30th Annual Art in the Park

Plymouth, Michigan
Friday 12-8
Saturday 10-7
Sunday 10-5

Booth #829 on Main Street facing Kellogg Park
near the corner of Ann Arbor Trail.

Present or mention this Blog Article and:

• Pay NO SALES TAX on your purchase.

• Receive a Free Gift with purchase of any framed work.

(Tax Discount & Gift Offer valid only for purchases of work by James C. Ritchie at Art in the Park, July 11-13, 2009.)

Northville's Art in the Sun

Visit me (and about 100 other artists) at



Northville, Michigan.

June 27-28, 2009

Saturday 10-5, and Sunday 11-5.

Booth #61 on N. Center St.
near the Starting Gate Saloon.

Present or mention this Blog Article and:

• Pay NO SALES TAX on your purchase.

• Receive a Free Gift with purchase of any framed work.

(Tax Discount & Gift Offer valid only for purchases of work by James C. Ritchie at Art in the Sun, June 26-27, 2009.)

Tiger Stadium is "Long Gone"

The slow, grim, tortuous death of Detroit's historic Tiger Stadium is over. The end came Monday afternoon when the upper deck along the first base line became so weakened that it collapsed upon itself. All that remains is a dugout-to-dugout pile of rubble.

The Detroit Economic Growth Corp. has finally succeeded in preventing the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy from saving the Navin Field portion of the beloved old ballpark. Another piece of Detroit's history and architectural heritage has been ruthlessly and needlessly pulverized into oblivion.

(I think the "D" in DEGC actually stands for Destroying or Defeating Economic Growth.)

Read about the Conservancy.

See the Conservancy's plans for the old ballpark.

Then read the Conservancy's statement about the ultimate destruction of Tiger Stadium.



Friday, September 24, 1999
"The Corner" glowed under the stadium lights for the last time as the Tigers played Kansas City in the final scheduled night game.
(Click photos for larger view.)

Monday, September 27, 1999
The last batter of the last inning of the last game ever played at Tiger Stadium.



August 11, 2008
The center and right field stands had been demolished.



Sunday, May 31, 2009
The plan was to preserve this "Navin Field" portion of the stadium from first base to third base.



Sunday, 21 June, 2009
View from center field (the flag pole was 440 ft. from home plate).
Destruction resumed after a TRO halting demolition was rescinded.



On Monday afternoon the continuing demolition weakened the structure so severely that the upper deck along the first base line collapsed and fell in on itself.


Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Same center field vantage point about noon.



In a matter of days the rubble will be hauled away and Tiger Stadium will be, as Ernie Harwell called home runs, "Long Gone!" and Detroit will be scarred with another unwanted, unneeded, ugly, overgrown, vacant city block.

All photos above Copyright (C) 1999-2009 James C. Ritchie



Click below for Don Coles' aerial photos of the demolition
July 5, 2008 - June 22, 2009
http://www.aerialpics.com/G/TigerStadiumDemo.html

One day only

8th Annual Berkley Art Bash

Saturday, June 13, 2009
10 am - 6 pm



Visit my booth in front of the Berkley marquee:

Mount Clemens Art Fair

Mount Clemens, Michigan is my next stop on the art fair trail.

Drop by and visit Fri., Sat., Sun., June 5-6-7, 2009

Present or mention this Blog Article and:

* Pay NO SALES TAX on your purchase.

* Receive a Free Gift with purchase of any framed work.




Click for Google Map

(Tax Discount & Gift Offer valid only for purchases of work by James C. Ritchie at Mount Clemens Art Fair, June 4-5-6, 2009.)

Fine Art at the Village

May 16-17
Saturday 10-8
Sunday Noon-6.

Visit me this weekend at Fine Art at the Village in Rochester Hills, Michigan at the NE corner of Walton Blvd / Adams Rd in the Village shopping center.

Click for GOOGLE MAP

Art Fair Map - Booth 35 in front of Yankee Candle.

Catch the Spirit

It's officially Spring.


(Click on photos for larger view in a new window.)

The Detroit Red Wings started their 2009 "spring cleaning" with a 4-game sweep of the Columbus Bluejackets. Someone should put a broom in the Jolly Green Giant's hand!

The Red Wings -

• Have the 3rd largest collection of NHL Championship banners at 11 (Montreal has 23, and Toronto 13).

• Won back-to-back championships three times:
  

1935-36 / 1936-37
1953-54 / 1954-55
1996-97 / 1997-98

The way they're going so far, the prospects of an even dozen, and a 4th back-to-back look very good.

