New Kids Town construction at the Orlando Science Center.

For the past several months [ have been going to the Orlando Science Center (777 E Princeton St, Orlando, FL 32803) once a week, to sketch the five million dollar construction of the New Kids Town. A company in Ohio designed all the interactive exhibits. Seven rooms were constructed to house the huge play areas. The first area under construction consisted of a maze of green metal support rods. The inner skeleton was still visible. Each support beam was numbered and a large architects drawing was consulted to see which beam went where.

A Genie lift was used to get up high or some times to suport a horizontal beam before it was secured. Workers climbed ladders and walked the beams like tightrope walkers. I was issued a hard hat and it came in useful since I had to duck to avoid a beam being lifted into place. Above me, a worker was sparkling wall joints a the supervisor advised me to move aside for a while. I took his advice because he had my safety in mind.

Workers looked over my shoulder, to see if they had been caught in the sketch. One worker told me about a friend of his who made decent money doing tattoos. Perhaps I’ve missed my calling. I could imagine this Climb Time area will be very popular once the kids get a chance to explore it.

Highwayman Painter R. L. Lewis.

There was a fundraiser at the University Club across from Orlando’s Downtown Library. Today the University Club is just a pit of rubble as new construction has begun on a 22-story highrise on that street corner. This fundraiser’s cause was Art for Education. The evening was a fine-art exhibition and sale, with all proceeds going toward The University Club Foundation Scholarship Fund. There was artwork by students and local artists. There were complimentary hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar.

I don’t remember to much about the art on display. I tend to walk through big shows like this quickly and only stop when a piece speaks to me. Will Benton had one of his large circular paintings on display.

R. L. Lewis was executing a painting, so I settled in to sketch him at work. He sold several pieces and his wife handled the sales. His work is bright and almost luminescent with bold brush work. In looking up his work, I discovered he sells prints at Walmart for $23.45. That blows my mind. I am missing the bandwagon in finding ways to distribute my work.

Disney Springs Waterside Park.

I was asked by a music producer to do a sketch of one of the bands at Disney Springs Waterside Stage. After a quick sound check, the first performer was Nicholas Marks. He performed solo acoustic guitar with gusto. He was seated on start, but then stood, walking out into the audience as he played. I recognized “Green Sleeves” which is a piece I used to play on trumpet. Mr. Maserati in sun glasses, a golf cap and a highly sequined shirt danced to the music. He was covered in logos and must be a cast member. A young boy got caught up in the dance moves and joined in. The crowd went crazy when he eventually re-joined his family. Nicholas’s fingers flashed quickly against the strings and he hugged the guitar to he chest like a lover as he danced and played. Despite his energy and showmanship few people danced.

After his set there was a new nighttime show called Starbright” that appeared over the lake at 7:00pm and 8:30pm starting November 20-January 8. Hundreds of colored lights hoovered in the night sky like flying saucers. They assembled themselves into the dimensional shapes a like a spiraling Christmas Tree. I couldn’t figure out how it was done at first. Were there lazers being projected into fog? Finally my inner child took over and I watched with absolute awe. The colors changed from green to blue and then white. The orbs re-assembled themselves into various shapes one being a giant blue dove. I later learned that the show was created using 300 drones that moved together in perfect synchronicity thanks to some new computer coding. 

The band I had come to sketch La Calle, got on the stage after Starbright. They performed energetic salsa music that had everyone dancing. It became difficult to see the band through the crowd of dancers, but I patiently persisted. A little ten year old boy took an interest in my sketch. “Can I have it?” he asked. “Noooo| I need it” I replied. “Can you draw me something?” he pleaded. “Maybe when I’m done.” I offered. I knew he would eventually loose interest and sure enough, he was soon running up and down steps and jumping over railings. Where are his parents? Anyway the band kept everyone entertained and dancing. I wrapped up my sketch, as La Calle  started their second set. You can hear this group on Tuesdays after 7pm at Disney Springs Waterside Stage, through January 8th.

Earl’s Kitchen opened at the Millennia Mall .

Former Disney animation artist Sam Ewing, sent me an invite to Earl’s for a preview food tasting evening at Earl’s Kitchen  (Millenia Mall, Unit 246, 4200 Conroy Road Orlando Florida.) The restaurant was offering a free evening of dining to test out the menu and service staff. Before I official opening.

