My OperaMichael Carr
Monday, January 5, 2009 7:03:57 PM
Michael Carr died Christmas day. No details, yet, but it occurred at home in Wyoming.
Michael was one of the early renovators in Naylor Court. For a day job, he was a graphics artist with NAVAIR in Cristal City. When NAVAIR moved to Pax River, Michael did too. Upon retirement a few years ago, he moved back to Wyoming. He always missed Wyoming.
The major problem in the early 80's in Naylor Court and Blagden Alley was crime: drug dealing, prostitution (regular and TV), and more than a few murders (though none of local residents). We went through several 3D commanders at the time, many of whom should not have been there. And during that time DC was "the murder capital" of the country. The per capita homicide rate was leading the country for a couple of years, and always competed. One of the tools we had at our disposal was publicity, both trying to get on TV and into the Washington Post. That turned the heat up a bit more heat on 3D. Every little bit helped.
In the late 80's, the only semi-smoothly paved portion of Naylor Court was at where Naylor Court opens onto the 1300 block of Tenth Street. That was close to the alley dwelling he was renovating (now fixed up nicely by Alec Raday and Sara Snider). So early in that year, he started painting silhouettes of bodies lying there, just like bodies were outlined in chalk by the police at a shooting. One for each murder so far in the year. Most of the neighbors "posed" for these outlines. And the WaPo did a couple of stories on it. It helped make us a known neighborhood, which helped in getting better police coverage.
He also gave the editor a few sketches for the (then ODT) newsletter. Here is a sample:
An artist's eye sees the marvelous detail of the neighborhood very clearly.
Update
Dave Salter has a nice piece on Michael Carr here.
Michael was one of the early renovators in Naylor Court. For a day job, he was a graphics artist with NAVAIR in Cristal City. When NAVAIR moved to Pax River, Michael did too. Upon retirement a few years ago, he moved back to Wyoming. He always missed Wyoming.
The major problem in the early 80's in Naylor Court and Blagden Alley was crime: drug dealing, prostitution (regular and TV), and more than a few murders (though none of local residents). We went through several 3D commanders at the time, many of whom should not have been there. And during that time DC was "the murder capital" of the country. The per capita homicide rate was leading the country for a couple of years, and always competed. One of the tools we had at our disposal was publicity, both trying to get on TV and into the Washington Post. That turned the heat up a bit more heat on 3D. Every little bit helped.
In the late 80's, the only semi-smoothly paved portion of Naylor Court was at where Naylor Court opens onto the 1300 block of Tenth Street. That was close to the alley dwelling he was renovating (now fixed up nicely by Alec Raday and Sara Snider). So early in that year, he started painting silhouettes of bodies lying there, just like bodies were outlined in chalk by the police at a shooting. One for each murder so far in the year. Most of the neighbors "posed" for these outlines. And the WaPo did a couple of stories on it. It helped make us a known neighborhood, which helped in getting better police coverage.
He also gave the editor a few sketches for the (then ODT) newsletter. Here is a sample:
An artist's eye sees the marvelous detail of the neighborhood very clearly.
Update
Dave Salter has a nice piece on Michael Carr here.
