Category: Shout-Outs

Ode to a Friend

2nd-April-Galerie-digital-art-byBZTAT
Digital Art by BZTAT

If you follow me on Foursquare, you know that Second April Galerie is one of the places I visit the most. I visit there so often, they allow me to have UPS and FedEx delivered there, since there is always someone around for pick-up.

Second April is right around the corner from me in the Canton Arts District, and they have a nice, comfy coffee bar. There are always interesting folks hanging out, engaging in interesting conversation. And the artisitic environment is stunningly magical.

Oh yeah. And there’s Brennis and Todd.

Co-owners of Second April, B&T are two of the sweetest, funnest, most charming and hysterically funny guys I have ever met.

Truth be told, B&T gave me the opportunity to stretch my creative muscles so that I could eventually become a full time professional artist. They are my pals, my delivery guys, and my inspiration.

Brennis-Booth
Brennis as a fortune teller for Halloween

The day before I left for Las Vegas, Brennis was rushed to the Emergency Room with chest pains. Several tests revealed that he had suffered a mild heart attack. He had open heart surgery soon after and he is now recovering at home from the ordeal. He is doing well, but it is a slow process.

The hardest part is that Brennis has no health insurance. As you can imagine, the bills are adding up. His friends are many, and they are doing what they can to raise funds for him. I agreed to post a ChipIn for him. You are welcome to donate if you would like.

Thanks to the “Brennis Bunch”, a group of friends who pitched in, Second April remained open every business day during the crisis. That’s the kind of comraderie we have here in the Canton Arts District. It is truly a supportive arts community on many levels.

Now you know why I love it here so much!

 (Grab the code and put the widget on your own blog/website!)

Congratulations to Santa Paws Drive!

I am a big fan of animal rescue groups and all the fine work that they do to help pets find homes.

So when Twitter friends @FrugalDougal, @BabyPatches and @YourDailyCute got together to create Santa Paws Drive to benefit 6 different animal shelters around the world, I was thrilled!

It was quite an effort, but they surpassed their goal of raising $3600 in cash and gifts to the shelters! At last count, they had raised $3787!!!

When I first started getting into social media, I had no idea how many great organizations there were doing excellent work on behalf of animals. As an animal artist and an animal lover, I feel truly blessed to have connected with many of these organizations and people working on their behalf.

Many of these people got behind the Santa Paws Drive effort, and they really made the whole event special.

Special thanks go out to the organizers and to those who donated to the cause.

There will be some critters smiling and thanking you this Christmas.

Life is an Adventure!

BZTAT