RIP Tom Kennedy

Craft & Design
RIP Tom Kennedy
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photo by Barbara Fried

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photo by M2

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We have learned sad news through our friends at Laughing Squid. Tom Kennedy, an art car and Burning Man artist (whose work we’ve featured in MAKE and online), drowned in Ocean Beach, CA this weekend. His friend John Law writes:

We lost one of our very best. Tom Kennedy (1960-2009) drowned at Ocean Beach on Sunday, April 12th at 2PM. Tom was an artist, activist, teacher, prankster – a strong friend, bright spirit and true inspiration to each and every one of the thousands of people he touched through his powerful and loving art and his huge and giving heart. I first met Tom at Burning Man 94 when he came out from Texas with his amazing art car “Ripper the Friendly Shark”, forever raising the bar at that event for creativity and originality in personal expression. I was dumbfounded by the whimsical nature, bold concept and execution of the piece. But more importantly, I was floored by Tom’s unmitigated joy at just being there, alive and creating the world around him.

Very sad news. Somewhere in the aether, an angel is now tooling around in a snazzy new shark car.

Goodbye To Tom Kennedy: Art Car Artist, Activist, Teacher & Prankster

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Gareth Branwyn is a freelance writer and the former Editorial Director of Maker Media. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books on technology, DIY, and geek culture. He is currently a contributor to Boing Boing, Wink Books, and Wink Fun. His free weekly-ish maker tips newsletter can be found at garstipsandtools.com.

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