75 Comments Posted by Krista

Big Brother is watching...

So Motts, what IS that thing sitting in the doorway? I normally don't see the "faces" or "ghosts" that other people claim to see, but it looks like someone sitting on the floor with their legs up. I'm sure you guys don't wear shorts in these places, so do you remember what it was that made that image?

I love the way the light frames the picture.

Now this is a contemplative piece.

Actually...I have a display stand with glass shelves that has the same design as that around the mirror.

Cool. It looks almost as if the stairs go to nowhere, Sarah Winchester-style.

"Nobody gets in to see the Wizard, not nobody, not no how!"

Looks like a poster for a new X-Files movie. Love the wicked green color.

Damn, Motts, you can always make the most mundane objects look interesting.

Really? It reminds me of the afternath of an emotional funeral.

"This has a 'jail cell' look to it. This one may have been an isolation unit. "

Or simply a leftover bed that was stored in an empty room when the facility was being shut down.

Interesting...were there any other pictures of this type? If not, it does seem odd without any explanation or artist's signature.

Reminds me of the murals in San Francisco's Coit Tower that depict, among other things, the history of migrant farm workers in the area.

Remember that bit from "Sophie's Choice" where the landlady explained that she'd painted all her rooms a salmon pink color because she got a great discount on the surplus Army paint? I wonder if that had any basis in reality. I know that pink was used in hospitals because it was once thought to be a soothing color, and back around the turn of the 20th century pink was considered a boy's color (because shades of red are strong and powerful) whereas blue was dainty and meant for girls. Don't know when or why that got switched around. Anyway, does anyone know if hospital paint colors may have been chosen because the state could get a big discount on certain colors that weren't generally popular?

The Commode Abode

I'm not sure I understand...were these rooms sealed off when Pennhurst was in operation, or after it closed down? (perhaps to prevent vandals from gaining access?)

Why are the sides of the tub so high? Was there originally a ramp or set of steps to assist people in getting in and out?