18Machine

Sometimes all it takes is a peek into the shadows, through the windows, and even in the trash to bring beauty closer.

Give Them Science, Magic, and Alchemy

The space shuttle may have been grounded, but you can gift them the sun, the moon and the stars with these wonderful works of light. Gina Beavers’ hand painted gold prints on black paper are at once regal, deco and geometrically mod. At $100 a pop, they’re some of the strongest original and affordable works of art we’ve seen this season.

Out of the darkroom, Caleb Charland’s Bouncing Penlight Photo is retro cool, and far more affordable than an original Man Ray.

Can’t commit to one static image? Grab your sleeping bag and gaze at the stars without ever leaving home. The DIY Romantic Star Projector will delight big and small kids alike. It’s magically programmable to project the night sky for any day of the year wherever one decides to spend the night.

Black and Gold Print, Vespor, $100

Bouncing Penlight, Eye Buy Art, $25

Photographer Don Hammerman’s ongoing Stricken series is a fantastic memento mori of the life of the modern day baseball. Beautifully shot, up close and personal, one of these would make the perfect gift for the diehard fan.

Give the Gift of Light

Bare bulbs are lighting up homes and offices everywhere. We love this twist on the popular industrial chic design trend. Each hand-hammered Filisky Little Pear will cast a soft diffused light across any room. One will certainly hold its own, but a cluster of three would really sparkle. They’d also make a luminous housewarming or holiday gift.