Confluence Opening

Confluence is a show mounted by four women artists who decided to collaborate on a series of large painted panels on which they all worked. The four artists are Brigen Gresh, Vicki Jones, Dina Mack and Anna McCambridge. I followed their progress sketching them on several occasions as they created the works. They were a fun group of artists to observe. Creating the art was a fun playful experience. Laughter was as much a part of their creative process as the long hours of painting.
Anna called the day of the opening and asked me to bring some prints of my sketches that I had done of the project and I was glad to do so. When I arrived the first artist I saw was Dina who was in the outside courtyard with her husband. We hugged and then I went inside to see the show. I placed my signed prints on the table along with a full sketchpad and some business cards and I wandered into the gallery. The first gallery had the artists individual works created before the collaboration. Each artist had a distinct style. In the next gallery, the huge panels lined both walls of a long hallway and the crowd was getting thick. I found Anna who I didn’t recognize at first because she had died her hair red. I congratulated her and continued to explore. I began to realize that I recognized many faces in the room. I had sketched many of these people and going to the opening was a fun way to reconnect with people who had influenced my art and this blog. Strangers approached me and asked if I was the sketch blogger. It was fun meeting new people.
At the end of the hallway there was a video showing the women at work. It was fascinating to watch. The video highlighted much of the playful spirit yet hard work that went into creating this show. In the next room the walls were painted partially grey with white slashed in which hand written messages appeared. Then in the final gallery the artists again showed individual works, this time however the thoughts and processes learned from the collaboration showed in each piece. Each artist had picked up new ways of painting and seeing. It was amazing to see how they had changed and grown as artists, learning from each other.
I returned to the table where I had dropped my signed prints and was amazed to find someone had walked off with them. Thank goodness the sketchbook was still on the table and I quickly tucked it in my bag before it also disappeared. I am far to trusting, or the Orlando art crowd is so naive that they consider art prints a free commodity. Well whoever took the prints, I hope you frame them and give them a good home.
There was to be an after party at the Enzian Theater and I drove over there but the parking lot was packed. Exhausted, I finally decided to give up and I headed home. I had been sketching all day and I needed some rest.

Life, Art, Music

The tag line for the fundraiser for Hospice of the Comforter at the Ritz Carlton was: Celebrate life, Enjoy art, Love music. I had just finished a sketch of the bar out in the hallway where the silent auction was going on. I entered the ballroom and found my way to my table. For dinner we had a light salad of Baby greens with grilled summer fruit and hearts of palm. The main course was a braised beef short rib with macadamia nut crusted grouper along with twice baked potato and vegetables. Desert was a chocolate mousse layered with chocolate and espresso creme brulee.
After dinner Sarah Harvey spoke of the support her family had received when her child Gracie was diagnosed with a terminal disease. She related how the doctors considered her child’s illness a puzzle to solve. A scientific curiosity, perhaps a way to get their name in a medical journal. Gracie had to go through endless tests as she gradually grew sicker. The doctors were unable to discover exactly what was causing her decline. Finally with no cure in sight Gracie was admitted to the Hospice House and there she and the family were given the emotional support they needed. When Gracie passed away the family was offered grief counseling and Sarah formed friendships that last to this day with members of the staff. She doesn’t know how she would have coped without Hospice of the Comforter’s help.

