tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28623672231864745022024-03-13T11:22:43.129-05:00DolanArtThoughts, inspiration, rants from Chicago artist William DolanBill Dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10753859495962318606noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2862367223186474502.post-70879996917842486232014-03-13T16:34:00.001-05:002014-03-13T16:34:08.733-05:00Ghost Train<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggIPFm0iMlOSheO_c1jCFodtyJ7yOXlRCIXm7m-iemOsyDnE6XIRDW8Tp61m1RYopX7BjXbcPSJ144Mr7exWevK7vSaGHqdenV_OS1iuxkhxr3oYAXydgGdbW72VDjCNZ5ceYh0uCyEYQ/s1600/ghosttrain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggIPFm0iMlOSheO_c1jCFodtyJ7yOXlRCIXm7m-iemOsyDnE6XIRDW8Tp61m1RYopX7BjXbcPSJ144Mr7exWevK7vSaGHqdenV_OS1iuxkhxr3oYAXydgGdbW72VDjCNZ5ceYh0uCyEYQ/s1600/ghosttrain.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ghost Train<br />underpainting</td></tr>
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I had a dream once of a 4000 series L train passing the subway platform where I was standing. Though the 1920s era trains were still used on the Evanston Express during my youth, they had been taken out of the more heavily traveled routes that went through the subway by then. <br />
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This particular train was full of people that had been riding since the 1950s as was evident in their clothing. It slowed down for the station but didn't stop. It scared the shit out of me as the people looked right at me.<br />
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I don't know where the inspiration came from. I'm pretty sure it was something I saw on television. I often think of the dream while waiting for a train in the subway. I imagine getting on outdated L car that is full of people from another decade and somehow being transported to their time.<br />
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This Ghost Train is from the 1950s with the livery used from the 1960s and '70s I imagine it takes place in the present, having been rolling nonstop for a few decades. If it stops, I think I'll just wait for the next one.Bill Dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10753859495962318606noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2862367223186474502.post-17624342690158022382014-03-02T21:33:00.001-06:002014-03-06T09:53:53.102-06:00You Will Soon Be Like Us<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyfnSRUt-hUgjvhG95LOuyxtgSUD-PtskTe0wet-IRLfV9hzNgK03dLSF7XAF_KnEid2SSmWRg1lVQZuky1uHTLUzmVlztN1Lu4Ro7bwVeGVmjtlQKImS0fisceqBQm-kd_tIKVUP9-QE/s1600/skulls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyfnSRUt-hUgjvhG95LOuyxtgSUD-PtskTe0wet-IRLfV9hzNgK03dLSF7XAF_KnEid2SSmWRg1lVQZuky1uHTLUzmVlztN1Lu4Ro7bwVeGVmjtlQKImS0fisceqBQm-kd_tIKVUP9-QE/s1600/skulls.jpg" height="320" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detail of Blue and Yeller, oil on canvas</td></tr>
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Back in the gentrification of the late '80s and '90s, I was aware of all of the beautiful living spaces that did not have art. Dramatic lighting of blank or exposed brick walls ruled the day and probably still does. <br />
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In response, I started adding the works of artists in the windows of my buildings. Some were local artists and some were national and global artists. I enjoyed it, because it allowed me to explore painting in another artist's style while incorporating my own heavy-handedness and thick paint. I also often incorporated silhouettes of people admiring the art, inspired by Roger Brown.<br />
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I always liked putting this simple evidence of life in my, otherwise quiet and empty streets. Since I was a kid, whenever walking the streets at night, I always tried to get a peek at what was going on inside the apartments and houses I would pass and still do.<br />
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I remember one such walk with my Dad back in '68 or '69. He pointed out a red glow emanating from the windows of an apartment on our street and said, through his usual gnashed teeth, "See that red light? That means its a whore house." It was a while before I knew what that meant and even longer before I knew why he appeared to be agitated, but it made an impression on me.<br />
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Fast-forward to last fall. I was working on a painting from my new series and wanted to put something in the window, so I added some simple skulls. After doing it, I found it was a connection to my earlier work that I thought may have been lost. I didn't know what they meant and have been unable to figure out what they meant, but I did know that they belonged there. Steve Jobs once said that "You can't always connect the dots looking forward, but looking back it all [makes] sense."<br />
