We the people

are not a republic-we are a democracy-the political bipartisan posturing is a crap taco in need of disposal

Blue Skies

http://www.isbworldoffice.com/publications/bass_world.html

South Park

street bakers

http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/food-art/

The State of the State

Artemis and Stag

 Kiki Smith "Born"

Artemis and Stag, to the left was a holding of the Albright Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, NY- it is currently on view at the Metropolitan Art Museum in New York, NY.  The sale of the work was controversial and remains a thorn in the side of many of the city's residents.  The dollars raised ($ 28.6 million  for Artemis & Stag)will be used to purchase new work more in line with the Gallery's heavy concentration of modern work.....In my view, and in light of the current trend in modern art for artists to develop a narrative, had the work by Smith been purchased for the "MODERN" collection and had Artemis not been  deaccessioned ( as they put it)  it would have created a narrative spanning centuries instead of the very limited idea of modern. 

Artemis & Stag

dance alley

elevator alley

golden light

Six String Circus

Bravo for Six String Circus, winners of the Battle of the Bands in 2010 and the right to open for the preservation Hall Jazz band @ Kleinhans Music Hall in Buffalo NY

Golden

early morning

Buffalo River crossing

This was once a busy rail line that crosses the Buffalo River @ Smith Street.  Rail Roads of varying names under a vareity of ownership shipped goods through this corridor.  Concrete Central Elevator is in the background.

serenade

Buffalo Color

The former Buffalo Color Corp was located on Lee Street in between the Valley and Babcock neighborhoods on the Southside of Buffalo.  The plant has been pretty much leveled for the future Railroad Museum.

Live from the Rustbelt

I normally wouldn't self promote like this, but the nature of the exhibition and the spirit of the idea compel me to do so.  Last summer I sent a photo of Concrete Central Elevator to Rustwire's call for work for the Big Urban Photography Project.  The project has become a traveling show which began in Pittsburgh, is now in Cleveland and will likely also head on to Youngstown and Buffalo.  This is a graphic promoting the project (artist unknown) - which I think is fantastic and deserves applause.  From a personal viewpoint-my town of Buffalo has been in a downward spiral for as long as I have been alive.  I am a little over fifty, have lived within the city limits for all of those years and despite the bad press and faulty reputation we may have-I know that this place is a great world class town that- like all Blue Collar Rust Belt Cities are imbued with a character, will, drive, determination and grit that will allow its inhabitants to rise above the adversity and be better people for it.  To paraphrase an old quote- if it doesn't kill you- it will make you stronger.

boys of summer