zhi, Taiwan

(Images via Cypherone and Yusheng)

Rumors abound regarding this legendary abandoned pod city (aka ‘UFO town’) of San Zhi, Taiwan, which was supposedly built by the government of Taipei to be a luxury resort for expensive holidays on the water. Built in the 1970s or early 1980s the modularity of the designs has raised retroactive suspicions that perhaps these stacks were intended to be built vertically over time. Theories on the abandonment of this massively strange undertaken range from poor insulation in a difficult climate, the dissolution of business partnerships, the failure of a regional real estate bubble or even that so many workers died during construction that the place was abandoned as haunted - unable to be destroyed out of a cultural taboo on interfering with the homes of spirits and lost souls. See it from above using Google Maps.

4) The Abandoned City of Agdam, Azerbaijan

(Images via SeamlessTerritory and Lofiversion)

Once a capital city with over 150,000 people Agdam, Azerbaijan has been variously treated as a ghost town, a no-man’s-land and a military buffer zone in a troubled area of the world. In the 1990s it was vandalized and largely destroyed during Armenian occupation, its buildings looted and gutted and its mosque completely covered in graffiti. Currently considered part of Armenia this husk of a city sits in the heart of an area that is at the core of conflicted set of nations from Russia in the north and Georgia in the northwest to Armenia and Iran in the soutwest and south. It also sits at the curious geographical intersection of Europe and Asia, ambiguously defined as being part of both or either one of these continents. Given turmoil in the region it is unlikely to be rebuilt anytime soon - if ever - and its citizens have been displaced in all directions with little likelihood of returning home.

5) Bokor Hill Station in Phnom Bokor, Cambodia

(Images via Theo Wright, Klein Matt and Lenchik)

Bokor Hill Station is located on the mountain of Phnom Bokor, Cambodia and accessible only by a long trek across an overgrown dirt road to an elevation of 3,000 feet. At the top? The remains of a 1920s French retreat that has been deserted since the second World War including a hotel, casino, church, police station, post office, royal residences and other support structures. And today? The damage from mortar shells can be seen in shattered windows, crumbling staircases and decimated walls. The Khmer Rouge removed everything of any value - including the very wiring in the walls of the buildings. The ruins were later taken over by the Vietnamese in the 1970s before they were finally and permanently abandoned, though land mines in the area remain a danger to visitors who stray from the beaten path. Originally built due to the relatively temperate climate and wonderful views to the coast the area still boasts great sites from waterfalls to jungles and a vast array of wildlife.

6) Opko Land Theme Park in Opko, South Korea

(Images via Jon Dunbar)

Once a thriving amusement park Opko Land in Opko, South Korea was abandoned after a young girl was killed in a tragic accident while on one of the ride’s. Though the park was shut down and deserted the family of the unfortunate victim was never compensated for their loss. Most of the structures remain more-or-less intact including roller coasters, bumper cars, a pool building and various smaller rides. The top image above was taken from the highest point of the roller coaster - an ambitious location to seek out and shoot from given the partial disrepair of so much structural elements in this abandoned amusement park.  One would think they would go all the way and destroy these buildings before some adventurous building infiltrators and urban explorers hurt themselves.

7) Chiang Shopping Complex in Chiang Mai, Thailand

(Images via Tupsumato)

The Five Chiang Shopping Complex is a beautiful series of interlocked wooden structures that once constituted one of the most magnificent malls in Chiang Mai, Thailand, a city which (including sprawl) has nearly a million inhabitants. The city attracts many tourists each year who are drawn in part to local handcrafted goods such as umbrellas, jewelry and woodcarving - some of which is evidenced in the wooden decorations, balconies and terraces of this deserted shopping center. The complex was an international joint project that fell victim to conflicting political opinions and a depressed Thai economy and now sits remarkably intact but closed, locked and boarded and utterly unused. However, the local guards are reportedly quite friendly and a few kind words can let you slip past and get some essential background questions answered.

Also check Out these Other Abandoned Wonders of the World.

7 Abandoned Wonders of the World
7 (More!) Abandoned Wonders of the World
7 Abandoned Wonders of America
7 (More!) Abandoned Wonders of America
7 (Even More!) Abandoned Wonders of America
7 Abandoned Wonders of the Former Soviet Union
7 (More!) Abandoned Wonders of the Former Soviet Union
7 Abandoned Wonders of the European Union

(Part One in an Eight-Part Series on Brilliant and Unusual Artists of the World)

The relationship between an artist and the material they create with is a complicated and intimate one.  At times, the artist chooses the material.  But often, the material speaks to the artist and begs to be made into something wonderful.  UK artist Heather Jansch has worked in several media, including paints, bronze, and wire sculpture.  Almost by accident, she began creating beautifully unique sculptures from the irregular pieces of driftwood she finds on the beach.

