main street, ann arbor, mi, usa – 1952, a few years back.
when transportation options were booming
and parking was more flexible.
—
“all the stories i’ll ever need are right here on main street.”
-robert corbier
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photo credits: ann arbor townies, carol nordman
Karen Schaefer took her turn at painting the Rock in Ann Arbor’s George Washington Park, announcing her conclusion about the boulder that was put on the spot in the 1930s. Schaefer wrote her master’s degree thesis on the Rock, (Objects that communicate).
all kinds of people with all kinds of agendas paint the rock in this decades-old tradition in ann arbor. the chat below was found on my community website and i especially loved how s.a. was at the ready with his how-to directions and a bit of historical support.
G.A. Does anyone know how much paint is required to paint a message on “The Rock” at Hill and Washtenaw?
P. L. Funny, my husband and I were just talking about this when we drove by it the other day.
S. A. Old gallon of house paint for the base, one old mop or broom, go to Denny’s down the road, come back and it’s dry for the message.
T. S. Can’t believe that no one has commented that is is illegal and vandalism…
S. A. Even Al Gallup, the living son of the Gallup who placed it there in honor of Washington, is okay with it.
‘passion is one great force that unleashes creativity,
because if you’re passionate about something,
then you’re more willing to take risks.’
—yo-yo ma
some whiz around at the art fair
buzzing amidst lots of creative energy.
some wind down in a hammock
amidst the shady trees
zapped and looking to recharge.
—
“we should all relax about life
because you don’t have a clue as to what’s really going on.”
-barry sonnenfeld (american cinematographer)
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university of michigan diag, ann arbor, michigan, usa
ann arbor art fair is coming today.
bring it!
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“it is easier to go down a hill than up, but the view is from the top.”
-arnold bennett
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photo credit: ann arbor/scio hill- 1980s,*eck stanger-ann arbor news, aadl archives, ann arbor townies
*Eck Stanger, chief photographer for the Ann Arbor News for 40 years, landed the job because he was the only News employee able to read the German instructions for his secondhand Speed Graphic camera. Or so the legend goes. Over the course of his four decades as photographer – and the News’ sole photographer during its first 12 years–“one-shot Stanger,” as he came to be known–captured famous statesmen, princes, and presidents, as well as eminent artists, musicians, scientists, and athletes. But he spent most of his time capturing everyday Ann Arborites with skill and a keen eye.
collective joy in graffiti alley
ann arbor, mi – summer 2018
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“the urge to transform one’s appearance, to dance outdoors,
to mock the powerful and embrace perfect strangers is not easy to suppress.”
-Barbara Ehrenreich, Dancing in the Streets: A History of Collective Joy