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Well tonight, I connected the dots.<br />
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I used to have a photo, clipped from the newspaper in my studio. It was a picture of a skull and bone installation created by monks in Italy. Above the doorway, written in bones, was the phrase "Once we were like you. Soon, you will be like us."<br />
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It was a reminder to chart one's own course, despite living in a world that wants to make one into something else, to have one kneel at the crotch of power and despite those around one to drag one into their misery.<br />
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It's not easy, but it is a fight in which we all need to engage.<br />
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<br />Bill Dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10753859495962318606noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2862367223186474502.post-34328021103462517882014-02-24T15:59:00.002-06:002014-02-24T16:07:25.799-06:00Where the Alley Meets the StreetIn 2011 I started a series of drawings of Chicago Alleys. I tried to capture the experience of exploring Chicago's other street grid at night. It was somewhat of a diversion from the street scenes that I had been painting for some time. <br />
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Inspired by these sketches, I wanted to somehow incorporate the feel of the alley drawings in my painting. I started by focusing on an aspect of the drawings. What came naturally were the phone poles and wires. These paintings were largely formal studies of line, shape and color.<br />
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However, I wanted to somehow incorporate the buildings of my past work. The backs of the buildings were not as colorful and seemed less interesting in these intimate closeups of alley life than what you would find in front.<br />
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So I started painting the corner of the alley where it meets the cross street. <a href="http://www.dolanart.com/alleypaintings.html" target="_blank">These current paintings</a> examine the utility of the alley and the formal presentation of the street. Below is a sample of the earlier work and the first of the cross street paintings.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXHv3N-W_08lczl2QmfV3uh1V1ndf905rfDFOo-bUlaaE0ePyjGdaH9qFVE9mS1SzWAVlsDqJBLFbpEyXFHBgQ8iu6mkEHzc8V2qa7XV6tB5NWrrqiIiymRpn8bUNynYEre0InQQFdg0U/s1600/Overhang.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXHv3N-W_08lczl2QmfV3uh1V1ndf905rfDFOo-bUlaaE0ePyjGdaH9qFVE9mS1SzWAVlsDqJBLFbpEyXFHBgQ8iu6mkEHzc8V2qa7XV6tB5NWrrqiIiymRpn8bUNynYEre0InQQFdg0U/s1600/Overhang.jpg" height="320" width="232" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Overhang | oil on canvas | 22"x16" </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBkAe80y8IYjUoB1IXKIkwA0WRca51y3zf0VW3JCqdJ1K1CsrJA0pYqRTyoOCNslRpNlGRCKKtjhbNhWII0qIAYTX5o4mPwiEQ0Yq2mXr1ysWX7pODbTpGHdJRU-ZdC1ixZSZzNCHxXqw/s1600/PowerTrio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBkAe80y8IYjUoB1IXKIkwA0WRca51y3zf0VW3JCqdJ1K1CsrJA0pYqRTyoOCNslRpNlGRCKKtjhbNhWII0qIAYTX5o4mPwiEQ0Yq2mXr1ysWX7pODbTpGHdJRU-ZdC1ixZSZzNCHxXqw/s1600/PowerTrio.jpg" height="320" width="233" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Power Trio | oil on canvas | 22"x16" </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXCjLnhxtkbvorzAFJSjC4kRqVMm2yOTZS0txscFPl19U70FMNC0yYgT7JUdIA10mwV7J3DRi-rkfv7eK8_bRnsRBmkzhfReSwwW8jt-RwsedcfsPlnfsde8jKx7fEkNCRkTGl1Y_rq8/s1600/StrungUp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXCjLnhxtkbvorzAFJSjC4kRqVMm2yOTZS0txscFPl19U70FMNC0yYgT7JUdIA10mwV7J3DRi-rkfv7eK8_bRnsRBmkzhfReSwwW8jt-RwsedcfsPlnfsde8jKx7fEkNCRkTGl1Y_rq8/s1600/StrungUp.jpg" height="320" width="230" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strung Up | oil on canvas | 22"x16"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPsPZd_VlmMIzoRTD2zws_ImYFJ5tUL6QJDrlnofFUmvld8ByviXrTyqesSch0ESU6dTTeFOJVZmdmBF0eQASNd0s-FMRJ6Gecgqt3oUymNrtmll866hjOjwmroniXAmS1Lz55d80RXvU/s1600/Synchronized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPsPZd_VlmMIzoRTD2zws_ImYFJ5tUL6QJDrlnofFUmvld8ByviXrTyqesSch0ESU6dTTeFOJVZmdmBF0eQASNd0s-FMRJ6Gecgqt3oUymNrtmll866hjOjwmroniXAmS1Lz55d80RXvU/s1600/Synchronized.jpg" height="320" width="232" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Synchronized | oil on canvas | 22"x16"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVt6VKBDdRdgAy-TLO0gDfZkmhFqqO1cYy32ZUSZpMubXd1MSNqlMbM3Phyphenhyphen4enawwUuweRFRIaVIgu-i0eyqdempFFOiqJnAl39o2abmA6CaiU6NtRTWknijIdel-HxA6GzWJIxs9GOnk/s1600/TangledWeb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVt6VKBDdRdgAy-TLO0gDfZkmhFqqO1cYy32ZUSZpMubXd1MSNqlMbM3Phyphenhyphen4enawwUuweRFRIaVIgu-i0eyqdempFFOiqJnAl39o2abmA6CaiU6NtRTWknijIdel-HxA6GzWJIxs9GOnk/s1600/TangledWeb.jpg" height="320" width="231" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tangled Web | oil on canvas | 22"x16"</td></tr>
