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The real joy in this project is the process itself, in which - along the way - interesting things happen and interesting people become involved.
BLOGGED!! ( April, 11, 08 )
Fast Pass has been blogged! Here are a few blogger links.
I PRESENT THE FAST PASS COLLECTION TO MSR ( March, 2008 )
After much work I am able to donate a collection of Fast Passes to MSR. Here I present the binder with the beautiful Fast Pass collection to Allison Cant of Market Street Railway. The collection will go into the MSR collection of transit memorabilia and becomes a visual resource for reference and research. It's a piece of San Francisco history! Thank you to all who donated their passes and made this possible.
THE CHRONICLE ARTICLE ( March, 25, 08 )
The S. F. Chronicle ran an excellent article on the Fast Pass project. Written by Rachel Gordon and photographed by Brant Ward, the article gives a nice well rounded picture of the project and the involvement of the San Francisco commuters who have contributed to it.
I didn't know when it would come out, where it would turn up and what it would look like. I was surprised and very pleased when friends brought it to my art studio. I had no idea so many people read the Chronicle! It was my one day of fame! ... and now it's back to work.
Read the full text on the sfgate website on the sfgate website at www.sfgate.com. Just type JOHN KUZICH in the search box.
I was told that the article ran on the SFGate website for two days and was the fourth most read article.
STILL BUILDING! ( August 7, 07 )
I have just built panel #4 and have a little finishing work to do before laying down the passes. The dimensional objects are all lined up and ready to mount.
PRESENTATION TIME SOON ( August 5, 07 )
I have presented the project to several gallery owners. One gallery has already expressed an interest. Hopefully they will find the work compelling and I will be able to then schedule a project completion date and they will be able to set a projected exhibition date.
BACK TO WORK!! ( July 15, 2006 )
I have built the third frame which I will use for the second panel. After finishing it off I can start laying the first fast pass layer and then add the dimensional elements. These may be different than the fist panel. Numerous additional ideas have surfaced lately.
ART HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN! - "MOMENTS" ( February 8, 2006 )
Something I hadn't planned on has happened. While composing the second panel in the Fast Pass series, I realized that - what was supposed to be the background - was taking on a powerful character all its own. This was due to the availability of so many vintage passes, different letters - both large and small - and colors. The first Fast Pass panel didn't have that kind of variety. So what was supposed to be only a background... has now become its own final piece of art! Making this panel so interesting is the interplay and relationships betwen colors, shapes and textures, the horizontal and vertical movements and blocks of color, the vertical black lines created by the vintage July 81 - July 93 passes, and the unique color relationships created by the beautiful 3 color passes from August 93 - July 96. This piece is complex, full of movement. Everywhere you look there are mini compositions. This means that I'll have to build another panel and start over on panel #2. SIGH! SO MUCH WORK!! For now, "MOMENTS" hangs happily in my studio.
IN MEMORY OF JOHN SAHO ( February 7, 2006 )
I received an annonomous envelope with a fiften year collection of passes from 1977 - 1992. They were in excellent condition and had some of my favorites.. especially the die cut pumpkin from October of 1977. The envelope had "In Memory of John Saho" written on it, and I want to acknowledge John for saving all his passes, for taking Muni, and for all his trips, adventures, moments and memories experienced while riding Muni. Thank you John. I'm going to include several of your passes in my newest collage titled "MOMENTS".
MARKET STREET RAILWAY WEBSITE AND NEWSLETTER ( 2005 )
Market Street Railway runs an article on the Fast Pass project. Several members donated passes to the project.
A FAST PASS ARCHIVE FOR MARKET STREET RAILWAY ( December 16th )
I am happy to announce that I will be donating a complete collection of Fast Passes to Market Street
Railway's historic transit collection. We may also create a framed grouping which will represent the various design styles will also
be put together for viewing at the new MSR museum.
A TOUCHING CONTRIBUTION ( August 23rd )
I received a phone call from an elderly lady who had seen my flyer up around North Beach.
She said she was cleaning out her husband's things, had passes dating from 1989 and that she didn't
want to throw them out. Having learned about my project she was happy that they would be useful.
She then told me that her husband had just passed away and when she mentioned that he had saved
the passes all these years... there was a pause and it became hard for her to speak. I told her I
was very sorry about her husband and that I'd be grateful for the passes. We met in a little park
on Monday. Sitting on a park bench I handed her a little bouquet of brightly colored flowers and we
talked for a short time. Later at my art studio I realized as I looked through the passes that there
were two of each and that these passes represented the travels of two life companions. I was very
touched by that thought and the realization that I had - what represented all their adventures on Muni -
in my hand. I have kept them together for now. ( December 15th update ) I have incorporated numerous
pairs of her passes into the second panel that I am currently working on. I made a sketch which identifies where
their passes are located.
POSTING PERSONAL SIGNS IN SAN FRANCISCO ( August 6th )
On a sunny day in early August, I - quite by chance - met the Mayor's Anti Graffiti Task Force while
putting up flyers in North Beach. We talked about the Fast Pass Art Project and also the
need for people to follow the DPW's guidelines for posting
personal 8.5x11 flyers in San Francisco. Specific rules apply and if you don't follow them there may be
a fine to pay. We agreed that most people don't know about the rules and I volunteered to put a link to the
information on this site.
You can see these posting guidelines on the
DPW website. After talking for a few minutes they agreed to have their
picture taken with me next to one of my flyers at the beginning of Grant Street.
I FINISH UP ON THE SECOND FAST PASS PANEL ( June )
Here I'm looking over the backside of the - almost completed - second framed Fast Pass panel. There are
loops for the wires and I must also attach "cleats" on each side in order to hang all the panels
in a straight line on a wall where the studs won't line up with the wires. Hanging all four - butted up
tight and in a straight line is tricky to say the least. I may add another row of ribs at the bottom for
additional support. I love making these framed panels using Luann plywood. I love the wood and the smell of it
trimmed out with 1x2 fir strips.