Katy Bakker was there with her husband. Katy had curated all the art on the walls at Earl’s. Andrew Spear had a large mural featuring parrots on the white wall next to the kitchen. His signature cross hatched drawing could easily be seen from any table in the restaurant.

I arrived early and sketched at the bar waiting for a friend to arrive. Citrus drinks and wine flowed but they were not free, so I stuck with water. I always want to keep the cost of each sketch down to a minimum.

The wait staff was very attentive and they kept asking how things were. Kathy and Eric Backmore warned me that we would be praising the food more than chewing the food. By the end of the meal I was nodding my head like a bobble doll saying with a hint of sarcasm, “yes, yes it was veeeery gooooood.”

There was one free alcoholic drink on the menu, but I us driving so I stuck with caffeine. Service staff were all dressed in black and I spent some time trying to decide who had the most fashionable shoes. Earl’s is a sleek, upscale Canadian chain serving gourmet burgers, global comfort food, cocktails, wines and beers. It was a pleasant night out, though I don’t recall exactly what I ate. I just eat food to keep my hand twitching on the page. I would make a horrible “foodie.” I was impressed with the upscale atmosphere and would gladly return.

Kara Martinez remembers friends lost at Pulse.

Michael Pilato held a 49 hour painting marathon in his new studio above Anthony’s Pizza on the corner of Colonial Drive and Mills Avenue. Kara Martinez stopped by to help with some of the paintings done of the 49 victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting. She remembered two of the victims, Juan Rivera Valazquez, Luis Conde who owned D’Magazine Salon down in Kissimmee. 


Kara was nervous about how she would look, going to her high school prom. She turned to Juan and Luis and they reassured her and made her feel like a princess. Actually, Kara is a princess. She plays the part of Ariel from Disney’s Little Mermaid for a local talent agency. She goes to parties to play the part. She talked lovingly about Juan and Luis describing how playful they were and how much she will miss them. Juan and Luis had been a couple for 14 years, and they owned the salon for seven years. Today the salon has shut down, another vibrant beacon that has gone dark in Orlando.


As we painted the 49 portraits, she began singing Ariel’s song. The music by Alen Menkin and Howard Ashman is contagious. Kara sang about her trinkets and baubles from the people who lived above the water. “I want to be where the people are, I want to see them dancing. Wish I could be part of that world.” We all sang along as we painted, but under the joy lingered pain. On June 12th so many people were joyfully dancing. Then in a split second of madness, loves were cut short. Some died quickly, while others slowly bled out in agony. Others would survive but be left with scars and nightmares. This is not your typical Disney ending.

Weekend Top 6 Picks for November 26th and 27th.

Saturday November 26th, 2016

7:30pm to 9:30pm. Free. Glendaliz Camacho’s Farewell Reading. Kerouac House 1418 Clouser Ave, Orlando, Florida 32804. Please join as as we bid farewell to our Fall resident writer, Glendaliz Camacho. Bring something to drink if you like and listen to what Glendaliz has been working on while living in the Kerouac House.

8pm to 11pm. Free, but get food and drink. Jazz Saturdays. Cork and Fork American Grill5180 S. Conway Road, Belle Isle, FL 32812. Cork & Fork American Grill Takes Their Fresh & Tasty Cuisine To The Next Level With Exciting New Menu Items – Plus Saturday Jazz Entertainment And Sunday Brunch Launching This Month.

8:30pm to 10:30pm Free. The Geeek Easy with Amy Watkins and Open Mic. Open to all: Musicians-Lyricists-Artists-and Poets of all kinds

Bring out the cape and have some fun.

Sunday November 27, 2016

Noon to 2pm. Free, but get food and drink. Florida Gospel Jam. Fish on Fire 7937 Daetwyler Drive Belle Isle FL. Every 2nd and 4th Sunday.

2pm to 4pm Free, but get coffee. Irish Music. Olivia’s Coffee House, 108 N Bay St, Eustis, FL.

10pm to midnight. Free. Comedy Open Mic. Austin’s Coffee, 929 W Fairbanks Ave, Winter Park, FL. Free comedy show! Come out & laugh, or give it a try yourself.

Orlando Opera presents Don Pasquale.

I went to the sold out opening night performance of Gaetano Donizetti‘s Don Pasquale at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. Opera Orlando keeps presenting incredible performances with work class talent. Peter Strummer as Don Pasquale is perfect for the part. From my second-row seat I could see the sweat drip from his brow as he reacted to his nagging and abusive young bride Norina (Brigitte Gan). Brigitte gave an inspired performance as his young bride.

