Art D’Vine Gives You A Shot At Some Original GameWorden Art!

You gotta know how much I love it when the arts community comes together for an amazing event. Well tonight at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, it's your chance to enjoy a doozie of a soiree at the 5th annual Art d' Vine, a wine and art celebration featuring wines and brews from the Pacific Northwest!

When I got an email a few months ago from Gayle Mosher from the Center, she asked if I'd like to participate, knowing I was an Oregon native. You gotta know some tasty Pinots will be part of the mix tonight, as well as some of the finest Oregon craft beers. Of course I accepted! Especially when she asked if I might consider making a piece of my custom GameWorden art for the auction. Here is your chance to have your favorite morning guy's artwork in your home or office! Using the the event theme as inspiration, I created one of my "guitART" pieces that can hang handsomely on your wall! Basically, I find beat up acoustic guitars at thrift stores and use them as a canvas. Instead of paint however, I use foils from the necks of wine bottles. I reverse-emboss words that follow a theme for each guitART, and affix the foils to the guitar with an industrial staple gun! Crazy huh? The effect is cool though (at least I hope YOU think so), as it has a look of a unique metal quilt. The theme of this piece is...what else?...WINE!

Art d'Vine gets underway tonight with the Sponsor's Reception at 6:00pm at the center. 110 W. Finney Ave. in downtown Suffolk. The Wine Celebration and Silent Auction begins at 7pm and the Live Auction is at 8:30pm. I hope these pictures do the art justice and give you just a glimpse of the fun in store tonight at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts. Get more information online at http://www.SuffolkCenter.org, or call 757-923-0003 for directions or more information. If you are spending time in Suffolk this weekend for Peanut Festival, begin your time with Art d'Vine!

Cheers!

E-dub

Light A Candle for 9/11

This month is of course on the minds of us all. Hard to believe 10 years have passed since the attacks on the WTC Twin Towers, the Pentagon and the heroic acts that prevented a fourth strike ending in a field in Pennsylvania. In the aftermath, I co-wrote a song called "Light A Candle" with my friend Michael Goldberg. It was produced locally by Robb Torgler, founder of the wildly popular band Butter. My lyrics will say much as to the meaning of the song, but Michael's music and the amazing vocals of two then-15 year old girls (Natalie Prass and Adrianne Warren) was a statement of hope sung by children for children. Though many if not most of today's primary and middle-school students were too young to understand, or simply not born yet, 9/11 may be a kind of mystery that everyone speaks loudly about. The images make it easy for all ages to understand it was a very hard time for our country. But the unity it brought was unprecedented, and with so much being done this week in remembrance of that day, we are all encouraged to find ways to "Make a Difference." For a child it can start with something very simple and symbolic. Light a Candle. For remembrance is so important, and after 10 years, it is more important than ever to continually keep the families who lost loved ones in our hearts and prayers...the first responders and those who make it a living putting themselves at risk for our safety...fire, police, EMT, military...we need to still thank them every day on the street...fly the flag...a multifaceted eternal flame of thanks and hope.

"Light A Candle" was written for our Non-Profit educational program "Magic - The State of the Arts," a PBS award-winning program utilizing music, art and the internet to make learning fun. While this song was more serious than many in the program, it addressed the fears children had following the tragedy. It was created to help kids dialogue with parents, teachers, and other children as to why "bad" things have to happen sometimes. How to find a way to better understand what 9/11 was about. How to strive together to find healing. Played and sung in classes, kids then could create art reflecting the feelings the song and the event stirred. A colorful catharsis to healing. For a copy of this song or more information on this song, and the dozens of other tunes written in correlation with the SOLs designed to help get better test scores and make learning fun for kids of all ages, please email me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). An mp3 of "Light A Candle" can be heard on the Virginia Beach Public Schools website at http://www.vbschools.com.

Please read these lyrics. Please share them with your kids and others you love.

"Light A Candle"

Music: Michael Goldberg

Lyrics: Eric Worden

The sun doesn't always shine

As brightly as it could

And sometimes the way we feel

Isn't always good . . . or understood

On a morning, when the sky was so blue and so clear

Four eagles . . . flying high in the air

Then a storm-wind blows . . . but wherever they go

Have no fear

Light a candle when you're feeling afraid

Light a candle for the price we've paid

Let us sing a serenade . . .

We will never let our sunlight fade

Light a candle for the volunteers

Light a candle for each and every tear

All across the hemispheres

Let the voice of freedom fill our cheers!

It's okay to be happy or sad

It's okay to cry

It's natural to feel angry and mad

There's no "good" in goodbye . . . keep askin' "Why?"

