9-18-2020

Fonthill Castle was Henry Chapman Mercer’s concrete home and studio. This large building, constructed between 1908 and 1912, was of the tilemaker and archaeologist’s own design. Though inspired by European buildings the artist discovered during travels while he was younger, the building completely flouts standard construction methods of the time it was built. Click here to see the video tour, and here to learn more about the historic site.

Take off on a thrilling flight across America. This epic series offers rare glimpses of our nation's most treasured landmarks, all seen from breathtaking heights. From busy cityscapes to quiet landscapes, we capture the history and the pageantry of our amazing country - which is as diverse as the people who occupy it. While this series needs a subscription to Smithsonian, they offer a free 7 day trail which unlocks this video series. Click here to see more.

Have you taken up painting as a new hobby or skill during the quarantine? It's a great feeling once you finish a painting and are satisfied with the result. But your work does not end there! This blogger-artist has created a list of 11 things to do once you have put down the brush. Click here to see more.

National Folk Festival is the oldest, longest-running multicultural traditional arts celebration in the country. In 2020, the event became a virtual celebration, featuring a combination of highlights from previous fests and new performances recorded exclusively for this event. Click here to see more.

This step by step video teaches you how to paint a Chickadee with watercolors. In this video Emily Olson talks through the process of how she paints this sweet little songbird using various watercolor techniques, tips and tricks, and fun effects. Click here to see more.

This video is broadcast live from The British Museum's blockbuster exhibition Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum. This 90 minute broadcast presented by Bettany Hughes and Peter Snow includes interviews with Rachel De Thame, Giorgio Locatelli and Mary Beard. Please be advised this recording contains some sexual imagery and swearing. Click here to see more.

Last week we showed you how to make pumpkins from concrete, this week it is dryer vents! By taking a section of dryer venting and joining the ends together to form a circle, you can create the beginnings of a decorative pumpkin. Finish off the look by painting it orange and topping it with a stem. Click here to see more.

Free class from Harvard University. Travel through central Europe in the 1800s to experience the premieres of Meyerbeer’s Les Huguenots, Wagner’s Das Rheingold, and Verdi’s Otello. You’ll learn about the musical details of each opera and the cultural influence of the works by understanding the circumstances of its composition, premiere performance, and its legacy and significance today. Click here to see more.

This public silo trail is putting regional Western Australia up in lights by bringing world class murals to grain silos, transformer boxes and iconic infrastructure in unexpected towns right across the state. Click here to see more.

Daniela Mercury, a Brazilian superstar who performed for hundreds of thousands of people on New Year’s Eve 2010 in Rio de Janeiro, struts, twirls and sambas as if she’s on a much larger stage, with her masked band behind her on what looks like a patio and her children showing up as Carnival revelers. In a nearly three-hour set of upbeat songs celebrating Carnival and her home province, Bahia, she’s completely tireless. Click here to see more.