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<br />Bill Dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10753859495962318606noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2862367223186474502.post-26443083084599856852013-02-17T20:54:00.000-06:002013-02-17T20:56:55.457-06:00Should I Stay or Should I GoAs computer technology develops and becomes more and more complicated, always at its heart is something very simple, very basic, very beatiful; a switch. On. Off.Bill Dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10753859495962318606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2862367223186474502.post-81929019406166635972013-02-15T21:23:00.003-06:002013-02-15T21:30:13.301-06:00The First ThanksgivingIn fifth grade we had to do paintings of the First Thanksgiving. Of course it was all about Pilgrims and Indians and turkeys. These illustrations were your standard tempera paints on manilla paper stuff. Well, at one point I accidentally dripped some flesh-colored paint on the end of a Pilgrim's boot. It looked funny so I made it his toe and added a flap of boot that his toe had broke through. I was so amused, I painted an arrow sticking out of his hat. For some reason, that painting disappeared.<br />
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Well about three months later I got my first baby-sitting assignment. My Mom was called in to discuss my "problem." At that time my brother was about a month old. Mom, a Registered Nurse, would come home from working the midnight shift in the emergency room at Edgewater Hospital and my Dad would go off to work downtown. This particular morning she had to stop off at school first to discuss my problem with the school psychologist. My Dad could (or maybe would) not stay home with my baby Brother until she got home, so I had to watch him.<br />
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When my Mom got there, they pulled out the painting. Apparently my teacher and the administrators at Stone School were disturbed by what I thought was just a funny work of art. They also told her about my drawings of tornados and flaming car crashes (I watched a lot of Speed Racer in those days). Bleary-eyed from being awake for almost 12 hours, her response was something like, "YOU HAD ME COME IN HERE FOR THIS?!!"<br />
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They already had put together an extended program of psychological evaluation and treatment and needed her signature to get started. She stormed out of the meeting and came home.<br />
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I went to school late that day and was scolded by the teacher, who knew I was going to be late and why. I was in trouble anyway.Bill Dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10753859495962318606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2862367223186474502.post-27178986687447009112013-02-02T21:29:00.004-06:002013-02-02T21:52:02.477-06:00Alley Studies: A Trip Through Chicago’s OTHER Street Grid <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMeLf_48XG3qbxG2rxKs4rkoWsKAUeYG88T5mW0RBPioqx4YknVQXtA4TZIQ5a4sMw0NHOnHSPdtSDkk1ErfI1s4Fmn_KZlPuuXIVhWC2Vl1FyeRPrqEeMCJj6fSG0Ms80o1INJ661FAk/s1600/AlleyStudy4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMeLf_48XG3qbxG2rxKs4rkoWsKAUeYG88T5mW0RBPioqx4YknVQXtA4TZIQ5a4sMw0NHOnHSPdtSDkk1ErfI1s4Fmn_KZlPuuXIVhWC2Vl1FyeRPrqEeMCJj6fSG0Ms80o1INJ661FAk/s320/AlleyStudy4.jpg" width="251" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alley Study 4 with L Train</td></tr>
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Chicago is famous for its large grid of streets. It’s a sort of framework on which the city is built. Based on the United States Public Land Survey, there are eight blocks to a mile with a major thoroughfare every four. These blocks are either laid out in full (long blocks) or halved (short blocks).<br />
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However, there is another network of roadways that is almost as large and somewhat more interesting. A secondary lattice of alleys, offset from the streets is where the burg takes care of its dirty business. It’s a place where garbage is collected, parking is accessed and power is delivered. It is also a place where many acts that aren’t meant for public view are carried out.<br />
