For the uninitiated, Pride is an annual celebration of diversity and inclusion. It started back in the 70s as a way for gay men and women to express themselves and has grown to include anyone who identifies as LGBTQ, people of color, and allies. If you support equal rights, even if you are not one of the aforementioned LGBTQ or POC, you can still be an ally and participate in these spectacular events.

Pride parades and festivals take place in cities all across the country and around the world. When I lived in NY attending Pride was an event. There was so much excitement and energy from the performers, the crowd, and the passersby. Now that I am a transplant to Charlotte I have grown to embrace the community here by setting up a booth every year along with our friends Jessica and Drew of Crowley’s Crafty Creations. We’ll be prominently displaying some of our collaborative work that combines their super cool fractals with my etchings and painting. We are hoping that the folks attending Pride will be as excited about our work as we are.

If you are going to be in Charlotte this weekend, Aug 17-18, and you want to be a part of the festivities come by Tryon Street in Uptown. We’ll be between W 3 and W 4th Street. Come check us out, and enjoy the music, the activities, the drag shows, the parade, and all the stuff that makes Pride so wonderful. Happy Pride and, as always, stay unique.

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At the end of the day, though, I am lucky that I live in a country where someone such as myself, a woman and a minority, can start a business and be successful.  For that I am thankful.  How about you: what are you proud of this Independence Day? Tag us @bz_furfur and, as always, stay unique.

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The B in BZ FurFur

Here at BZ FurFur HeadQuarters, there are two sides to the coin. The artist (Zona) and the man behind the curtain: Brian. Brian does not like the spotlight (he was not in favor of being the subject of this week’s blog), but I feel like he needs to be in the spotlight. He deserves my gratitude because truly, without him and his support, this little dream of mine would never have existed.

Brian wears several hats behind the scenes at BZ FurFur. There’s “The IT Guy”, creating all our digital content and our website bzfurfur.com.  Then there’s “The Wordsmith” helping me to write our blog posts and IG posts. I assist with ideas, and facts, and sometimes I write them, but he always goes through and does the final edits. Sometimes he’ll simply ask me questions, note down my answers, and then turn them into a blog post. Lastly, there is “The Executive Producer” of PyroToasty Talks, the podcast we started with It’s David and Renee earlier this year. (Subscribe on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Episode 003 releases on Wednesday, June 12 to hear about how BZ FurFur got their start. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge).

The Person

Outside of BZ FurFur, he is an amazing person. His a full-time job, a Senior Software Engineer, has his days filled with writing code, debugging, working with his teammates, and problem-solving. This is the culmination of a career that has spanned over 20 years, steadily growing after receiving his B.S. in Computer Science from NYU back in 2003. His next scholastic ambition is to get his Master’s with a dual concentration in Information Security and Software Engineering from UNCC. 

Brian is a self-proclaimed “nerd” with a love of board games, 8-bit animation and music. In his free time he likes to create pixel art (he’s pretty good at it), play guitar, and draw. He also has a good heart and volunteers every chance he gets by helping non-profit companies with their websites and other IT-related things.

The Dad

If you asked him what his greatest achievement is, though, it would be being a father. We have two teenage boys 16 and 14, who are a full-time job all on their own. Raising them has had it’s share of ups and downs and busy weekends. Brian is a leader in the Boy Scouts and has been since they were cubs, and his love of nature, self-reliance, and perseverance serve as an inspiration to the boys. Over the years he’s taken them on many adventures: Climbing and repelling, camping, hiking, kayaking, horseback riding, and countless other excursions. His favorite memory is taking them to Battleship Cove in Falls River, MA where they stayed overnight on a WWII-era battleship in the same quarters that the crew stayed in when it was deployed. 

A huge part of his life is his strong connection to music, always going to concerts, and teaching himself both guitar and piano. This love of music has been passed on to the boys, one who’s developed a love for musicals, the other loves everything from Hip hop to Classic Rock. When I asked Brian what he felt the best part of being a Dad is he said: “Knowing that in no small way, you have been able to shape someone’s life in a meaningful way”.

To all the dads, the granddads, the uncles, the big brothers, the stepdads, and the father figures who make teach us, praise us, and push us to be the best we can, thank you. Thank you to my dad, God rest his soul, for teaching me to be the person I am today. Happy Fathers Day to you all. 

Do you have a special man in your life you want to share a story about? Tag us @bz_furfur and, of course, stay unique.

