Gargoyles, Grotesques, Graveyards and Ghosts

Gargoyles, Grotesques, Graveyards and Ghosts

Join photographer and historian Jeff Morrison as he shows more than 200 pictures of some of the most macabre examples of architectural sculpture to be found in the state of Michigan. You’ll visit churches, cemeteries, mansions and more, and learn about the meaning behind the sculpture found on these structures, and the artists, artisans and architects that made these buildings possible. You will also hear interesting stories about some people who may have stayed behind after their mortal lives ended, including jealous spouses, the possible second life of a murder victim, and the story of a ghost that wasn’t a ghost after all. The presentation is based on information that came to light while Jeff was researching and writing his award-winning books, Guardians of Detroit: Architectural Sculpture of the Motor City (Wayne State University Press, 2019) and Guardians of Michigan: Architectural Sculpture of the Pleasant Peninsulas (The University of Michigan Press, 2022).

Biography

Jeff Morrison is a photographer and writer who has been taking pictures since his parents gave him his first camera at age nine. He has a bachelor’s degree in history with a minor in art from Eastern Michigan University and over thirty years of experience as a graphic artist. Jeff’s first book, Guardians of Detroit: Architectural Sculpture in the Motor City, was published by Wayne State University Press in 2019. It won a State History Award for Outstanding Michigan History Publication from the Historical Society of Michigan and  was honored as a 2020 Michigan Notable Book by the Library of Michigan. His second book, Guardians of Michigan: Architectural Sculpture of the Pleasant Peninsulas, was published by The University of Michigan Press in 2022. It was honored as a 2023 Michigan Notable Book by the Library of Michigan and received the Stuart D. and Vernice M Gross Award for Literature in Regional History from Saginaw Valley State University. Jeff lives in Oxford, Michigan, with his lovely wife Susie.

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