Remembering liketelevisionsnow - RIP

[De Villo Sloan]

Mail art by IUOMA member liketelevisionsnow (Tamworth, New Hampshire, USA)

January 25, 2016 - Yesterday many mail artists were shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the passing of liketelevisionsnow aka Max Shellman. His wife Sharon Sapar Malenfant issued a statement on the Max Shellman Facebook page:

"Sharing the sad news of my husband Jeff's passing on Thursday evening, Jan. 21 after a 15 year battle with progressive muscular atrophy, a rare motor neuron disease.

"We shared a 35-year journey of love, growth and discovery that gave us the strength to carry on. Jeff was a photographer, artist and part of a huge online arts community. He loved to use other personas in his artwork and was known as Max Shellman and liketelevisionsnow to many whose work he supported and encouraged. There has been so much love and kindness expressed from his fellow artists around the world, and I am deeply appreciative. I'm also grateful for family and friends who have reached out and wrapped their loving arms around me at this time, as well as their support in recent years.

"Jeff's wishes were to be cremated and, in the spring, we will journey back to his hometown of Wakefield, Rhode Island for a celebration of his life and lay him to rest in Riverside Cemetery beside the Saugutucket River."

Sharon also wrote in another statement:

"Jeff loved all of you and the friendships he was able to have with you online. You shared his artist heart, his humor, his sense of life, and it made him a happier person. One of his greatest joys was supporting, nourishing and encouraging the creative work of others, which in turn inspired him.

"He never told any of you that he had a rare degenerative motor neuron disease called Progressive Muscular Atrophy. He was diagnosed about 15 years ago and slowly began to lose the use of his arms, and then his legs. I quit my job 5 years ago to stay home as he became bedbound, unable to walk or sit up unaided. He didn't want any of his artist friends online to know. It was irrelevant to him and not worth wasting time discussing. He was more interested in creating his art, encouraging others, publishing books and magazines, and coming up with new ideas for projects."

liketelevisionsnow was a wonderful friend online and in the mail for the last five years. His work will live on in the Eternal Network.

Here is another piece by liketelevisionsnow:

[elle.mental]

I am so very sorry for the loss of such a courageous and creative soul. My condolences to his family and to all of the Mail Art community. 

[mafer]

I met liketelevisionsnow at a drawing site called Sketchfu, when the site was closed a new one was built called Muzy (now also gone as well) we both joined the new site along with other artists. The beginnings of Muzy were great fun, with lots of interactive art works and collages, I can recognize some of them here in his blog.

He introduced me to IUOMA, I will always remember him as an artistic, friendly, generous, fun loving man.

My condolences to the family.

 

[liketelevisionsnow]

This is Jeff's wife, Sharon, writing. I can't tell you all how very much your words, images and kindness mean to me and Jeff's family. The outpouring of love and support is overwhelming and is helping to sustain us at this time. Please know how deeply grateful we are .... and how embarrassed Jeff would be over all this "fuss". (But I think he'd love the characterization by a few of you ... David Stafford & Petrolpetal... that he was an edgy 30 yr old in a leather jacket!).

When we were married, we included a reading from Kahlil Gibran's "The Prophet" (On Marriage), and so I share with you this from "On Death" in the same book:

"...For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun?

And what is it to cease breathing, but to free the breath from its restless tides, that it may rise and expand and seek God unencumbered?
Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing.
And when you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb.
And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance."

     -- Kahlil Gibran, "On Death" from The Prophet

[TIZIANA BARACCHI]

A prayer for Jeff and his family. Condolences.

[Marcela Peral]

[Lani Kyea]

With his passing there is a hole in the creative fabric of the universe.  condolences to his loved ones.

[Andrey Zhelkovsky]

R.I.P. Jeff

[Dan Mouer]

Wow. Very sad news. Thanks for posting DVS.

[Keith S. Chambers]

God's speed Jeff. Hope it was a fun life, you will be sorely missed. I hope to catch-up with you in the next life.

[Katerina Nikoltsou (MomKat)]

R.I.P. dear Jeff