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Intriguing art/inventions by Emery Blagdon - using various wood, metals, salts, and his own brand of medical science:
Blagdon, who died in 1986 at 78, made "healing machines": ornate thickets of wire, aluminum-foil stips and wood scraps that he also called "my pretties." He was 48 when he began making these peculiar constructions, which grew to fill an 800-square-foot shed. Living in isolation, Blagdon devoted the rest of his life to his "machines." He believed they generated electromagnetic energy that could help cure arthritis and other ailments of people who stood near them.
Cavin-Morris Gallery - Link
(Flash site: click contemporary->Self Taught->Emery Blagden)
Related:
MAKE Vol 9: Fringe - Link
I guess they worked out pretty well for him.
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Just a couple quick comments. Emery didn't so much believe his "machines" generated electromagnetic energy, but rather that they channeled energy that existed on his property. Simply put he was creating an antenna. A very intricate, artistic antenna, but an antenna none the less.
Also, while he did live by himself, he did not live in isolation. His sister's farm was just a few minutes driving time away & his niece lived just a few minutes walking distance. The family was always stopping by, or having him over for supper, so it may be "nit-picky", but isolation to me brings the wrong image to mind. He was my Grandma's brother & although I live in Colorado, we spent a fair amount of time on my Mom's Aunt & Uncle's farm (next to his place) growing up & were over "to his place" regularly when we were there to visit. My mom & her cousin(who's the one who lives within short walking distance) & her kids have tried to keep track of all the books, articles & TV spots concerning the discovery & current state of his work. I just wanted to make make sure that people who see this, see it as it really was. Ironic, Emery & most of his siblings including my Grandma(Mabel) & his sister(Edna) who lived on the farm next door, all died of various forms of cancer. If only his machine could have cured that!
Thanks.
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@Blake - Nope not "nit-picky" at all - thanks for the clarification.
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