Wade Furlong Tribute

A beautiful and well-written tribute to a wonderful artist who should not have gone the way he did.  I'm positive he cherished your friendship and the love you had for his artistry.   RIP Wade Furlong.

Oh man.  I still remember you talking about him after my visit.  I'm so sorry for your loss.  We don't know what someone is going through and then we're shocked.  RIP Wade

What a touching story, thanks for sharing Eric. It's a good reminder to always be kind and listen, because you never know what someone is going through. Rest in peace Wade.

Wow...I'm seriously floored...and almost at a loss for words. What you wrote was really powerful, Eric - and they evidence the connection you & Wade enjoyed. He may no longer be with us, but his art and his impact most certainly are. RIP Wade.

Wade thought you were the coolest, Eric. Thanks so much for writing this beautiful remembrance.

I never would have been touched by his light if not for you.  So glad you talked me into that first commission.  Thanks to you, I have something really special to remember him by.  Not sure if he ever played you that unboxing video, but if you are in my neck of the woods, I hope you'll stop by so we can watch it together.  Be well my friend.

Thanks for being the caring person you are.  Well done.

Nice tribute to remember someone very talented, may he Rest In Peace.  I just looked at some of his other work.  A really unique eye for design and detail.   

i met wade a little over a year ago. i work in the picu and micu. on occasion he would have to come up, deliver a patient or perform an exam etc. even at work i always have artwork around. it could be a sketch card in my pocket, a commission i brought in or maybe just something up on my computer. i find it can be rather soothing for a hectic position. one night i had an arthur adams creature on my screen and wade walked by. he stopped and talked for a bit about arthur, about art etc. we had never met prior. he told me his name and that he enjoyed such things. i looked up his worked and was really impressed by his efforts and unique talents. since that time whenever we would see each other we would have a pleasant quick conversation about such. at one point he brought me up a copy of his hardcover sketchbook from several years ago. the inscription was really nice and i appreciated the gesture. wade to me, always seemed to be reluctant to really discuss his own artwork, convention experiences etc. i knew very little about him and certainly was unaware of the burdens he carried. i was saddened by the news that he had passed. i feel like most of us are still shocked.

thank you for taking the time to share some kind words about a unique artist.

Beautiful words. I've only had one commission done in the ten years I've been collecting, but Wade was so nice and in touch with me. Also had suggestions to the page. He is missed. 

A tragic end to a person of enormous talent.  I've known way too many men in their 40s who've taken their own lives in recent years.  I'm not sure if the problem is that men of a certain age don't realize that it's possible to get help, but sharing stories like this I think raises awareness that they're not alone in their feelings and of the pain felt by those left behind.  Maybe that can help encourage people who need help to get it.  

This hits hard tonight and I pray eternal peace for Wade. I can't speak to his art or his personality. It's tragic when a human being chooses this permanent solution instead of getting help (No judgement just sad). On September 2, 2006 I arrived on scene to discover that my brother and best friend Chris had taken his own life. 37 years old with two boys and a wife left behind.Completelly devestated our world. For the person death ends their worldy problems, but those left behind who loved and cared about them suffer immensily. If anyone ever feels tempted to self harm please talk to someone and or call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline @ 800-273-TALK (8255)

Thank you Michael (and Michael M) for your messages of encouragement and hope.  It's really impossible to imagine how suicide could be the answer for ANY problem.  Let's all pray that those in desperate need of relief from their pain and suffering, can find it before it's too late.

Thanks for posting about Wade! He was a real talent, that unfortunetly had some issues that were kept hidden. I feel lucky to have kept in contact, but never met him in person. Glad I own something from him!

Yeah, I think that may have been part of the problem.  His online personality was just that, a personality.  When I think back on some of his emails, and even most of his comments here on my gallery, it just doesn't seem like him at all.  In person, he was more quiet, mild mannered, and unassuming.  But nothing that would have led me to believe there were any underlying issues (not that I'm in any wayn an expert on how to spot that sort of thing).  I know he was sometimes bummed that his art career wasn't further along.  But I never got a sense of anything deeper than that.  Can't help but wonder if anyone had any kind of inkling as to what might have been going on inside him.  Anyway, thanks for sharing.