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For children growing up in Chicago, the alley is a playground. There are games that are designed for it. Lineball, a linear version of softball uses the cracks, garage edges and phone poles to mark off areas that determine whether a ball’s bounce is a single, double, triple or home run. Hitting the ball in a yard is an automatic out. Touch football with just a few guys is just made for the narrow confines of the alley. There are also appliance boxes to play in and garage roofs to climb.<br />
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The sign on the front door says “DELIVER ALL GOODS IN REAR.” That means groceries, coal furniture and other large items go down the alley. There was a time when the knife sharpener and the fruit & vegetable salesmen would announce their presence in song. Ice and milk were also delivered via the alley. Carriers pushed wooden carts filled with the morning newspapers. Many of them had metal wheels that made a deafening racket as they rolled along, often at a jog.<br />
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The alley hasn’t changed much over the years. However, one can still find the occasional concrete ash bin. Perhaps the observant could even spot a 55 gallon drum or two being reused as garbage cans.<br />
Before plastic bins, these were ubiquitous. They once contained fluids as diverse as banana puree and machine lubricant. Gone, though, is the distinctive sound of an empty can hitting the ground after it was emptied into the back of the refuse truck. Toward the end of their existence they had aluminum lids, compliments of the mayor, that would crash around the alley with the wind.<br />
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The alley holds together the social fabric of the city. People are more likely to know their neighbors from across the alley than across the street as they are usually closer and not cut off from each other by a busy street. It’s a place to hang out.<br />
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The alleyscape exists on a more human scale. Vehicles and pedestrians share the space much like a medieval street in modern Europe.<br />
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It is this relationship of alleys with the city that has forever made an impression on me and inspired me to make these drawings – a tribute to the Chicago alley.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>From the book, <b>Alley Studies: A Trip through Chicago's OTHER Street Grid</b>, a collection of alley drawings, ©2012 William Dolan all rights reserved.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://www.lulu.com/commerce/index.php?fBuyContent=12915651" target="_blank">Please go here to find out more and to purchase the book</a>.</i></span>Bill Dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10753859495962318606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2862367223186474502.post-37269287587128172692013-01-30T00:01:00.001-06:002013-01-30T00:01:03.029-06:00I'm BackI walked away from blogging for a while while I focused on the art blog I'm involved with, <a href="http://www.neotericart.com/" target="_blank">NeotericArt</a>. Well, for the most part, I've exhausted everything I wanted to say about the art world. <br />
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Since then, I've been occasionally been writing extended Facebook updates. It seems to me this would be more of an appropriate venue for that. It's also a good place to archive those thoughts. Therefore, in the next week or so, I'll be moving those posts over here. After that, I'll be writing more frequently. I do have something to say that I can't or that I don't want to say through my art. <br />
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I will also add a link from the navbar on my site so more people can find this. As it is now, spam bots are the only visitors that this blog gets.<br />
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In any case, it's good to be back.Bill Dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10753859495962318606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2862367223186474502.post-39186355491974737202010-11-24T20:35:00.002-06:002010-11-24T20:35:17.147-06:00Lill Coal and Oil<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><a class="actorName" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=672937520" href="http://www.facebook.com/billdolan" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">William Dolan</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span data-jsid="text"></span></span><br />