Heather Jansch’s driftwood sculptures feature a variety of animals, but the most abundant and notable subjects are horses.  The artist has had a life-long love of horses, and it shows in the incredible detail she puts into her life-size horse sculptures.  The magnificent figures are so lifelike and full of energy that they seem likely to spring into movement at any moment.  Her work isn’t limited solely to horses and driftwood, however.  She also sculpts other animals from driftwood and casts some of her sculptures in bronze.

Heather Jansch lives and works in Devon, near Newton Abbott. Her studios feature a large outdoor space which is sometimes opened for public viewing. A number of her sculptures are on display outdoors on the grounds, and visitors are invited to walk around and take in the beautiful surroundings. The artist also allows private visits at other times.

It’s not every artist who can take a material as unconventional and unpredictable as driftwood and transform it into energetic and dynamic sculptures. Heather Jansch’s art is the perfect marriage of material, subject, and skilled artistry.

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(Part One in an Eight-Part Series on Amazingly Creative Photography and Photographers)

Photography is one of the most accessible forms of art. Even without special training or a vast knowledge of the technical details involved, one can pick up a camera and make a photograph. And like all other forms of art, photography allows for a great deal of variance in method and subject matter. These artists use unique tools and subjects to create compelling artistic images.

Tammy Mercure

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(images via: Tammy Mercure)

Tammy Mercure uses a variety of methods, but the photographs above were made with a pinhole camera. This ancient form of photography lends an otherworldly feel to photographs. Lines are softened and the images look dream-like and surreal. Tammy Mercure’s subject matter - the offbeat attractions at the Wisconsin Dells - adds to the unique appearance of her photographs.

Glenn Nelson

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(images via: CM2P Photography)

Glenn Nelson’s photography features a tiny world that most of us are completely unfamiliar with. These photos may look a little like stills from a movie, but they are high-resolution photographs of action figures, toys, and vehicle models. The photographer’s artistry is apparent in the fantastic compositions, creative backgrounds, and perfect lighting.

Stefan Eberhard

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(images via: Stefan Eberhard)

Have you ever wondered what goes on in the world that is invisible to the naked eye? Stefan Eberhard takes photomicrographs to a whole new level by moving them out of the chemistry lab and into the art world. Combining photography and microscopy, these images show common chemicals like Vitamin C, Miracle Grow, and fertilizer more closely than most of us have ever seen them.

Stephen Seko

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(images via: Stephen Seko)

Not all photographers are interested in using the latest and greatest photographic equipment. Some, in fact, are happier using one of the lowest-tech cameras they can find. Stephen Seko is one of those photographers. He uses a Holga camera, which is known as something of a cult phenomenon among photographers. This small, inexpensive medium-format camera produces images that are grainy, slightly distorted, and feature significant vignetting around the edges. These characteristics are used by creative photographers who appreciate the unique look that the camera’s flaws give the photographs.

Robert M. Johnson

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(images via: Full Frame Images)

Photography captures a unique moment in time that would otherwise have passed by and been forgotten. Through the photographer’s eye, each moment has the potential to be an eternal moment preserved on film. Robert M. Johnson’s “Street Documentary” photographs illustrate the feeling that everyday American life is full of art and beauty - if you just know how to frame it.

Narmi Michejda

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(images via: Techne)

Some photographs start out with an object, some with a theme. Polish photographer Narmi Michejda starts with something far more abstract: an idea. This photographer’s work is inspired by the philosophies of Nietzsche, the poetry of Paul Celan, and the theories of Jacques Derrida. She has traveled to many places in Europe and beyond, capturing these difficult-to-define feelings in photographs.

Daniel Lee

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Some of the most compelling and memorable photographs rely not only on the photographer’s skill, but on his or her skill with photo editing software. This is evident today in the sheer number of artistically manipulated photographs. Daniel Lee has taken photo manipulation to a unique and often disturbing level. He uses photographs of humans and animals and morphs them together, creating nightmarish but lovable hybrid creatures that challenge our ideas of evolution - both past and future.

Even geeks, believe it or not, like to party, and this sweet selection of artistic confection showcases the many ways geeks can have their cake and eat it too - with or without an .exe file baked inside. No, these cakes are not a lie (if you don’t get the reference, you may still be a geek.)

CLICK HERE to see 10 MORE hilariously creative geek cakes.

(image via: Pimp That Snack)

Before there were comps, there were cubes… Rubik’s Cubes. This 1980s icon of geek culture is still going strong today, and the above colorful concoction would make a great celebratory centerpiece for a speed-cubing competition.

(image via: Scribe of Dreams)

This slightly simpler Rubik’s Cube cake above has Butter Pecan cake and Chocolate cake on the inside, covered (slathered might be a better word) with lots of colorful icing. The generic style of this cake along with the lack of lettering makes it ideal for any geekish occasion, not just a birthday.

(image via: Spoonman)

The first arcade video games changed the way youth culture looked at computers, free time and quarters… by combining them! Tetris, Space Invaders and Asteroids have all been immortalized in one way or another, but perhaps not as deliciously as the Asteroids cake shown above. What better way to savor the sweet sense of victory than by eating the high score?

