I had a dog named Duchess

The world will never know how much goodness and how much love it has lost.

I took Duchess from the cradle to her final breath.

And she paid me back by loving me completely and protecting our family.

You’ll never know how much was lost when she had to go home.

But I know. And my heart will never stop breaking.

I miss you, Duchess. I always will. Thank you for being such a big part of my life.

-WKW

Raquel Arantes: Um sonho não pode ser roubado

Há alguns meses atrás, a artista brasileira Raquel Arantes, minha sogra, estava se preparava para sua primeira exposição de esculturas. Apesar de viver em Belo Horizonte, Arantes elaborou grande parte de seu trabalho em São Paulo, sob a tutela do proeminente artista brasileiro Cícero D’avila. Durante uma ida a São Paulo, para buscar trabalhos que estavam em seus estágios finais e trazê-los para Belo Horizonte, tendo em vista a exposição, Arantes se viu vítima de um crime que arrasaria muitos artistas.

Ao terminar de colocar as esculturas em seu carro, um homem armado apareceu. O ladrão levou o carro e seu conteúdo, ambos nunca mais localizados.

É claro que fiquei extremamente triste e revoltada porque senti tão impotente naquele momento em que vi uma arma apontada para mim, me obrigando a deixar para traz um trabalho que eu tinha me dedicado tanto e com tanto amor!” disse Arantes.
“A gente não esquece o ocorrido, mas faço um trabalho mental para superar essa tristeza e essa raiva,” disse Arantes, 62.

Assim, com pouco tempo para lamentar suas esculturas roubadas, Arantes voltou ao trabalho e recriou as peças roubadas. Suas obras já estão prontas para a exposição, que começa no dia 25 de julho, no Museu Inimá de Paula, em Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil.

“Como meu marido Gilson disse, eles levaram o que eu construí, mas eles não levaram a minha capacidade de construir algo novamente”, disse Arantes. “Assim, foi com esse espírito que eu trabalhei para superar o que perdi.”

Por sua vez, D’avila - que admitiu não estar ciente que Raquel tem 62 anos - ficou impressionado com sua dedicação para recriar seu trabalho.

“Notavel a sua determinacao em suplementar a perda de sua escultura que ja estava pronta para ser fundida em bronze. Vejo que para isso  ela estava bem focada  no seu objetivo, tendo portanto superado este grande trauma que veio em um momento muito delicado: a preparacao de suas obras para a exposicao,  confrontada ao reduzido tempo que restava,” disse D’avila.

A Arte, de uma forma ou de outra, sempre foi uma parte da vida de Raquel. Mas apenas mais tarde, com os filhos já crescidos, ela pode se dedicar, com mais intensidade, a diversos trabalhos artísticos, experimentando com uma grande variedade de materiais, antes de se apaixonar por esculturas.

“Eu me destacava nas aulas de artesanato na escola e esta habilidade se desenvolveu ao longo dos anos”, disse Arantes, que quando adolescente fazia bonecas de pano e outras coisas dentro de um orçamento apertado.

“Quando adulta, comecei a trabalhar com diversos materiais, tecidos, couro, madeira, etc”, disse Arantes. “Mais tarde, quando tive mais tempo, comecei a pintar porcelana e, em seguida, segui para a arte em cerâmica, através da qual eu pude criar peças personalizadas. ”

Mas foi o simples barro que ajudou Arantes a encontrar um meio que funciona perfeitamente para ela.

“Foi um salto descobrir que o que eu mais gosto é criar minhas próprias formas, usando argila”, disse Arantes. “Hoje, eu vejo que amo fazer esculturas de formas e estilos diferentes.”

D’avila - que é o mentor de Arantes e a ajudou a aprender técnicas específicas - está em êxtase com o crescimento continuado de sua protegê, bem como seu compromisso com o ofício.

“Acho que melhorou muito. Alem do seu  inegavel talento, ela demonstra  muita determinacao, pois faz um sacrificio  imenso se deslocando de BH para SP todas as vezes que tem aulas. O seu trabalho, hoje,  é o melhor testemunho disso,” disse D’avila.

Arantes - que também agradeceu a sua família, D’avila e amigos, como Nestor de Oliveira e Marcus Aurelius por seu apoio e ajuda - revela que há alguém especial que é a inspiração para sua primeira Mostra.

O nome da exposição é “Albernaz” (seu nome de solteira) e dedico este evento ao meu pai, que teria um orgulho imenso ver o meu trabalho, porque como eu, ele era extremamente hábil e fez coisas incríveis com suas próprias mãos. ”

Afinal, o que poderia ter sido um grande obstáculo, transformou-se em um triunfo para Arantes, pois ela acredita que  seu trabalho, após o roubo, está ainda melhor.

“Cada peça é única. Fiz as novas esculturas pensando no que foi tomada, mas cada peça tem pequenos detalhes que diferem um do outro tornando-os únicos.

“Eu acho que cada peça que faço acrescenta algo de novo, e vejo que evolui ao longo do tempo”, disse Raquel.

-WKW

Raquel Arantes: A Dream Can Not Be Stolen

A few months back, Brazilian artist Raquel Arantes - who, for full disclosure is my mother-in-law - was preparing for her first exhibition as a sculptor.  Despite living in Belo Horizonte, Arantes did a great deal of her work in Sao Paulo under the tutelage of prominent Brazilian artist Cicero D’avila. While in São Paulo collecting work that was in its finishing stages to bring it to Belo Horizonte for the exhibit, Arantes found herself the victim of a crime that would crush many an artist.

As she finished loading the sculptures into her car, a man showed up. With a gun. He pointed the gun at her and stole the car - which contained several key pieces. The thief, car and art were never located.