Global Peace Film Festival

I went to Baldwin Park to see a free outdoor screening of “Playing for Change” at the Global Peace Film Festival. As usual I arrived a bit early and I walked around the main drag of Baldwin Park to enjoy the night life. I like the fact that many shops are open to the street so you can watch people doing martial arts dancing or taking a dance aerobics class. What great sketching opportunities! I got myself a drink, found the outdoor screen and waited for the crowd to arrive. When the film started I was surprised that only 2 or 3 people were sitting on the grass lawn in front of the screen to watch. Perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised that Americans would not find a film about peace worth watching. To take in the scene I decided to sit across the street leaning up against the corner of a Subway’s shop. This was the best place to watch the few people that stopped on the sidewalk to watch. Metal post barricades jutted up to help keep terrorists from slamming a truck into the small park, disrupting the screening. A woman was canvasing passers by trying to get them to sign a petition.
I let the film music wash over me as I worked. My attention was often on details of my surroundings so I only watched the film in small bursts. A female singer from Tel Aviv Isreal always caught my ear and made me look up. Toward the end of the film a story was told that hit me like a wall of bricks. One of the performers in the documentary passed away after the film was shot and his grieving wife was busy packing his belongings in boxes, so she could try to move on with her life after his death. One day by mistake she pressed the wrong button on her TV remote control and a DVD started playing that showed her husband playing with musicians from around the world for this film. These musicians had never met before but they stood united in the belief that music could help bring peace to the world. She saw her husband happy and joyous doing what he loved. He was part of something greater than himself. Rather than remembering him sick in bed, she now rejoiced in the memory of him playing music. The next song played, and had me sitting on the street corner with a sketchbook in my lap emotionally overwrought. “One love, One heart, lets get together and feel alright.” I rubbed my tired eyes and oil from my skin caused them to burn. I wiped away the tears with my sleeve. I tried to open them again to continue painting but they still burned. I sat quietly on the street corner with my eyes closes and waited for peace of mind. When I opened them again the end credits were rolling.
The film ended with a quote from the Dali Lama:
“Never give up; No matter what is going on, Never give up.
Develop the heart; Too much energy in your country Is spent developing the mind instead of the heart. Develop the heart. Be compassionate; Not just with your friends, But with everyone. Be compassionate. Work for peace; In your heart, And in the world. Work for peace. And I say again, Never give up. No matter what is going on around you, Never give up. ”

Dance Auditions

The Harbor room is a kids area of the church which, through murals and a small dock like stage, makes it look like everyone is dancing on water. Molly and Alison were put in charge of the dance auditions. The director was also on hand to offer advice and keep things running smoothly.
First everyone in the room was taught all the steps. Everyone stood up and the instructor went through the moves one at a time. As people started to understand the dance moves they then had to be reminded to smile and look like they were having fun. I can relate since I tend to frown when I draw. If I smiled the whole time I drew however my face would hurt.
Once everyone was up to speed, the director called up 4 or 5 dancers at a time using their numbers. Then this group would go through the moves while Molly and Alison watched. The group would go through the dance moves twice which allowed Molly , Alison and the director to see everyone’s performances. This endless process allowed me to sketch the dancers in deep space. The dance began with a hip thrust from side to side and it was this movement that I tried to catch with each of the dancers. While a group was going through the moves everyone else sat in the back of the room quietly waiting for their turn.
This was a fun process to watch and sketch. When the core group of dancers was finally picked, everyone else knew that they would be working the non dancing actors rolls in the show. I am still shocked by the sheer size of this production.

The Singing Christmas Trees – Habor Room

The First Baptist Church in Orlando holds a huge Christmas show called “The Singing Christmas Trees” each year. I have never been to the show before, but this year the director, Aradhana Tiwari, invited me in to witness how this huge production is put together. First Baptist is a large complex with many buildings and I got a bit lost trying to find the Harbor Room where the auditions were to be held.
When I entered she was explaining to everyone how the auditions were to run. In the hallway there were a series of rooms each assigned a specific task. One room was for measuring actors for costumes and others were for various paper work that needed to be filled out. A release had to be signed which would allow the church to broadcast the show on National Television. Everyone was issued a number, I was number 60, so I am assuming there are at least 60 actors in this cast. Aradhana’s mom was put in charge of all the children. She had sock puppets made and the kids might stage a mini play satirizing their parents roll in the production.
When everyone got back from all the paperwork and measurements, Aradhana asked them to stand in a large circle and hold hands. She prayed on every one’s behalf that any nervousness or actors jitters might be calmed. She asked that everyone in the room be able to serve with a glad and open heart.
There was a break before the dance auditions began and I had a chance to talk with a dancer named Rachael. She came to Orlando thinking it would be a good place to get her actors equity card but it has been years and she is still working as a temp for Disney. She came from a small town with a small Lutheran Church. She is a member of First Baptist now and finds it a contrast to the small church of her youth, but she loves the theatrical aspect of the place.

