Milan-Sitka Commemorative Art Print - UNSIGNED.
$35.00

Prints are shipped in a heavy, protective roll.
You can also give me a call at 901-299-1294. Ask for the Milan-Sitka Print and I will give you specific ordering instructions. If you prefer to send a check, you can contact me at: anthony@aperkins-art.com and I will send you information on ordering by check. Please include $5.00 shipping/handling. Tennessee residents, add additional $4.63 tax on Signed print or $3.70 tax on Unsigned print.

Acrylic on Masonite. The Master Sketch for this painting is in upper left. Note the red horizontal lines, indicating special brick treatment every 8th course; a header course is incorporated. There is also several concrete coping details that can be clearly seen. This building had a lot of fine brick work detail which I will attempt to show in the painting. Not sure where the quarry was located that the stone work came from, as I have not been able to dig up (sorry for the pun) additional information. (Possibly Georgia or Alabama? That's a blind guess.) I do know that the Architect, Hugh McGee was hired by Piggly Wiggly founder Clarence Saunders to design his "Southern Showplace" now called the Pink Palace Museum in Memphis, TN. In 1922 construction began on the 36,500 square foot house. Mr. Saunders "wanted a home that Memphis could be proud of." Everything about the home would be from the south-- including its architect and materials. The mansion built of pink Georgian marble, featured a pipe organ, ballroom, indoor swimming pool, shooting gallery and bowling alley. (But no video game room. Guess they didn't have those back then!) For more info: Memphis Pink Palace.

Still pressing forward! Coffee makes an excellent painting medium!
(Not really.)

Slowly getting there. I've been working on the display booth as well, so that has slowed this rendering somewhat... and my poor yard has basically gone neglected!!! At this point there's a total of: 26.5 hours in production... which is kinda low actually, but I anticipate another 15 hours or so before being satisfied; and 9.75 of that was for the sketch, so the actual paint time is not as high as you might expect.

This is a detail, even though there's not anywhere on here that is actually FINISHED! There's LOTS of work still to do... but this area is getting warmer than any other... now I've got to go get back to it!

Date unknown.

Which became the Milan-Sitka Building of the Freed-Hardeman Campus. This photo approximately at the turn of the century, about: 1900.

REALLY BAD NEWS! I have not been able to confirm a booth at the 2007 Lectureship!!! At this time, I do not have a "PLAN B"! I'm on a waiting list... so stay tuned! I'll post info here as I get word from FHU on the availability.

Shown with the brass etched name plate made for the custom frame. Have kinda run out of gas since getting no confirmation for booth space at the Lectureship. THAT was a MAJOR unexpected disappointment! But am pressing forward. The painting is too far along not to finish now... but am unsure what other plans may be cancelled. Am reluctant to go to the expense of prints without having a market. This may end up as yet another nice wall hanging. Will have to finish the painting AND make a decision on going to press for prints in the next two weeks.

O.k. I've been working on this thing ALL DAY LONG!!! My rear is hurting from sitting so much! I think I could have actually laid the brick for this building in the time that I have spent drawing them!!!! (I'm through whinning now.)
It's actually starting to look very nice. It's just taking a LOT longer than I expected! I normally use like a 'shorthand' to draw the bricks in, but in this case, the importance of showing the bricks correctly demands each one be correct! And whew! That's a tall order! This photo shot with my little Kodak.... my other camera is loaned out! Yikes! This came out fairly well and just fine for web viewing. I still have a LONGGGGG way to go on this. I was thinking that I could complete the bricks by today... and I am less than half way! Currently I have a total of: 40.42 hours in this painting.
I have not assembled the Display for the Lectures yet, as I am still not certain that I will even be there! Hopefully I can interest the Associates or the Bookstore to carry the prints, and/or the University will come thru with a booth confirmation early enough for me to get my items together and built and printed! Well..... guess what I will be doing on Jan.1? :-)

Stay tuned for more.......

This shot shows the painting covered with tissue paper with sketches of my plans for trees added.