A tradition of dressing the Spirit of Detroit statue was born when the Red Wings won their 2nd straight Stanley Cup in 1998. Since then the Spirit has worn jerseys of the Red Wings in 2002, Detroit Pistons in 2004 & 2005, the Detroit Tigers in 2006 when they played in the World Series, and the WNBA Detroit Shock in 2006 & 2007. The Spirit's wardrobe has also included a tuxedo when the Three Tenors performed at Tiger Stadium in 1999, and a jersey in Detroit Lions blue with the number 40 when Detroit hosted Super Bowl XL at Ford Field.



During the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs the Spirit was undergoing restoration in preparation for rededication on the 50th anniversary of its installation. Because the green giant was covered in scaffolding, the huge tiger at the ballpark was bestowed with a Red Wings jersey in its stead. It was a disappointment to some, but still completely appropriate because Mike Illitch owns both the Detroit Tigers and the Detroit Red Wings.

It is unclear if the Spirit will be allowed to show its "colors" this year should the Red Wings get to the Stanley Cup Finals -- Zachary Gorchow of The Detroit Free Press reported that the Detroit Red Wings will have to pay up if they want The Spirit of Detroit to don a Red Wings jersey this spring:

No Sparty for the Spirit.
The Detroit Free Press, April 3, 2009

"It appears the Spirit of Detroit statue outside City Hall will not wear a Michigan State jersey in honor of the Spartans' run to the Final Four hosted at Ford Field.

"After completing a major restoration of the statue last year, the Detroit-Wayne Joint Building Authority, which owns the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, adopted a new policy requiring any entity wanting to place a jersey on the statue to pay $25,000 to cover the cost of refinishing the statue and any possible damage. Greg McDuffee, the authority's executive director, said having a jersey on the statue erodes its finish.

"The NCAA contacted building officials in January about placing a jersey on the statue, but declined after hearing the cost. And on Monday, after MSU beat Louisville to advance to the Final Four, a university official contacted the authority about placing a Spartan jersey on the Spirit, but also declined because of the cost.

"In the past, the Spirit has worn the jerseys of the Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Pistons and other Detroit-based teams when they have had playoff success. McDuffee said he didn't think that would change."

Spring Into Summer

Get a jump on summer.
Come see me at the 41st Annual

Westacres Artist Market

Saturday, May 2, 2009
10 am - 5 pm

Present This Blog Article and

• Pay NO SALES TAX on your purchase.

• Receive a Free Gift with purchase of any framed work.

.

3700 Westacres Dr.

West Bloomfield MI 48234

Map to Westacres

(Tax Discount & Gift Offer valid only for purchases of work by
James C. Ritchie at Westacres Artist Market on May 2, 2009.)

Detroit Artists Market - All Media Exhibition

My entry was accepted and is included in this exhibition.



Juror
Roger Green
Roger Green holds a Ph.D. in art history from the University of Chicago. For many years he was art and architecture critic for Booth Newspapers, a chain of eight Michigan dailies. Currently he is teaching at the College for Creative Studies, besides contributing reviews and news stories to ArtNews, American Craft and Sculpture magazines.


Artists
Dale Alcocer, Alice Allhoff, Carl Angevine, John Azoni, Roman Baranyk, Matt Boonstra, Jennifer Bostek, Candace Brancik, Colleen Brown, Jeff Cancelosi, Sherie Charron, David Cole, Gerald Conway, Tobi Couture, William Ebersberger, Beatriz Farino-Gomez, Marnie Fender, Robert Fionda, Thomas Frank, Joe Fugate, Erika Fulk, Mary Ann Grauf, Bryant Hoffman, James J. Hughes, Bill Jackson, Frank Joyce, Sooney Kadouh, Dan Kestler, Eric Law, Robert Lezuch, William J. MacArthur, Thomas J. McDonough, Jerry Morton, Russ Orlando, Scott Owsley, Jeanne Poulet, Judi Richards, James C. Ritchie, Yvette Rock, Brandon Scott, Richard Skelton, Krysti Spence, Acquanetta M. Sproule, Julia Stephenson, Stephanie Sturton, Stephen Taucher, Ron Teachworth and Martin Vecchio.


Opening Reception
Friday, May 1, 2009
Public Reception: 6:00pm - 9:00pm

Exhibition
Friday, May 1, 2009 through Saturday, June 6, 2009
Gallery Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 11:00am-6:00pm

Detroit Artists Market is in the Detroit Cultural Center 3 blocks south of the Detroit Institute of Art at 4719 Woodward Ave. at Forest.

