Dick Burry
When Dick Burry first walked into the Thomas J. Moyer Judicial Center downtown on
Front Street, he knew he had discovered a true gem. He marveled at the gold detailing, Art Deco style and historic murals chronicling Ohio’s past.
“I totaled up the number of images that are in there. There are over 220 pieces of public art in that building,” Burry says. “I think I’ve gone to all the Ohio public buildings and that’s more than any other building.”
He asked himself, “Why don’t more people know this art is here? Why aren’t there any books detailing the beauty and history of this building?”
Realizing no one had created a comprehensive publication focused on the architectural feat, he decided to be the one to do it.
From neurology to nostalgia
Burry spent his career studying brain and spinal cord functions as a neuroscientist at The Ohio State University while raising two children, Jon and Daniel, with his wife, Yvonne, in Upper Arlington.
Photography has been one of Burry’s hobbies since he was 12 years old and he loved developing film in a dark room under his staircase. This fascination came to fruition in his career since he was often taking pictures under the microscope for his research.
When he and his wife travel, he enjoys taking photos of tourist sites, especially the historical hotspots and hidden gems. His photography has been showcased in more than 20 galleries.
Once he retired in 2011, he got involved with multiple historical preservation nonprofits including Ohio History Connection, Columbus Landmarks and Heritage Ohio. Alongside these organizations, he volunteers to take photos and advocate for the conservation of historic buildings and landmarks in Columbus.
Photo by Dick Burry
ohio statehouse
For one of these photography projects, Burry spent several months shooting at the Ohio Statehouse. At one point, he went as far as crawling on top of the building’s cupola to get the perfect shot. Those photos are now some of the only outside pieces of art displayed on Statehouse walls.
One day, a friend recommended he photograph in and around the Moyer Judicial Center, which started what would become a seven-year journey developing his book, Art and History in the Ohio Judicial Center.
“The big surprise is that everybody’s been by the building with the big gavel outside, but not many people have been inside like me,” Burry says. “And until you go in there and you understand it, and then you look on the outside and see all the reliefs that were there that you never paid attention to, you can understand some of the history associated with those reliefs. I mean, it taught me Ohio history.”
Looking beyond the lens
Photo by Ray LaVoie
dick burry
Though Burry previously published a textbook documenting his medical research titled Immunocytochemistry: A Practical Guide for Biomedical Research, he doesn’t consider himself a writer and had originally recruited a friend to do the editorial for the book while he focused on the photographs.
“I think in pictures,” Burry says. “In fact, I didn’t learn to read ‘til I was in eighth grade because I don’t look at words as letters, I look at them as shapes.”
Burry’s friend ultimately pulled out of the project, so Burry spent a year studying Ohio history. With the help of his wife, who spent her career as an editor, he crafted the editorial himself.
Burry’s next challenge was to get his work published. Kent State University Press eventually agreed, but he first needed to raise the funds to have it printed on high-quality paper.
“(Kent State University Press said) ‘We’re going to require from you some subvention’ and I had to run to a dictionary and look up that means,” Burry says. “It’s a grant given to an institution to support a goal, so I raised money to support the publishing of that book. … My goal was to raise $20,000. In all, I raised 15, which was acceptable to them.”
In November 2023, Art and History in the Ohio Judicial Center: A Visual Tour was released, and received praise from former Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor, esteemed local architect Robert D. Loversidge and other notable figures familiar with the space.
Golden Bears care
Burry and his wife have lived in Upper Arlington for almost 40 years. He says their children, now adults, had a great experience attending Upper Arlington schools. Burry enjoys talking with the abundance of like-minded community members who share his interests.
“I have been able to talk to (community members) a lot about older historic buildings and historic homes, and that kind of thing,” Burry says. “I think it’s something that the community is really interested in.”
Another interest of Burry’s is classical music, a hobby he and his wife share. The couple volunteers and donates to various music-based nonprofits in the area including ProMusica and Chamber Music Columbus. They frequently attend shows from local groups such as Carpe Diem String Quartet and the Columbus Symphony Orchestra.
“My wife played the violin and I only played a CD player,” Burry says.
As for the future, Burry isn’t sure what his next big endeavor will be, as he isn’t much of a planner. However, he says if an idea or opportunity arrives, he won’t hesitate to pursue it.
Burry’s Photography Pro Tip:
Sometimes to get the best shot you need to move around, try standing on a chair, lying on the ground, or simply taking a few steps to the left or right.
“I’d say 99% of the photographs I see that people take are not framed properly,” he says. “You have to think about framing when you take a picture.
Maisie Fitzmaurice is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at mfitzmaurice@cityscenemediagroup.com.
