They Love to Watch Her Strut

This year I am one of 25 artists participating in the Winter Park Paint Out. Each artist is assigned one morning or afternoon session in which they have to do a painting on the Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens property. I was assigned to paint on Thursday afternoon. I stop by every afternoon anyway to drop off the previous day’s painting for the gallery wall. My wall by the way is right next to the bathrooms in case you go and want to find my work. I have been told that is a good spot to have your work hang since everyone has to go to the bathroom at some time.

I wandered the property checking out each artist’s work in progress. There is always so much to learn just seeing how different artists block in their paintings. My second priority was o find a shady spot to park myself to do a painting. My baseball hat was left behind on the Frontier plane I took back to Orlando last week. I know the hat was on the plane since I used it to hold all my belongings going through security. After all the passengers were off I went back on the plane to go to my seat to see where it fell. I was damn near tackled by a male stewardess who shouted at me “GET OFF THE PLANE repeatedly. I understood him the first time and backed off. He called back on an intercom for someone to look at seat 30A and immediately announced that the hat wasn’t there. Did they even take the time to look? Another passenger had worn his expensive headphones on the plane and he hoped to get them back since they must have fallen off while he slept. His was a lost cause as well. Clearly these items were pocketed. That is what you get for flying a low budget airline. As I walked away one of the airport cleanup crew said “I apologize for his behavior.” That can’t make up for Frontier crew treating customers like crap. I plan to get a new hat at some point and I will pay to have “Never Fly Frontier” embroidered onto it.

This statue by Albin Polasek is titled “Maiden of the Roman Campagna.” In stark silhouette, she looks like she is wearing headphones and dancing to music. The house next to the Polasek Museum was playing a Bob Seger  song called “They Love to Watch Her Strut.” “They do respect her butt, they love to watch her strut.” I imagined that was the music she was listening to as I sketched. She is actually holding a long strand of braided hair, but I preferred to leave her listening to headphones. That song played on a loop for the next two hours or so. I don’t know why someone would ever want to hear the same some over and over again for. I started to wonder if I should let someone know that the person on the property next door had died while listening to the song and the music would repeat for eternity until someone found the body.

Multiple patrons stopped to see my sketch in progress. A little boy was curious about my brush which holds water in it’s handle. He felt this as like having a James Bond water gun with you anywhere you went. He desperately wanted one so he could squirt his friends by surprise.

Winter Park “Sunset Paint In”

The public was invited to come by as Winter Park Paint Out Artists gathered on the shore of Lake Maitland, hosted by the Winter Park Racquet Club (2111 Vía Tuscany Winter Park, FL 32789.) There the artists captured a beautiful Florida sunset from the west-facing shores Lake Maitland. Guests settled in with friends and family as dusk drew near and they watched the magic unfold across  canvasses. This was the perfect opportunity for members and non-members of the club to invite guests and check out this one-of-a-kind event. Artists painted along the shoreline as well as throughout the lush and festive grounds. Guests could grab a drink and share the vista and watch as these outstanding artists created a vivid sunset memory on canvas. Artwork was available for sale the night of the event and you can also see the evenings completed artwork in the Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens (633 Osceola Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789) “wet room” gallery through April 28, 2018.

I set up in the shade of a bush to sketch the artists working in the shade in front of the mansion that is next to the Racquet club. It turns out I was right next to the admissions tent which is where everyone picked up their cup and a comment card to see which wines were the best. Since I was right at the entrance, quite a few people stopped to look over my shoulder. The multiple conversations were as enlightening and fun as getting the sketch done. I met a water colorist who knew of my work from Instagram. I also ran into Cher Cloude Topps, a former student who was experiencing the paint out for the first time.  Robert Willson asked me quite a few questions about the fountain pen I was using. It turns out he hand makes fountain pens and we spoke about having me take one of his pens for a “test drive” and giving him feedback on how the pen works for creating art.

The artist in the red shirt was Don Sontag from Winter Park. He was working on a painting of the admissions tents with the sunset behind them. The other artist I believe was Scott Heistand from Ormond Beach. Unfortunately he left before I got a chance to see his finished painting. By the time this sketch was done, the sun was about to set. I was given a sandwich and some chips, so I stood closer to the water to watch the final moments as the sun hit the horizon. The temperature immediately dropped, so I decided it was time to turn in my wine voucher. The red wine warmed me up a bit as I joked with a few of the artists before I left.