All shows and exhibitions are free and open to the public.
Visit Detroit Artists Market online.

Lawrence Street Gallery exhibition

April 1 - 24, 2009

Lawrence Street Gallery
EXPOSURES: Photography '09

Opening Reception: Friday, April 3, 2009 6pm - 9pm

Awards Presentation 7:30pm

Lawrence Street Gallery's annual juried exhibition of photography is highly competitive and features all forms of original photography including black & white, color, digital, and alternative processes.

This year's juror is Marianne Letasi, the former staff photographer and the Rights and Reproduction Manager for the Detroit Institute of Arts.

Here are my two entries:

1938 Packard Goddess of Speed


1947 Buick

Lawrence Street Gallery

22620 Woodward Ave.

Ferndale, MI 48220

248-544-0394

1925 "Batmobile"

I saw this 1925 Rolls Royce at the 2006 Meadowbrook Concours d'Elegance in Rochester Hills, Michigan. My first reaction was: Wow! This body was YEARS ahead of its time. Such aerodynamic / streamline design didn't appear until the mid-1930s.

As is usually the case, I always seem to find the most interesting things while searching the internet for something else. Today I came across the history of this eye-popping treasure. Apparently the (obviously) custom body was not the original of 1925, but built and installed much later in 1932 by a subsequent owner. In the 1950s it was found in a New Jersey junkyard. In 2001 it was acquired by the Petersen Automotive Museum (6060 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles).

Read the entire tale here (it even has a Detroit connection).

It's things like this that make me really appreciate how special each and every Meadowbrook Concours is. Every year even a schlub like me can feast his eyes (and camera) on such rarities that are surely once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.

Pending Copyright Legislation

Being an artist myself, I'm keenly aware of how much work all artists invest in their art and I adamantly believe no one has any right to use an artwork for any unauthorized purpose.

On April 24, 2008 legislation was introduced in both the U. S. Senate and House of Representatives, S. 2913 and H.R. 5889, respectively, the "Orphan Works Act of 2008" aka, the "Shawn Bentley Orphan Works Act."

I'm no expert on the subject, but my feeling about it is this:

According to current copyright law, any work of visual art is protected by copyright by virtue of its very creation:

Chapter 3, ss 302

Copyright in a work created on or after January 1, 1978, subsists from its creation and . . . endures for a term consisting of the life of the author and 70 years after the author's death.

Despite this seemingly "automatic" protection, artists would be wise to register their works with the Copyright Office to afford themselves the maximum protection and compensation under the law. Unregistered works are still protected, but compensatory damage awards will be greatly reduced, or more likely not awarded at all.

Supposedly this new law would, according to Register of Copyrights, Marybeth Peters, "allow good-faith users of copyrighted content to move forward in cases where they wish to license a use but cannot locate the copyright owner after a diligent search."

The premise of the legislation may be well-intended, but as the language exists, it seems to me, the burden falls squarely - and unfairly - upon the artist. There are far too many ways for infringement abuse to occur. What is to prevent someone from swiping an image of yours from your (or any) web site, or worse directly from your work itself without your knowledge. Just because an artist is unaware of an infringement doesn't give anyone license to steal a work.

The Senate Bill was passed by unanimous consent last fall. It was then sent to the House which failed to act upon it in the last Congress. Nevertheless, you can be sure it will be resurrected in the new Congress of 2009.

Please take the time to visit the links below to read about it and form your own opinion. After that, I implore you to contact your Representatives and let them know what you think about it.

Library of Congress H.R. 5889

http://www.thomas.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.5889

OrphanWorks.net - Exclusively devoted to this issue, the site is owned, written and maintained by attorney Joe Keeley, who has been involved in orphan works legislation since 2005. He was lead staffer on the orphan works issue responsible for drafting the language and arranging the hearings. This is a very informative site which offers no opinion, pro or con.


Americans for the Arts --

http://www.capwiz.com/artsusa/issues/alert/?alertid=11346091&type=CU

American Society of Media Photographers

-- Update on 2008 Orphan Works legislation

-- ASMP FAQs about orphan works legislation

While you're thinking about copyrights, it would be a good idea to visit the U. S. Copyright Office web site and bring yourself up to date regarding copyright registration and protection. Lots of useful info there. For instance, did you know you can receive a discount for registering your work on line?

http://www.copyright.gov/

March 6, 2009 "First Friday" Art Walk

The first Friday of each month downtown Northville comes alive to celebrate the arts. Northville's numerous art galleries and arts & crafts stores are open from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm, and many of the art galleries feature a new artist each month with personal appearances by the artist. Other shops may have in-house demonstrations. All exhibits are free and open to the public.

