A Pack of Suprises

Talk about adaptive reuse. In 1997 North Carolina artist Clark Whittington transformed a lone out-of-work cigarette machine into a vending station for his photographs. A decade later, the savvy result is Art-o-mat. Today some 400 artists contribute original work that is packaged and vended for $5-$7 each at more than 80 former cigarette machines located throughout the country. Items range from miniature paintings to jewelry and more. Machines can be found in museums, galleries, libraries, and even a grocery store or two. If you can't find a machine near you, order a collection of 10 packs of art in an Art-o-carton ($100) online at www.shopartomat.com.