Analog Artist Digital World

Orlando Philharmonic Sneak Peek

2012-02-12T01:00:00.001-05:00

This is the 20th anniversary of the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra. A sneak peek event was held at the brand new Full Sail Live facility on 436 and University Boulevard. The event was for Friends of the Philharmonic and the Press. I made the mistake of putting my Full Sail lanyard around my neck thinking it would make me blend in. It must have made me look like a lost student instead. One of the women at a reception table asked if she could help me. When she realized I wasn't lost, she offered me a press pass.

All the front row seats had purses, programs and persons seated in them. A string quartet was playing and I decided I should start sketching right away. I wandered back stage a bit and sat down in my artists stool to sketch. When the music stopped, David Shillhammer, the executive director of the Orchestra, addressed the crowd. The 20th Anniversary season will kick off on September 29th with Mahler's Symphony # 3, the Pastorale Symphony. On October 13th "Wicked Divas" will hit the stage with Andrew Lane conducting and Broadway stars Alli Mauzey and Nichole Parker singing songs from Wicked, Gypsy, Chicago, Ragtime and Phantom. November 17th Bronfman & Beethoven will come to the Bob Carr. Yefim Bronfman will perform on the piano. Local composer Stella Sung will unveil a new piece commissioned by Lynn & Chuck Steinmetz, the recipients of the 2o12 John Blackburn Distinguished Service Award.

David Shillhammer made an announcement that Sharon & Marc Hagle donates $750,000 that morning to the Philharmonic. This was the first gift towards establishing a family foundation endowment fund to continue endorsing the orchestra going into the future. The Bryce West foundation also supports the performing arts in Central Florida. Harriett Lake is Sponsoring "How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying." This show about corporate ladder climbing will be on May 11th at 2pm and 8pm Saturday.

Opera is being kept alive as the Philharmonic joins forces with the Florida Opera Theater Company to stage, Rigoletto on March 2nd & 4th, The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart on November 9th & 11th, and Madam Butterfly by Puccini on April 5th & 7th. Frank McClain is directing these productions which are semi staged featuring the music by having the orchestra onstage as the actors sing. Cirque De La Symphonie on March 30th at 2Pm & 8pm Saturday sounded thrilling. Featuring the music of Bizet, Saint Saens, Tchaikovsky, Dvorak and others along with acrobats, contortionists, jugglers and strongmen. Aerialists will sour overhead as the orchestra offers suspense.

For the first time the Orchestra will be collaborating with the Shakespeare Theater to bring "A Midsummer Night's Dream" to like. There is also "The Summer Series", "The Focus Series" and "My Funny Valentine" featuring Michael Andrew & Swingerhead on February 9th. There is plenty happening as the 20 year old Symphony forges forward into its mature years.

15 Views of Orlando

2012-02-11T01:00:00.000-05:00

I was asked to exhibit several of my sketchbooks at Urban ReThink. The opening was on the Third Thursday in January and the work will be up through February 16th. Artists include Barry Kirsch, best known for his Murder City Photography, Ashley Inguanta, whose local photography had a surreal edge to it, Lesley Godeck Silvia, who had a bright neon ice cream swirl photo that looked great next to my sketchbooks. All the work depicted scenes from the City Beautiful. The two sketches of mine on exhibit are, Musical Mondays, and There Will be Words. Dina Mack, the curator, explained that she wanted work with a local flavor to accompany a Burrow Press' 15 Views of Orlando Book Release Party. The book features 15 short stories written by local authors. All of the scenes in the book happen in different neighborhoods of Orlando.

Dina invited me to bring along a box of calendars to the art show opening. Urban ReThink is a bit removed from the downtown galleries that act as the hub of the monthly Third Thursday Downtown gallery hop. Dina and I sat outside Urban ReThink and she had a natural knack for inviting passers by inside to look around. Ashley was there to meet anyone interested in her work. Her pieces were hung clothes line style and they were very affordable. One young man expressed his interest in buying a piece. He insisted that she would have to frame the work however. Quite honestly the frame would cost more than she was charging for the art. I rolled my eyes. He was probably haggling because he was more interested in the artist than the art. In my sketch, Patrick Greene, Dina Mack and Ashley Inguanta were relaxing in the "living room" setting at Urban ReThink. I sketched fast with few interruptions since few arts patrons wandered in.

The gallery was a ghost town. A few people glanced at calendars but they couldn't afford the $12 to buy one. The highlight of the evening for me was meeting Heidi Behr and Mark Egeland. Mark owns a bicycle manufacturing facility in Winter Garden. He showed me a few photos of the process and it would be an exceptional sketch opportunity. There are seven stations from metal entering the factory until the final product rolls out the doors. These are seven sketches I now want to capture. Who knew that bicycles are being made right here in Central Florida? Heidi is involved in Scooters for Hooters, a breast cancer fundraising event. We talked about how I might get more involved in this cause this year.

David M. Roth

2012-02-10T01:00:00.000-05:00

Folk singer David M. Roth performed at the White House. Artist Ed Sanderson stood in the corner and did a quick impasto landscape painting as David played. Ed was one of the first visual artists to paint live at the White House and he had returned several times. Davids mellow tunes all had uplifting hope filled lyrics. What made the performance special for me was the way he wove his family history into monologues between his music. His father came to this country to make a better life for his family and he had hopes that his son would one day be a success as a doctor or lawyer. David did find success doing something he loved and sharing that love of music with others.