My work will be featured during the month of March at Starring "The Gallery" and it will my pleasure to meet you on the "First Friday," March 6, between 6:00 pm and 9:00 pm.



Starring The Gallery
118 W Main Street
Northville, Michigan 48167
248-347-1642

http://www.starringthegallery.com/

Starring "The Gallery"

Some of my work is now available at:



Starring The Gallery
118 W Main Street
Northville, Michigan 48167
248-347-1642

http://www.starringthegallery.com/


Starring "The Gallery" was voted Northville's "Best Art Store" in the 2008 People's Choice Awards.

Gallery owner Mary Starring features an extensive selection of local and international art and gifts by both established and emerging artists. The artwork is sophisticated and diverse and includes painting, photography, sculpture, ceramic, wood, metal, crystal, glass, jewelry and countless gift ideas that represent an eclectic appeal.


A small sampling of my photographs available at Starring The Gallery:

Detroit Artists Market

These are four of more than a dozen pieces, both framed and unframed, I have at the Detroit Artists Market Annual Art for the Holiday Show

Art for the Holidays at Detroit Artists Market
November 7 - December 21, 2008

The annual holiday show transforms DAM from a fine art exhibition gallery to a fun, energetic, one-of-a-kind gift shopping experience. Featured are all hand-made items by local Metro Detroit area artists in an eclectic mix not available anywhere else. You will find a wide range of works in jewelry, glass, metal, ceramic, fiber, photography, accessories, paintings, drawings, sculpture, books, cards, framed prints and more for every budget.

DAM members receive a 10% discount during the Holiday Show.

Members' Preview is November 7, 2008, 5 – 6 p.m. with the Public Opening from 6 – 9 p.m. on the same day. Also join us for Noel Night on Saturday, December 6, 2008 from 5 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

Detroit Artists Market is in the Detroit Cultural Center 3 blocks south of the Detroit Institute of Art at 4719 Woodward Ave. at Forest.

DAM is open Tuesday through Saturday 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

All shows and exhibitions are free and open to the public. Visit us online at http://www.detroitartistsmarket.org/

For information please call Detroit Artists Market at 313.832.8540 or via e-mail at info@detroitartistsmarket.org.

Art-Is-In Market

My work is now being exhibited at:

Art-Is-In Market
Laurel Park Place Mall
37700 W. Six Mile Rd.
Livonia, Michigan 48152
734-432-9177



Art-Is-In Market features the work of local Michigan artists exclusively, and is celebrating its 3rd anniversary.

The mall is at the corner of Six Mile Rd. and Newburgh Rd., just east of I-275. Use the Coldwater Creek entrance facing Newburgh Rd.

http://www.artisinmarket.blogspot.com/

ACEO / ATC Cards now available

I've added a new, inexpensive format for my photos at the web site: ACEO.

ACEOs (Art Cards, Editions, Original) are small but complete, highly collectible, works of art which are always 2 1/2" x 3 1/2", the same size as baseball trading cards. They are as individual as the artists who create them and can be in virtually any 2-D medium - originals or prints, B&W or color, paint, pencil, watercolor, collage, ink, fabric, metal, digital, and more. In short, they are like any art you'd expect to find at an art festival or gallery but confined to a 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" space.

Collect them. Trade them. Frame them. Liven up a small space by creating a miniature art gallery.

Read a little about them here:
http://www.art-cards.org/history.html

New addition to web site gallery

One of the many horses and exotic animals on the 95-year-old carousel at historic Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan. The carousel with its WurliTzer band organ is a favorite attraction and operates during village hours.

Built in 1913 by Herschell-Spillman in North Tonawanda, New York it is a rarity with its wide variety of hand carved animals. Besides the usual stable of horses it boasts a collection of exotic jungle beasts as well as farm and domestic animals.

