While the majority of my professional work involves computers and electronics,
my creative interests extend to arts and the community as well. In college I had
the pleasure of living in a unique residence hall that combined both arts and community
(Hashinger Hall, at the University of Kansas). Ever since that experience, I have looked for
ways to help community and the arts to foster each other in a more permanent setting.
I have also worked continue my own artistic growth, something easy to forget to do
if we aren't employed in the arts. Doing all this poses a continual struggle for
balance in life, but makes life more worthwhile. Here are details of some of
my interests and efforts:
KansasFolk.org: The kansasfolk.org web site
is a recent effort to foster music, dance, and heritage community connections statewide
in my home state of Kansas. An outgrowth of a Library Science school project by my friend
Susan Sanders, this work in progress attempts to both provide resources for people looking
for information on past and present folk activities in Kansas, and to help connect and
record a history of the people living and evolving those traditions today.
Hashies Come Home. This event, April 16 to 24, 2004,
will bring past and present Hashinger residents together, combining a reunion of former
Hashinger residents with the annual Spring Arts Week at Hashinger. I have been talking with the
current Arts Program Coordinator at Hashinger and we are both interested in opportunities for
past and present residents to share discussion of what it takes to make the arts a part of your
life and community. Visit the reunion pages for more info!.
I also enjoy singing in the Lawrence Civic Choir.
Spring rehearsals start January 12, 2004. If you sing, and live near Lawrence, join us!
During the holiday season, I sing with Home
Harmonies, which performs for donations to Lawrence Habitat for Humanity.
Visit the Home
Harmonies web site to find out where you can catch us, or to arrange
for Home Harmonies to sing at your private gathering in return for a donation
to Habitat for Humanity..
I enjoy capturing or expressing images. Sometimes I do this with a camera,
sometimes with pencil or charcoal, sometimes with graphics tablet and computer
software.
Sometimes I capture images through words. Content varies. Sometimes it
is reflections on life's struggles, or a reach for balance (a primary theme
and challenge in my life). Sometimes? Just whimsy.
Sample some of Brad's Poems...
Most of my "hardware" work involves computers and electronics.
But recently I enjoyed working with my father on a very different
sort of "hardware" project - building a deck at my sister's.
Here are some photos of it in almost-complete state.
I take after my dad's interest in engineering and desire to craft solutions,
whether they be electronic, mathematical, software, or wood. See the deck we
built here. We still enjoy figuring
out how to solve problems together.
I attribute my artistic talents to my mom, who does quite a bit of nice art in
a variety of media. You can view one of her drawings here.
I have several good art friends here in Lawrence with interesting websites:
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