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_4cedca21889809a97518424" style="display: inline;">Our Landlord bought his coal from a smaller outfit, as there were still quite a few in Chicago in the 1960s. Lill Coal and Oil was one of the largest. They had a yard at Berwyn and what is the Red Line, today. I remember seeing the coal c<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">ars that the CTA dropped off at night next to the L tracks. I believe, The North Shore Line used to deliver these cars. Coal heat was still very popular back then, especially in the larger corner apartment buildings. Like today, the owners of these places did not like to invest money in them, so they were slower to upgrade the heating systems to oil or natural gas. I love the smell of coal.</span></div>Bill Dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10753859495962318606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2862367223186474502.post-61996203755474937542010-11-15T12:02:00.000-06:002010-11-15T12:02:12.508-06:00Open All Night<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixB5bHdN8ex8VBGS-FqePiaYDAa2JtqR3RWvH6sdY_IpX8j6qlVhYXO0E1wg1dHVNZbPypy5Fbw13E148JlFpiAQQc0Rs1q-msxTadKstWPQEPaSuFDRV9sAKTW-643vhP8nfyXDxWwIs/s1600/OpenAllNight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixB5bHdN8ex8VBGS-FqePiaYDAa2JtqR3RWvH6sdY_IpX8j6qlVhYXO0E1wg1dHVNZbPypy5Fbw13E148JlFpiAQQc0Rs1q-msxTadKstWPQEPaSuFDRV9sAKTW-643vhP8nfyXDxWwIs/s320/OpenAllNight.jpg" width="136" /></a></div>As the late and early 19th century neighborhoods have been largely demolished to make way for the early 21st century neighborhoods, the mid-century section of the city and inner ring suburbs have been left alone, for the most part. Some of it is decaying and is looking well-worn.Bill Dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10753859495962318606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2862367223186474502.post-79267800134815964842010-11-03T23:18:00.000-05:002010-11-03T23:43:19.651-05:00Grotesque<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBOLNOD1o0pFE_Lom0zsLJ8mDF59CVsM8P7VviM2L05KUQF68y3yXmchQw0h4uQCg4PdZgFYdHGDzLKuYPTMKubyGjp6ESq2_m3vLNpCLFGwrZj-e4QGKUf0GKAJ207mObePW1MGa6A54/s1600/grotesque.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBOLNOD1o0pFE_Lom0zsLJ8mDF59CVsM8P7VviM2L05KUQF68y3yXmchQw0h4uQCg4PdZgFYdHGDzLKuYPTMKubyGjp6ESq2_m3vLNpCLFGwrZj-e4QGKUf0GKAJ207mObePW1MGa6A54/s320/grotesque.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>I would like to see a revival in grotesques. There has been a trend in the last couple of decades of referencing the architecture of the late 19th and early 20th centuries in modern buildings. This, along with a renewed interest in ornate fixtures, such as street lights, gives the urban and suburban environment a warmer, more human feeling, I guess.<br />
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Unfortunately, in many cases it hasn't been done well. This leads to a cartoonish, Disneyesque recreation of past cities that never existed. Perhaps adding some grotesques and gargoyles would help.Bill Dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10753859495962318606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2862367223186474502.post-40443216542314934322010-11-03T23:17:00.000-05:002010-11-03T23:42:53.658-05:00Support System<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkxRDQRe3Og9jgxucsxpfPJJVXSciEoMqGnnZ_kkufXk1A-RHwuXz3d4clvAZpOvRGbPuskiRtYKqVpBn7AYvAxojxgALtnQRsiK3aq5vekOeP6P4LRIHH7f2oURj5twckkwAGMMd3v1g/s1600/supportsystem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkxRDQRe3Og9jgxucsxpfPJJVXSciEoMqGnnZ_kkufXk1A-RHwuXz3d4clvAZpOvRGbPuskiRtYKqVpBn7AYvAxojxgALtnQRsiK3aq5vekOeP6P4LRIHH7f2oURj5twckkwAGMMd3v1g/s320/supportsystem.jpg" width="237" /></a></div>We all need some sort of support system to succeed in life. However, it is important not to loose one’s sense of self while being part of someone else’s support system.Bill Dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10753859495962318606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2862367223186474502.post-21744600336520979592010-11-03T23:16:00.000-05:002010-11-03T23:42:13.285-05:00Safety First<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-4pD-ngsZoNrHYDxAjr8931QmNWMkSx6qReanuyNkTPPMOz3336J82kXuCl-wrjuKsT4ggZCBOcWGsIG8OB30jblqhE3uUt5vWG2PQbJMTCpXyq8pzanZvtHadk2iKtlyOuxYb54wpzw/s1600/safetyfirst.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-4pD-ngsZoNrHYDxAjr8931QmNWMkSx6qReanuyNkTPPMOz3336J82kXuCl-wrjuKsT4ggZCBOcWGsIG8OB30jblqhE3uUt5vWG2PQbJMTCpXyq8pzanZvtHadk2iKtlyOuxYb54wpzw/s320/safetyfirst.jpg" width="231" /></a></div>Before busses and L trains were air conditioned, they had windows that opened. Of course, the passengers had to be warned not to "put head or arms out of window."<br />
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Several times during the life of the vehicles, the interiors were repainted. This was always done by brush. As an economic measure, they painted around the warning stickers.<br />
