The Numerous Bodies Recently Found in Ben Franklin’s Basement

Chris Hadfield gets a painting!

 

Back in November of 2014, I gave Col. Chris Hadfield a painting I did. It was inspired by his book: An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth, which I got a signed copy of.

He also shook my hand so hard that it bruised slightly. I didn't mind in the slightest. :)

Cannibalistic City Life.

                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBvbNs7WSII&feature=youtu.be

A New Skull Discovery!

Homo naledi fragments of skull and jaw

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/mysterious-new-dwarf-human-species-7566527

Mysterious new dwarf human species probed after scientists find 3 million year old skull in cave

Scientists have discovered a skull belonging to a previously unknown species of human from three million years ago.

The research team made up of paleoanthropologists stumbled across the remains in an underground cave and have now put together a skeleton which stands at 4ft 9 tall and is described as "a really, really strange creature."

Lee Berger of the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg and his co-horts stumbled across 15 individuals skeletons which they believe make up a tribe of the bizarre human species - and now they've found the missing link.

And while they resemble homo sapiens - like modern day humans - the species could more more than 2.8 million years old. 

Homo naledi's skull is smaller than latter day humans and even those of their era

The "small brained" humans identified through the size of the discovered skulls - are believed to have possibly lived alongside humans with larger brains.

Homo naledi, a new species of the genus Homo from the Dinaledi Chamber, South Africa

The skeleton of Homo Naledi, a newly discovered human ancestor displayed during the unveiling of the discovery in Maropeng

Fragments of teeth were found in the Dinaledi Chamber, South Africa

The incredible discovery has also baffled scientists who found the remains in an underground cave adding fuel to the rumour they lived there or actually buried their dead - unlike neanderthals - the closest relation to today's humans who are not believed to have done so.

First Place Gold for Chocolate Skull at San Francisco International Chocolate Salon

http://www.sfchocolatesalon.com/
I'm thrilled to announce that I won First Place Gold for Chocolate Skull in Attendees Choice / Chocolate Gallery Award San Francisco International Chocolate Salon!

Here are some shots on Chocolate Salon's facebook page.

What Does Human Taste Like?

Rice King Cannibalism?

Food for Thought?

Hanging Off The Wire: Chocolate Skulls

Another link to a very "sweet" review:
Hanging Off The Wire: Chocolate Skulls

Other Blogs about Chocolate Skulls!

 Hello Everyone,
For the sake of efficiency, I'm sharing some links to other blogs who've written about me over the past few months. Things are getting really busy for me and my art practice, and I have LOTS to share with you guys, so hopefully I'll blog on that soon.
Urban Coco (January 2013)
Urban Coco (February 2013)
Vogue UK Feb Issue (article not available online)
Vogue UK March Issue (article not available online)
ACED+

Tiffany Reviews
Bargain Hound Daily Deals

Bargain Hounds Daily Deals Review

Hi Everyone,
Chocolate Skulls has had some great reviews lately, and I'll post a link to the first one below:

The folks at Bargain Hound Daily Dealsflattered my ego so much, I'm STILL BLUSHING! Here's a direct link to the youtube segment They're also helping me do a giveaway of 4 Cannibal Confections T-Shirts in white, with the Cannibal Confections logo on it:

Thanks Bargain Hounds. You're awesome!

Popular Chocolate Myths and Factoids (Part 1)

 Has anyone read the news lately about the chocolate and Nobel Prize connection? The study's author, Dr.Franz Messeri actually wrote it as a joke - meaning to exemplify how raw data can mislead the less than rigorous within the scientific community.  Of course, his cautionary tale-telling had to be relatively convincing for it's tutelary aspect to have any value. But then much of the mainstream media took it literally, creating an inside joke for Dr.Messeri's colleagues at Columbia University. However, there was probably more savvy involved in running the story then refuting it, so points go to both sides on that one.

But what about the ironic possibility that chocolate consumption could increase cognitive function?
After all, it is reputed to help with everything from diabetes to depression.  A mild mood elevator/stimulant/hypertension reducer could very well help you think more fluidly. Surely, all the studies can't be bogus! Something that's so good for your blood vessels, skin, heart, and improves bloodflow to the brain, must be good for your...uh...brain.