Painting Demo

Winter Park Paint Out Artist Steve Andrews gave a painting demonstration in Downtown Orlando at the Orange County Administration Building Sculpture Garden (201 South Rosalind Avenue Orlando FL). He set up on the lawn facing the Orlando skyline. This was a free event so anyone was invited to attend. As I arrived, Rachel Frisby and several assistants were setting up the Albin Polasek Museum banner and a tent. I paced around an tried to figure out what I should sketch as they set up. I finally realized I should sit back a bit so I could include the sculpture of a man trying to fly with I-beams and very non aerodynamic wings. It seemed fitting in that it implied to me that most of man’s aspirations though well intentioned can be futile. I had every intention of doing a good sketch but it always seems that circumstances are always set in place to keep me from the task of taking flight.

Several people approached as I set up the scene asking well intentioned questions that stole time as the sun raced towards the horizon. Terry Olson who heads up the Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs stopped to say hello. He then checked out Steve’s progress and headed on his way, probably to another cultural event. I see him everywhere I go. A security guard from the Orange County Building approached and asked if I was with the County. It was clear he was looking to stop my sketch in progress. I told him I was, to buy time, and kept working. My mistake had been to say hello to him as he did his rounds. He approached a second time and asked to see my credentials. I showed him my Winter Park Paint Out badge and told him that this was an event that had been approved with a permit. He told me he had not been informed and I assume he went back inside to call around to see if he could get the artist/anarchist off of the city property. I must have seemed an easy target since I sat apart from the crowd. His main concern was that this would be an isolated event. We don’t want artists running amok downtown, now do we?

Steve began blocking in his painting as everyone sat on the lawn to watch. The biggest challenge was looking straight into the setting sun. Instead of using line, he boldly blocked in the shapes in oil always being able to refine a shape as the painting progressed. He told a story that his father had been a doctor during world War II and he was one of the few doctors who stayed in Orlando during the war effort. Orange County Regional History Center curator Pam Schwartz made arrangements to get his fathers oral history.

The crowd gathered to watch Steve paint broke out into laughter. I didn’t understand why at first. Rachel later explained that her dog had taken the moment to squat in front of the artist and take a lingering dump right in the scene he was painting. “Everyone is a critic!” Steve mused.

Today is the last day of the Winter park Paint Out, so it is your last chance to see all the paintings that have been created this week in the “wet gallery”. Admission to the Albin Polasek Museum (633 Osceola Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789) is free for the paint out until 5pm. Tonight is the Paint Out Garden Party from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. This is the big blow out gala which showcases all of the art from the event. Over 400 patrons are expected to attend dressed in cabana chic garden attire. Tickets to the Garden Party are  $100 in advance or $125 at the door. Each ticket enti­tles the buyer to $50.00 off the pur­chase of a paint­ing dur­ing the Gar­den Party! (Limit one ticket per paint­ing val­ued at $300 or more)

Weekend Top 6 Picks for Aprtil 28th and 29th

Saturday April 28, 2018

10 a.m. to 9 p.m. $5 Oktoberfest. German American Society, 381 Orange Ln, Casselberry, FL 32707. The most authentic Oktoberfest in Central Florida. What makes the festival stand out above others is the dedication to
providing authentic and traditional German music, food, beer, and
entertainment. You will find a live band playing German
music in the Fest hall as well as a large outdoor beer garden. The food
menu offers home cooked schnitzels, sauerbraten, goulasch, wursts,
potato salad, potato pancakes and more. These items are prepared and
cooked by German American Society members. The plentiful bars offer genuine Hofbräu beers
imported from Germany as well as wine, German schnapps, and liquors. The
Orlando Trachtenverein provides traditional Bavarian dancing and entertainment on our large dance floors.

Vendor partners provide additional food items,
German/Bavarian clothing and souvenirs, children’s activities such as
bounce house, face painting, and more. The drink ware tent offers a
selection of steins, glassware, and boots you can purchase and take with
you to the beer tents.