Tulgey Wood – Sound Stage Shoot

Tulgey Wood is a Full Sail student short film loosely built around the Lewis Carol poem “Jabberwocky“.
And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the Tulgey Wood,
And burbled as it came!
The film follows a young girl named Jose who discovers her parents are about to get divorced. Unable to face this harsh truth the girl runs from her home and wanders into the woods where she is transformed into a girl that looks just like Alice in Wonderland. She finds a small red camping tent and wanders in. The interior is much bigger than expected with paper lanterns, mounds of pillows and candles everywhere. Inside is a fortune teller who looks into a crystal ball summoning insights into the challenges that Jose faces. “Thus my child, it does not do to dwell on that which we have lost. For certainly, we are given more than we could ever hope to loose.”
Leander Suleiman the actress who played the fortune teller, was the one who suggested I come to the sound stage and do this sketch. When I arrived people were rushing around taking measurements and checking for lighting levels. One fellow took his time lighting all the candles and a fire extinguisher was on hand at all times. Between shots several set pieces had to be moved and twice candles were knocked over causing a flurry of activity as they tried to pick up the candle before any pillows or fabrics caught fire. A long track was set up in front of the set allowing the camera to follow the actresses movements with the candles looming large in the foreground.
Leander is a frequent guest artist at a Full Sail class that helps teach students how to direct actors. She read the part of the fortune teller and then auditions were held. The director couldn’t find anyone else that was right for the role so he tracked her down. She had just finished playing a gypsy (Madame Zeroni) in the stage production of “Holes”. So jumping into the role was easy. Leander loves both theater and film but the stage is where her heart truly sings.

The White House – Lindy Romez

Based on a tip from a reader I went to an event called Timucua White House. This is a private home of Benoit Glazer, the musical director of Circue du Soleil, at 2000 South Summerlin Avenue where music acts are featured salon style in the families living room. The first act featured Benoit on the trumpet accompanied by his very talented kids. On this day Lindy Romez performed with her band, SolY Mar. Juan Leon played the Bass, Chapman Stick played the native American flute and guitar, Gary Tompkins was on guitar, Johnnie Spulveda was on the hand drums and Ralph Gray played the kit drums. In the corner of the stage an artist worked on a canvas when ever the group was playing. The painting was made available for sale when the performances were over.
The home is three stories and opposite the band, a spiral staircase wound upwards offering multiple balcony views of the act. Being curious, I walked to the top of the stairs and that is where I stood to do the sketch. A fair sized crowd of 30 or 40 people were gathered in the living room and stairwell to view the show. Some people leaned against the walls since seating was limited.
Th music had a swinging jazzy beat with a tropical flavor. I found myself swaying my hips to the beat the whole time I was sketching. The intimate space made the music resonate deeply in my chest. This is the second time I separated the performers from the audience with the centerfold of the sketchbook. It seems a natural divide. The heat from all the stage lights rose up and I found myself sweating up a storm as I sketched. It was worth it however since I love this aerial view of the event.

Maitland Art Center

I went to the Maitland Art Center Sketch Club for the first time attend the figure drawing class. It was early evening and a light drizzle had started. I was one of the first to arrive. I introduced myself to Bill Orr who is the fellow in the Hawaiian shirt in this sketch. Bill told me quite a bit about his past. He once lived in this very room back when it was divided up into small apartments. His room had a small fireplace and the window seen in this sketch. He served in World War II being part of a cavalry regiment. When the war ended all the horses were sold off in Europe rather than returned to the States. As an artist he made his living doing life sized paintings of horses. This preoccupation keeps him busy to this day. A few times during the class I peaked at his drawings and they are really good. I am sure I could learn a thing or two from this master, but the class is just an open drawing session with no instruction. Bill helped save the Maitland Art Center when developers wanted to level the site.