So then, could a blood engorged, chocolate laden brain actually generate better ideas, possibly even Nobel Prize worthy ones? Unlikely, but I really don't know, even if Dr.Messeri thinks he does.

Hello Hollywood!

   Earlier this month, Cannibal Confections received a supersized shot in the arm, from PR pundits Amy and Scott Malin of Trueheart Events. This massive dose of media magic came in the form of The Backstage Gifting Experience to celebrate this season's semi-finals episode of the MTV Hit Show, RANDY JACKSON presents, AMERICA'S BEST DANCE CREW!  I was incredibly fortunate to be hand picked by Trueheart to participate in this great oportunity, even though it fell on the day after The New Art Festival otherwise known as TNAF in Ottawa.
 For all the fascinating details on TNAF, including Carl Burnet's Royal Jubilee Tea Party, please visit my other blog.

   Needless to say, I would have KILLED (figuratively speaking, of course) to serve my DECAPITATED DELICACIES to the STARS myself, but my busy busy schedule just would not permit. There simply wasn't a single airline on the planet who could get me there on time. Since I don't have my own private jet, and I haven't yet mastered the skill of bilocation, Trueheart had to hire the thoroughly dashing Corey to serve as my brand ambassador. I don't even know his last name. All I know is that he's a hunk, he looks great in a black button-down, and he had lots of good stuff to say about my chocolate skulls.


Randy Jackson & Chocolate Skull
photo by Albert Evangelista Photography



   As you can see, there are some pretty cool shots of Randy Jackson, Mario Lopez, and Rachael Leigh Cook posing with their very own hermetically sealed (a.k.a. boxed) chocolate skulls. I wish I'd had enough for everyone who attended, but my entire stock has sold out this month! The lesser luminaries had to content themselves with t-shirts and samples of the delicious Belgian Chocolate, so at least the poor darlings were clothed and fed!  

Rachael Leigh Cook
photo by Albert Evangelista Photography

   I've really got to hand it to Trueheart Events. They know how to put it together! I'm  just an artist and a total neophite when it comes to all that branding, schmoozing and promo stuff. Trueheart Events have got it down! For example,

 Hollywoodlife was onboard, The Huffington Post gave us a big shout out,  and OCTV™  (That's Orange County Television to my fellow Canucks) did a spot. - and check out Mario Lopez holding his own Chocolate Skull! I wonder if he's tasted it by now :)~

Corey, Mario, and The Skull
photo by Andy Art Photography

The Revenge of the Skull

Who likes horror stories? Well, I have a real doozy for ya! It's all true and it happened to me.

I've had copies of these X-rays since October 2010, but haven't had the guts to look at them until today.

My own personal skull!

Actually, I've avoided writing about my - ghastly - episode for over a year, but now I think I'm ready to let this particular skeleton out of the closet. Last fall, I decided to completely redesign the method I use for my chocolate skulls. This required investing in new materials and seting aside several weeks to remake the molds. Because I had to work with materials containing organic solvents, I diligently wore my respirator and my rubber gloves. I also kept the windows open, used a fan, and even wore safety goggles to prevent fumes from reaching my eyes!

I could hardly have been more protected as I fashioned the best mold I could. "Casting skulls is going to be a breeze with this new mold", I bragged to my boyfriend. I took each step with care and precision, but when I added the plaster, I used too much. I figured that it was better to have much than too little, but the darn thing weighted a ton!

So, I tried to saw off some of the excess. This was definitely the right thing to do, but it was very hard work - much too much to accomplish in one day, or even three. After a while, I got tired and impatient. I realised that I could saw through the stuff more quickly if I poked holes into it at about one inch intervals. At this point, I would like to remind my dear readers: Do not work with sharp objects when you are overtired, or in a hurry, and please ALWAYS wear your safety gear!

Another very intimate view of me!

I, foolishly did not adhere to any of this advice. I was rushing, I was tired, and my old safetly goggles had gotten too cloudy to wear. So there I was, on the floor, squatting in front of my hunk of plaster, driving a small sharp file into it at one inch intervals - and pulling them out - towards my face - with all my strength! Gawd, I feel sqweamish again just imagining what happened next. I also feel pretty stupid as well, because now I have to tell the blogsphere that I gave the metal rod one great yank (toward my face) and STABBED MYSELF IN THE LEFT EYE!!!