Due to the popularity of this event and limited space, presale tickets are offered as a discounted price that will guarantee your
admission. Same day walk-up tickets are also available on a first come,
first serve basis. Parking is available at the
end of Orange lane through a 3rd party for a $5 fee. There are limited
disabled parking only spots on our property. Other business around the
area also offer parking.

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free. SPRING ART SALE (Just in time for Mother’s Day!) Crealdé Main Campus 600 St. Andrews Blvd
Winter Park, FL 32792.
Crealdé artists sell their work.

5 p.m. to 9 p.m.  Paint Out Garden Party. Part of the Witer Park Paint Out. Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens, 633 Osceola Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789.  Dress in comfy shoes–it’s a LONG night and it can get very warm in the gallery with so many people (400+)! There is no dress code, but I’d say cabaña chic/garden cocktail attire. Artists will be mingling with guests and engaging folks in conversation about their art. This is their night to shine and showcase your body of work that you worked so hard to produce!

****RIDE THE SHUTTLE

— On site parking is not available, but you can catch the Garden Party Shuttle from

the Sun Trust parking lot a few block away.

There
is NO PARKING permitted on Osceola Court, Henkel Circle or Trismen
Terrace. Visitors parking on these streets are subject to towing per the
parking restriction by the City of Winter Park.

10:30 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. Free but get food and or drinks.  Son Flamenco. Ceviche Tapas Orlando, 125 W Church St, Orlando, FL. Hot blooded Flamenco dancing to live acoustic guitar.


Sunday April 29, 2018

Noon to 1 p.m. Donation based. Yoga. Lake Eola park near the Red Gazebo.

2 p.m. to 10 p.m. $20 – $40. Poca’s Hottest 7th Annual Sauce Cook-Off.  Will’s Pub 1042 N Mills Ave, Orlando, Florida 32803. A fun filled family friendly event loaded with great food, killer tunes, and all the sauce you can handle.

SPiTFIRE

The Ludes

The Legendary JC’s

The Goldminers

Beemo

Sideshow Revival

Druid Lord

Tears of a Tyrant

Leisure Chief

7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Free but get a drink.  Stephan Mikes – Sitarist with Riad Abdulsalam on Tabla. The Imperial at Washburn Imports 1800 N Orange Ave, Orlando, Florida 32804. Stephan Mikes performing his original music on Sitar accompanied
by Riad Abdulsalam on Tabla. Traditional Indian sounds combined with a
bit of rock reggae blues and electronica!

Winter Park Paint Out: Peacock Junction

In a small suburban neighborhood south of Michigan street in Orlando. peacocks roost each night in this live Oak tree. I had just gotten back to Orlando on a red eye flight from Las Vegas and taught an Urban Sketching course at Crealde. This year I am participating as one of the 25 artists in the Winter Park Paint Out. When I got back in town, I read an e-mail from Rachel Frisby the Albin Polasek Museum curator, and one of her suggested locations to paint was this neighborhood. Though running on fumes, I decided to immediately head that way to check it out.

The sun was setting as Pam Schwartz and I arrived. We could hear the Peacocks before we saw them. They resembled large looming vultures when we first saw them in the tree. It had rained earlier in the day, so there were puddles of water to sip. Neighborhood cars would slow and drive around the birds which were in no rush to get out of the way. One car parked in front of me while I sketched and the driver shouted out, “You can take a few home with you if you like!” He then pulled into the driveway of the blue home I was sketching. His daughter later came out to introduce herself. She was an actress who I had sketched in a murder mystery ghost show. In that performance he was dresses like a rocker chick with a Mohawk, so I didn’t recognize her at first. I believe she will be in the cast of “Patrons Pick For Murder” at the Orlando Fringe starting May 18, 2018. Tickets are on sale now.

A small puppy was being taken for a walk. He was unfazed by the peacocks, some of which were much larger that him. The front door of the tan home opened and an entire bucket of bird seed was thrown out in the yard. Soon there had to be at least 50 peacocks crowded around the seed. Two males strutted around the yard with their tail feathers in full display shaking their booties. One female wandered too close and she was hypnotized by the display. In an instant he mounted her and the entire encounter lasted only seconds. As it grew darker more and more peacocks wandered en mass towards the tree. This street is located between two small lakes and the birds probably came from the water to this location to roost for the night, there being protection in numbers. Their calls sounded like, “HEEEELP MEEEE.” I asked the actress how she slept at night and she claims that you get used to the noise over time. That seems unlikely to me because the noise is deafening. Any time a car dives by with its head light on the entire flock starts screaming out, “HEEEEELP MEEEEE.”