Here is a "census":

21 Jumping Horses, 19 Menagerie Animals, 3 chariots, 1 Tub

(1 Cat, 1 Deer, 2 Dogs, 1 Dragon, 1 Frog, 2 Giraffes, 1 Goat, 1 Lion, 2 Pigs, 1 Stork, 1 Tiger, 2 Zebras, 3 Roosters)

Village literature states that the original location of this carousel is unknown but, according to the National Carousel Association (NCA) research it was at:
- Barbary Coast in San Francisco from 1913 - 1922
- Liberty Lake Park, Spokane, WA, 1923 to 1950s?
- Storage, Date Unknown to 1962
- Unknown, Roswell, NM, 1962 to 1973
- Greenfield Village, Dearborn, MI, 1973 to present

This photo was taken about 8 years ago when the carousel was located near the river boat. That location has been expanded and is now home to the Henry Ford Academy. The carousel was dismantled and moved to its present, more central, location next to the Sir John Bennett Sweet Shop (with the animated clock tower).

During the move the entire carousel was repaired and all the animals were "refurbished." In my opinion, the repairs were much needed, but the animals deserved better treatment. As you can see in this "before" photo, there is no mistake that it is a hand-carved, hand-finished work of art. To see them today you would think they were plastic. The formerly white horses and the white fur on the tiger are now a sickly yellow, and most other colors and finishes bear little resemblance to the original.

Click here to see the NCA's photo survey of the entire carousel: http://nca-usa.org/psp/GreenfieldVillage/

For more info on Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village visit: http://www.hfmgv.org/

This photo is now available in the "Michigana" Gallery at the web site.

2008 Detroit Grand Prix pix

Here are a couple of the nearly 1,000 photos I shot in three days at the 2008 Detroit Grand Prix.


Justin Wilson in hot persuit of race leader Helio Castroneves. Wilson ultimately won the race after Castroneves was penalized one place for blocking Wilson from passing him.



Team Au

Photo Tips & Tricks

Occasionally I find I've fallen into a habitual pattern and need to be bumped out of my "box."

Photo supply giant Adorama in New York has just the remedy in their series of 100 Tips in 100 Days. Here you'll find hints, tips, and tricks that photographers from novice to professional will find useful.

The third installment of 100 Tips in 100 Days started on Sept. 2nd. To see these (and the previous two installments) click here.

Homer Simpson Dept.

DOH !!

Wilcox Lake
Hines Drive / Northville Road
Plymouth, Michigan

Million Dollar Cyclops

On August 2-3, 2008 RM Auctions showed this 1948 Tucker Sedan (Serial No. 1038), which had only 3,038 miles on the odometer when I saw it. Only 51 Tuckers were ever built and this is probably the finest surviving example.

After the show it was shipped to Sports & Classics of Monterey, California to be sold at auction. Lot #449 (estimated price $500,000 - $600,000) sold on Saturday, August 16 for $1,017,500.

Read RM's description and history of this remarkable car here.

Fin Fans, rejoice!

The first Sunday in August is always special. It's the day of the annual Meadowbrook Concours d'Elegance in Rochester Hills, Michigan. This year's theme celebrated the Centennial of Genral Motors, and GM land yacht fans like me were not disappointed!

Now showing in the Classic Automobiles gallery at the web site, the biggest, highest, longest, most outrageously flamboyant fin ever built, the 1959 Cadillac. FINTASTIC !!

Careful, Ralphie, you'll put your eye out!

Detroit Grand Prix

I just received news that Media credentials for the 2008 Detroit Grand Prix on Belle Isle have been approved for Thursday - Sunday, Aug 28 - 31, courtesy of my son, Roy, and Hour Detroit magazine.

He got credentials last year for the 2007 DGP and I was lucky enough to tag along with him. It was a complete and absolute blast. We had virtually unlimited access to just about anywhere one would want to be to get photos. We even had "Hot" pit passes which allowed us into the pits during the race. One would think that photogs would have to remain in the walkway behind the team pit areas, but no, we could enter their space, as long as we didn't hinder anyone.

Below are a few pix taken during three days of the 2007 event.



Team Cytosport Lola in the American LeMans Series
race at the 2007 Detroit Grand Prix.



2007 IRL Detroit Grand Prix winners -
1st Tony Kanaan, Team 7-Eleven (center)
2nd Danica Patrick, Motorola (left)
3rd Dan Wheldon, Target-Chip Ganassi (right)



Roger Penske


Danica Patrick waiting for the start


A. J. Foyt
2007 was this legend's 50th year in racing.


A. J. Foyt IV, Driver - Vision Racing


Scott Dixon, Driver - Target-Chip Ganassi


Chip Ganassi, Owner - Target-Chip Ganassi


Michael Andretti, Owner - Andretti Green Racing


Dario Franchitti, Driver - Andretti Green Racing


Ashley Judd - Franchitti's squeeze


My son, Roy - Photographer Extraordinaire

All photos (c) 2007 James C. Ritchie