| Author |
Message |
Carl Kamulski
| | Posted on Saturday, September 01, 2001 - 11:48 am: | |
Bradley Jones was hired by WCCC a year before I was. He and I developed the Fine Arts Program at the college. Roy Steyskal developed sculpture and ceramics. Victor Stokes, our displaced Department Chair, also taught full time at the college.
I taught many of the courses in the Downriver and Western Regions and Bradley taught courses in the Eastern and Downtown Regions. Together, with notable part-time instructors Jim Lutomski, Gene Postula, Dan Rosbury, John Piet, Brenda Goodman, Richard Brinn, Rick Vian and so many others from the Cass Corridor, we developed a program offering up to 100 art courses a semester. The college was a great place to teach at during the 1970's and mid 1980's. The Art Department was virtually autonomous and able to "invent" new courses and new ways to teach them. Bradley, Roy and I had a great time during these early years.
Michigan Gallery began in 1971. It was first a studio space for Roy Steyskal, Bradley Jones, Rick Brinn and myself. We opened a small gallery and eventually all of us moved our studios and the entire space became galley. Bradley served as a board member at Michigan Gallery for more than ten years. He curated several shows and, in many ways, represented the gallery in the Corridor and with commercial art galleries.
Many of us believed/believe that Bradley was "THE" painter. He represented, more than anyone else, the gritty, intense and figurative nature of art in our Rust Belt city. He was "the painters painter."
Bradley's death in 1989 signaled the end of an era for the gallery and in some ways for Metropolitan Detroit art and art in Michigan. Perhaps all coincidence, but 1990 began the end of MCA support of non-profit galleries. We were dependent on this support and it's loss over the next five years reduced our programing. The quality of our shows remained high, but the amount of debt grew.
Bradley Jones was an important part of both the emergence and development of Michigan Gallery. His loss remains a significant loss to all of us in the arts.
Carl Kamulski |
Stephen Goodfellow
| | Posted on Sunday, September 02, 2001 - 11:57 pm: | |
Carl,
Fantastic info on Bradley Jones. I've added it to the permanent site:
http://corridortribe.com/obits/bradley_jones.htm
Thanks a heap! |
Richard Brinn
| | Posted on Sunday, November 02, 2003 - 9:53 am: | |
When Bradley Jones was in Grad School, I was an underclassman studying painting with Robert Wilbert, John Egner, etc, at Wayne State University in the mid to late 1960's. I was interested in doing landscape work, which definitely was not in fashion at the time, however I noticed Bradley's work as standing out amogst all the other graduate artists. Over the ensuing years I made sure I saw any show he exhibited in. It wasn't until Carl, Roy and I started the Michigan Gallery that I met Bradley. I was painting in the M.G. when he joined our core early group, as we three all used the building as our studios. I remember Bradley as a slightly flamboyant yet enjoyable character.
I have no idea what he thought of the painting I was doing at the time, yet I remember our conversations as being more about the general Cass Corridor and how much of a struggle it was for the artists.
It is weird, but even at that time there was a certain sadness about Bradley; something that was hard to define but obvious if you talked with him more than a few times. It seems that played out a few years later, whatever it was. He and his work is still remembered and talked about, which
attests to the loss the art community felt.
Richard Brinn |
norm reece
| | Posted on Monday, April 11, 2005 - 9:29 pm: | |
this is for rick brinn,this is reece writing to you.if you see this,i am the kid that lived across the street from you while you were in your apartment at 4th and hancock.while looking at the painting hanging on my wall that you gave to me in 1968, of my apartment across the street from yours,i wondered if you were still painting.i am pleased to see that you are still involved in art.i simply searched "richard brinn artist" and there you were!i remember hanging with you and your brother jim and all of the other "hip" folks at your apartment.great memories!i still have lots of photos of us goofing around and just enjoying life back then when we were kids.i hope that this message makes it's way to you and finds you well.i would love to hear from you if possible,your very old friend, reece. |
Monika Gonzalez
| | Posted on Monday, April 10, 2006 - 6:17 pm: | |
My father owns an original painting by Bradley Jones from 1968. How would I go about finding someone who may be interested in purchasing this work of art? Any galleries or art collectors who may have interest feel free to respond. Thank you. |
Monika Gonzalez
| | Posted on Monday, April 10, 2006 - 6:27 pm: | |
Regarding the last posting concerning Bradley Jones' painting my email address: monika_arizona@msn.com for anyone so inclined. |
Stephen Goodfellow (Admin)
Username: Admin
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 12, 2006 - 10:59 am: | |
Monica,
Try the Susan Hillberry Gallery on Livernois in Ferndale. |
patricia izzo
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 20, 2006 - 2:57 am: | |
carl
late night reading... i remember michigan gallery in the eighties. i remember the crowd, artists and patrons,characters all, and the most "make believe" lounge of all! you felt anything was probable and it usually was! But i remember the art most of all.. pieces that were fierce, demanding, in your face, controversial, empathic and exciting to say the least. thank you carl and all who founded this incredible gallery for all of us kindred spirits to inhabit, if only for a little while. yes, thank you.
patricia izzo |
Stephen Goodfellow (Admin)
Username: Admin
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 20, 2006 - 6:48 pm: | |
I'll second that! The Michigan Gallery was truly a historical event. It's a pity there's not enough historians around to document it while there are still living witnesses. |
Richard Brinn
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 20, 2006 - 3:13 pm: | |
For Reece here. I don't check back to this site very often but was surprised to see your posting. Sure, I remember you, and as the young guy you were then on 4th st. It was quite a scene we had going there but things change and I moved on to teaching as Asso Professor of Art at Schoolcraft College while starting the Michigan Gallery with friends, as you read here on S. Goodfellows web site. Had to leave the Detroit area a few years ago for the west side of the state but would like to hear from you if you read this. Email at Rickbrinn@earthlink.net.
