Maker Faire (San Mateo)

This event combines elements of Burning Man, technology convention, hobbyist gathering, and county fair.

Here we see the high priest, preparing to offer sacrifice in the form of the automobile on the left. In the lower right, two acolytes kneel and make obeisance before their iron god.

More nightmares for the kids.

This would be right at home at burning man.

I didn’t understand what this had to do with hip, do-it-yourself technology. But the camera records all.

The operator of this machine was inside the chest, behind the large disc, controlling it via levers. The arms would rise and shoot flames from the fingertips. I was reminded of Diego Rivera’s Man at the Crossroads.

Not all the contraptions were of monumental scale…

And there was food. In the finest county fair tradition.

The sun of this giant orrery (there’s a word you don’t get to use every day…) was spouting flaming gas.

Interesting mode of transit.

There were also presentations. This one was by a toy designer. One of his products was an Alien Autopsy toy from which children could scoop out writhing, edible internal organs. He mentioned that boys, rather than girls, were the primary customers.

And more food.

Glass blowing demonstration. I’d like to say this was a sophisticated, artistic use of black and white imagery. But in fact, I’d accidentally set the cell phone camera to black and white. And photoshopped back in a spot of color just for fun.

Alongside the glass blowing, they were demonstrating how to forge and quench steel knives. It was pretty impressive stuff, especially considering they were promoting their summer camp for children. One wonders about the other activities held at that camp. Probably much cooler than canoe races.

Steampunk fish.