The Way I See It in East Aurora

I recently found myself with an hour to kill in East Aurora, with the camera in tow...

Two Sides of Buffalo

I started on Hertel Avenue – the backbone of North Buffalo – and ended up in The Old First Ward, arguably the home of Buffalo's soul... (Images shown in random order.)

Halloween Brings Out The Character of The Elmwood Village

A Nice Fit

Whenever a new building is added to the urban landscape there is always debate as to whether or not the fit with the existing surroundings is right. is right. I have spent a lot of time studying the new Federal Court House, in downtown Buffalo. I think I found my most compelling evidence this weekend.

Remembering The Continental

On the floor of Tokyo
Or down in London town to go, go
With the record selection
With the mirror reflection
I'm dancing with myself
——Billy Idol

Saw It On The Way to Work

Now and then I like to collect a few "sightings"–on my way to work or around the neighborhood. Here's todays' catch.

Things Are Looking Down

Spend some time looking down. Buffalo is/was home to numerous sidewalk companies. Many have gone - though not without leaving some rather nice parting gifts.

The Calumet Building

Every time I walk by the Calumet Building, I am amazed. Easy to take for granted, the terra cotta work alone is stunning - and rare. Take a closer look next time you are on Chippewa. Otherwise why are you on Chippewa?

Frank Lloyd Wright and Toshiko Mori: Revsitied

After viewing the wonderful FLW exhibit at the UB Anderson Art Gallery my daughter Queline and I decided to poke around the Martin House complex for a bit...

When in Kenmore...

I had some time to kill today waiting for the printer to re-plate my job. I had my camera with me. Kenmore Lanes was just down the street. The light wasn't the greatest, so I am already planning another visit.

Croce's Next Hit

Keep an eye on the corner of Franklin and Huron as Mark Croce develops a new upscale hotel. This beautiful building has sat vacant for too long. Rivaling the Calumet Building with its detailed terra cotta facade, this should be quite a property when done next year. Of course, it is spitting distance from Croce's other downtown properties - not all as beautiful as this.

Do you know where your car is?

3 Min. Car Wash

I have been wanting to shoot this sign for some time. Yesterday was my time.

Star Wars is Art

As seen at yesterday's Music is Art Festival at the Albright Knox Art Gallery, in Buffalo, New York. From popular culture comes art. I think Andy Warhol would have dug a scene like this.

Buffalo Type

There are many facets to Buffalo's rich history. Architecture is but one of them. The architecture goes beyond the building. Or, maybe, the building goes beyond architecture. What stands out to me every time I see a building in this city, be it old or new, is the typography. The letters, in their own unique and usually appropriate style, speak volumes about what has happened there in the past or what life has yet to unfold there. I collect images of these upper and lowercase treasures. Along with almost fifty other people I post and share my images as part of the "Buffalo Type Pool". Started by Richard Kegler, principal of P22 Type Foundry and a founder of the Western New York Book Arts Center, the collection has been growing steadily for some time now. These are a few samples of the many images I have added to the Buffalo Type Pool over the last year.

You can see the collection - and add to it - at http://www.flickr.com/groups/buffalotype.

Enjoy.

Toshiko Mori Meets Frank Lloyd Wright

The Darwin Martin House complex, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, is coming on line here in Buffalo, New York. Recently a new visitors center was opened - designed by the Japanese architect Toshiko Mori. The building is beautiful – stunning – complement to the existing FLW structures. These posted images are but a few of the many shots I have captured on the exterior of the building. The interior is next. I plan to visit the site often and will share here as I do.

Secrets of Allentown 2009

It's that time again - creative is currently in development for the annual Secrets of Allentown home tour. Last year was supposed to be it - no more. Well, someone changed their mind. This is one project I get to have fun with and do almost anything I want. Make it memorable. Make it readable. My kind of assignment. Just how this will be printed has yet to be determined. Stay tuned.

At the Albright Knox Art Gallery No. 1

We thought it was about time to take the kids to the Albrght Knox Art Gallery yeserday. And when I say kids, I of course include my camera. We looked at some art. I looked at even more...

Things Are Looking Down

I have spent the last year looking up - up with my eyes - up with my camera - looking at words, signs and architecture. Then I looked down. These markers are all over the city. I think I need to start a collection.