Lazy-eye is all well and good if you're a world famous musical genius, but...

"No!...That didn't happen! No way! What a fool! Oh God, Ok, I can still see...'. All these thoughts passed through my assaulted brain, as I dashed to the bathroom to havev a look - at what I didn't want to see. I covered my eyes with my hands and played a terrified round of peek-a-boo with my reflection. "Hideously deformed!", said the voice of self recrimination. "You're gonna look like Thom Yorke, if you're lucky!" I knew I had to exqamine it, so I took a closer look. It was already beginning to swell and turn purple. My actual eye, thank God was still intact, but there was a huge flap about the size of a dime in the inner top corner that was swelling irregularly and no longer joining up properly. And the blood! It was all over the bathroom counter, and the sink and the floor and it dripped a little red trail back to my studio. Back to the place where my life just changed. All this happened between about 17:15 and 17:30 on a tuesday evening in mid October. I had to call my boyfriend. As I pushed the buttons on my BlackBerry, I started getting dizzy and I realised my hands were barely controlable. Öh thank goodness you picked up the phone, I said. Please come home right away, I've injured my eye. That was all I could manage and I passed out, sort of. I mean, I laid down and freaked and shook and went into a weird mental zone. When Damian saw it, he cringed and said I would definitely need stitches. The Thom Yorke image appeared again. (Why couldn't it have been David Bowie?)

 We went straight to the emergency at the nearest hospital, signed in and waited. I held a piece of ice to my eye and we all watched the dramatic rescue of the trapped Chilean miners, who had spent the last 69 days trapped under 2050 feet of rock. I remember using a simple hand gesture to joke that the rescue capsule was spring loaded and that they were goimg to shoot them out one by one. Such silliness is a clear sign that I was beginning to crack and would start laughing hysterically any moment. Fortunately, the nurse called us into the examination room thus averting my descent into gibbering lunacy. Soon the doctor was there, asking me questions, putting goop in my eye, turning the lights out and shining a blacklight tube on the injury. Then I had to read an eye chart, which was hard to do with the bleariness. He said that would improve. His focus was appropriately on the more potentially serious concerns. When he seemed to be finishing up, I asked him about stitches. I was amazed and so relieved when he said I didn't need them. He said, I could go to a cosmetic surgeon and have it fixed up after, if I wanted but the scar would be very small anyway. Then I got a tetanus shot, and a requisition to see an opthamologist, and went home.

Now I know I have uneven upper sinus frontalis - maybe I should have taken off my nosering, too.

That's when the PTSD started. Every time I closed my eyes, I returned to the moment when that file connected with the edge of my occipital cavity and glanced off. The shock, the tiny explosion of phosphene at the moment of impact and most of all the fear and the horror of the other probabilities so narrowly escaped! It was so bad, I would suddenly jump in my seat, squirm, yelp and shake my hands like they were covered in battery acid. I couldn't seem to stop hitting the replay button. How could I be so careless? How can I ever trust myself with sharp objects? I fretted incessantly for the first 48 hours. Eventually, I searched the web for some advice on dealing with PTSD, and found some good stuff on youtube. It basically reinforced what I had instinctively begun, which was to stop the film in my head and say, "It's not happening now. It's over. It's not happening." This was immensely helpful because it brought the amygdalian brain function down to a calmer state and back in synch with the rest of my mental processes. My logical side was soothed later on, once I had bought myself a new pair of safety glasses.

So now, over a year later, I still have the ocaisional gut wrenching flashback. I still have to repeat my mantra to stabilize my psyche.

Whenever I contemplate the theory of infinite probabilities/universes, I get stressed about the concept that there could be one in which I lost an eye! Oh god, I hate  to even write that!

Well, the main thing here and now is, safety first, kids. I bought a new pair of protective goggles, and I will adhere to my own advice!

Farewell to Bill Jamieson

It's been a while, but I'm finally able to write a little about the grandfather of chocolate skulls, Mr. William (Billy) Jamieson, who passed away last June the third. Notably, it was his birthday.