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This one has been vandalized in a demonstration of creativity that was very common by the mid-seventies. During the sixties and early seventies, it was very rare to see vandalism in and on Chicago Transit Authority vehicles. However, as the 1970s progressed the thickly padded seats in the busses and trains were getting slashed at an alarming rate, leading to the hard, uncomfortable fiberglass seats of today.Bill Dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10753859495962318606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2862367223186474502.post-7226827349937428992010-11-03T23:15:00.002-05:002010-11-03T23:41:46.852-05:00Norton<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ZN_67esbJ48dcQNr20MK2z7YoGE1AgAVOXbzfNqZOU4EDx9Qd2BQV9pGRIY5kSIOqQb8jnVb1NS2YWVVqtx9yxmLIVfH4C7GonEfyF0kjDfB0oHt5TlZNK8ktmXVXZL0530-urYQXnE/s1600/norton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ZN_67esbJ48dcQNr20MK2z7YoGE1AgAVOXbzfNqZOU4EDx9Qd2BQV9pGRIY5kSIOqQb8jnVb1NS2YWVVqtx9yxmLIVfH4C7GonEfyF0kjDfB0oHt5TlZNK8ktmXVXZL0530-urYQXnE/s320/norton.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>The crankcase cover of a Norton has an interesting shape that lends itself to exploring the abrstract reflections.Bill Dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10753859495962318606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2862367223186474502.post-40028141792935458572010-11-03T23:15:00.001-05:002010-11-03T23:16:17.748-05:00Lotto Cigs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWDy03sODmIviFahd1AjSvpFPcY8IcBy0NcghS0jMiB-GKws03UJYHhiTJhh9PgR-ZUkfgkrvC0FNsvcTIrs7TY7diFTHO_DcRGTX15YZVB0a4WjdobYvFtilJsttL2srwgjj2xjm6lyE/s1600/lottocigs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWDy03sODmIviFahd1AjSvpFPcY8IcBy0NcghS0jMiB-GKws03UJYHhiTJhh9PgR-ZUkfgkrvC0FNsvcTIrs7TY7diFTHO_DcRGTX15YZVB0a4WjdobYvFtilJsttL2srwgjj2xjm6lyE/s320/lottocigs.jpg" width="162" /></a></div>Who needs shopping malls? Investment opportunities, indulgences, groceries, gifts and more are all at the urban general store!<br />
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Here's a buck. Get me a Quick Pick while you're in there. Thanks.Bill Dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10753859495962318606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2862367223186474502.post-555464834984075622010-11-03T23:14:00.000-05:002010-11-03T23:14:21.986-05:00A Long Night<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU-neDPSL3AHy5HuEuSQM5uZmm1EMRolAvcJwX7OXWkxdZ94H78FEojIFo6JIxvF4SqAeZBhYwF-OqyDxfZZFDLCIBqa7zFi1BQs3aWl9CejfpL7ImttgNqpxq_LtdunmpbhyphenhyphenfzamfnJQ/s1600/alongnight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU-neDPSL3AHy5HuEuSQM5uZmm1EMRolAvcJwX7OXWkxdZ94H78FEojIFo6JIxvF4SqAeZBhYwF-OqyDxfZZFDLCIBqa7zFi1BQs3aWl9CejfpL7ImttgNqpxq_LtdunmpbhyphenhyphenfzamfnJQ/s320/alongnight.jpg" width="167" /></a></div>I’m not sure if a long night starts or ends in a place like this, but I’m sure tomorrow’s going to be rough.Bill Dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10753859495962318606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2862367223186474502.post-31741880812083318172010-11-03T23:13:00.000-05:002010-11-03T23:13:31.872-05:00Used Tires<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinbooW6K2MtXWsuy488CxopW-UZkVj0d7kj6HV0ZIywdm1iNdS06aOzyioKJn__ECAdL-RYwqMfPIgrZ9A-re51mGkrPovX7VVZoTVTmKxNdvOW2mEeKH_SsMSAnPRVI4BD2N5qUrdE1w/s1600/usedtires.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinbooW6K2MtXWsuy488CxopW-UZkVj0d7kj6HV0ZIywdm1iNdS06aOzyioKJn__ECAdL-RYwqMfPIgrZ9A-re51mGkrPovX7VVZoTVTmKxNdvOW2mEeKH_SsMSAnPRVI4BD2N5qUrdE1w/s320/usedtires.jpg" width="221" /></a></div>Frequently overlooked in the “Green” movement is the concept of reuse. This is especially true in the automotive sector, where recycling materials is king. With recycling, there is more energy spent and some of the material to be recycled is wasted.<br />
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A major example of this was the Cash for Clunkers program. Perfectly good vehicles were sent to the crusher that could have been put to use where vehicles are needed. Folks that need to travel to distant low-paying jobs could have used them. They could have traded cars that were on their last legs for more road-worthy Cash for Clunker trade-ins. Their original junks could have then been recycled.<br />
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It is in that spirit that used tire shops can be thought of as supporting the Green movement. We still increasingly throw away what is broken and replace it with new.Bill Dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10753859495962318606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2862367223186474502.post-13884109291964719682010-11-03T23:12:00.000-05:002010-11-03T23:12:30.661-05:00Lounge Entertainment<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOkkYb0yR1UXGu2wAQYKmHjizWvNf_lqjGpiiDImYBr-MQW6j2Z8fQDPxV7BV4-9nzbv-z3MjhVZua4M4z1fW7gK8dOQHbuClBXLqk4eWUd9-PkbPX5ofloa_Vy1TDzQPkY5X57Z64jYo/s1600/loungeentertainment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOkkYb0yR1UXGu2wAQYKmHjizWvNf_lqjGpiiDImYBr-MQW6j2Z8fQDPxV7BV4-9nzbv-z3MjhVZua4M4z1fW7gK8dOQHbuClBXLqk4eWUd9-PkbPX5ofloa_Vy1TDzQPkY5X57Z64jYo/s320/loungeentertainment.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>It’s got glass blocks, a little window with a neon sign and art moderne trim. What more do you want? Oh yeah, some lounge entertainment.<br />