The 10th Annual Winter Park Paint out is happening this week through April 28th. Admission to the Polasek Museum (633 Osceola Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789) is free for the duration of the event. Hours from Monday to Thursday are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday April 27, the hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday April 28th, the hours are 9 a.m. to noon. My work created this week will be hanging in the gallery. Artists are always painting in the museum gardens which are beautiful. Come on out and see all the new art. I might be standing near this painting subtly screaming out “HEEEELP MEEEE!”

The Winter Park Sunset “Paint-In”

Winter Park Paint Out artists gathered on the
shore of Lake Mait­land at the Win­ter Park Rac­quet Club (2111 Via Tus­cany, Win­ter Park). There they
cap­tured a beau­ti­ful Florida sun­set, and then they took a break from the
week’s activ­i­ties. The public was invited to watch as these
out­stand­ing artists cre­ated a sun­set mem­ory on can­vas. A cash-only
bar and buf­fet were avail­able to non-members! I love sketching artists at work so I always stop out each year.

This year I was invited to participate as one of the artists in the week long Winter park Paint out so I will be executing sketches every day the event. On Friday April 27th, I will be doing a digital sketch at the  Polasek Museum and projecting the image for people to watch as they mix and mingle. The evening is a Happy Hour and Mixed-Media Sketch Demonstration.

Two local historic studios, the Albin Polasek Museum (633 Osceola Ave, Winter Park, Florida 32789) and the Jack
Kerouac Project
, will join forces to present this night of live art.
Local poets and winners of the Winter Park Paint Out’s live poetry
contest on Allpoetry.com
will read their work while artist Thomas Thorspecken, known locally as
Thor from Analog Artist Digital World blog, showcase the art of the
rapid sketch. Plein air requires the ability to adapt and capture the
subject matter quickly while conveying the energy and emotion of the
subject. True to Thor’s digital following, the artist’s sketch and
progress will be projected onto a large screen so viewers can enjoy the
developing picture while they contemplate the diverse poetry selections.
Orlando’s first poet laureate, Susan Lilley, will participate in the
evening’s poetry reading. A wine/beer bar and appetizers will be
available for happy hour beginning at 5 p.m. through 8 p.m. So if you would like to see me do a sketch live or perhaps you just want to heckle me, come on out and grab a few drinks.

This year’s Sunset Paint In is happening on April 25th 2018 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. again at the Winter Park Racquet Club (2111 Vía Tuscany Winter Park, FL 32789.) The event is free but it is suggested that you register in Eventbrite. I will once again be sketching away. I’m not sure if I will do a digital sketch or analog.

Night of Percussion

Night of Percussion was a free concert that was part of UCF Celebrates the Arts held at the Walt Disney Theater in the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts (445 S Magnolia Ave, Orlando, FL 32801). This was a day of workshops and performances culminates in a celebration
featuring guest artist Michael Burritt and the UCF Percussion Ensemble.

The Music of Michael Burritt concert featured the following program of his percussion works:

Fandango 13

Dex

Blue Ridge

Marimba Quartet

Home Trilogy


Thad Anderson, Kirk Gay, and Jeff Moore, were the directors.

The performers included Matt Albano, Joshua Albert, Chris Baird, Nicholas Cabiness, Nick Chase,
Calvin Chiu, Steve Estes, Carson Griego, Griffin Harvey, Will Huth, Joe
Jones, Matt Malhiot, Christ Marsh, Christian Martin, Joey Noble, Deborah
Parsons, Madison Schafer, and Austin Warren

Jill’s Cash Box at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts

Jill’s Cash Box is a Country Band that performed on the lawn in front of the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts from 5 p.m.to 7 p.m. on  Saturday night in April. The lawn was surrounded by a temporary metal fence for the occasion. To get inside this free concert, I had to go through a metal detector and bag search. My art supplied always raise suspicions so it takes me a bit longer to get through. This concert was two months prior to the June 12, 2916 attack on the Pulse Nightclub that left 49 people dead and forever changed our city.