The Boneyard

I've checked something of my "bucket list" with a recent journey to to the Boneyard in Las Vegas. A resting place for the classic neon and light bulb signage of days gone by, the Boneyard - the centerpiece of the Las Vegas Neon Museum – is a colorful, jaw-dropping walk through time. I am assembling a collection of my images here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gmeadows2/sets/72157612480733034/

Enjoy.

Happy Holidays

Wishing all of us Peace in 2009. Here is a shot of the jolly old man, spotted recently in Oneonta, New York. Enjoy.

'Tis The Season

It's that time of the year - time for the corporate holiday cards to come through the shop. I tackled a couple of them this year. For Evans Bank—
a simple, serene scene of snow falling on the newly built and rebranded Elmwood Avenue Branch building. For Damon & Morey attorneys—a sneak peak at their new home in the now-under-renovation Avant Building in downtown Buffalo. The Damon card was especially fun - and challenging -
as we devised an ink scenario that included silver metallic ink and uncoated paper - and a die-cut on the cover to reveal just what it was that Damon & Morey was getting for Christmas. I handled photography for both projects, will help from digital illustration guru Warren Stanek, of Digital, Inc. Printing was handled by United Graphics, of Buffalo.

If Eyes Are The Windows...?

If eyes are the windows to ones soul, then what are windows and doors?

Just thinking.

The Other Other Frank

The Other Frank

Frank Gehry is, in my opinion, the most exciting architect practicing today. Period.

Frank Lloyd Wright in Buffalo II

The Fontana Boathouse, in Buffalo, New York, is a resurrected design by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Isn't It Cool?

Though I am sure this happens somewhere else, I'll say it - where else can you be surrounded by a motherload of Frank Lloyd Wright treasures and then be able to see this...? Martin's Fantasy Island, on Grand Island, near Buffalo, New York, is home to the Scooter.

Frank Lloyd Wright in Buffalo

I took some time today to survey the exterior of the nearly restored Darwin Martin Home Complex, here in Buffalo, New York. Reversing years of abuse and neglect, this is a stunning reclamation of an even more stunning architectural treasure. One of a healthy number of "Wright sites" in Western New York, this is the show piece.

Ever Wonder?

Buffalo is the kind of town that reveals its many secrets – over time and on its terms. Famous people have come from Buffalo. Great advances in technology have come from Buffalo. Interesting products have been made in Buffalo, like Cheerios, Milk-Bone dog biscuits, Hostess Cupcakes, and...

Happy Halloween

If You Can See The Wires, It Isn't Real

The name of this post is courtesy of my writing partner Joe Sweeney. Together we created the latest direct mail effort in behalf of a long-sanding client of min Electrochem. A previous post illustrated their battery pack credentials via manipulated images of satellite, underwater sensor and a space shuttle. This time around it was about wireless technology. It seemed to us the best way to make a point about the virtues of wireless was to get rid of the wires. Kind of easy, actually. These postcards were accompanied with headlines like "Nothing is more balanced than Electrochem’s wireless sensor solutions." and "Electrochem wireless sensor solutions. Anything else is for the birds." The visuals needed to be simple and direct - and incent a second look. Here's your first look. And your second. Photoshop retouching provided by the deft eyes and hands of Warren Stanek and Digital, Inc.

In Maine

I had the good fortune of spending this past weekend in Maine. The photos, I think, speak for themselves.

Remnants

I noticed a few typographic details on the Statler building this morning. Everyone wonders what will become of this building. I am more interested in what is has been.

October Storm?

On the 2-year anniversary of the infamous "October Storm," I spent the day on the beach with my family –  and my camera.

Welcome to Paradise Part 2.

NIght 2 of the Western New York Book Arts Collaborative's Intro to Letterpress class with Hal Leader. Again – inspirational.

Lunch Break

I thought I'd walk the "other way" today at lunchtime and head towards city hall. Of course I brought the camera. These photos are of Buffalo City Hall (second and fourth) and the Sedita Courthouse (first and third), in downtown Buffalo, New York. These two buildings represent the extremes of architectural styles found in the downtown core.

Welcome to Paradise

Paradise Press, in Buffalo, New York, is a very special place. Owned and run by Hal Leader, Paradise is a fully-working letterpress shop–and museum, literally–where the art and craft of letterpress lives. Hal is very involved in the Western New York Book Arts Collaborative, where, in addition to Paradise, he teaches and mentors anyone who wants to learn about, and experience, the magic of metal and wood type. I am half-way through a two night "refresher" class on letterpress printing. Hal is the always inspirational instructor. Listening to Hal throughout the first night, it is clear that the spirit of Emil Sahlin, Hal's original mentor, is there – in a very big way. Sahlin was the last of the Roycroft printers who worked alongside Elbert Hubbard. Hal is generously sharing a rich history with us.

