It is our sad duty to report the premature passing of Matt Hanner, an artist, a husband and father, and a truly wonderful person. I met Matt while a student at Columbia College and he was one of those rare people that you immediately take a liking to, his charm and intelligence were a delight to be around. The stories about his generosity, kindness, good humor, and friendship are far too many in number to address here. If you didn’t know him, someone you know did, they can tell you.

I contacted a mutual friend to see if he wanted to write this post. He expressed concern about what to say and was worried that he wouldn’t be able to transcend “Matt was awesome, one of the happiest, sweetest people I have ever met. If you knew him then you know that, if you didn’t know him it is sad that you will never have a chance to.” His concern was needless, that is beautiful and exactly what should be written about Matt.  I can’t possibly improve upon that.

Check out Matt’s work:

http://matthanner.tumblr.com/

Please donate generously to the scholarship fund started in his memory:

The Matt Hanner Artistic Excellence Scholarship
Columbia College Chicago
Institutional Advancement
600 S. Michigan
Chicago, IL 60605

There is a visitation and service Monday.

Monday, Dec 19
3-6 visitation
6PM service
Dykes Funeral Home
2305 N Campbell
Valparaiso, Indiana

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Update: Corrected Matt’s year of Birth. Also I received this published obituary.

MATTHEW ROWLAND HANNER PORTER, IN Matthew Rowland Hanner, age 40, passed away on Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at his home. He was born on April 13, 1971 in Columbus, OH to Patricia A. and the late Joseph A. Hanner. Matt was a resident of Porter, IN, formerly of Chicago, IL and Valparaiso, IN, an artist and stay-at-home dad. He was a 1989 Valparaiso High School graduate where he played on the Varsity basketball team, and graduated from Columbia College in Chicago, IL with honors. Matt is survived by his wife, Erika (nee Varricchio) Hanner of Porter, IN; children: Gigi Hanner and Josie Hanner; mother, Patricia A. Hanner of Valparaiso, IN; sister, Kathryn (Charles) Randolph of Seattle, WA; brother Mark (John Obligato) of Chicago IL; nieces, Laurel Mazar and Kelsey Randolph; nephews: Jack and Chase Krueger; mother-in-law and father-in-law: Frederick and Claudette Varricchio. He was preceded in death by his father in 2009. Friends may call at the Dykes Funeral Home, 2305 N. Campbell St., Valparaiso, IN on Monday, December 19, 2011 from 3:00-6:00 p.m. with a funeral service immediately following at 6:00 p.m. Cremation, Calvary Crematory, Portage, IN. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Matt Hanner Artistic Excellence Scholarship at Columbia College, Chicago, IL. Arrangements by Dykes Funeral Home, Inc. (219) 462-3125

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The World Bodypainting Festival is almost here and there is still time to get your tickets to Seeboden, Austria.

From their website:
“Since 1998 Europe’s most colourful event has taken place every year in Seeboden, Austria.
The “World Bodypainting Festival” is the biggest art event in the bodypainting theme and thousands of visitors admire the wonderful work of the participants.
Aritsts from 40 nations worldwide come to this unique event and put body art into the mountain and lake scenery. ”

“The fantasy ball “BodyCircus“ is the main attraction in the festival week side events.
On the 15th July the medieval castle Sommeregg will be turned into a magical and mystical surrounding.
The visitors show up in fantasy costumes combined with bodypainting, decoration and masks up to extreme make up and fantasy fashion. ”

More can be read at their site.

Bad at Sports has realized that society is doomed and is now accepting applications for it’s Ayn Randian compound in the mountains where we will build a new society cleansed of the truly icky.

This week, the Art-School Grad Student who’s sleeping around: 26, female, Upper East Side, straight, single.

1:50 a.m.: Making out with Tattoo Guy. Have bad spins. Tell him I need water and to sober up before hooking up again. He gives me a line of his own stuff.

10 a.m.: Know this is going to be one hell of week as feeling in love with Tattoo Guy, and now super-depressed. Make appointment with school shrink.

11:30 p.m.: In bathroom, I notice prescription bottle. Shouldn’t look, but who wouldn’t? Suddenly sick-feeling. Valtrex. Shit. Could I have contracted from five-minute intercourse with condom?

Please inform any art students you know about this free to enter competition. It involves $16,000 in cash prizes.

First Prize:$5000 for undergraduate student, $5000 for graduate student

Second Prize:$2000 for undegraduate student, $2000 for graduate student

Third Prize:$1000 for undergraduate student, $1000 for graduate student

Myartspace recently launched a student art scholarship competition for undergraduate and graduate students. The competition is free to enter and is open to art students throughout the world. In order to enter and submit a portfolio/gallery students must be a member of the myartspace community.
Membership is free.

The scholarship program is intended for students who exhibit exceptional artistic excellence in their chosen medium. Including photography and video, both contemporary and traditional in nature. Myartspace is providing 3 scholarship prizes for undergraduate students and separately 3 scholarship
prizes for graduate students. Creating a portfolio and gallery is quick and easy using the Gallery Wizard on the site.

The deadline for submission is November 21, 2008. Scholarship winners are announced on December 19th, 2008. Students interested in signing up for the myartspace scholarship competition can find out more details by clicking visiting– www.myartspace.com/scholarships