Photo essay: Bren Bataclan shows his work in Franklin

Another gray, overcast Saturday for Franklin. This one had some snow flurries for a while early in the morning. Fortunately, nothing stuck around long.



It was a good time to get inside and mingle among some folks interested in the art of Bren Bataclan.



Having participated in other art shows, I was most impressed by Bren. He went out of his way to greet anyone who came to the show.



Lingering to talk about what he does, how he does it.



He willing posed for a picture of his hand. If you look closely, it appears to be tinted blue as if some of the paint he was using he couldn't completely wash off. Actually, it is from his new jeans. Wiping his hands on his jeans is picking up the blue dye.



I think his work is easily approachable. He simplifies the world he shares. Others agree at least to the extent that he sold four or five works during the show. The red dot indicates this large work is sold. Actually before the afternoon ended, the two smaller ones partially caught here also sold.



It was a happy Bren and Linda Kabat posing for a picture as the show closed.

While some of Bren's works have sold, his work will still be on display through April at the Franklin Art Center. If you have a chance to stop by, please do so.

Additional info on Bren can be found on his website  http://www.bataclan.com/

Related post:  http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/03/bren-bataclan-art-show.html



Disclosure: my daughter Allison is one of the part-time art instructors for the Franklin Art Center. I have met Ian and Linda a few times and we share a mutual interest in art and developing a community.

Curbside Chronicle: Apr-Jun 2012

The Curb Side Chronicle for Apr-Jun 2012 as published by the Franklin, MA Dept of Public Works


Curb Side Chronicle April-June 2012


The Chronicle can be found on the Franklin website
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_News/0187FC40-000F8513.0/Curbside%20Chronicle-April-June.pdf

Beaver St: Recycling Center

The Recycle Center's "seasonal hours"

Begin Tuesday April 3rd

12:00 pm to 3:00 pm

As noted on the Franklin, MA website

http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_News/0187FC40-000F8513

View Larger Map

Bren Bataclan: Art Show

Bren Bataclan is coming to Franklin Saturday afternoon from 2:00 to 4:00 PM. He will be showing some of his work at the Franklin Art Center.

Bataclan, a Cambridge based artist, was recognized by Couric for his “Smile Boston Project. The project involves the artist leaving his cartoon inspired paintings for people to take for “free”. Attatched to each painting is a note saying, “ This painting is yours if you promise to smile at random people more often.” He founded the project in the summer of 2003 and has since gone worldwide. 

The town of Franklin has been honored to have Bataclan paint murals in our elementary schools. Bataclan has also been featured in The Smithsonian Magazine, The Boston Globe, The San Francisco Chronicle, and The Chicago Tribune to name a few. His solo show at the Franklin Art Center will debuting his new painting style and his new Baha series. These paintings are a more figurative and narrative series of work. “Baha” portrays the heroism, resilience and compassion of the Filipino people who have dealt with the recent floods in the Philippines. “Baha” is Bren’s most extensive and quite possibly his most important show to date. The exhibit will also feature Bren’s regular, whimsical characters along with some new ones. Bren will be donating a portion of the sale of his work to help the Filipino people.

For additional information you can visit the Art Center Facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/events/347387778632732/

Or their website http://franklinartcenter.com/

Or Bren's own website http://www.bataclan.com/


Image of Bren borrowed from the above links

Reminder: Earth Hour - 8:30 PM

Friendly reminder that Earth Hour occurs at 8:30 PM Saturday evening. Turn off your lights and join millions around the world.




Video summary can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/03/earth-hour-sat-33112-beginning-at-830.html

Additional info on Earth Hour can be found here
http://www.worldwildlife.org/sites/earthhour/index.html

Franklin Art Association to meet, April 4

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

Franklin Art Association to meet, April 4

via Wicked Local Franklin News RSS by GateHouse Media, Inc. on 3/30/12

The Franklin Art Association will host a meeting on Wednesday, April 4, from 6:30-9 p.m., at the Franklin Senior Center, 10 Daniel McCahill St.

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Marijuana tax stamps still on sale even though law up in smoke

An oddity creates an opportunity for collectors!

 

 

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

 

 

Marijuana tax stamps still on sale even though law up in smoke

via Commonwealth Conversations: Revenue by Robert Bliss on 3/30/12

A Massachusetts newspaper reported this week that two men arrested for possession of five pounds of marijuana had also run afoul of state tax law.

The story went on to quote from the law ... which was all well and good except the law was thrown out in a Supreme Judicial Court case settled in 1998, Commissioner of Revenue v. Mullins. In ruling against the Commonwealth, the SJC said the law was aimed at drug dealers and amounted to a double jeopardy penalty since it imposed a high rate of taxation, had a deterrent purpose, was clearly conditioned on the commission of a crime, and bore no logical relationship to legal possession.

Some background is in order. in 1993, the Massachusetts Legislature passed the Massachusetts Controlled Substance Tax which authorized DOR to print tax stamps for controlled substances such as marijuana. Even though the SJC ruling made the law moot, it has not been repealed. The law set a tax rate of $3.50 per gram or $99.20 per ounce of controlled substance.

After the SJC decision, DOR kept the stamps, which are purple and about the size of a postage stamp.

Indeed, since the law first took effect, DOR has earned about $2,500 from the stamps which sell for $3.50 each, with most of those sales registered after the SJC decision.

Who is buying a stamp that has no valid legal purpose, given the SJC decision? Stamp collectors. Some purchasers sell the stamps as collectibles on web-based auction sales sites for as much as $20.

If you'd like to order your collectible, gag gift or stocking stuffer -- and folks, supplies are running low, so act now since DOR will not re-order the useless stamps once they are gone -- you can obtain them by downloading DOR form CST-1, Marijuana and Controlled Substances Stamp order form and mailing it to DOR at the address listed on the form.

We can't make this stuff up.

 

 

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