Day 39 – Deck the halls with Automata!

As you make the final touches to your decorations, why not think about creating some that move.

Dr. Stephen Guy has been busy this year with several collaborative automata projects, which may inspire you to get creative with your friends.

Last month Stephen inspired prospective theatre design students with this wonderful idea for a workshop. Students all made their own pieces, and then by clever mechanical connections, all the automata were joined together and one turn of the handle set them all in motion.

Stephen’s mechanical theatre performance of The London Jungle Book, featuring Indian Gond Art by Bhaju Shyam, was so popular at our exhibition in Granada that they have been invited back to do a closing performance in January.

Following on from this work, Stephen also inspired another Gond artist to make his first piece of automata.

Day 38 – Circus Maximus – The Flea Circus

This Saturday we have some more entertainment from Michael and Maria Start.
A completely traditional flea circus called �??Circus Maximus�?� featuring acts of skill and daring performed by trained Fleas. Beginning with Hestor Walenda in a nerve racking high wire and trapeze act and featuring Ignatius P. the Fire eating flea. Dr. Flea and his glamorous assistant MammaMia encourage and introduce the highly trained troupe through 10 classic circus acts, the Grand Finale being when Taki Fontana is shot from a Cannon.

Rest assured, no fleas are harmed during the performance, they actually enjoy the discipline of performing.

To end this evening we have The Magic Book Part 2 from Michael and Maria.

Day 37 – The Corkscrew by Rob Higgs

Now is the time to start thinking about how you are going to open your wine and nuts over the festive season. Look no further! We have two ingenious devices to show you from artist and automata maker Rob Higgs.

We know that these two are a bit on the large size but enjoy watching them anyway!

Day 36 – Miniature Magic Automata

We have two very tiny magic automata which make great last minute gifts.

The Sawing a Lady in half is a classic trick, the lady gets sawn in half before your very eyes (strong glasses may be required in some cases) or The Conjurer will pull a rabbit out of a hat. Operated by tiny wire handles, these are real conversation pieces.

These wonderful pieces are made by Angela and Laurence St Leger and we have been selling their work for over 20 years. The St Leger’s started off making miniatures for dolls houses, and the experimented with moving toy miniatures – their first design was Samson The Strong Man. They now have over 150 in their repertoire and rumour has it that astronaut and automata collector Richard Garriott took one into space with him.

Day 35 – The Temptation of St Anthony (after Salvador Dali)

This evening we bring you another magnificent large automaton. Tonight’s is from Keith Newstead, who has just finished this version of the Temptation of Saint Anthony, and was inspired by Dali’s painting of the supernatural scene, (below).

In Keith’s new version, Saint Anthony is found in a modern day desert setting, complete with crumbling devilish graffiti. His temptation comes in the form of a dancing girl, carried on the back of the wonderful spider-legged elephant.