I was hired by Orlando Opera to illustrate a poster for the show. The concept was inspired by an Al Hirshfeld illustration done for My Fair Lady. The concept is that Dr. Malatesta (Dennis Jesse) is the puppeteer orchestrating the false marriage between Norina and Don Pasquale, and the pitiful love lorn yearnings of Ernesto (David Margulis). Unfortunately my illustration was replaced by a photo of Peter Stummer in his role as Don Pasquale for the Metropolitan Opera. The photo is bolder and simpler, so it makes sense.

The set was simple and straightforward, acting first as an outdoor garden where Ernesto pursues Norina and then as Don Pasquale’s opulent living room. One playful scene between Norina and her maid had a pillow fight, and feathers littered the stage for the rest of the show.

The plot is simple: Don Pasquale plans to disinherit his playboy nephew Ernesto who loves Norina. Pasquale wants to marry a young bride, and his doctor offers up his “sister” played by Norina. She acts as a simple country girl in a black veil when she is introduced to Pasquale. A fake notary marries them and then Norina turns into a demon of a wife spending all of Pasquale’s money. He is driven to the brink of madness and is only offered freedom when the doctor suggests that the nephew get a small inheritance and marry his love. Pasquale is shocked to discover his wife is actually Ernesto’s true love.

The Orlando Philharmonic had a 17-piece ensemble that performed live on house right. The music was perfect for the intimate Pugh Theater. I was delighted by the production, but mortified to discover that I had been humming to myself as I sketched through the whole first act. I have to stop that nasty habit. I am a bit low-class when I am happily working.

New Paintings by Victor Bokas and Donne Bitner.

On Third Thursday, I went to Art Gallery at Mills Park (1650 North Mills Avenue, Orlando Florida).  This art gallery is located on the ground floor of a brand new apartment complex right near Orlando’s theaters. Since I am hunting for an apartment, I looked at the plan with a discerning eye. I suspect a place this gorgeous is out of my price range. I had seen artist Victor Bokas just a few nights before at the Maitland “Art Under the Stars” event. I got a chance to meet him in his tent, filled with his vibrant abstracts, as the event wound down for the night. Tonight he had a pink beard, probably left over from the Orlando Pride Parade the week before. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to pride, but I heard over 100,000 people showed up.

Victor worked as a graphic designer at Tupperware for about 19 years. His early paintings done while he was still at Tupperware are y bit more graphic and controlled. Once he left his colors became more vibrant and he experimented more with his compositions. Victor was at the entrance to the gallery when I arrived. He stood in from of a flaming fireplace and was talking with friends. He gave me a warm hug and then I explored the gallery.

Most of the artwork is hung down a long hall that faces the glass facade, allowing pedestrians outside to get a good look at the art. Snap Downtown has a similar layout in the lobby of a new, modern  apartment complex. Victor and Donne Bitner‘s paintings look good side by side. They share a similar palette of war and cool colors Donne’s colors tend to also incorporate many shades of grey. Donne’s work is often inspired by landscapes that become vehicles to push toward abstraction. As she stated, “My intent is to follow the mark to layer and strip away and find the hidden texture and meaning of a piece.” Some of Victor’s painting are inspired by Florida pools surrounded by rich vibrant foliage. Water and leaves have a fascinating play of vibrant abstract shapes.

Lael Dewahl, one of the gallery owners asked me if I needed any help. I was lost in the process of searching for a nondescript spot Where I could get my sketch done. A tall supermodel in a red dress, Alexandra Philco, showed a couple one of the paintings, offering a personal tour. Boris Garbe, another partner in the gallery, in his excitement, would stand on the furniture to get closer to the art. He gestured like a circus ring master as he explained the artists intentions.This show will remain up for three months, so stop out this holiday season.

Maxine’s first price fix 3 course winemaker dinner.

I was invited to be part of the first winemaker dinner at Maxine’s on Shine (337 Shine Ave, Orlando, FL 32803). Jeff Meyers, the GM, Vice President, and head winemaker at Terra D’ Oro was on hand to introduce each wine that went with each of the three courses. We arrived a bit early, and I found my spot at the end of a long table to take in the scene. People mingled near the bar, as I blocked in the scene lightly in pencil. As people took their seats I inked them into the sketch. 1+1, a jazz duo performed live. Their music hearkened back to the 60s and 70s with a very nostalgic and consistent play list. I tried playing, “Name that Tune”, as everyone got seated for the first course.

