Bill Franz

About Bill Franz

In retirement Bill Franz bought a camera, learned how to use it, and became a volunteer photographer. He has done photo projects for the Humane Society of Greater Dayton and for almost two dozen other local organizations.

In 2013 Bill started a project of his own – photographing people at work. Since then he has photographed hundreds of workers, from butchers and bakers and candy makers to clowns and sculptors and fire eaters. The photos have appeared in solo and group art exhibitions and also in less traditional venues such as hospitals, retail stores, nature centers and breweries. They have been seen by hundreds of thousands of people. Profits from photo sales go to Dayton area nonprofits.

Dayton at Work and Play: Burnell R Roberts Triangle Gallery

June 1, 2026 By Bill Franz

At Sinclair’s Burnell R Roberts Triangle Gallery. I love this gallery. It has interesting exhibitions and it is easily accessible. It’s open Monday-Friday 8-6 and Saturday 9-12. Parking is free, so it’s an easy place to stop when you’re headed downtown for any reason. Just follow directions to Sinclair College lot K, then go in the building (#13) and take the elevator to the 4th floor.

The current exhibition, “Spontaneous Connection” by Elisha Frontz and Roxanne Grooms, runs through June 25. The show has works by each of these artists, and a few pieces they did together. I visited the gallery on a quiet weekday morning, which was perfect. It takes time to really appreciate this art, and on a weekday morning I could spend as much time as I wanted without being distracted by others.

On the surface these artists have a lot in common. They each make beautiful non-representational mixed media abstract art. But spending some time, you see they have different themes of color and shape. I enjoyed thinking about my personal preferences of the work of each artist, which of their pieces most appealed to me. Then the question of whether the merging of themes in their joint work was an improvement.

I’m not going to share what I personally decided. I want you to visit and decide for yourself. To get you started, I’m sharing a piece by Elisha called “Unraveling the Past”, a piece by Rachel titled “The Trip, 2026” and one of their joint pieces called “Collaboration #4.”

Dayton at Work and Play: Ed Madden

May 11, 2026 By Bill Franz

I asked him what he needed

for the journey. He said,

Write down what you saw.

Maybe, someday, the world

will want to know.

-Ed Madden

Ed Madden told me he would love to have his poem, and the image it inspired me to make, included in my art series “and I quote.” Ed is a professor of English at the University of South Carolina. I’m making images to process my feelings about the country’s string of abuses of immigrants. Ed Madden is writing poetry. This is the title poem in his latest book. It can be purchased at https://www.squaresandrebels.com/

Those caught up in this mass deportation are speaking out. The New York Times recently interviewed an 85-year-old widow about her experiences in ICE detention. When her American husband died, she had wanted to stay in the U.S. in the house they had shared. She was arrested eight days before her court hearing. ICE didn’t even allow her to dress but took her away in handcuffs and wearing a bathrobe.

The 85-year-old said she survived only because other prisoners helped her. The French embassy lobbied on her behalf and now she is back in her native France. A doctor has diagnosed her with post-traumatic stress disorder.

When the children being deported grow up, their stories will be especially poignant. They will write about their childhood in America, about being dragged from their home by masked men, about being mistreated in prison, and about building a new life in a new country. Their books and movies will be the best record of this tragic chapter in America’s history.

Dayton at Work and Play: Elysse Wagner

May 4, 2026 By Bill Franz

Elysse Wagner is an author and poet (and a neighbor). Elysse worked for years in the publishing industry. She decided to pause her career after having her first child and is now the mother of two young sons.

Elysse’s first two books were children’s books. Now she’s written a book of poetry called “Shows up Late with Coffee.” There are funny poems, thoughtful poems, poignant poems, all from the perspective of a young mother. The book would be a great Mother’s Day gift.

There’s a book launch today at Swoon Books and Wine in the Shops of Oakwood from 6-8pm and all ticket holders get a signed copy of the book. You can get a ticket at https://www.eventbrite.com/…/elysse-wagner-shows-up…

I asked Elysse how she was marketing her poetry book. “The book is being sold through https://www.pencilxpaper.com/ The company is owned by Jennae Cecelia, who is an author and poet herself. She successfully self-published her books and created Pencil X Paper Publishing to help other writers and poets reach readers.”

I asked Elysse if she was still writing or if the demands of raising two young sons took all her time. “I an still writing when I get a moment,” she told me. “My second book of poems should be out in October.”

When I stopped by Elysse’s home to pick up my copy of the book, her eldest son showed me a small hoop and said it looked like a Black Hole. This poem must be about him:

Your thirst for knowledge is as endless

as our universe,

and already at two,

you strive to learn it all.

I am of the strong belief

that you favor learning about space

because already nothing in this world

can hold you back.

