Category Archives: dirt

One-Night Stand: Walking Home Purple

Old Salem Tavern Sneaking into my mom’s kitchen pantry, I marveled at the myriad pasta types. Our Italian-American family had so many varieties. Slyly, I’d lift several boxes, and once back in my bedroom/art studio, I would spread out my loot. Back then, my bedroom was my sanctuary, a place to draw and make buildingContinue reading “One-Night Stand: Walking Home Purple”

One Night Stand: A Modest Use of Ohio Clay

On August 14th, 1950, my great-grandfather John Guzzo, an unskilled brick maker at the Claycraft Brick Manufacturing Plant, was walking home from work, as he did every day for well over 40 years.  When my mom was visiting the small town of Shawnee, Ohio to spend time with her grandparents, she used to wait atContinue reading “One Night Stand: A Modest Use of Ohio Clay”

Preservation, Demolition, Destruction, Decay and Death

Photographs used for educational and non-commercial purposes only.   This is a new thread of investigation – In what ways does “preservation” help us avoid death?  How does the purity of our preservation efforts directly reflect personal feelings of loss?  Our world is in a continuous process of demolition (Pruitt Igo Housing demolition), destruction (ISISContinue reading “Preservation, Demolition, Destruction, Decay and Death”

Contemporary Art Happenings in Historic House Museums

Contemporary Art Happenings in Historic House Museums. F. Vagnone Presentation given at the Thomas Cole Historic Site, Catskill, NY

philosophy of old windows

Hello my name is Frank and I love old windows. Franklin Vagnone with Laura Orthwein,  Claire, Emma and Sophia – surrounded by a few of the extensive window sash collection. Photos by Daniel Eller. 2001. I realize most people would see my view of the world as unbearably right brained. But for me, right now,Continue reading “philosophy of old windows”

Ashes in Alabama and the power of flaws 3.8.14

I traveled down to Montgomery, AL to visit the Dexter Ave. Parsonage. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his family resided in this home during a 1956 bombing attack.   It is now an historic house museum. (Image: Franklin D. Vagnone) The damaged porch of MLK’s Montgomery home. (Image: blogspot.com) One of the most amazing thingsContinue reading “Ashes in Alabama and the power of flaws 3.8.14”

Fix it or leave it? – 11.11.13

1. An amazing outbuilding. Private residence. Privy, Upstate New York. 2. Multiple layers of history expressed through paint, hardware, wallpaper & many repairs. Lott House, Brooklyn, New York 3. Which is dominant – historic artifact or time?  Upper East Side, New York NY 4. It is quite common for situations like this for the originalContinue reading “Fix it or leave it? – 11.11.13”

Joe & Hilda Minter’s House and Garden – 9.21.13

Folk artist Joe Minter stands beside his memorial to African-American soldiers. Joe and Hilda Minter’s house and garden in Birmingham, AL. The interior of the Minter House.  It is Joe’s wish for the house to become a house museum. Joe Minter states that the job of an artist is to “preserve life”.  The interior ofContinue reading “Joe & Hilda Minter’s House and Garden – 9.21.13”

The Paar Room – 8.25.13

Rumor has it that I snuck in to one of the Period Rooms at the MET – sat down with my typewriter and started to use the room as it was meant to be used – I was writing for my new blog – MUSEUM ANARCHIST. Shortly after this – I was arrested for mis-representingContinue reading “The Paar Room – 8.25.13”