The Story of “Light Dodger”
Here is a video about the creation of the Light Dodger sculpture narrated by the artist, Tj Aitken. The sculpture is slated to be installed in 2015 at Bainbridge Shady Grove Metro Apartments at the entrance to the Shady Grove Metro Station. The site also will also include Tj’s “Hemi Piston Street Lamps”. It will be seen by thousands of commuters taking the Red Line from the Shady Grove Metro Station to Bethesda, Maryland and D.C. Center.
It is a part of a project that will commemorate the history of Reed Brothers Dodge.
Update: “Light Dodger” Sculpture Project by Tj Aitken
“Light Dodger” is close to completion. Here are shots from the lighting tests. The large glass pieces should go in next week (shown with surrogate panels). For scale, note Sculptor, Tj Aitken’s face in the smaller opening!
Street Hemi Lamps are complete and ready to go to the east coast for installation. The lamps are 8 feet high with concrete cam bases case with a custom formula that should not be taken for granite. The rods are powder coated steel. The aluminum clad, 1/2 inch thick, glass globes on top have been re-purposed from an old manufacturing facility. A row of these will grace the promenade near the Light Dodger sculpture. This grouping of 6 is 18ft x 4ft x 8ft high.
Update: “Light Dodger” Sculpture Project by Tj Aitken
Titled “Light Dodger,” the sculpture by Tj Aitken will stand 20 feet high and will have stained glass lens components over 6 feet in diameter. Currently being fabricated in Holland, Michigan – the home of its accomplished sculpture, Tj Aitken – it is slated to be installed March 2015 at Bainbridge Shady Grove Apartments at the entrance to the Shady Grove Metro Station on the Red Line to Washington, DC. Reed Brothers Dodge stood at this location for more than 40 years.
It is part of a project that commemorates the dealership that received the #8 Dodge from Detroit in 1915. The site will also include Tj’s “Hemi Piston Street Lamps”. (click on images to enlarge)
Sculpture Milestone Celebration!
The “Light Dodger,” sculpture by Tj Aitken has hit a major milestone and is planning a celebration! The full scale armature will be erected for the first time!
The 20-foot sculpture and the Hemi Street Lamps are to be installed next spring at Bainbridge Shady Grove Apartments at the entrance to the Shady Grove Metro Station to commemorate Reed Brothers Dodge and the dealership’s history.
“Light Dodger” Project to Commemorate Reed Brothers Dodge
Titled “Light Dodger,” the sculpture by Tj Aitken will stand 19 feet high and will have stained glass lens components over 6 feet in diameter. Currently being fabricated in Michigan – the home of its accomplished sculpture, Tj Aitken – it is slated to be installed March 2015 at Bainbridge Shady Grove Apartments at the entrance to the Shady Grove Metro Station on the Red Line to Washington, DC.
The project will commemorate Reed Brothers Dodge and focus on the dealership’s history to turn the brunt of the complex into a prominent residential landmark in Rockville.
Bainbridge wanted an artist who could design something modern, abstract but still using the automotive theme. Tj presented many alternatives after studying the Dodge line and history for the former Reed Brothers Dodge site.
Site Model Miniature
A large concrete sculpture was chosen titled “Light Dodger” which melds the design of two classic lamp and fender designs from the Dodge line into one three dimensional work of art. Aficionados will recognize the ’39 Dodge and the ’57 Dodge pick up in the sculpture which is currently being constructed in concrete.
Studies for Hemi Street Lamp
Along with the Light Dodger, a set of “Hemi street lamps” will grace the curving walkway. These functional lamps are based on the famous Hemi piston. They will be flaked by head gasket graphics along the walkway that winds along the building promenade towards the metro train station.
About Tj Aitken
Tj Aitken is an Installation artist and established Industrial Design Consultant. He creates public sculptures and has had commissions and exhibitions in many cities. Tj grew up near Detroit, worked assembly, die models, show prototypes, and then did a sculpture BFA in ‘77. In the 80’s his Colorado studio cast museum replicas and his work. ‘87 back in Michigan, he managed 3D auto design and became a Design Director, while sculpting art privately. Living in Europe in the 90’s and lecturing at the University of Hertfordshire School of Art and Design he began developing the ideas for Art Savvy. He worked in Milan, Cologne, Munich, and Coventry. These years allowed him to study the art masters in Paris, Amsterdam, Florence and Rome and gave him a new perspective on Americans and their relation to art. His work on aesthetics has been validated in studies published by the University of Michigan in 2004. He taught thousands how to understand beauty and craftsmanship in industry at companies like Johnson Controls, General Motors, Avery Dennison, Newell Rubbermaid, and Tata of India. He holds design and process patents and his materials have been translated into 5 languages. He has been a conference speaker on “Quantifying Aesthetics” at the Harvard “Front End of Innovation,” The Innovation Network, and the Creative Problem Solving Institute’s annual conferences.
Website: Sculpture by Tj
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Reed Brothers Dodge History (1915-2012) by Jeanne Gartner is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.
Reed Brothers Dodge History 1915 – 2012 
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