Can Refrigerator Magnets Defeat Domestic Violence?

I am running in a 5k race this Sunday that is a fundraiser for Samaritan House, which is a worthy charity that helps victims of domestic violence and families at risk of becoming homeless. Full disclosure, my wife works part-time at Sam House, so we often participate in their fundraising events. In recent years, government funding has been becoming less available, so charities like Samaritan House are struggling to find money to help their clients.

Last year was the first time I ran a 5k of any kind and I enjoyed the atmosphere and sense of purpose. It felt good to give back to the community. This year I decided to try and raise extra funds on top of what I have contributed. I've built a pretty decent social network and want to see if I can use it to educate and amplify for this cause. My goal is $500. I am suggesting a donation of $10, with the hopes that I could get fifty people to come through. So far, I am 60% of the way there. I hit on the idea to provide an additional incentive and offer up these two groovy, vintage Kan-Kan Studio (my old studio name from the 1990s) fridge magnets that I recently dug up. Here's the deal; who ever makes the largest contribution, will get their pick between the two. I'll do a drawing among the $10 or more donors for the other one. A mere ten bucks will get you a chance to own one of these beauties. It also feels damn good .

>>> Click right here to go to my Crowd Rise fundraiser page <<<<

Thank you!

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Exhibition bound - "Big Chief Bad Noodle"

I finished "Big Chief Bad Noodle" with a lick of acrylic paint and a touch of gold leaf; rubbing and distressing the surface to make it look like an artifact.

As a newbie woodcarver, I'm pleased with the results I got from using hand tools and the dremel.  I have a whole stack of cedar to play with and will get rolling on the next piece soon.

This piece was taken from a tiny sketch that I did a long time ago.

 I decided to not try and copy the original design exactly, leaving some room open for randomness. As you see, he was wider through the middle in the sketch and where the "brain" is was just a pattern that doesn't quite work. I also changed to the brain matter when I thought of the name.

"Big Chief Bad Noodle" will be hanging in the "Small Works - Miniatures by Tidewater Artists" at the Charles H, Taylor Center in Hampton, Va. from October 12th until December 1st. Last year I had a drawing in that show, "Edgar Allen Poe VS. The Brain Eating Microbe". I need to get started now on some work for next year's show as I am always procrastinating until the last minute.

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Big Chief Bad Noodle

I am working on a new woodcarving, a small piece that might wind up in a local show if I can finish it by the entry date (some things never change). I'm using a combination of hand tools and a Dremel, playing around with different techniques and seeing what works. For the moment I am calling this piece "Big Chief Bad Noodle", but that could change. I still need to paint him and that could spark another name. I love the smell of fresh sanded Cedar wood.

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How We Remember

I've tried to explain to a few friends what Vine is and they all have the same reaction, "Six seconds? That's it? What can you do with that?". Good question. I think six seconds is freeing because it breaks the expectation we normally have for watching a "short" video. It also occurred to me that our memories, well at least my memories, seem to happen in short chunks; chunks that might just be about six seconds long. When I call up a memory, often times it is a flash of an ordinary moment; walking down the street, waiting in line, a turn of the head and a smile. If I try to remember a long event, it still comes to me in little packets of memory. Vine videos replicate that.

Last weekend, my wife and I were hanging out on the patio listening to the new Steve Earle album and I happen to look straight up and saw some beautiful clouds floating overhead.

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Saturday evening chillin' w @SteveEarle (CD) on the patio. https://t.co/qAiwuDJHc7
— Hal Weaver (@Weaverwerx) June 16, 2013

"The Struggle" - A Vine Stop Motion bit

"The Struggle", a short stop-motion animation starring "Frank" from "Sin City". :)

"The Struggle" a #vine animation. Never give up! Weaverwerx.blogspot.com vine.co/v/bLiaHpvPHQ5
— Hal Weaver (@Weaverwerx) June 7, 2013

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Six Seconds on The Vine

This morning, a friend of mine posted this link;

http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2013/06/animator-ian-padgham-flourishes-within-vines-6-second-limitation/

on a well-used social media web site. I instantly fell in love with these imaginative and lyrical very short, just six-second animations created through a new (to me) app called Vine. I was intrigued enough with the concept of what could be done with six seconds, that I downloaded the app and installed it on my iPod. Here's first attempt;

My #firstpost on Vine. TS Andrea on the way. vine.co/v/bLWulDBxYVn
— Hal Weaver (@Weaverwerx) June 6, 2013

Believe me, I realize it is a very humble start, but what I liked about it was the immediacy of capturing a moment. The six second time limit and lack of customization options strips away the clutter and forces the creator to make something. Even if that "something" is bad or boring, it's over so quick, no harm done. The six second limit also makes the videos more honest in a way. I see that people are willing to share very mundane moments, which for me is where life happens. Most of our lives are made up by those "mundane moments", so what a fine gift to glimpse other folks slices of life and save some of my own.

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