Take care...............RB |
Richard Brinn
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 20, 2006 - 3:25 pm: | |
HI Stephen
I thought I would let you know that Carl Kamulski and I have been in discussions about doing a show in the Detroit area that features the history and artists that were involved with the Michigan Gallery. We have lots of print and photo archieves to exhibit, with also the possibility of some current artwork by some of the old guard.
Since I live far away, Carl will have to handle the planning and nothing has been finalized; still in the talking stage. I guess location is the big sticking point since so much has changed over the years in the art community there.
I thought you would like to know and if interested might contact Carl for some information.
Richard Brinn |
Stephen Goodfellow (Admin)
Username: Admin
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, January 18, 2007 - 8:16 pm: | |
Thanks Richard, I'll get in touch with him. Never was there a more imaginative gallery director! |
Carl Kamulski
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 23, 2007 - 2:47 am: | |
Thanks, Stephen............the kind words..........now, how about a bowl of soup, a couple of beers and almost too much serious talk on any Tuesday night?
Yes, Rick and I have been discussing the possibility of a 10 year anniversay of Michigan Gallery's end. The thought is: WHERE to have it?
We have tons of the old archival stuff for display and a lot of us are still alive and producing work......at least for a while! Any ideas?
I would like to think of it as a 37th Year Birthday Celebration" rather than as a ten year wake. It certainly defined much of my life and, as it appears, touched many others. I think it would be great..........another opening night, beer, wine, a live band, lots of grey hair, sensational art, old and new tales, lots of hugs, etc., etc., etc.
Reach me at ARTarea51@aol.com
Regards,
Carl |
Stephen Goodfellow (Admin)
Username: Admin
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, January 28, 2007 - 9:06 pm: | |
One possibility is contacting curator Steve Glazer of the Sisson Gallery on the U of M campus in Dearborn:
"Steve Glazer" email (fill in the obvious):
SGlazer a hfcc edu>
Steve's an old corridorite, got his art degree at WSU |
Richard Brinn
| | Posted on Sunday, February 18, 2007 - 2:22 pm: | |
Carl, Stephen, Steve Glazer,
Hi guys. Carl and I just visited with Art Cislo, another WSU artist and past exhibitor at the Michigan Gallery. We breifly discussed a show again and came to the conclusion that many of the current Detroit area venues would just not be excited or appropriate for this show. We discussed renting the Winsor Gallery in Ontario, but after reading the emails above, I see that the Sisson Gallery could be a possibility. I imagine, like myself, that many of the MG exhibiting artists have done shows in Ann Arbor, so there may be a lot of name recogintion in that area with a MG show.
Has anything discussed this with Steve Glazer?
Let me know, thanks. |
Stephen Goodfellow (Admin)
Username: Admin
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Friday, February 23, 2007 - 11:01 pm: | |
Hi Richard,
I will inform Steve Glazer of this thread. Perhaps he will show interest. |
Steve Glazer
| | Posted on Saturday, February 24, 2007 - 10:11 pm: | |
Hey all...
I have to correct my good friend Stephen Goodfellow in that while I did spend some time at WSU, I am not a WSU alumni, also I teach at Henry Ford Community College, not UM-D. That said, I am an old "Corridorite" and remember the Michigan Gallery well and fondly.
Professional life has taken from Detroit to Indiana to North Dakota to West Virginia, and now (as of 3 years ago) home to Detroit with a position at Henry Ford Community College.
As Director of Exhibitions at HFCC, I would be very interested in the possibilities of staging a Michigan Gallery reunion. I sincerely believe that part of the role of the community college is to "connect" with the community and this could be a excellent opportunity to do so.
The aformentioned stated, this past fall HFCC's Sisson Gallery hosted "Corridor Rabble", and exhibition curated by Stephen Goodfellow. I think it would be poor PR to host an exhibition so soon of the same artists, but if a show was put together that contained a few of the same names with a number of others, it could be quite interesting. If this sounds good to those that are talking about this, email me personally at sglazer@hfcc.edu
Steve Glazer |
Claire Walker
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 03, 2007 - 12:07 pm: | |
I am a former student of Roy Steyskal at WCCCD. I would like to get in touch with him and would appreciate it if you could pass on my email address. I am down to my last six classes for a BFA at Wayne State University, where he encouraged me to attend. |
Brian Crowe
| | Posted on Saturday, March 22, 2008 - 7:25 pm: | |
as of today, 032208, Roy is alive and well and teaching at the WC3 downriver campus on northline road. He's there Mon 9 to 4: Tues. and Thursday 230-530. |
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