To tell you a little about myself, I have been a supervisor in the automotive industry for over 21 years, so depicting history, and the research involved has become relaxing for me. I have been drawing ever since I can remember. When I was in first grade, my brother was a Detroit fire fighter so I would draw fire engines. It has required great patience and discipline to learn new techniques and improve my skills. In fact, with each drawing I create, it seems I evolve a bit more, which expands the depth of the next drawing.

When I was young, my parents would take me to the copper country of Michigan located in the northwest Upper Peninsula. My grandfather and great uncles all worked underground in the copper mines and lived in the old mining towns that dot the Keweenaw Peninsula. Ahmeek, Copper City, Calumet, and Mohawk were some of the towns we would visit to see family members. We would rent a cabin for a week or two, and my dad would bring along his boat to go fishing. I loved listening to stories of the mines and the railroads of the area, and every town that we visited had an old mine sight that I found fascinating. I would search around for copper, silver, and just old things in general. It is a favorite pastime that I still enjoy when vacationing there.

I'll never forget the first time I saw a steam locomotive. It was the summer of 1968, and I was five years old. We were deep in the copper country of the Keweenaw Peninsula in Calumet Michigan, and I was about to ride my first train pulled behind a 2-8-0 ALCO built in 1907 for the Copper Range Railroad. I remember the day well and will never forget what an experience it was to stand inside the cab and talk to the engineer, Mr. Clint Jones, about his locomotive. The train ride took us past many old mines and towns, into the forest and onto a steel trestle bridge, 175 feet above Douglas Houghton creek, with a beautiful view of the creek falls in the distance. The train stopped on the bridge for passengers to enjoy the view. Even after 40 years, its still fresh in my mind.

The great mineral rush in the copper country of Michigan's UP, produced far more in profits than even the great gold rush out west in Nevada and California put together. The area was active from 1845 up to the late 1950s, and exploratory mining continued into the early 60s. In 1972 the Copper Range Railroad abandoned its entire 80-mile long line. It's now gone forever, which is one reason I started drawing, doing my best to preserve Michigan's great history. Every subject I draw requires substantial research, and I try to not take any short cuts to represent the era as true as possible. This involves finding the clearest photos and reference to study, and using two different, large styles of magnifying equipment to get the highest level of detail in my art.

As the years passed, my fascination with the history of the copper country's mines, railroads, and ghost towns grew, so naturally my artwork has grown to reflect my love of this beautiful area. This is where my heart is - recreating a part of Michigan's history that might never be experienced again, except in photos or drawings. I am also a model railroader, and collector of railroad memorabilia. Most of my collections are from Michigan.

Well, thanks for taking the time to look at my work, and I hope you enjoy it.

Sincerely

Vincent Fontana

email: copperrange29@aol.com


Participating in the Wyandotte Art Show was a great experience.   It was good to see the work of the other artists, and I really enjoyed talking to everyone, and seeing the public response to my display.   I can't wait until next year!