Although the nude model was a beautiful young woman, I unfortunately didn’t look at her very much. I am more interested in the everyday mundane moments of peoples lives rather than a view of the classical figure. I still had to pay the model fee which I think was $15. It seems like a waste since I didn’t glance her way very often.

Central Florida Packer Backers

Brian a reader of Analog Artist Digital World suggested I do a sketch of the Central Florida Packer Backers. He tempted me with an offer of free beer while I drew. How could I pass up an offer like that?
As I approached One Eyed Jack’s, at 15 North Orange, I heard the crowd shouting from a block away. When I entered, I stood for a few minutes at the entrance to let my eyes adjust to the dim lighting. Next to the door was a paving stone which fans rubbed for good luck. The stone was a duplicate of a stone that the club had donated to the paving outside Lambeau field. Football fans are a superstitious crowd. The club also supplies Packers tee shirts to the homeless in town. This was a fun crowd and they can be found every Sunday at One Eyed Jacks at Wall Street Plaza downtown during the football season, I don’t know where you would find them the rest of the year.
I was facing a huge crowd that filled every seat in the bar. Most fans had on green and yellow Packers Jerseys. Brian came over and introduced himself. he suggested I get up on the stage where bands usually play and I took his suggestion since it gave me a good view over the crowd.
While sketching I didn’t have time to follow the games score. I know the packers were playing the Cincinnati Bengals and it was a close game. Periodically music would fill the bar and the whole crowd would shout “Go Pack Go!”
At halftime, a line of fans formed and each tried to kick a field goal with a beach ball sized inflatable football through a 5 foot high yellow inflatable goal post. I had to move since I was seated on the stage right behind the goal post. In hindsight that was actually the safest place to sit since so few got the ball close to the goal posts. Most fans kicked the ball into the rafters but 2 managed to get it right between the posts. Some kicks sent the ball flying out into the crowd. The announcer said ” Watch your drinks everyone!”. Wouldn’t you know the next kick landed the ball right on a table spilling 2 drinks.
I am tempted to become a rabid Packers fan, but I would need to get a green jersey. The game ended with an agonizing defeat when the referee claimed the game was over before the last play began.

Food Not Bombs

Today is International Peace Day so I thought I would do a sketch about “Food not Bombs”. This is a group that supplies food to Orlando’s homeless around the picnic area of Lake Eola Park every Wednesday. This group has faced arrests and police harassment since they began serving food in 2005. In July of 2006 the city passed an ordinance that severely limited the ability of groups to share food in 36 different parks around Orlando. The ordinance stated that any group that shares food with more than 25 people, including servers, must be limited to 2 food servings per 12 month period. Violation of this ordinance could carry a 60 day jail sentence and a $500 fine. The city claimed that food scraps left on the ground could be harmful to birds and squirrels, Garbage could affect public health, and that public safety would be threatened by the homeless attracted to the food. From my observations of this event, Food not Bombs did a great job of cleaning up after the feeding. As I sketched I certainly didn’t feel threatened in any way. I felt more threatened drawing at Neiman Marcus last week.

In April of 2007 Eric Montanez was arrested for violating the ordinance. 8 police officers were on hand to arrest him for serving stew. Police even took a sample of the vegan stew as evidence. Montanez was acquitted at his jury trial.

On September 26th 2008 Food Not Bombs won a victory against the city when federal judge Gregory Presnell rules that the City Ordinance violated Food Not Bombs right to free speech under the first amendment since the food sharings are expressive conduct carried out to convey a political message. As he stated “Not withstanding their diffuse political views, all Orlando Food Not Bombs members share in OFNB’s core belief: that food is a right which society has a responsibility to provide all of its members.”