CDRH- Clarington Durham Region Humanists

Presentations

Fish and signs

True Mind Signs

The Sign Makers

The Fish and signs are made by Mark Robinson and finishing by his wife Lisa. Mark is a Cabinet Maker by trade which he apprenticed from his father Peter who was a Master Carpenter and Joiner from England. Mark currently manages a cabinet making plant in Ajax Ontario Canada where he works with his wife Lisa as she runs the finishing department. All signs are first designed from art work or in the case of the fish drawn in a cad program freestyle to create the always evolving font. All woods used are remnants from materials that would normally go to waste. Every penny raised from the signs are donated to the CDRH by Mark and Lisa. The signs are also priced very attractively for other non profit organizations. Mark has made many signs throughout the years and have been shipped all over the world.

How The First Fish Evolved

told by Mark Robinson

The first fish has a neat story attached to it and I will share it with you. I had just started reading the book The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins and discovered he was going to be speaking in Montreal in November 2006. My Wife and I love visiting Montreal so I asked her if she would like to go for the weekend and this would give me an opportunity to go to his lecture at McGill university. While looking at the Darwin fish emblem I noticed a real resemblance to the names Darwin and Dawkins and knowing the influence Charles Darwin has had on Richard I could not resist the idea of making one out of wood and bringing it with me to Montreal and present him with it at the book signing to show my appreciation for his work. I was able to get in touch with his assistant who made it possible due to safety concerns with someone surprising him with a package. It was a surprise and a very enjoyable moment for all.

More Fish

The Dawkins fish was a great success and since i had made two, one was going to be for myself but I ended up giving it to Josh Timomen who is the creator of the Richard Dawkins.net web site. I have really enjoyed and appreciated his work with the site and felt it was a well deserved gift. I have since made two other fish. One for Dr. Brian Alters and one for Dr. Dan Brooks who both spoke at a CFI Event in Toronto in March 2007. Justin Trottier approached me and asked if I could make desk top fishes with their names engraved so he could present the fish to them as a gift of thanks. I have recently been in contact with Michael Shermer and made him a Shermer fish which he was thrilled to receive.

Signs

The signs have been something I have been doing for a long time so I thought I would make signs available to other groups and organizations who are working towards the same goals as promoting science and reason as well. I have made 2 signs for the Centre for Inquiry one in Toronto and the Head office in Amherst New York. I made these as gifts donated by the CDRH in commemorating the opening of the Toronto location this year. I am currently making a sign for the office of Dying With Dignity for a small donation to the CDRH.