The first course, was Saku Block Tuna, seared rare, with a black and white sesame seed crust.  There was a ginger cream sauce to dip it is. There was also Meatballs Wellington in a phyllo pastry on a bed blue cheese and spinach, with Jalepeno cilantro aioli for dipping. The wine paring was a white Terra D’ Oro Miscato. This sweet wine was my favorite of the evening and I indulged in a second glass. 

 

The second course was a southern citrus salad with a mix of fresh fruit, gorgonzola, spiced almonds and vinaigrette. This was paired with a red Terra D’ Oro Barbara. The sweet salad was perfect with the smooth tasting Barbera. Jeff explained that Terra D’ Oro means land of gold. Wines were first created in this area of California starting in the 1850’s by Italian Immigrants. The weather is perfect and the sunshine plentiful.

The opening act was a Florida red grouper with mango salsa and cous cous. It was paired with a Terrie D’ Oro Chevin Blanc Viognier Blend. This pairing was absolutely delicious. My sketch perch was pretty far from my plate, and I had to lean way forward to scoop up fish a cous cous with my fork. I would use my palette as a safety net, as I leaned back and delicately moved the fork to my mouth. Cous Cous kept spilling off the fork onto my palette. There is no refined way to flick food off of an art palette, so I left it where it was, hoping no one noticed. I did another painting today and the cous cous was still there, but now covered in blue paint. Now that I’m writing this I realize I need to take a writing break and get the food off my palette right now. 

The Main Event was a Petite Filet Mignon, medium rare,  with Winter Hunter Sauce, a twice baked potato, and chef select vegetables. The executive chef, George Vogelbacher was on vacation on a cruise ship, so his well trained staff prepared the dinner without him. The woman to my right felt that the meat was over cooked, but it tasted fine to me. After four cups of wine any thing would taste like heaven to me. The filet was paired with a Terra D’ Oro Petite Sirah. This was the wine with the most tannins and it left a dry lingering full bodied after taste. 

Desert was an “Ode to Elvis” with a triple chocolate brownie with bacon pecan brittle, a spiced anglaise, and a fruit compote. This was paired with a Terra D’ Oro “Denver Vineyard” Zinfandel. Kirt Earhart thanked everyone for coming with his signature rhyme that he improvised on the spot. Before the right wound down Maxine took up a microphone and sang with the band. There were selfies and smiles with hugs all around. The evening was a true epicurean delight that celebrated passion and life. The cost was $70 per person all inclusive of tax and tip. 5 courses including wine pairing. Maxine’s will be hosting similar wine pairing events in the future and trust me this will become one of the most sought after evenings in town. This intimate neighborhood venue offers the best in southern urban hospitality. 

Marla E. Artist Opening.

The Maitland Civic Center on Lake Lilly is trying to change it’s image. It has been renamed “Venue on the Lake” (641 South Maitland Avenue Maitland FL 32751). People perceived the Civic Center as being run by the city. The venue is however privately owned. It has undergone a major face lift recently, including, Linda’s Corner which was the east wing’s catering area. They considered calling it Linda’s Bar, but that was vetoed as being too low class. The outside landscaping was redone along with the patio and decorative outdoor lights.

George Williston gave everyone a quick lesson in chairs. The Center used to be full of simple folding chairs. It turns out folding chairs have a butt life of at most half an hour. New black banquet  chairs have a butt life of about an hour, and the new green banquet chairs have a butt life of several hours. I was pleased that I was sitting in s green banquet chair. Danial Jordan performed on flute and saxaphone as patrons sampled the banquet food and free drinks. The evening was mostly a fundraiser to continue the restorations at the Venue. There is a theater in the Ivanhoe district called The Venue, so perhaps a better name is needed.

The gallery area between the east and west wings was also re-modeled. Artwork by Mark E. Artist was on display. Her large abstract painting incorporate en-caustics to create three dimensional patterns on the surface followed by bold colorful brushwork. Marla has a face designed for smiling. Her wide eyes were magnified in her 1950s styled eye glasses. My favorite painting had a blue and green field on the upper two thirds of a vertical panel.  An simple brown arching line seemed to define a ground plane with encaustic squares filling a grid pattern. Circular “planets” floated above. I believe the show is up for several months, so stop out.