Friends of Community Public Art had a mission of beautifying the city and memorializing its past. Artists artists have painted murals over the walls of Joliet to preserve Joliet's history. They have also created and prominently placed sculptures around the city. Here's here how I see the Groucho and Harpo Marx iron sculptures on the... Continue Reading →
Back in the late 1970's when I was finally allowed to go to the theater unaccompanied by my parents this was a happening place still. We saw some classic movies here. I can still smell the stale popcorn and soda stained carpets. The building built in the 1920's was vacant for some time after the... Continue Reading →
I exposed this image in my homemade box camera using a cyanotype paper negative. This is a double exposure that was then scanned and converted to black and white in Photoshop. You can find more about my in-camera cyanotype paper negatives here.
Now that I'm feeling more comfortable shooting film again, I decided to give slide film another go. I used to shoot a lot of this back in the 1990's. To go totally retro here I popped it into my old Yashica T4 Super, the camera I used mainly back then. As I may have mentioned... Continue Reading →
Before 1964 Joliet Central High (Central Campus) School was the only high school in town. Everyone who lived in Joliet went to high school here. This is the main entrance. I've only been inside these doors a few times since I went to Joliet East, which opened in 1964 and then closed in 1983 due... Continue Reading →
Now the location of the Walgreens at W. Jefferson and N. Reed St., this once busy strip mall is another piece of Joliet's history gone. Apparently, these photos were taken during my tilted and reflective phase. And yes that's Drew and Stacey Peterson in the headlines, may he rot in jail.
640 acres of trails and creekbeds wind through this hilly arboretum donated to Joliet in 1920 by Robert Pilcher. This park has been a mainstay through out my life. These are just a few of the images I have made here in Pilcher Park. You really should check it out if you haven't already!!
The gate on the left, just at the police squad car, is the gate near the end of the opening scene from The Blues Brothers movie where Elroy picks up Jake as he is released from prison. As the scene advances it is clear to us locals that they are no longer in Joliet. In... Continue Reading →
I work right in the heart of Joliet's City Center. Sandwiched between the DesPlaines River and the Amtrak, Metra and Canadian National railroad tracks, often I am left waiting. Running late for work is not an option.
Periodically I will be sharing some of my people of J-TOWN shots here on this site. Who knows, maybe you’ll see yourself here one day. See more people of J-Town here; People of J Town pt 4 People of J Town pt 3 People of J Town pt 2 People of J Town pt 1