Dayton at Work and Play: Bill Cunningham

April 27, 2026 By Bill Franz

Talking with Bill Cunningham at Front Street in his Visionary Folk Art Gallery.

Lots of people will be coming to Front Street this weekend. Over 150 street artists, many nationally known, will be painting murals and over 100 artist studios will be open. While you’re there you should check out Visionary Folk Gallery. It’s in the small building that shares a parking lot with Building 200.

Bill told me he’s been making folk art since the 1970’s, when he and his grandfather created things together. He has work in the Small Museum of Folk Art and in the Southern Alagaines Museum in Pennsylvania. Bill has made a lot of art with bottle caps, like the basket shown here.

Bill has an extensive personal collection of folk art, some of which is for sale in his shop. I asked him to tell me about this blue piece with the lightbulb. “That’s by Jim Kopp. He lives in Casper, Wyoming. He’s had several museum shows and is collected by a lot of people.”

“The drawing of three people is by S L Jones, who has several pieces in the Smithsonian. He started carving when he retired from the railroad. Then he started painting his carvings and then doing a series of drawings like this one.”

“One of the things people like about folk art is that it’s affordable. You can buy work from successful folk artists – people who have had major exhibitions and whose work has been bought by museums – for less than $100.”

Dayton AT WORK & PLAY” FUSISAN

April 20, 2026 By Bill Franz

At FUSIAN (1200 Brown Street). My daughters and grandkids and I all love sushi. My wife not so much. So, when she’s away I sometimes have lunch at FUSIAN.

I also like supporting local entrepreneurs. The company was founded by three childhood friends who attended Harman Elementary School in Oakwood. The trio launched their first FUSIAN restaurant in Cincinnati in May 2010. In October 2011, they opened their first Dayton area location on Brown Street near the University of Dayton, close to their hometown.

FUSIAN offers build-your-own sushi rolls and bowls, sort of a Chipotle-like approach. It’s great for people who don’t eat sushi often, because you can get advice from the person making your sushi roll. I often order one of their signature items, like the spicy tuna. Then, as the roll is being assembled I ask, “If this was your lunch, what else would you add to make it special?” That’s lead me to some good combinations I wouldn’t have tried otherwise.

Dayton at Work and Play: Gustavo

April 13, 2026 By Bill Franz

“I feel like I’ll never get out of here. I just ask that you don’t forget about us.” 13-year-old Gustavo Santiago, held in an ICE detention center. This is the latest addition to my new art series called “and I quote.”

This quote came from an article a friend shared with me. It was written by Mica Rosenberg, who managed to get inside the detention center in Dilley, Texas. Her article was amazing. It included some of the children’s artwork, images of rainbows, family, hearts, and one showing a stick figure behind barbed wire. The article also included handwritten letters from children as young as 7. Many of the letters talked about the poor conditions in the for-profit prison.

The article got a lot of attention and was even referenced during a Homeland Security Committee hearing. In retaliation for the bad publicity, prisoners said that guards took children’s letters, tore pictures off the walls and confiscated pencils, crayons and drawing paper. ICE denied doing this.

Dayton at Work and Play: Haitian Artists

April 6, 2026 By Bill Franz

Generations of Haitian artists have been making art from discarded oil drums. Years ago we bought these small birds made by artist Cineus Louime. He works in Haiti’s Croix-des-Bouquets village, where this craft originated.

Friday the Springfield Museum of Art (Ohio) opens a new exhibit called “Resilient Spirits” showing 75 years of Haitian metalwork. The art is from a private collection and has never been exhibited before. Judging from the promotion photo from the museum, the work is amazing. I’m looking forward to seeing it.

Before you go, watch some YouTube videos showing how oil drums are transformed into art in Haiti. I saw one video by the Smithsonian titled “In Haiti, one man’s trash is another’s art supplies.”

It mentioned that the craft was first developed by a blacksmith named Georges Liautaud, whose work is in this exhibit. Reportedly, Liautaud’s first efforts were used to decorate local graves. Then collectors asked him for more intricate work and a new art form was born.

Dayton at Work And Play: Book Worm Café

March 30, 2026 By Bill Franz

One of my favorite breakfast spots, Ugly Duckling, has opened a coffee shop at the downtown library. It’s called Book Worm Café.

Donovan was working there when I dropped by. He said the food menu for the spot isn’t completely set. They plan to bring in various items from the Ugly Duckling and see what people want.

In addition to coffee and smoothies and food they are offering some locally sourced products like Adelaide’s baked goods and the “World Famous” pancake mix used at the Ugly Duckling. The store is open 9-3 every day except Sunday.