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I was determined to make a few pieces for auction so I created 2 original Mandalas, Floral Dreams and Kaleidoscope, that I burned into decks. I was really proud of them and I knew it was going to a good cause as 100% would go to the families of the kids with disabilities. I am happy to report that they both found good homes and I uncharacteristically approached both winners and asked to take a picture with them. 

My inspiration for Floral dreams were spring meadows and the airy comforts of clouds and daydreams. I colored the flowers and highlights with color-shifting handmade watercolors by Emily Grace Palettes (@mily_grace_palettes). In comparison, Kaleidoscope has intricate shapes and intertwining lines that when you look at closely seem messy and too much. But like life, when you step back you get a clearer picture and you see the harmony and balance of all the lines, curves, and shapes.  I loved creating the Mandalas and truly loved burning them.

Along with the pieces I donated for auction, I created 5 additional original pieces of work.

• The Antidote (oil pencils, sealed with polyurethane): Brian helped me design and create this piece. It prominently displayed a Plague Doctor, flowers, a top hat, and the words “The same ones who sell the panic sell the cure”. This was inspired by the events of 2020 and the chaos of the world during the pandemic. It was a huge hit at SHRED and it too found a home.
• Geometric Dreams: This is another original mandala. It is sharp shapes, with open spaces, reminiscent of geometry and the symmetry of geometric shapes.
• Arms of the Deep (India Ink for vibrant, permanent color, sealed it with polyurethane.): Brian designed this deck. He is a fan of horror and HP Lovecraft. He wanted a piece that reflected the eeriness of the deep and the legend of Cthulhu. I stippled the octopus, rather than shade it, to give it an interesting texture.
• Incandescent: We are a huge fan of Octopi in this house. They are extraordinarily strong and intelligent creatures. They can figure out puzzles and get themselves through holes so small you’d think “Nothing can get through it!” The deck represents perseverance to break free from something that seems impossible, even when you feel it is a losing battle, even when you think you are being chased by arms of darkness.
• Beautiful Afterlife: Death scares many, but it doesn’t always have to. Dia de Los Muertos, or Day of The Dead, is a Mexican holiday that welcomes the souls of loved ones who passed away by offering food, drink, and celebration. I created Beautiful Afterlife as a reminder that death is not the end and that maybe there really is a beautiful afterlife.

Beautiful Afterlife, Geometric Dreams, Arms of the Deep, and Incandescent are still available for sale and we’ll donate 15% of the sale back to SHRED.

The whole event was a blast. Brian got his face painted by the high schoolers raising money for charity. We met a ton of great people and, the biggest surprise, a young girl who was one of the recipients of the surgeries we were raising money for, took a keen interest in my work. Throughout the entire course of the day she hung out, watching me burn, giving me ideas, asking to help, and telling us in great detail her love for 80s hair metal. 

Remember, what you put out into the universe always comes back to you! DO good, and I have faith it will return to you!  And as always; Stay unique!

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How does it work

Back in 2022 we met Vic and his wife at a market in a brewery in Charlotte. It was a slow market and we were just trying to make the best of it by getting to know some of the folks hanging out. We spent time talking to Vic about his famous chili, his skateboarding crew, and SHRED. When he mentioned SHRED we were immediately interested. A skateboard would be such a unique canvas for pyrography. We can create something truly one-of-a-kind and put it up for auction with the proceeds going to kids in need.

Unfortunately, SHRED 2023 didn’t happen for personal reasons but this year it is happening. Noon to 6 this Saturday, May 18, at HopFly Brewery we’ll be set up with our usual tent. But, this time, in addition to two unique designs I created for the auction, I’ve also created five additional designs that we’ll have up for sale. Now that I got a taste for deck design I’m finding I really enjoy it.  Who knows, maybe it’ll catch on and people will want me to ‘tat’ their boards, and that can become a thing.  Either way, I’m here for it.

What to look forward to

This week we’ll be posting the designs of our boards.  We’ve already posted our two Mandala boards, “Floral Dreams” and “Kaleidoscope”, that is going up for auction, and today we posted our “Beautiful Afterlife”.  We’ll be finishing up “Geometric Dreams”, “Arms of the Deep”, “Incandescence”, and “The Antidote” which you’ll be seeing over the course of the rest of the week.  We’ve had a ton of fun working on this more experimental medium and I think the end results speak for themselves. We’ve already stopped by a local skate shop to get some feedback and we got a lot of love for them. 