Four shots (above) over this past week. I'm up to nearly 50 hours with plenty to go! I spoke with the FHUAssociates this past week, and was told that I WILL have exhibit space with the Associates at the Lectures. So I WILL be there this year!!! SO LOOK FOR ME in Bader Gymnasium! If I can still get a confirmation from the school on my own personal booth, I will take that instead (in either case: Bader Gymnasium), however because of the Associates kindness in their willingness to share their booth with me, I will be making a contribution to their work from the sale of this print regardless of my booth location. (I like nice people!)

She's done! Had it digitally photographed today, and am currently in the process of cleaning up the digital file for printing. I've constructed a grid (shown in the image above) where I am going block by block, under intense magnification to clean up any fur-balls or other stray, floating foreign matter which happened onto the painting when the shutter went: "CLICK". This file will be taken to the printer on Monday morning to start the printing process! This digital file is currently: 345MB at 300 d.p.i. and THAT is in RGB mode.

This Fact Sheet will be included with every print sold. It gives a brief overview of the building's history, and shows the print in a duotone image instead of the full-blown, 4-color view.

Hey everyone. This is a high-quality sketch of me! If you've come here to view the Milan-Sitka Building Painting/Print news... it went to the printer yesterday and I am sitting here looking over the proof right this very minute. Once that print becomes a reality, I will put information on this page as to how you can own your very own print. So please check back, maybe in about a week... ESPECIALLY if you are not planning on coming by to visit with me at the Lectures.

I got a call from FHU today, confirming a booth for me, so at this time, I will be represented in two spaces in Bader Gym. My own space, where I will have some additional items to show that I have been working on including the original MSB painting.
I will also have a custom framed print on exhibit with the Freed-Hardeman Associates (who will be serving food I hear!). I am hoping to present this framed print to President Sewell sometime later in the week. I am not in competition with them, as sales from both locations will yield contributions to their work... so feel free to purchase a print from me AND the Associates!

Be sure and check back soon! :-)

I would like to take this opportunity to thank a few people who have made this project possible. Each of these folks played a very important role in the development of this rendering.

President Milton Sewell, for permission to undertake this project.
Jud Davis, FHU Office of Marketing and University Relations.
Marylin Tollerson, FHU Office of Historical Records.
Laurel Sewell, for fielding my inquiries about the FHU Associates.
Hugh Greer, for igniting that smoldering flame!
Martha Alls, Vice-President and contact of the FHUA.
Dawn Bramblett, Public Relations Officer for the Bramblett Group and former FHU Alumni Director for assisting with red tape cuttin and string pullin, encouragement and more!
Jack Rogers, technical assistance.
Kari Nieman, for psychological help and names and connections.
Kay Littleton, financial guidance and number crunchin'.
Jennifer (Mercer) Perkins , (future literary genius) for encouragement. :o) (And if you don't believe me... try a sip of this inspirational reading... She's the best!)
Dalhoff-Thomas-Daws, for donated materials.

This is the print that will be donated to President Sewell. I had a real nice 'antique-looking' frame built; together with a gold colored name tag and colorful matte to complete the gift. Before presenting it to President Sewell, it will be on display with the FHU Associates in their booth.
I will be exhibiting the original in my booth.
Come by and see them both!

Have begun building the display for the booth. It wouldn't have been a big deal to just stick an easel on the floor there, and stick the painting on it... but it appears I had to do it the hard way!

Come on by and take a gander.... I have printed several images onto the display that shows a variety of items that I've produced over the years.

The next image is the finished display. I still have a couple little things to tweek though.

WHO SAYS MEN CAN'T SEW?!

Thanks mom... for teaching me how to use that little magical machine called a sewing machine! Just finished making the Table Tapestry for my display. Above is the sketch of how I cut it up and put it back together. Isnt it funny how you sometimes have to 'take things apart' so that you can 'put them back together' to make things nice? I think the sketch above is as much 'artistic' as anything else on the page! So thought I'd post it also. I like to show folks that THINGS don't 'JUST HAPPEN'! Everything is carefully thought out...

Below: Sewing in process, and then the finished product!