The Oakhurst 2008 Gallery

Got a note from Michael K. recently asking about photos of Oakhurst I had previously posted. There were problems a while back with a gallery plugin resulting in the loss of a number of galleries. I haven’t been able to rebuild them yet, but since Michael took the initiative to ask, here are the Oakhurst photos.

I’m not sure what possessed me at the time (I think I was looking for a route down to the Mainline tracks to get some Amtrak shots), but I ended up wandering Johnstown’s Oakhurst neighborhood on a snowy February day in 2008. Some of the results are here. Love the Johnstown winters.

Turning my back on the Borough and downtown Johnstown, PA, I tromped through the crusty snow covering the Pegasus sewer line along the hillside overlooking the Woodvale neighborhood. Good views are tough to come by up here in the hills, what with all the trees and undergrowth, but, once in a while, you can find an open spot. Your best shots come between late fall and early spring when the foliage isn’t working against you. Of course, that means most days will bring your typical grey, blah lighting. You do what you can.

The overhead shots are on the way out. I grabbed a few street-level photos on the way back in. That Maple Avenue car wash has some real potential, and I look forward to getting back there and doing it up right. Also drawn to the old churches and trains, but there are lots of railroad sites on the web. Woodvale, like all of Johnstown’s neighborhoods, and the surrounding towns and boroughs, still has some very photogenic scenes, in spite of the regional atrophy. Wish I had at least a day to spend in each location I shoot. The Lightroom photo album of Johnstown PA’s Woodvale neighborhood is here. As usual, click on any image below for the WordPress gallery.

the Balko Finds the Best Seat in the House for Johnstown, PA’s 4th of July

I’ve seen some fireworks in my time. There’ve been bi-, tri, and sesqui-centennial celbrations; First Nights and New Year’s Eves, Tall Ships and Millenia, big cities and small towns. We did Boston’s Esplanade 4th one time, along with 300,000 others: couldn’t see the band, no alcohol, couldn’t get to the bathroom, couldn’t get IN the bathroom, couldn’t get out of the park at the end of the night, and getting onto the T was murder. But sitting directly behind those howitzers was a BLAST! Man, dig that crazy sound: BOOM! BOOM! Like much of my Boston experience, though, once was enough. Coolest show I ever saw was Ocean City’s 2000 NYE from the door of my tent on Assateague Island across the bay. But that entire night was special. Last night in Johnstown was pretty special, too.

A Plethora of Pyrotechnique

After shooting last year’s unlooked for 4th of July at Highland and Wheat from the shelter of Larry’s porch, I determined to take advantage of a higher vantage. So, with the cooperation of Albert’s weather, I humped my lard ass and 20 pounds of photo kit up to the top of Wheat Street. I had no idea! I got to witness dozens of fireworks displays in a 180 degree arc, from small, personal shows to the official programs from Westmont and Johnstown; some at my feet, some directly in front of me, to all the way down the length of the valley. What a show! There were at least several sources from each neighborhood and municipality I could see: Ferndale, Lorain, Yoder, Hornerstown, Kernville, Oakland, Daisytown, behind Yoder Hill from Brownstown and/or Cambria City; and even flashes from the West End; and ALL OVER Moxham. No, it wasn’t a BETTER show than the Boston Pops, it was just different, and at least as satisfying and far more comfortable. Next year I’ll have to load up some Tchaikovsky on the iPod before I head out, or, better yet, Exile on Main Street. Now THERE’s some fireworks music.

Related Links:
The laurelight 2nd Sunday gallery
Satori Gallery

Moxham and culture: two words you would have never used together in a sentence back when I was waiting behind Diamond Drugs for the Old Man to come striding through the US Steel gate at the end of his shift: “Take me to the Stonycreek.” Moxham was Moxham and culture was the occasional Country and Western show tearing up Cochran’s auditorium on a tear through the nation’s third class cities.

Everything changes. Diamond Drugs, US Steel and Cochran Junior High School (what you young’uns call “Middle School”) are all gone, but Moxham continues to grow as a cultural center in Johnstown (yes, that’s what I said) when, this coming Sunday, June 14, Satori Gallery presents A Satori in Johnstown, an all day celebration of music and art taking place around the neighborhood’s Village Street Shops. Dave DiStefano, Satori’s proprietor, says it better than I can, so here’s the gist of his latest email:

“Satori Gallery on Village St. will be presenting “A Satori in Johnstown” an art & music street festival on Sunday, June 14. It will be taking place in front of the Village Street Shoppes in Moxham and will last from noon – dusk.

This is a free festival composed of all local talent showing and performing their own original works. ALL are welcome and encouraged to attend in hopes of raising awareness of our local art scene here in Johnstown.

The music lineup includes: The Wheels, Dave DiStefano w/Grand Hadron, Endless Mike & the Beagle Club, The Jeff Perigo Opus, Inside Out, The Sunflower Spectacle, Emmett and Mary, Dallas Zimmerman, Justin Garman, AM Radio, & Glenn Henry.

Johnstown’s Songwriting group “Songworks” will be performing as well as hosting an open mic all day. All artists of the area are invited to show their work. Registration with the gallery required. There will be an open drum circle at sundown, and refreshments by Village St. Cafe. Schedule updates and artist details are provided at www.myspace.com/satorigallery. Thank you all for supporting local art & music!!!!”

and theatre, too…

And, as long as we’re talking Moxham, culture and awareness, check out the Satori site (linked above) for details on this week’s presentation of When the World was Green, Sam Shepard and Joseph Chaiken’s “elegiac” and “stately” exploration of exhaustion and…sensual pleasures that exist only in recollection.” (Ben Brantley, New York Times). Performances are Thursday & Friday @ 8. Admission is $10. Proceeds benefit the Keystone Chapter of the American Red Cross. Reservations are strongly recommended. Reserve your seats by emailing unapologeticproductions@gmail.com or by calling (814) 244-3135.

Of course, I’ve got no photo’s from this week’s party (yet), so, to get you warmed up, here are some shots from August 08′s Second Sunday featuring, I think, Jazz in Your Face.