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I remember a couple of kids in grade school, that when they needed permission or money from their moms, they knew they would find them in a bar like this. In one case the family owned the joint and lived in the apartment upstairs.Bill Dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10753859495962318606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2862367223186474502.post-40471257235976011772010-11-03T23:05:00.001-05:002010-11-03T23:40:47.286-05:00Open Till 4<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ejLAx22TFkHQiCiM4NoaGoJdHYnRXNMMrAz63QOPub3qsDdiiNFjsia0JFItjRSztxXwG7hAzX-FNX4PGCidVzTqRH6mHiiT4VXKmUa-h510146CsKU_IrBwUb3GI1TjxVinD4ngGjQ/s1600/opentill4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ejLAx22TFkHQiCiM4NoaGoJdHYnRXNMMrAz63QOPub3qsDdiiNFjsia0JFItjRSztxXwG7hAzX-FNX4PGCidVzTqRH6mHiiT4VXKmUa-h510146CsKU_IrBwUb3GI1TjxVinD4ngGjQ/s320/opentill4.jpg" width="237" /></a></div>Just like it says.Bill Dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10753859495962318606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2862367223186474502.post-68864819960524536252010-11-03T23:05:00.000-05:002010-11-03T23:05:47.011-05:00No Parking<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0wH9gFNkiwIvrf28ixp9MSOOF5QDuXxosHHEfoZkcj8ExCL947BRA7yML0b22UCDOV4vn8nmrwcP13iAzno6XCTgkIlTflgk00c5iTXPbLBBmfcBLA_iS8jfSMIZIBEq-Y4RDBTfTsK8/s1600/noparking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0wH9gFNkiwIvrf28ixp9MSOOF5QDuXxosHHEfoZkcj8ExCL947BRA7yML0b22UCDOV4vn8nmrwcP13iAzno6XCTgkIlTflgk00c5iTXPbLBBmfcBLA_iS8jfSMIZIBEq-Y4RDBTfTsK8/s320/noparking.jpg" width="242" /></a></div>Just don’t park in front of the garage, please. Thank you.Bill Dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10753859495962318606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2862367223186474502.post-87287211652871537532010-11-03T23:04:00.002-05:002010-11-03T23:40:02.609-05:00First City<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDYFyJSNJh0ZbqYA15otAzm_z72bgqoEWVzvWsBowonjId_gm_AByl53ofGXB6RzorFyQPtz5JXsnMcLO8yFzv33Lo2YDt2LgHDRHynbtcYWlhrJvzapsl_NLy_MaHSayxTbKgLcB6sL4/s1600/firstcity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDYFyJSNJh0ZbqYA15otAzm_z72bgqoEWVzvWsBowonjId_gm_AByl53ofGXB6RzorFyQPtz5JXsnMcLO8yFzv33Lo2YDt2LgHDRHynbtcYWlhrJvzapsl_NLy_MaHSayxTbKgLcB6sL4/s320/firstcity.jpg" width="243" /></a></div>This is a painting of an old billboard promoting Chicago as a First City. No doubt, they are playing off of Chicago's reputation as a second city. I changed the text to reflect Chicago's inferiority complex that its art scene has. It has been languishing for a couple of decades now, yet there are those that say it is second to none.Bill Dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10753859495962318606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2862367223186474502.post-11747185012804068652010-11-03T23:04:00.001-05:002010-11-03T23:04:38.084-05:00Herby's Red Hot's<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcJkkLMewBYVih2bYb9jTfu0Rehe-z5QXEdPHjbm0q7xTVbqQIv0vQTKCpH3-3ZDW46LUHSfeH7xCdXmLXhS-SfkR5e4RYn86yFE835tRXOq8gByZX5Dt5_lMiU6GQCRzfhFPsa2Sr2wU/s1600/herbysredhots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcJkkLMewBYVih2bYb9jTfu0Rehe-z5QXEdPHjbm0q7xTVbqQIv0vQTKCpH3-3ZDW46LUHSfeH7xCdXmLXhS-SfkR5e4RYn86yFE835tRXOq8gByZX5Dt5_lMiU6GQCRzfhFPsa2Sr2wU/s320/herbysredhots.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>This is a hot dog stand in a former gas station from the 1920s. It’s open late and like every other hot dog stand, has the best hot dogs.Bill Dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10753859495962318606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2862367223186474502.post-78443279810963628572010-11-03T23:04:00.000-05:002010-11-03T23:04:06.725-05:00Forty Two<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_n2_Cwhb3elVfzZX4dCcBP_EbgOlbVWoscL_JlvFPAxxbjyHyI2ZJL7K-emhZ683hg_bRMjuN1p-1NlzCEv6YAGJXTlv1Qz3qVCHaypQ5Zn9Mv5UvZMtkgW-f4LxJom10-MLkqJY35M/s1600/fortytwo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_n2_Cwhb3elVfzZX4dCcBP_EbgOlbVWoscL_JlvFPAxxbjyHyI2ZJL7K-emhZ683hg_bRMjuN1p-1NlzCEv6YAGJXTlv1Qz3qVCHaypQ5Zn9Mv5UvZMtkgW-f4LxJom10-MLkqJY35M/s320/fortytwo.jpg" width="165" /></a></div>As I continue to explore the vanishing urban infrastructure that is being replaced by a sort of “suburbanization,” I turn the corner and find myself in a more seedy area. Before the internet, adult book stores used to dot the city landscape. This is one such place. They were close to downtown where the unhappily married man could stop off on the way home or at lunch for some attention. Many were open 24 hours so the lonely and desparate could, well, whatever.<br />
