My Backyard Illusionist fantasy

I've always been a fan of magic. Not the dark, witches & sorcerer stuff that is all too popular now, but good old stage magic. Abracadabra, nothing-up-my-sleeves magic. That voluntary suspension of disbelief that allows us to enjoy what we know can't be real.

I chose to recreate three major stage illusions, as performed by a backyard amateur. First was not a single, but a rarely performed double levitation of twin sisters. The crowd was awed.

 

 

 

Next was the famous Hindu Rope mystery - a rope lifts itself out of a basket, and becomes rigid enough for a young boy to climb up. This was performed even without the traditional flute. The crowd was shocked.

 

 

Finally, rather than just sawing my lovely assistant in half, I proceeded to quarter her as well, just to prove I could. There was no hypnotic trance required - she remained awake and smiling throughout. The crowd went wild.

 

 

Then, after the crowd left, I was able to just relax and plan my next event ...

 

 

 

This is a marvelous black & white photo by Edward Weston. It depicts a single cabbage leaf with such detail and shading that it becomes much more than a leaf. This is part of a series of photographs taken in the 1930's of peppers, artichokes and other vegetables which highlighted their organic, sculpted contours. He was able to capture fine details normally overlooked by a casual observer, truly forcing a new level of observation and appreciation of nature itself.

Weston was also known for striking photos of gnarled trees, seashells and sand dunes in the wilds of California, again highlighting the marvelous textures and shades created by nature. For someone with my interest in textures and pattern, stumbling across this portfolio was worth all the effort.

.gif fun at the bulletin board.