Bill loaned me the original human skull, from which all my chocolate skulls are cast. It wasn't the only one in his collection. In fact, Bill had a huge apartment full of amazing oddities, artifacts, and ethnographic objects, which made his lavish parties a feast for the senses.

He was also a very warm and spritual man, who sat with shamans and had, himself, 'climbed the vine of souls'.
Bill had an adventurous life, that's for sure! He was instrumental in returning the mummy of Ramses I to Egypt, and became a millionaire in the process.

I had the honour of building his website: http://egyptianmuseum.com/

Your passing was a sad surprise to us Bill, but we take some comfort in knowing how bravely and joyfully you lived.

``This is the creation of the world, that the pain of division is as nothing, and the joy of dissolution all.'' - Liber Al Vel Legis

http://www.joecoleman.com/news/rip-bill-jamieson
http://blog.ministryofartisticaffairs.com/2011/07/rip-billy-jamieson.html
http://www.head-hunter.com//

Top 10 (Socially Accepted) Reasons to Eat Your Fellow Humans!

IN KEEPING WITH THE SPIRIT of Cannibal Confections, I'll blatantly avoid mention of those despicable, but fascinating, modern cannibals who do it for perverse, illegal and therefore immoral reasons. Although an intriguing subject, it is perhaps a touch too serious for the moment.
So let's get culturally relative, and take a gander at some festive flesh-eaters: the kind who'd go all out with your head on a platter - for real!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_relativism

Reason #1 POWER:
The word cannibal comes from the Spanish word 'Caníbales'. It refered to the people of the Carib tribe, and yes, they did eat human flesh - or at least chewed on it. After a battle, warriors would bring home the limbs of vanquished foes. To ingest the power of that person, they'd take a bite, chew it up and spit it onto the ground . They sought to satisfy an intangible rather than a physical hunger.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carib_people#Cannibalism

Reason #2 STICKIN' IT TO THE MAN:
Still with the Carib Nation, where Italian explorer, Giovanni da Verrazzano was killed and eaten in 1528. He may well have been viewed as an enemy, or maybe just really really 'rico'! Unfortunately, this backfired, as Queen Isabella forthwith decreed that all slaves must be taken from tribes who practiced cannibalism.
http://www.win.tue.nl/~engels/discovery/verrazzano.html

Reason #3 IT'S ALL THE "RAGE":
Elites of 16th century Europe partook of what has to be the most ghoulish form
of cannibalism this side of a zombie's breakfast. Some of them actually consumed ground up Egyptian mummies which were sold as medicine. The cadavers were supposedly those of Pharohs and such, but the fad faded when it was discovered that most of it was made from recently killed slaves - how repulsive!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/dec/09/improbable-research-mummies

Reason #4 "JUST A SPOONFUL OF SUGAR HELPS THE MEDICINE GO DOWN":
A favourite of mine. 16th century Chinese pharmacologist Li Shizhen wrote about steeping a human cadaver in honey - once again for medicinal purposes. Passed down from Arabian legend, this act of sweet sacrifice was voluntarily undertaken (pardon the pun) by old men. Knowing he wasn't long for this world, the donor would begin consuming only honey. He would bathe in it too, and not surprisingly, in time, he'd defecate sweet golden turds. Upon death, he was placed in a sarcophagus full of the same, syrupy goo. After about a hundred years of marinating, the corpse would be harvested as a pricey confection with purportedly miraculous powers.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A18532532

Reason #5 PEER PRESSURE:
Anyotos or 'Human Leopards' of West Africa, require members of their society to eat their victims and to provide one such meal every four years. Since the 18th century, their success has been relatively high, despite recurring crackdowns from colonial lawmakers.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F50A14F9345E13738DDDAA0894DE405B838DF1D3

Reason #6 IT'S GENETIC:
An article in 'Science', published in 2003, suggested that the practice of eating our own
species was once widespread. Ergo, most of us carry a sequence of genes which could protect us from spongiform encephalitis.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/04/030411071024.htm