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Because there were so many of these places, there must have been a need and since pornography makes up about half of all of the internet traffic and resources, that need must still exist. I was always fascinated by their carnival sideshow appearance. I’m sure there were many freaks inside.Bill Dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10753859495962318606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2862367223186474502.post-41573946542000220022010-11-03T23:03:00.000-05:002010-11-03T23:03:09.612-05:0032 Lanes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3kpur9LNIWvLwjli3lfARH8RyZZiUwpQRuH3jdX95-cWdgDPmyLr8_lC1Ba8hA6GnOwx1iSo_6wiTP6a2_tvS8AslxFunSqPuJnvZW2rfLkvRyfXumPaoHrbq4gFuHA5nWG3afh4Si94/s1600/32lanes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3kpur9LNIWvLwjli3lfARH8RyZZiUwpQRuH3jdX95-cWdgDPmyLr8_lC1Ba8hA6GnOwx1iSo_6wiTP6a2_tvS8AslxFunSqPuJnvZW2rfLkvRyfXumPaoHrbq4gFuHA5nWG3afh4Si94/s320/32lanes.jpg" width="166" /></a></div>The bowling alley is typical of a large bowling alley one would find in the middle of the city. Often times, the alley was upstairs and covered the entire upper floors of the building. The first floor contained stores, bars and maybe a restaurant.<br />
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A few of these places survived and are somewhat cherished as something important from another era. As time moves on, some things are replaced. Some are remembered with reverence. Some are forgotten. As long as there are survivors that are taken care of, that’s a good thing and those that are destroyed, something of value takes its place.<br />
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Except for the few that remain, the ones that disappeared were replaced by parking lots (like the one I based this painting on), condos or were burned down.<br />
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The car is a 1955 Hudson Hornet. It was the first year for Hudson after the merger with Nash on May 4, 1954 to form American Motors Corporation. These Hudsons were basically Nashes with Hudson engines. Hudson fans generally refer to these automobiles as Hashes. By 1958, though, American Motors reinvented itself behind the Rambler Marque and in 1970 under its own name. It lives on today as some of the DNA in Chrysler and in AM General. Yes, the HUMVEE that is used in defending Freedom was brought to us by the same people that gave us the Pacer.Bill Dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10753859495962318606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2862367223186474502.post-18297355494623384062010-11-03T23:02:00.001-05:002010-11-03T23:38:58.601-05:00Means of Support<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9gPOsz6nfrnjgCTZnV_35GP9cleG9ixgiHhMrTSXrZVpFm_SiMtLWC-Klm-rYoROTivn9-xQ_AfTGjYBz7Q86rjQKff_bNwhfsSWWXeEJJTGGRhxRTghTPJeBhPwxlbtbgA4a-CWa1_M/s1600/meansofsupport.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9gPOsz6nfrnjgCTZnV_35GP9cleG9ixgiHhMrTSXrZVpFm_SiMtLWC-Klm-rYoROTivn9-xQ_AfTGjYBz7Q86rjQKff_bNwhfsSWWXeEJJTGGRhxRTghTPJeBhPwxlbtbgA4a-CWa1_M/s320/meansofsupport.jpg" width="241" /></a></div>A detail study of an elevated railway structure.Bill Dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10753859495962318606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2862367223186474502.post-57105809325667005822010-11-03T23:02:00.000-05:002010-11-03T23:02:43.088-05:00Cocktails<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrVr7NnSHIBAHBtqLFeLfH4vAj02KcPcGAXnQ2p3TwysZ3J3yMY2KMcI-SDMDfiFI6DQtLAg34W5RAl6YsWkctmUS3OUT_b7uON1MAQQEyjBeYINQHeQmtSwp0RvVtKm-G5PR4PPtLrTA/s1600/cocktails.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrVr7NnSHIBAHBtqLFeLfH4vAj02KcPcGAXnQ2p3TwysZ3J3yMY2KMcI-SDMDfiFI6DQtLAg34W5RAl6YsWkctmUS3OUT_b7uON1MAQQEyjBeYINQHeQmtSwp0RvVtKm-G5PR4PPtLrTA/s320/cocktails.jpg" width="164" /></a></div>As the city is being rebuilt into a safe-haven of trendy bar and grills and condominims, joints like this are disappearing. As you pass by, the smoke pouring out* and the loud muffled music is threatening. It’s a scary place, but for some reason you want to go inside. The glass block windows and the single door in the hole suggests you may become trapped. What’s going on in there? Is it safe?Bill Dolanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10753859495962318606noreply@blogger.com0