Pac-man is another early videogame that, thanks to the design of the game and the characters, lends itself to creative constructions of all kinds. The baked desserts from (above, clockwise) Cakehead, Elanso and DandelionDesign look too good to last long without being gobbled up.

(image via: Geekarmy)

Movies and TV are also great fodder for geek cakes, especially sci-fi and that means Star Trek and Star Wars. Trekkies giddy to go where no man (or “no one”, for TNG fans) has gone before will find themselves transported with glee when presented with this, er, enterprising creation. Check out the detail, down to Kirk’s casual pose and Spock’s Vulcan ears.

(image via: Kozy Radio and Ivory Tower Cakes)

For those with less time and considerably less obsession, the above pair of Trek cakes convey the message without going all Neelix-like in the kitchen. Galley. Whatever. “Live Long and Prosper” is actually an ideal birthday wish, regardless of its geeky origins.

(image via: GreatWhiteSnark)

Star Wars has its own set of geek fans and some of the larger creations pack enough sugar, carbs and cholesterol to make Darth Vader turn pale. Get ready to chew-bacca like Jabba on these sinfully delicious cinematic cakes, and… may the forks be with you!

(image via: Regionchamps1997)

If Mom made you a Death Star birthday cake, you might want to have li’l sis taste test it first. Seriously, the Death Star? On your Birth Day? Well, things could always be worse…

Continue to Page 2: 10 More Creative Geek Cakes

tank in lake

(Part One in an Eight-Part Series on Abandoned Vehicles and Buildings)

Like abandoned buildings, abandoned vehicles can have a profound effect on those who see them. They represent the sadness of losing those comforts that we’ve come to rely on, and the end of someone’s dream. Every abandoned car was once a brand-new machine, a source of pride for its owner. Every abandoned bus once carried schoolchildren or city shoppers to their destinations.

abandoned cars new orleans

abandoned burned out car

(images via: Editor B and TMBI)

Of course, not every abandoned car evokes a sense of nostalgia. The reaction to abandoned vehicles often depends on the location and condition of the cars. If an abandoned car is left carelessly in front of a house, at the side of the road, or in a parking lot, it becomes a public nuisance and may even be a safety hazard.

abandoned old truck in the desert

abandoned cars gully san jose

(images via: KEB and MLH Radio)

But at some point, abandoned cars become less of an eyesore and more like art. The bright, shiny paint begins to fade, beginning to resemble the muted and earthy tones of nature. The leather and metal begin to disintegrate, with rust reclaiming the iron and eventually turning it back into soil.

abandoned vehicles old faded car

abandoned truck in snow

(images via: AJ Knowles and Samuel K)

Regardless of the environmental damage these abandoned cars do, it’s hard to argue their strange, eerie beauty. As they lie out, exposed to the elements season after season, they become almost a part of the landscape. Photographers and artists have been drawn toward abandoned vehicles for almost as long as abandoned vehicles have existed.

abandoned vehicles old abandoned school bus

(image via: Cindy)

Few urban sights are more melancholy than an old school bus in ruin. It’s hard to imagine what circumstances could cause such a huge vehicle to be simply left to decompose on the side of a road. In an urban setting, some of these abandoned buses become shelter for the homeless or refuge for people engaged in prostitution or drug dealing.

abandoned graffiti bus san francisco

(image via: xtopalopaquetl)

Not all abandoned buses are just left to rot. Some are turned into beautiful, unique pieces of urban art. With the help of taggers and street artists, buses can become an impromptu neighborhood gallery.

abandoned bus line canada

(image via: Sigma)

And some are turned into functional pieces, used for a much different purpose than their original one. These buses in Ontario were once used to shuttle city travelers to their various destinations, but they now serve as a unique property fence.

abandoned tank greece

(images via: Boobelle)

Many of us don’t live in places where it’s possible to just stumble on old military vehicles while on a walk through the countryside. But in plenty of countries around the globe, it’s not entirely unheard-of to find such relics innocently rusting away in a field.

abandoned tanks russia

(images via: English Russia)

Tanks are very expensive pieces of military equipment, and one wouldn’t expect to find them just carelessly left out like a child’s unwanted toys. But thanks mostly to wars that have ravaged the economy of these countries, large pieces of machinery and even entire military bases can be found abandoned today all over the world.

abandoned road

abandoned route 66 new mexico

(images via: The Gut and Buggs)

Almost as haunting as the sight of abandoned vehicles is the sight of abandoned roads. Like most forgotten things, there are degrees of abandonment. There are country lanes that receive only minimal maintenance from government agencies. There are seldom-used city streets that buckle and warp with the changing seasons, leaving them marred with potholes and cracks.

abandoned italian road

And then there are the truly forgotten roads: those that haven’t seen a living soul in years, that are slowly being overtaken by weeds and grass and eventually become completely unrecognizable.  Like abandoned vehicles, abandoned roads tend to evoke a desolate feeling.  They bring to mind all of the journeys not taken and the paths not traveled.