Looking forward to seeing you all at SHRED this weekend. Do you design skate decks? Post them and tag us, @bz_furfur, and we’ll share them. Until next time, stay unique.

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The truth is I am, and always have been, an artist. It is not a title reserved for people who gather in galleries in SOHO. It is something that we are the moment we create something. This past weekend I participated in my second Art Walk in Monroe NC and it was a blast. In addition to meeting other fabulous artists, we were able to put my artwork on display without the added pressure of trying to sell. Rather it was an opportunity to just share my creations with the community. To witness people appreciate what I created and to enjoy the company of people who love what I do.

Sometimes we just need to slow down and let our art speak for ourselves. I hope you all have a chance to do the same with the pieces you create and, more importantly, I hope you all take the time to realize that you are artists. And, as always, stay unique.

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What is Small Business Saturday

Every year, the Friday after Thanksgiving is Black Friday. Everyone knows Black Friday, when stores give deep discounts on products driving in those early Christmas rush sales to “get them in the black”. This is when most retail businesses start to draw a profit for the year. Did you know, however, that the day after Black Friday is Small Business Saturday? This is the day you are encouraged to go out and support small businesses in your community.

Why is Small Business Saturday so important

Just like big businesses, small businesses often operate at a loss at the beginning of the year and it isn’t until those fourth-quarter holiday sales start rolling in that they start making a profit. Most small businesses, unfortunately, can’t offer the same kind of deep discounts that big-box stores can offer. Many are operating on a shoestring budget, making razor-thin profits, and just trying to get enough money in to seed their business for the next year.

An event like Small Business Saturday is a great opportunity to shine a light on these vendors. It brings people together to see a wide array of products and services that are unique, handmade, and community-oriented. Small Businesses often use locally sourced, sustainable materials, have partnerships with other local businesses, and spur economic growth in the community. Supporting these people not only helps them but it helps to nurture and grow your town or city.

How to be a part of Small Business Saturday

Next year, when you are looking at Black Friday sales and Cyber Monday ads, take some time to look for events that spotlight your local businesses. Search social media outlets for Small Business Saturday in your area and add them to your calendar. Walk through, even if you don’t buy anything, see what the vendors have to offer. Talk to them, and ask them about their craft. Maybe, even if they sell something you aren’t interested in, you may find yourself talking to someone during the holidays and you can say “Oh, hey, I know someone who does that” and refer some work to a local business.

Small businesses are a critical part of your community, economy, and culture. Big box stores are great and they serve an important purpose. Just don’t let the small businesses die on the vine. Get out there and show your support for local entrepreneurs and artists and, as always, stay unique.

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From End of the Rainbow…

Last year we were fortunate enough to be selected by Charlotte Pride to participate in their annual two-day event as vendors at their Neighborhood Market.  This year we were able to go a step further and we had our own booth.  Now, participating in markets is fun, but participating in Pride is a whole different experience.  Firstly, the energy at these events is second to none.  Everyone is there to have a good time, people look out for one another, and everyone is there to express their love for their community.  

With the rare exception of a few naysayers, we had a weekend of fun, making new friends, sharing our art with others, and finding new and unique vendors who will hold a special place in our hearts.  We were especially grateful to share a space this year with Crowley’s Crafty Creations where we got to offer people not just our unique pyrography but, also, their amazing fractal burns.  This was another fantastic Pride weekend and we really look forward to continuing on as an annual tradition

… To the Top of the Mountain

Earlier this summer we were visiting our local board game establishment, Your Local Game Store, and we happened upon the idea to do a piece for them.  They have several art pieces around the store and we figured it would be nice to create something to add to the ambiance of a place we love so dearly.

After discussing with the owner we decided on a map of Middle Earth from the Lord of the Rings.  We ended up creating a massive map on a 3” but 2” slab of solid live-edge sycamore weighing about 25 pounds.  The piece is really something to be proud of and we had an opportunity today to unveil it to them.  It goes without saying that they absolutely loved it and we immediately put it up, center stage, in their gaming room where it can be an inspiration at Magic tournaments, board game nights, and D&D campaigns for years to come.

Being able to do the thing you love every day is a blessing.  Being able to do it with people you love and who appreciate your work makes it all the better.  And when we have those days where nothing seems to be going quite right, rest assured, we’ll remember weeks like this week.

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We hope that this inspires others to take action by finding ways to repurpose and reuse the materials around you to make something beautiful. Love our earth and it will love you back.

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