“I was extremely sad and angry because I felt so helpless at that moment I saw a gun pointed at me, forcing me to leave behind a job that I had devoted so much and with so much love,” said Arantes, 62. “I’ve had to do mental work to overcome the sadness and the anger.”

So with little time to grieve her stolen sculptures, Arantes settled in and recreated the stolen pieces. her work is now ready for the exhibit, which begins on July 25 at Museu Inimá de Paula in belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

“As my husband said, they took what I built but they cannot take away my ability to build it again,” said Arantes. “So it is in that spirit that I worked to overcome what I lost.”

For his part, D’avila - who admitted to not being aware Arantes was 62 - was impressed with her dedication to recreating her work.

“Her determination in supplementing this loss was remarkable,” said D’avila.  “She was tightly focused on her goal and was therefore able to overcome this great trauma, in a limited amount of time.”

Art was always a part of Arantes’ life in one way or another, but with her three children grown, she was able to work with a wide array of materials before she fell in love with sculpting.

“I excelled in school crafts and this skill has been growing over the years,” said Arantes, who as a young girl would make rag dolls and other things on a shoestring budget.

“As an adult, I began to work in diverse fabrics, leather, wood, etc.,” said Arantes. Later, as I had more time I worked, I began to paint porcelain and then went to ceramic art where I could create more doing more custom parts.”

But it was simple clay that helped Arantes find a medium tat worked perfectly for her.

“It was a leap for me to find that what I liked most was to create my own forms using clay and then making sculptures,” said Arantes. “Today I see that love making sculptures of different ways and styles.

D’avila - who has been mentoring Arantes and helped her learn specific techniques - is ecstatic over his protege’s continued growth as an artist, as well as her commitment to the craft.

“She has improved a lot,” said D’avila. ” Besides her undeniable talent, she shows a lot of determination, and has made the huge  sacrifice of traveling from Belo Horionte to São Paulo for classes. Her work today is the best witness to that.”

Arantes - who also thanked her family, D’avila and friends such as Nestor de Oliveira and Marco Aurélio for their support and help - said there is someone special to her who is the inspiration for her first exhibit.ate

The name of the exhibit is “Albernaz” (her maiden name) and I dedicate this event to my father who would have an immense pride to see that my work, because like me, he was extremely skillful and did amazing things with his hands.”

In the end, what could have been a major roadblock turned into a triumph for Arantes, who feels her work after the robbery has been even better.

“Each piece is unique. I made the new sculptures thinking of what was taken, but each piece has small details that differ from one another making them unique.

“I think every piece I do adds something new and I see that evolving over time,” said Arantes.

-WKW

Aaron Hernandez: Did PEDs or head injuries play a part in the murder of Odin Lloyd?

As everything points to former New England Patriots’ tight end  Aaron Hernandez being the person who murdered Odin Lloyd, one wonders if the media will eventually take a look at some factors regarding the case. Factors the NFL would not want investigated.

Was Hernandez using performance drugs? In an era where several former NFL players have committed suicide and fought brain damage due to their playing careers, could brain damage be an issue.

Of course, it’s very possible that Hernandez is just an unstable person who was destined to kill some one. For many, though, it’s hard to see such a promising career go up in gun smoke. Regardless, the media needs to examine the issue. What part - if any - did the NFL play in the murder of Odin Lloyd?

The NFL wants no part of these questions, but they must be asked.

-WKW

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Wolfrum Chronicled: I’m Coming Out

13.

Ok, this book thing is starting to read like the ravings of a madman. Which is likely it’s destiny, regardless, but I should at least try and create some type of plot. This story needs some plotification, I say. So please allow me to plotify.

Listen, I’ve spent almost the last decade building my brand. I am William K. Wolfrum, the brand. You’ll find me right next to Tide and Coca-Cola. Unfortunately, I’ve spent the majority of that time in Brazil. This has made cashing in a bit more difficult. I’m a man between two countries, as it were. Thus, it behoves me to start spending some time back in the good ol’ U.S.

Yes, Brazil is fine and I’ll likely spend most of my time down here. I have a bunch of dogs, after all. Nonetheless, now is the time to embrace what I have started. It is time to cash in. It is time to be more than just an online persona. It is time to come out.

The Summer of Wolfrum is coming, as I plan to go to the U.S. and get myself out there. I’ll do work as a pundit or a comic or what have you. I’ve made the connections. I have the name. I have the game. And now I have a plot.

(Note 1: The full story can be found on the Wolfrum Chronicled Main Page.)

(Note 2: For an explainer on this project, please go here.)

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I’m a real Liberal, you fascist swine

My friends, those of you know me are aware that I’m liberal. And yet you still like me. (Haha. See, liberals can have a sense of humor!).

Anyway, I feel it is now time that I define my political leanings even more fully. I am a liberal, you see, but so much more. I am THE liberal. Yes, I have seen you wishy-washy types and I have judged you as lacking. Sure, you all dance around liberal issues, but I BELIEVE them. for instance, I believe:

• The recent NSA allegations is a reason to overthrow the government.
• Edward Snowden is more god than man. See also Manning, Bradley.
• The racist war on drugs is a reason to overthrow the government.
• I believe it is a small step from using predator drone bombs on terrorists to using them on me for being such an outspoken polemic.
• If you don’t die inside every time you hear about an innocent being predator drone bombed to death, you may as well be a Republican in Alabama.
• Obama killed two American citizens without a trial. Viva la revolution.
• If you believe anything in the corporate media, you’re a jerk.

Face it, you’re a fascist and want a fascist regime full of fascism. Well, don’t include me. I’m a real liberal. And I won’t be satisfied until we’re all living in a Libertarian paradise.

Update 1: Fuck you.

-WKW

 
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