Thursday, June 05, 2008

Hornhats at Artscape 2008

Press Release June 4, 2008

Topic: The Horn Hat- Bringing Artcars into Sound at Artscape

Date: July 18-20

Place: Artscape, Baltimore

Contact: Conrad Bladey, 510-789-0930 cbladey@verizon.net

Summary: In addition to being a Visionary Artcar Artist or "Cartist" Conrad Bladey has also invented the Horn hat which is a Zany Wacky yet functioning musical instrument. As he dresses to match his vehicles Conrad Bladey also creates horn hats to play wonderful brass music which can be heard for blocks. The hats have many subjects: A boring weekend at his mother-in-laws house prompted Conrad to construct a hornhat of pistachio nuts. Another to go with the Mondrian car has a fabric cover with blocks of color, another looks like something out of the middle ages. Wherever they go people are amazed. Bladey has conducted workshops in the Horn Hat and has equipped entire bands with his creations. You wear them on your head and play them just like ordinary brass instruments. It leaves your hand free and transforms your head into art.

Conrad has created two new Horn hats for Artscape 2008- The Frog Horn Hat and the Volcano Horn hat. The Frog hat goes with his car- "Someday the frogs will inherit the Earth" and features a trumpet with frogs in a swamp. The second hat is designed to go with his Art Gurney and has a brass trombone bell sticking right out of the center of the hat. It appears to be coming from an erupting volcano. You can meet the horn hats at the Hutman Artcars studio in Linthicum or see them on Bladey's head as he struts and plays at Artscape.

If enough children are interested Conrad will equip them all with horn hats and create a parade of budding brass players. Workshops are available. constructing and learning to play a hornhat is a great way for children to have fun while exploring music.

The Hornhat Page has a video and many images of the current hornhat gallery:

http://mysite.verizon.net/cbladey/artcars/hornhat/hornhatman.html

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