Wahoo Strikes Again! - Fracking Wonderland

Some Fights Are Worth Fightin'

It's been a while since I've posted 'round here. I can tell by the cobwebs and super sized dust bunnies lurking in all the nook and crannies.  Apparently, I'm as good at keeping a blog as I am at keeping a house.

There are several reasons I haven't been around.  One is exhaustion.  Lord, I'm tired.  October was a rough month.  I desperately needed the-vacation-I'm-not-getting back in August.  I'm surrounded by projects, and rejoice when I'm able to muster up something that resembles creativity.


Those projects are another reason I haven't been around.  The usually commitments have me tied up, but I've added new commitments and projects.  Since September I've planned a harvest-like festival for a small village, turned my house into a haunted house for 250 kids, coordinated 4 weeks of holiday festivities in aforementioned small village, volunteer 5+ hours a week with an anti-fracking group and am launching a writing campaign to Oprah.  I'd kill for a dull moment.  Seriously, what's a girl gotta do?

When I do find a moment to write it's usually mopey.  I've been dealing with heavy emotional stuff and hate sounding like Ms. Debbie Downer all the time.  The other side of that is that I feel utterly invisible, and I'm creating this self fulfilling prophecy.  I've been lurking around the blog, not contributing to my own blog and have been virtually invisible.

The anti-fracking* movement is a project that has reinvigorated me.  I'm organizing, collaborating and working with some really great, smart and creative people.  I'm finding others who are doers.  I'm meeting folks from other states effected by fracking like West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Texas, Colorado and Arkansas.  It's waking my inner warrior because this is a fight worth fightin'.

Just like I'm worth fighting for.  This year has worn me down, and I've I lost some of my fight.  I'm taking January off to rest up and get back into fighting shape. :)

I'm also finding my voice again.  I'm feeling more like my genuine self, and not the projection my family likes to saddle me with.

The anti-fracking group I've been working with, Catskill Citizens for Safe Energy, had a fundraiser on Nov. 13th.  Wahoo contributed two pieces of artwork to the cause.  He also wrote a song and created a video to help us promote our cause.  Unfortunately, the two photos I was going to donate didn't print up well.

One of the great things about living here are the celebrity neighbors.  Mark Ruffalo lives down the road a piece and has become a local hero.  He is one of the faces of our cause going on Rachel Maddow, touring around speaking with various groups, hosting debates and forums at colleges, giving keynote addresses at rallys.  He and his wife hosted the fundraiser for Catskill Citizens.  He's a remarkable man, and an incredibly nice and genuine human being.

One of Wahoo's pieces was of Mark and titled "Hero".  It's a fantastic piece and I'm proud to say it's hanging in Mark's house.  Mark's son was the very excited and proud winner. :)

(Click on photos to make them larger.)

"Hero" by Brock Lady (aka Wahoo)

Here is Mark posing with his portrait.  He loved it. :)  His son loved it more! :)

Here's Wahoo posing with Mark and "Hero".  Wahoo wasn't happy with the photo, but I think it's cute.  They were having fun. :)

Wahoo's second piece titled "The End".  This was a great piece he had done a few years ago.  It hung in my house, and I was quite fond of it.  When this event came up we just knew it was time to part ways.  Wahoo  added the wording on the bottom to fit the cause.  I was quite proud of both his pieces. :)

This was going to be one of my pieces.  I had titled it "Leased?"  The gas companies are getting farmers to sign over their farmland.  They're offering them lies and dreams of enough money to retire wealthy.  It's sad really.

This second piece I've titled "Drill, Baby, Drill".  If you've ever seen what one of their wells look like you'd understand how much they'll mar our landscape. 

Finally, Wahoo's song and video.  It's witty, fun and on point.  If you like and feel like passing it on I'd be eternally grateful.  As of right now we're a little over 1,400 views.  We're really trying to make this go viral.  We need the national attention!!

You can Facebook or tweet it from it's original Youtube page.  Double clicking on the video should bring you right to the youtube page. :)








*Fracking is short for hydraulic fracturing.  It's a drilling process for natural gas.  It's dirty.  It poisons the air, the land and the water.  There is a brilliant documentary out there called "GasLand" by a brilliant fellow named Josh Fox.  He lives a few minutes from me over in Pennsylvania.  If the oil and gas companies are our Goliath then he's our David. :)

Volunteered By Proxy

I volunteer a good chunk of my time on various community projects, and Chalk Walk is a community event that I plan each year.  I'm afraid that poor Mr. Wahoo is volunteered by proxy.  I'm always "asking" him to pitch in to round out whatever event I've got going on.  When Chalk Walk comes around I shamelessly take advantage of his artistic endeavors for my own charitable gains.

Last year, Chalk Walk was the kick off celebration for our county's bicentennial and the 40th Anniversary of the original Woodstock concert in Bethel, NY.  The participating artists were asked to create something that celebrated either or both of these events. Mr. Wahoo chose to do a portrait of Jimi Hendrix, a personal idol of his.

He started this portrait the night before, working for about an hour by lantern light. Since this was his first time attempting a chalk rendering, he was a tad nervous and spent a lot of time on mental preparations.  He was really concerned with not being able to execute his vision.

I have a very hard time finding artists for this event because they're afraid of the medium.  It doesn't matter how hard I stress the fun factor, they just don't seem interested.  I give my man lots of kudos for volunteering his time and talent, working so hard to create something interesting for the public and for taking on an unusual medium out of his comfort levels and artistic experience.  

That's 6'9" of coiled Wahoo.  He was a hurtin' mess the next day!

The day of the event he spent about 5 hours working while the occasional passerby would make inquiries about his subject.  He was asked if he was drawing Michael Jackson, John Coltrane or Miles Davis. We even had one ask if it was Dr. King. The oddball guesses were not deterred by the J-I-M-I spelled out down the right side.

At a certain point he hated it.  That's when I knew it, and he, was finished.

I had Mr. Wahoo pose with his chalk masterpiece to give an idea of scale. I believe Jimi was 6'x4' when all was said and done.

Finished product. 

Biggest lessons learned about sidewalk chalk art was to bring paint brushes to help smooth out and blend the chalk. Mr. Wahoo didn't have finger prints for about a week afterward. Another good tip is to bring something to kneel or sit on.  That sidewalk is hard, but whatta trooper!

 Oh Edward, how you glitter in the sunlight.

This year's Chalk Walk didn't have a theme.  We just let people do what it was they wanted to do while stressing "family friendly event".  Mr. Wahoo chose to draw Edward of the Twilight movies.  The newest movie was being released the following week, and he figured this would be a no brainer and a biggie with the kids.

Keeping with the myth created by Stephenie Meyer he even made Edward sparkle in the sunlight.  The effect was absolutely incredible. 

What do you think?  Who do you think this is?

Drawing a popular actor and character didn't deter the oddball guessing.  This year we heard a lot of James Dean and Marlon Brando remarks.  Even the local paper printed that his portrait did resemble a young Marlon Brando.  They also attributed my quotes to the local librarian and credited her for organizing the event.  Seriously. Some days you win, some days you lose. Some days you fantasize about blowing it all up, burning it down and roasting marshmallows in the aftermath.  Some days...

My neighbor's 75 year old aunt was the hero of the day by remarking "I know who that is, that's obviously Robert Pattinson."  I turned to Mr. Wahoo and said "See it's not you, it's them.  It's usually them.  Why do we even listen to them?"

Thanks, Aunt Judy! 

My Wahoo with his chalk portrait of a glittery teen idol.