Art-o-mat

Recently, I came across an Art-o-mat machine, and of course I had to try it. For those of you who don't know, Art-o-mats are retro cigarette machines that have been repurposed to sell miniature works of art by contemporary artists.

Art-o-mats are scattered all over the country. To find a machine near you, visit the website.

I pulled a lever pretty much at random, and not knowing what I was going to get made me feel like a kid at a gumball machine. I was super excited to find that I received a pinhole camera, with instructions on how to use it, and a pinhole photograph by artist Rebecca Sexton Larson. Check out her website. She has done some really amazing work using alternative photographic processes and mixed media.

I've always been intrigued by pinhole cameras, but I've never tried it before. I think I'll wait until it's a bit warmer out and less rainy. What about you guys? Anyone ever used a pinhole camera before? Or have you bought anything from an Art-o-mat?