Croatia – smyeshka.com

Philosophy, science and innovations.. backbone of human history

I went this winter with my husband to Germany. Our base was in Halle, Heiden’s hometown. We went few days to Berlin – with most silent trains. Berlin is great but not my cup of tea, but Leipzig was love at first sight…

What I noticed while was there what is a proper way to appreciate your history – god or bad- it is your backbone – it is your proof that you made mistakes or left something in a legacy for future generations. What i find amazing is that Croatia hasn’t use as much, nor god nor bad, parts of history ,even though a fair number of scientists and innovators and philosophers.

It is unfair to ignore so many people from Croatian history that gave, not only for their country, but for the whole world the base knowledge on which was build everything we now have…

My favorites are: Bošković – a physicist, astronomer, mathematician, philosopher, diplomat, poet, theologian, Jesuit priest, and a polymath from the Republic of Ragusa (Dubrovnik); Faust Vrančić – an inovator (parachute, moving bridges), a polymath and bishop from Šibenik and his coeval Marco Antonio De Dominis (Theory about Rainbow was his, even Newton said so, but Descartes took all the glory) a Dalmatian ecclesiastic, archbishop of Split and Primate of Dalmatia and all Croatia, adjudged heretic of the Catholic faith, and man of science…

In recent history there are few we need to say at least names and what they gave to world. Slavoljub Penkala – invention of ball pen; Spirdon Brusina – edited the best local ornithological collection in the Austro-Hungarian Empire; Ivan Vučetić – the creator of the modern method of dactyloscopy – the discipline of criminal techniques, one of the safest and most common methods of identifying persons, based on the papillary lines on the fingers, palms and feet of people; Ivan Vukić (Giovanni Biagio Luppis Freiherr von Rammer) invention of torpedo; Leopold Stephen Ruzicka – winner of the 1939 Nobel Prize in Chemistry “for his work on polymethylenes and higher terpenes” “including the first chemical synthesis of male sex hormones; Franjo Hanaman – invention of lightbulb with wolfram’s thread; Marino Getaldić – the application of algebra in geometry and a pioneer in making conic lenses; Benedict Kotruljević – dual bookkeeping system…Frane Petrić, John Mišković, Mario Puratić, David Schwarz, Tomislav Uzelac (mp3)…

The list is long, very long… this is not even a half! And btw. Tesla was born in Croatia, but if someone is giving him another adress, so be it..

I am beyond proud to be a part of same land just because of this magnificent minds that changed humanity..and history..

I draw most of them… I think I might do them all.. just to give a little smile of appreciation for this genius minds 🙂

Photo illustration 2

This week was about monsters and friends. Friends that we are and monsters we held inside. Fear is a main obstacle, play is making most of your talent.

I’ve made series of Bo and Om with some new monsters, on photos of Croatian villages in Istria, Zagreb, Dubrovnik, Pelješac… places I’ve been last few years. I wanted to illustrate sequence of my childhood. Remember marbles? Pretend to be builder… or learning how to ride a bike. No matter where you are being a kid is about discovering world around you and developing skills.

Maybe it would be fun to make Bo and Om travel the world, like a Amelie’s garden gnome.. 🙂

Drop a comment or click here to see Bo and Om in new adventures. 🙂

Bo and Om destroying 2020.

It was 3 days after Christmas, earthquake again. It was like Earth farted, loudly, making a point that we are in a episode of Twilight zone. Point made, bones stiff, blood frozen, I’ve made illustration of Bo and Om waked up by earthquake.

It was an impact that brought up PTSP from March, but we all hoped that was it.. It’s last of this 2020. nightmare/shitty horror movie.
Day after was massive, long, noisy, ugly earthquake near Petrinja. Christmas joy died. People lost their homes, loved ones.. Horror.

But one thing was, still is, shining in the moments of darkness, human hearts. Croatians united quickly, gave their homes to ones in need, gave help in every way imaginable.

Grinch was on steroids but Bo and Om had their way to strike back. So they did, they smashed and destroy 2020. like 2020. destroyed all the joy, freedom and security.. 🙂

You can click here to see Bo and Om smashing 2020. 🙂