On a morning, when the sky is so blue and so clear

Four eagles . . . flying high in the air

Then clouds appear . . . but your friends are here

Have no fear

Light a candle when you're feeling alone

Light a candle for the many unknown

Though it chills us to the bone

Say a prayer in each and every home

Light a candle for the home of the brave

Light a candle for the souls that they saved

The very lives these heroes gave

Fly the flag and let Old Glory wave!

Why is it people will do bad things?

They can't destroy all that goodness brings

What are we gonna do? (child questions?)

We'll be protecting you (parents/teachers reassure)

Fear is invisible

We're indivisible

Talkin' 'bout liberty

And don't forget justice for all

Hear the eagles call

Light a candle for every name

Light a candle for the fears you tame

It may never be the same

Candle be an eternal flame

Light a candle the world can see

Light a candle for unity

From sea to shining sea

Light a candle for you and . . . me

Fight Crime Globally…Buy Comics Locally

Man, Hollywood has certainly been enjoying a cash cow with their continued string of box office smashes on the coat tails of all your favorite super heroes. Who knew when back in the 70's that Chris Reeve would start a trend that would gain momentum with every Comic Blockbuster. Certainly for every success like Superman, Batman and Spiderman, come some feeble attempts too (did someone say Flash Gordon?), but with this year's Green Hornet, Thor, Green Lantern, Captain America and more, imagine what it would be like meeting a writer responsible for building legends like The God Of Thunder. Well, lovers of truth, justice and the American way...here's your chance!

Two doors down from Cogans just south of 20th on Colonial St. in Ghent, you'll find Local Heroes Comics. Cool place with cool stuff, especially for the young at heart. Lots of classics to indies to peruse and a great staff to help you find what you need. Greg from Local Heroes dropped me an email note the other day that outlines a real bonus coming up for any comic fan. They announced that Jonathan Hickman will be appearing at the store this Saturday from 3-6pm. Jonathan currently writes Fantastic Four (FF), SHIELD, Secret Warriors and the upcoming Ultimates relaunch from Marvel Comics. He also has a backlist of creator-owned books from Image Comics that I understand are all amazing reads (Nightly News, Pax Romana, Transhuman, Red Mass for Mars). He will be available Saturday to sign books and talk comics! How cool is that? On top of that, they will also have free Pizza from Cogans and tons of door prizes and giveaways

Hey, you could be meeting the next Stan Lee! Get more info at http://www.localheroescomics.com.

I'm Batman

Making A Difference For Mia And Madison

Here at the station, the Bob family is touched by Madison Mundy. Her dad Jerry works with us in sales. Madison is a growing teenager dealing with most of the tough stuff the teen years bring. Madison also deals with something nearly no one has to deal with. Neurofibromatosis. Though diagnoses can vary, NF has a wide range of symptoms. In essence, neurofibromatosis (NF) is a genetic disorder of the nervous system which causes tumors to form on the nerves anywhere in the body at any time. Madison has had several surgeries and knows quite well the path that four year-old Mia Rashkind may have as her struggle with the disease continues. But both girls can benefit big time tonight at the Red Mill Commons location of Buffalo Wild Wings.

Mia has two brain tumors, which were just recently found to be stable. This is of course after series after series of chemo, medication, MRIs and other doctor’s visits. She is being raised by her single father Danny. He runs marathons to raise money for research for a cure. This is done for the Children’s Tumor Foundation. Upon hearing about this brave and inspirational little girls story, and how much she loves Buffalo Wild Wings, Buffalo Wild Wings (Red Mill) and Virginia Surf, Skate & Snow (VAS3/VAScubed) got together to raise money to help out. A raffle is being held for a one of a kind custom surfboard from VAS3 (retail about $700). A portion of this goes to The Children’s Tumor Foundation. The tickets are being sold now at the Red Mill BWW location. The drawing is tonight between 6-9 pm. The plan is to have little Mia draw the winning ticket. Also tonight, 10% of all food sales at BWW Red Mill will go to The Children’s Tumor Foundation. Another side note is that Mia has a facebook page in which she is trying to get 1 million fans for a cure for NF; she already has over 12,000 (pretty impressive for 4 years old). You can check it out Mia's story with this link to her FB page. http://www.facebook.com/pages/VAScubed/193144997366045#!/pages/Can-Mia-get-1000000-fans-to-raise-awarness-of-Neurofibromatosis/352074198785. More can be found on the Buffalo Wild Wings/VAS3 event page http://www.facebook.com/pages/VAScubed/193144997366045#!/event.php?eid=202737396436566. If you need any further info, contact Trevor at VAS3. .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)