Reason #7 YOU'RE A GREEK GOD AND YOUR KIDS ARE DRIVING YOU NUTS:
Kronos knew his children would one day murder him and take over. After all, that's exactly what he'd done to Uranus, his own father. But he had a simple solution to this usurpation by the fruit of his loins. He treated them like actual fruit!
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Who_is_Kronos
http://www.ancient-mythology.com/greek/kronos.php

Reason #8 NOBODY WILL MESS WITH YOU:
It basically 'boils down' to eliminating the competition. Like Kronos, if you swallow your opponents, logically, you will have less of them. If you're seen doing it, even fewer.
http://grandwiki.wikidot.com/trkintimidation-techniques

Reason #9 REASEARCH:
Without it, we wouldn't have the 'veal consensus'.
William Buehler Seabrook, a New York Times reporter in the early 1930's obtained some cuts of healthy human flesh from a hospital intern at the Sorbonne. He took it home, cooked, and ate it. "It was like good, fully-developed veal [...] not like any other meat I had ever tasted [...] I think no person with a palate of ordinary, normal sensitiveness could distinguish it from veal."
-William Bueller Seabrook. Jungle Ways London, Bombay, Sydney: George G. Harrap and Company, 1931
http://web.archive.org/web/20080202122009/http://food.oregonstate.edu/ref/culture/taboo_all
Allegedly, a nearly identical tale is recounted of French author, Guy De Maupassant. After witnessing a freak accident, he begged the doctors in charge of the autopsy to allow him a steak of the victim's flesh for 'luncheon'. Monsieur De Maupassant concluded that anthropophagy has little appeal since the meat was 'insipid', and like 'overdone veal'.
http://www.devilspenny.com/tag/cannibalism/

Reason #10 IT'S GOOD FOR A FEW LAUGHS:
Especially if you live in Papua New Guinea, were people used to bequeath their bodies to friends and family. If you ate Grampa's brain, it wouldn't give you his sense of humour, but you'd still be a riot!: Many residents who practiced the tradition contracted a disease called 'kuru', otherwise known as the laughing sickness.
The downside; it is fatal, but at least you'll die laughing!
http://whyfiles.org/012mad_cow/6.html
http://disease-reference.com/Kuru.htm

So there you have it, friends. Sometimes, I guess it's okay to be a cannibal. There are many more examples of "civilized people" doing it, so drop by again and we'll share some stories. If you have any tales or discoveries of your own to share, leave a scrap or two in the comments section, but please stick to the light fare!

Merci!
Adieu
~

More Links

I recently added two more pages to the Chocolate Skulls universe:

My wordpress site

My drupalgardens site








I'll try to keep the news, stories and other fun stuff as fresh as a newly embalmed mummy for all you cannibalistic candy lovers!
Adieu :)

LINKS

Just a little reminder: CHOCOLATESKULLS.COM is the only place to get your very own, delicious cast of an actual human skull is solid chocolate! Check out the GALLERY here.

One Night in Paris!

I was recently contacted by Le Manoir de Paris at 18 Rue Paradis, Paris, France. They will be exhibiting one of my special, 'Bone Chocolate' skulls for their opening night this Friday, May 6th.  So, if you happen to be in Paris, and near the public metro stations: Poissonniere, Bonne Nouvelle, Gare de l'Est, Gare du Nord, pay them a visit and maybe they'll let you have a taste!

Busy Business

I definitely have to expand the whole world of Chocolate Skulls. Someone wanted to know if she could have 50 of them in 4 weeks! Unfortunately, I can only cast about 3 to 4 per week, for now. But who's to say she would have ordered them, even if I could. She was just asking. The thing is though, I do need to be ready for some big orders, and multiple orders. YaY!

Site Launch!

Hey everyone, you simply MUST visit my new website.
Same addy: chocolateskulls.com
It looks FANTASTIC! The images were taken by Claudia Ficca. I've mentionned her here before, and for good reason. She is a very talented photographer and an artist in her own right. Along with her husband and collaborator, Davide Luciano, they have a beautiful series of pothole images, which you can find here.
Well, I have to go work on music now. I have a show in Toronto in just over a week and there's so much to do. I intend to start updating my music blog this year as well. 2011 is the year I get organized!
Remember, go to the new Chocolate Skulls site!