Humanity has been looking forward to the age of the jetpack for some years now. Sometimes the results are beautiful utopias that may yet materialize. More often are humourous and naive dreams. Paleo-Future Blog brings it all to you.
Still waiting for your flying car?
Ready to escape earth for your dream home in outer space?
I’ve been searching the universe for out of this world visual inspiration, and I’ve found a solid gold planet’s worth. Italian Fabio Femino’s web archive is f’ing full of futurism. From pulp novels to magazine cover’s to official space agency illustrations, he’s got it all–page after page after f’ing page.
It’s where fact meets theory meets art:
Where the sublime and frightening beauty of outer space meets action, adventure, and stylish spacesuits:
Only among lustrous tomes like this 1926 Amazing Stories will you find the likes of H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, and Edgar Allen Poe all sharing a cover with ice skating space monkeys of Titan:
Did I mention skin tight space suits? More »
It was an innocent time when humanity’s apparent path of forward progress was most purely symbolized by it’s inevitable arc upward and outward to the stars. Sleek and stylish rocketships carried our imaginations in soft force fields of anti-gravity cushioned comfort to a future where space dogs spoke accented english and robots did the dishes.
Looking back to that time of innocent future vision I am drawn to re-examine these pieces by Dan Cormier. Beautifully crafted, colorful, and personal, they remind me of my childhood and make me yearn for the life of astral leisure once held forth as the promise of tomorrow. Is it something that only a child could believe in now?
Fiji Mermaid 2000
Astronaut Inro: Self Portrait
I just got an email from Canadian Cormier, who reports a successful and enjoyable month long teaching trip to the Southeastern U.S., where he taught eight polymer clay workshops in five cites. He sends this photo of his son Griffin watching a launch of the Space Shuttle from the comfort of the beach in front of their hotel. It all comes full circle.
See more of Dan’s work on his website, as well as in my book.
If only I didn’t have to do my taxes now.