And So It Begins

Today we "broke ground" for The Martin Group's new home. The space - a former Wendy's restaurant - has been boarded up during interior demolition. Well, plywood is my palette I guess. I love the look of big city (Buffalo is NOT a big city) construction barriers, covered with repetitive displays of posters. Leading up to today we had been posting images of ketchup bottles with the word "soon". You know - the whole Carly Simon anticipation thing. C'mon - it's a Wendy's! Anyway - for today's event the entire plywood barrier was covered in our clients' work. And, again, the repetition is very cool. As are the small handwritten comments we will certainly find, like "Jesus The Rock" and "Hunt's For The Best."

How Do You Like Them Apples? Vol. 2

It was time, this weekend, for the annual apple picking trek to Blackman Homestead Farm, in Lockport. It's nice to leave the urban artifacts and architectural details behind for a while. Well, sort of.

Downtown Typography

A big advantage of working downtown is getting to see typography like this all around you. I spent the last four years in suburbia longing for stuff like this. If you come downtown - look around. Its everywhere.

The Bank Revisited

The Terminal

Every now and then I need to revisit the New York Central Terminal to survey the scene. The place never fails to amaze me.

As Seen On Niagara Street

477 Main Street

We at the Martin Group are patiently waiting for progress on our new building. With ground breaking coming up soon, we are all looking to the day we can call 477 Main Street home. Until then we are enjoying some urban postering to build curiosity about our intentions for the building.

The Landscape of Buffalo

I spend most of my time photographing details of buildings and signs - up close. The details, clear and faded, have always fascinated me. From time to time I think it is good to step back and take in a wider view.

Take Another Look

It's all about seeing. We all look. But do we all see? I am always, it seems, discovering new details where I have often looked before. Two examples: On a recent walk with my daughter. I passed the Buffalo Seminary building on Bidwell Parkway - as I have done many times. This time, however, I looked up. I found a very amusing stone carving detail. And lately I have been fascinated by old fire/sprinkler alarms mounted on the exterior of industrial buildings. From a distance they are simple round details on the building walls. Close-up they are fascinating examples of typography. Whereas on a recent visit to Buffalo's Central Terminal it was a matter of looking in a different place.

The Remasters Volume 1

At the risk of handing this blog site over completely to my photographic endeavors, this morning I am starting a new "project" with my photographs. I have been shooting and collecting images for well over 30 years. I have Kodachrome slides, negatives, images scanned to CD - you name it and I have a box or bag of them somewhere. So I want to revisit some of these images with my eyes as they see now. I see things much differently now than I did 10, 20 or 30 years ago. Now, I am not going to pull a George Lucas and add elements to my photographs that weren't there. Rather, this will be a chance for me to look at an image now from a fresh perspective. Some images will look exactly the same. some will have the "post production" details enhanced with digital editing skills I lacked in the past. Maybe some contrast is missing. Maybe the colors weren't treated fairly in the past. I don't know exactly what - if anything - I will do. I call the images Remasters.

The Western New York Book Arts Collaborative

In an earlier post I asked if you have ever been locked up in a room full of wood and metal type. Well I have. Sort of - one door would not budge until Hal Leader kicked it in just the right place. The room I am talking about is the basement at the new home of the The Western New York Book Arts Collaborative. Located in downtown Buffalo, at the corner of Washington and Mohawk Streets. The center has been receiving a lot of good press lately - and a lot of even better wood and metal type specimens, presses, job case drawers and cabinets, and all sorts of printing equipment and ephemera.

These photos, as well as those posted earlier, are from my two hours of typographic - and isolated - bliss. I will share more as they are ready.

About the collaborative: The WNY Book Arts Collaborative exists to promote, encourage and develop Printing & Book related Arts through education and access for individual artists and underserved communities. Through active programs such as lectures, workshops and exhibitions, all facets of the printed word and image -- printmaking, papermaking, illustration, design, writing, binding -- can be explored and made accessible to the public as viewer and participant.

Check out the website: http://www.wnybookarts.org and the blog: http://bflobookarts.blogspot.com

Evans Bank Posters

The Elmwood Village branch of Evans Bank is now open. The look has been established, though it will surely evolve as we go along.

Fantasy Island No. 1