The Book Worm Café
iInside the downtown Dayton Metro Library
215 E 3rd Street
Dayton, OH 45405

Mon-Sat from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

features local treats from The Ugly Duckling
and Adelaide’s Wholesome Bake

Dayton at Work And Play: Harrison’s Restaurant

March 23, 2026 By Bill Franz

At Harrison’s Restaurant in Tipp City. My wife suggested Harrison’s Restaurant for a late lunch recently. It was new place for me, but my wife said she’d been there several times before.

I liked the look of the place immediately. Downtown Tipp City has preserved a lot of their older buildings and Harrisons has been honored by the Historic Preservation Society for their renovation. Their walls are decorated with a lot of old-time photos of the area.

The restaurant is divided in half, with a dining room side and a bar side. For lunch the bar seemed the way to go, and it had a nice crowd. The staff seemed to know everyone – kind of a “Cheers” vibe. We were in time for a lunch special of fish, fries and Cole slaw and it was so good I may try their other seafood if I’m back in the evening. I see that their menu includes salmon and walleye.

Harrison’s Restaurant
106 E Main St
Tipp City, OH,45371-1962

937-667-5200

Mon – Sat 11am – 9pm
Sun noon – 8pm

Dayton at Work and Play: Carillon Park

March 9, 2026 By Bill Franz

Lots of historic artifacts have been moved to Carillon over the years. Hearing about new exhibits moving there always ,makes me glad because the organization seems well funded and well run. It makes me feel that whatever goes there will probably be available for our grandkids and great grandkids to see.

After the Oppenheimer movie came out, I gave some visiting relatives what I billed as an Oppenheimer tour of Dayton. Our last stop was the Mound Cold War Discovery Center in Miamisburg. I just read that the museum is being relocated to Carillon Historical Park

World War II ended with the explosion of two atom bombs, triggered by devices made in Dayton. But the Dayton scientific work continued after the war. In 1948 the work that was being done in rented facilities in Dayton and Oakwood was transferred to newly constructed buildings in Miamisburg set on 300 acres. This was the first US site designed and operated to manufacture atomic weapons components.

The building that was used for polonium purification was built underground, with 16 foot thick walls and roof. At the Mound, they made atomic weapons in buildings built to withstand atomic weapons.

The people at the Mound also used their skills in nuclear science to make products not tied to weapons. When Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon they left behind two instruments to record seismic “moonquakes.” Each of those instruments had a small radioisotopic heater designed and built at the Mound. The heaters kept the instruments warm enough to operate during the extreme cold of the lunar nights.

After the terrorist attacks on 9/11/2001 the decision was made to move atomic research to locations away from population centers. All Mound operations were moved to a facility in Idaho, and now the telling of the Mound story will move to Carillon.

Dayton AT Work & Play: Rose Goute Creole Restaurant

February 23, 2026 By Bill Franz

At Rose Goute Creole Restaurant (1881 S Limestone St, Springfield, OH) The restaurant was opened in 2023 to serve the large community of Haitians who had come to Springfield to work in area businesses. I had lunch there when I came to Springfield to see an exhibition at the Springfield Museum of Art.

I tried their chicken with beans and rice. It comes with a salad and fried plantains and costs $15. Portions are large, and I didn’t finish it all. Next time I may order a large size lunch ($20) and split it with a friend. Instead of chicken, I could have ordered the same lunch with turkey, goat, or with a ragout made from beef feet.

The restaurant’s breakfast menu was interesting. It included Spaghetti with chicken and Spaghetti with Herring. I tried to discuss these dishes with my server but was unsuccessful, so I checked it out on the internet later. It turns out that spaghetti became a breakfast staple in Haiti during the US occupation (1915-1934). The Americans brought dry spaghetti noodles and canned tomato sauce, and it caught on.

Rose Goute Creole Restaurant

1881 S Limestone St,
Springfield, OH 45505

(305) 376-1228

Authentic Haitian cuisine made with love.
Open Daily: 8AM-10PM

Dayton at Work and Play

January 26, 2026 By Bill Franz

This quote is by Hitler’s right-hand man Heinrich Himmler, but the words could easily have come from one of President Trump’s advisors. In this administration, creating fear is important.

Thousands of agents of ICE, the president’s private army, did not come to Minneapolis to find undocumented immigrants. If that was their goal, they’d have invaded Texas or Florida. Each of those states has more than ten times as many undocumented immigrants. ICE came to Minneapolis to terrorize a region where most voters oppose the president.

ICE’s cruelty has increased greatly since the government announced that agents have absolute immunity from any consequences of their actions. That cruelty has made immigrants fearful. Peaceful protesters are also afraid, but they are finding the courage to continue.

We can’t count on Congress to stop ICE’s cruelty, because it is controlled by Republicans who are also afraid. They know that if they disagree with the president, his MAGA followers will hound them from office. Expensive private security would be needed to protect their families. Their fear is greater than their sense of duty.

