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Big Happy Funhouse

Ron Slattery's funhouse is home to found photography, free pie and happy thoughts.

Sunday Mar 26, 2006.     By Jessica Herman

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Ron Slattery explains where it all began, in his childhood years spent in a "cheesy apartment complex" called Heritage Manor in Oaklawn, Ill.

At the end of every month, when tenants moved in and out, he and his sister went dumpster-diving. Inspired by a retired carnie's discarded collection of photos, Slattery started collecting found photography and hasn't stopped since.

He uploads images twice a day to his blog, BigHappyFunhouse.com, occasionally tacking on memories or thoughts that the images conjure up. The pictures are there to tickle you.

His postings will soon stray from those found in Chicago, as Slattery will spend the next eight months trailer-trekking, visiting 60 of his blog fans and friends across North America. Here's what he had to say about the funhouse.

What's the gist of your blog?
Free pie. Interesting found photos. Vernacular photography—It's like accidental art. You'll be going through a photo album, and there'll be one or two shots that look like they're taken by Diane Arbus. [It's] just like mom and pop accidentally made a killer piece of art.

If I read your blog today, gimme one thing I'd learn.
You'd learn that there's fun in the world. It's not all about George Bush and bad things happening. It's out there, and you can find it.

My computer is surrounded by…
Four thrift store paintings, four tiki mugs from Harvey's Sneaky Tiki in Lake Tahoe, a folk art painting of a church, a notebook and a Lumix camera.

How do you pay the bills?
I sell junk. I sell outsider art, bad art and antiques.

When you aren't loving blogging, you're loving BLANK in Chicago.
Painted signs on walls...this folk art in the city that's kind of, like, there. I love that stuff. I just took a picture of a sign at Berwyn. The guy spells wheels "weels." The absurdity of the city.

Name a local blogger extraordinaire.
SquareAmerica. That's my friend, Nick. He's an obsessive photo collector. His whole house is loaded with photos.