AT the time of this country concert I thought all the heightened security was crazy since less that 24 people attended the concert in their folding chairs. However now looking back after Pulse and the mass shooting in Las Vegas I see that this is the new reality. Perhaps this amount of security wasn’t actually enough. I am in Las Vegas right now and once I finish this article I will be going to sketch the makeshift memorial set up by the Mandalay Bay Hotel. At that mass shooting the set up was very similar to this concert. There were security fences and bag checks to get into the concert but the entire field was exposed to the elevated rooms of the hotel across the street. This lawn in Orlando is also exposed to the Grand Bohemian hotel right across the street.

At the vigil held for victims of the Pulse Nightclub shooting in this same grass field, there were no fences, no bag checks and no metal detectors. Concerns that a copycat shooter might attack the candle light vigil must have been a very real concern but inclusion, acceptance and trusting love were far more over riding themes that night. I  found myself scanning roof tops and there were police snipers to be found. The new reality is that we can be shot by a gun toting lunatic at any time, and stripping down and being searched is not really any form of protection. In the Federal Courthouse, covering the Noor Salman Trial, I walked through the building holding my shoes, belt and possessions since I had to go through a second metal detector and search right outside the courtroom. Going to the bathroom required its own search. Security footage showed the gunman entered Pulse with his assault riffle up and ready to shoot . He walked right past security, entered the club and started immediately shooting people at point blank range.

Was Jill’s Cash Box a good concert? I honestly don’t remember. But it was certainly a more innocent time. One of the memorial phrases to come from the Las Vegas mass shooting is “Country Strong.”

Elixir of Love at The Dr. Phillips Center of the Performing Arts.

Gaetano Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore (The Elixir of Love) was a light hearted operatic comedy that was staged for free at the Dr. Phillips Center of the Performing Arts (445 S Magnolia Ave

Orlando,
FL
32801.) This truly classic opera endures the ages and speaks to the hearts of all who come in contact with it. 

Elixir tells the story of a young, poor man, Nemorino (David Soto Zambrana)
who tries to win the heart of a beautiful wealthy woman, Adina (Romana Saintil). Add to
the mix a blustering self-absorbed officer, Belcore (Justin Morrison) and a traveling
quack doctor, Dr. Dulcamara (Juan Tomas Martinez) who claims to sell potions that cure
everything from psoriasis and old age to diabetes and – well, you name
it! – and you have the principal cast of one of the most beloved and
melodic operas ever written.

This modernized adaptation featured a cast member on a Segway which clearly set the scene in the modern day. The painted backdrop set the scene in a modern day park. Nemorino yearns for Adina from a distance. Sergeant Belcore his passion for Adina. Dulcamara sells a bottle of a love elixir to Nemorino who drinks it. He approaches Adina with a confident swagger and she is turned off and decides to flirt with Belcore. It was basically a story of how drinking lots of wine builds your romantic confidence and love wins in the end. It was a fun operatic romp.

The production was staged as part of the week long UCF Celebrates the Arts.

Dance 10 at the Dr.Phillips Center for the Performing Arts

Dance 10 featured 80 dancers who performed at the Disney Theater in the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts (455 S. Magnolia Avenue Orlando FL.) The performance was one of many during the week long UCF Celebrates the Arts. In the spring of 2015, the university launched this

festival to celebrate UCF’s visual and performing arts through plays, exhibitions, and musical performances.

For its second year, the School of Performing Arts and the School of Visual Arts and Design, in

collaboration with community and university partners, has prepared a showcase of UCF’s

vibrant disciplines to delight and educate audiences. The festival included over 30 performances by Theatre students and Music students, as well as gallery and interactive exhibitions by student visual artists. The showcase brought to Central Florida a celebration of the talent, creativity, and dedication of the school’s student artists. 

The Disney Theater was packed for Dance 10. I had to find a spot in the nose bleed seats. Many of the people  in the audience around me seemed like they might be dancers themselves. With the low light, I  painted the scene with just the three primary colors, red yellow and blue. It was a good lesson in leaving out local colors like the colors of a dress or the tint of a blouse, and instead just focusing on large washes to cover the page quickly. Photography and video wasn’t allowed but no one mentioned that art could not be created at a festival of the arts.