Most Americans don’t approve of what ICE is doing. Even those who want the country’s immigration laws to be strictly enforced don’t want gangs of masked men beating, kicking, gassing and even shooting vulnerable men and women. We need to speak out loudly and often, to our politicians and to everyone else who will listen.

Together, our voices can stop these abuses.

Dayton at Work and Play: Central Perc European Café

January 12, 2026 By Bill Franz

Mike and Rose Morgan, the owners of Central Perc, met in Northwest England. Mike drove the bus that Rose took to work. They fell in love and eventually made their way to Oakwood. On April 15 of this year, they will have been in business here for 30 years.

They are open Monday through Saturday from 8:30am to 5pm, and they always seem to be busy. I guess a lot of people agree with me that there’s nothing like a pot of tea and one of their scones with jam and cream to make a day special. My wife prefers their lunch, especially a sandwich called the Full Monty. If you haven’t tried Central Perc, and you want to experience something different from the national chains, you should give it a try.

Central Perc European Café

2315 Far Hills
Oakwood, OH 45419

(937) 299-5282

Dayton at Work and Play: Protest Art

December 8, 2025 By Bill Franz

Trump’s administration has worked hard to portray itself as Christian. The Speaker of the House says that the Bible directs all his political decisions. Many female Trump administration figures wear large cross necklaces, and the president himself sells “God Bless the U.S.A. Bibles.” Some ministers hail Trump as “God’s chosen one” and many of the president’s supporters identify as Christian nationalists.

But a growing number of Christian leaders are saying that the administration’s actions are not Christian, especially its actions against immigrants. They don’t fault the government for upholding the law but for doing so in the cruelest way possible. They condemn, in the Pope’s words, the administration’s “inhuman treatment of immigrants.”

Last Thursday I was invited to a gathering of Christians who are speaking out against the president. One of Michigan’s oldest protestant churches, Dearborn United Methodist Church, held “A Night of Art & Protest on Immigration.”

The church’s Pastor opened the evening by reviewing Matthew 25, where those who want to follow Jesus are told how they are to live. They must actively help people in need, doing things like feeding the hungry, welcoming strangers, and visiting those in prison.

Then people presented protest art they had created. There were songs, poems and even a children’s book. I spoke about the president saying Haitian immigrants in Springfield were eating dogs and cats, and how that led me to learn more about immigration and to make the first protest art of my life. The church had bought all 12 of my NOT CRIMINAL pieces and had them on display. At the end of the meeting the Pastor said that if people felt that a specific piece of my art needed to be part of someone’s life, they could buy them. Nine were taken. The remaining three will be a permanent exhibition at the church.

Dayton at Work and Play: Dayton Foodbank

November 24, 2025 By Bill Franz

At the Dayton Foodbank, one of the most important places in town.

This economy funnels money from the bottom to the very top. The 200 million at the bottom now have less wealth than the richest 1,000 Americans. That makes foodbanks more important than ever. Helping people in Montgomery, Greene and Preble Counties get enough to eat is the mission of Dayton’s Foodbank.

The Foodbank works with a network of 122 nonprofits to get food to those who need it. In addition, it operates mobile pantries in areas without a local food pantry. It also operates programs for children and for the elderly who are at risk of going hungry.

The Foodbank couldn’t run without lots of volunteers. Some local businesses even give teams of employees a day off to work at the Foodbank. Since they’re buying food for 122 different nonprofits, the Foodbank has the purchasing power to buy at the lowest possible price. For every dollar that’s donated, the Foodbank can provide food for four meals to the community.

If you’re interested in volunteering or donating, go to https://thefoodbankdayton.org/give-time/

Dayton at Work and Play: Springfield Museum of Art

November 17, 2025 By Bill Franz

We’re having a memorial service for my father-in-law, so I wanted to retrieve a piece I had in the Springfield Art Museum’s member’s show. The piece is called “The Relatives Came” and I thought the relatives and friends coming to the service might want to see it. The member’s show runs through December 28, so I didn’t just leave space on the wall. I replaced the original piece with a piece called “Family Soccer Game” which you can see on the lower left corner. It’s one of my favorite pieces.

If you go to the museum there’s a very interesting show called ‘Unearthing: Searching through Strata” by artist Anita Cooke. She was a potter in New Orleans until her studio was buried in mud after Hurricane Katrina. Digging through the wreckage she unearthed her aunt’s 1950s sewing machine and started pushing her art in a new direction.

She paints canvasses, tears them apart, and then stitches them together into intricate constructions. I’m posting two images of one called Night Sky Network made of painted canvas, thread and metal pins mounted on wood boards. You really need to see this and the other works in this show in person.