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You are here: Home / Archives for Plaster Relief

Plaster Relief

Plaster Relief

Sylvania Ohio Former Post Office

March 15, 2013 By David W. Gates Jr.

Former Sylvania OH Post Office 43560
Former Sylvania OH Post Office 43560

ADDRESS: 5738 Main Street, Sylvania, Ohio 43560
ARTIST: Melik Finkle
TITLE: Trilobites
MEDIUM: Plaster (relief)
STATUS: The former Sylvania post office is no longer an active, operating facility. It is currently home to an attorney’s office. The relief was relocated to the new building on Post Office Way and can be viewed by interested members of the public. It resides on a wall in the main lobby.
YEAR:  1940

My sources informed me the Sylvania post office had artwork. So when I entered the address of the Sylvania post office into my GPS it took me to the newer post office. As I was waiting around the parking lot of the newer post office, a local had entered the building.

I asked if he knew where the original old post office was located. He knew immediately and told me it was located right downtown. He had mentioned it was now a law office. That was about all he know about it. He said to look for an old brick building with an Attorney sign out front. Since I didn’t know the address I wasn’t able to enter it into my GPS. We found the down-town section, its pretty easy to recognize the older buildings once you have visited many. So I immediately spotted it when we drove down main street.

Some investigation work and some local knowledge is about all it takes to find these nice gems. I’m really happy to have found it and get these photographs. Tune in tomorrow for the Plaster Cast artwork that was once installed in this post office. You can now view it on display at the new Sylvania Post Office.

Thanks,

David W. Gates Jr.

Former Sylvania Ohio Post Office 43560
Former Sylvania Ohio Post Office 43560
Former Sylvania Ohio Post Office 43560
Former Sylvania Ohio Post Office 43560
Former Sylvania Ohio Post Office Cornerstone
Former Sylvania Ohio Post Office 43560

“Used with the permission of the United States Postal Service®. All rights reserved.”

Sources

  • Personal visit on 10/25/2012 by David W. Gates Jr.
  • United States Postal Service
  • (affiliate links) Democratic Vistas: Post Offices and Public Art in the New Deal: [Hardcover]  Marlene Park, Gerald E. Markowitz.

Filed Under: Artist, Artwork, Cornerstone, Former Post Office, New Deal, Ohio, Post Office Tagged With: Cornerstone, Former Post Office, Melik Finkle, New Deal, Ohio, Plaster Relief, Post Office

Rock Falls Illinois Post Office

August 11, 2012 By David W. Gates Jr.

Rock Falls IL Post Office 61071
Rock Falls IL Post Office 61071

ADDRESS: 210 2nd Avenue, Rock Falls, Illinois, 61071
ARTIST: Curt Drewes
TITLE: Farming by Hand, and The Manufacture of Farm Implements
MEDIUM: Plaster (reliefs)
STATUS: The Rock Falls post office is still an active, operating facility, and the reliefs can be viewed by interested members of the public. They reside in the lobby on the same wall as the postmaster’s door.
YEAR: 1939

Welcome to another Saturday edition. Saturday’s I like to highlight older post office buildings most often these were created during the depression era of the 1930’s. My favorites have murals in the lobby or some other form of artwork. The Rock Falls is special in that it does not have a mural but rather plaster cast reliefs as artwork.

I’m not sure what to make of this one? I’m happy to see an older building but the front Blue Shade just doesn’t do anything for me. It almost looks as if this was an afterthought to get the name of the post office out in front where people can see it.

I also remember this being a challenge to photograph. One of the reasons for this is because the sun was setting behind the building, so naturally this sort of block out the front of the building and makes it darker and more difficult to see. What I end up doing is walking closer to the building and try to cut out the sun so it does not shine right into the camera. I think it turned out pretty good. What do you think?

Thanks,

David W. Gates Jr.

Rock Falls Illinois Post Office 61071 Art "Farming by Hand"j Close up Curt Drewes
Rock Falls Illinois Post Office 61071 Art "Farming by Hand" Curt Drewes Plaster Cast
Rock Falls Illinois Post Office 61071
Rock Falls Illinois Post Office 61071 Art "The Manufacture of Farm Implements" Curt Drewes Plaster Cast
Rock Falls Illinois Post Office 61071 Art "The Manufacture of Farm Implements" Close up Curt Drewes
Rock Falls Illinois Post Office 61071
Rock Falls Illinois Post Office 61071 Cornerstone

“Used with the permission of the United States Postal Service®. All rights reserved.”

Sources

  • Personal visit on 3/20/2012 by David W. Gates Jr.
  • Illinois Post Office Mural Guidebook 
  • United States Postal Service
  • Democratic Vistas: Post Offices and Public Art in the New Deal: [Hardcover]  Marlene Park, Gerald E. Markowitz

Filed Under: Artist, Artwork, Cornerstone, Illinois, New Deal, Post Office Tagged With: Artist, Artwork, Cornerstone, Curt Drewes, Illinois, New Deal, Plaster Relief, Post Office

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