Have a yen to see what the very first Rolls Royce looked like? How about models from the New York World's Fair? A joint project of Life magazine and Google puts millions of photographs at your fingertips, going back as far as the 1750's.

NASA is offering a different photograph every day of some event or phenomenon occurring in the vast reaches of space, accompanied by an astronomer's explanation. Called "Discover the Cosmos", there is a wealth of fascinating material here.

Nick Cave has the patience of Job in creating his moving costumes made from bits and pieces of material, all hand sewn and accompanied by music. A second video shows him piecing together his ensembles - quite amazing to watch.

James Paterson uses ink and programming to create meditations on everyday living with a childlike (in the best sense) feeling of dispersion and joy. At the same Bitforms Gallery, look also at the work of Daniel Rozin, who uses mirrors, circuits, and microcontrollers to create viewer-reflecting pieces.

In a note from the South Bay Area Women's Caucus for Art, we learn that Congress did not act on the Orphan Works Bill, which would have limited liabilities of certain copyright infringers. As a comment on the importance of artists in society, they refer us to an article in a blog from Psychology Today titled "A Missing Piece in the Economic Stimulus: Hobbling Arts Hobbles Innovation". Read about the amazing contributions that artists have made over the centuries to science, medicine, and engineering...and feel proud to be one of them! (If you want a reminder of the more objectionable aspects of the bill, you'll find them online at Letterbox - scroll down.)

As an additional bonus, SBAWCA recommends a site called "Art Scams" which has some excellent suggestions for protecting yourself against current online art frauds.

Georgia Tech has offered cash awards in a competition for new musical instruments. The first Guthman Musical Instrument Competition, planned as an annual event, attracted 60 applicants, with 25 chosen to show their entries. You can see the 25 inventions online.

The Matthew Marks Gallery in New York City carries some interesting artists, including Ellsworth Kelly and Nan Goldin. Additionally, three whose work intrigued me are Vincent Fecteau, Robert Gober, (he of the crooked infant cribs), and Ken Price.

Shain Erin uses fabrics and Paperclay to make these eerie little figures. Operating somewhere between the occult and the macabre, he says of his work, "Piece by piece I am building a Secret History of the World."

If you are looking for a bit of April madness, take a look at "Interesting bus-stops around the world" - guaranteed to brighten your day.

c.Corinne Whitaker 2009