Long Live the Hive

Last year I discovered the BHiver Wall and learned about Matt Smith. I wrote about it in two separate blogs, BHiver Wall and Bhiver Wall Revisited. I recently received an e-mail from Matt's mom, Annette, and learned that his legacy continues.

"Dear Jalna - your photos are exquisite, the Bhiver Wall is amazing, not only in it's artistic power but in it's meaning of respect, friendship and love for my son from his true friends....we should all be so lucky to have such true friends. My son, "Matty" had just finished his art studies at U.H., Manoa. He was a graffiti artist - painter and a lithographer. He loved lithography ... his professor/mentor, Charlie Cohan really helped Matty to explore and develop a love of lithography. When Matty died we wanted to honor him and inspire other artists as well, something that was true to Matty's core - encouragement and love of all his fellow students' artistic creations. We established the Matt Smith Art Award, an annual award/scholarship, which grants three students 1500.00/each to help continue their studies in lithography through the U.H. Art Dept., Charlie Cohan oversees the award. Last year three were awarded, two of the students had been in classes with Matty and this year three more students were just anounced...Matty would be so "stoked." What has been so fantastic about these awards/scholarships is that Matty's friends and fellow artists in Seattle, organize an art show, each summer, to help raise money for the scholarships, they donate their art and we print t-shirts and sell CD's, Matty also wrote music and I would be happy to send you one of his CD's to thank you for recognizing the fantastic art of the Bhiver Wall. This Feb. 28th will mark the 2 yr passing of our Matty, but his Bhiver Spirit is alive and thriving in the hearts and minds of his talented friends and artists everywhere....Long Live The Hive!!!!! Sincerely, Annette"

As the anniversary of his passing approaches, I felt compelled today to return to the wall. I decided to take a few close-up shots.

I lingered for awhile not wanting to leave, half wishing for some kind of sign from Matt. And he arrived. His name is Leif. He had spotted the wall yesterday and decided to return to get a few shots. I wonder if it's a coincidence that Leif is visiting from Seattle where Matt and his family are from. And I wonder if it's a coincidence that according to Wikipedia "Leif" is Scandinavian in origin and can be pronounced "Life". I think not. I think it's not a coincidence at all, and I think that Matty wants us to know that The Hive Does Live On.