David was asked to perform at a NASA conference and he suggested in an off hand way that he could write a song especially for the occasion. Months passed and he forgot about the promise, but the organizer called him right before the conference to let him know how excited she was to hear his song. He panicked but just happened across an article about Sputnik, the first Soviet satellite. That mysterious orb sent fear into every American heart and the space race began. His inspired song pointed out that if future explorations were fueled by love rather than fear, then we could accomplish anything.

A race to the furthest star
A race to the galaxies above
If a little bit of fear can go so far
Imagine what a world could do with love

The song he wrote was later taken into space by a shuttle astronaut. When he told his father the amazing news, that his music was orbiting the earth, his father asked, "So how much does that put in your pocket?"

Later when his father was sick and in Hospice care, David would sit bedside and play his music for him. His father wasn't very responsive, slipping in and out of consciousness. As David was leaving hospice with his sister, he suddenly had a feeling he had to return and speak with his father. He asked, "Are you aware that I have been playing music for you?" His fathers eyes flickered open and he said, "Yes, it is beautiful." Rob was a bit choked up as he said, "That was the only time he acknowledged that he liked my music." A few days later, his father died. When Rob thinks of his dad, he always has that moment to treasure.

The Titanic of Trees

2012-02-09T01:00:00.009-05:00

Cole Nesmith and a small group of dedicated artists have been working on an interactive sculpture called "Tree of Light." The tree's inner structure is made of light weight aluminum welded together. Cole and Josh Owen had screwed hundreds of wooden boards, from discarded pallets onto the aluminum frame. The resulting tree must stand at least 20 feet high and must weigh several tons. It was a marvel of engineering. When I first sketched it, I referred to it as the Titanic of Trees referring to the shear size of the sculpture. Cole laughed. The tree's unveiling was scheduled for February 2nd in Seaside Plaza on the corner of Church Street and Orange Avenue downtown.

On the evening before the unveiling, Cole and Josh worked all night long to get the tree built. A short interview done at 3:3oam that night showed the Tree of Light nearing completion. On the morning of the unveiling however, I got a Facebook message from Cole on my wall, "Unfortunately, due to damage to the structure this morning, the opening has been postponed." I wondered what happened. Had a car hit it? Did the whole trunk just topple? I decided to drive past Cole's place to see if they were doing work on the tree in his yard and then I drove downtown to Seaside Plaza to see if the structure was being fixed there. The only hint that the tree may have once been there were some orange cones and a small strip of electrical wire. The Tree of Light had vanished.

The next evening I went to an Orlando Philharmonic concert and Cole was there as well. He informed me that the owners of the plaza had called him the day before the tree was to be set up to express concerns they had about letting him place the art in the plaza. Though they had doubts, fearing litigation, the tree was erected anyway. The tree was near completion and the electrical wiring was being installed. Chris Clatterbuck was on a ladder working on the wiring. He shifted his weight and leaned on a branch. The welds gave way and the the heavy branch of aluminum and wood crashed loudly to the ground. No one was hurt. The owners of the Plaza now had their worst fears justified, so it is unlikely the tree will be set up there. They probably imagined someone gently pulling a chord to turn on a light bulb and then being crushed by a falling branch. Now that is interactive art!

Cole lamented the fact that he had contracted out the welding work for an exorbitant fee, and it was the welds that gave way. He said, "It was a punch in the gut when we lost the branch that morning. My greatest concern is that we'd lose the momentum we had gained. But, in reality, the pictures and video we got are actually generating more excitement than before. I have an architect working on a 3D rendering of the Tree right now. After that, we'll be handing it off to a structural engineer to approve the changes and make sure we don't run into this again. Then back to the metal shop to make the changes. My hope is that we'll have it up before the end of the month."

Phoenix from the Ashes

2012-02-08T01:00:00.009-05:00

Sixty five years ago, Bill Palmer's grandparents first established the Palmer Feed Store at 912 West Church Street in Parramore. The business was passed down from generation to generation as the city of Orlando grew and developed. I remember driving past several times when I was sketching the Police Equestrian Unit heading downtown for a parade. I heard chickens clucking in front of the store. The place had a nostalgic feel.

On March 28th of 2011, the Palmers got a phone call in the middle of the night. The store was on fire. There was a firehouse only a block away and firemen smelled something burning and began patrolling the neighborhood. They called in the blaze. Bill rushed to the store. He could see the flames from many blocks away. An electrical socket had caused the blaze which burned out of control. It was a two alarm fire with chemicals and fertilizers feeding the intense flames. Everything was lost. The computer which had all the costumers and years of information was burnt as well. They had backup disks but they were also on site and burnt. Anything below the one foot high mark only had smoke damage.

Michelle Palmer related how over one hundred friends, neighbors, costumers and bible study group members showed up after the blaze. There were tears of hopelessness but friends held them and volunteered to begin moving things out of the burnt shell. Although overwhelmed by the monumental task of starting all over again, they found that assistance and unexpected aid kept them moving forward. When she got home after that first day, she found that friends had left flowers on her kitchen table. She still gets choked up just talking about it.

The fire occurred right after their peak inventory time. They had to pay off inventory that had been burned while trying to start fresh. Once the burnt product was moved out to the yard, the Palmers drove a mobile home into the parking lot and they sold items like dog food, bike tires and insecticides to local residents who relied on them. The first new product to arrive at the store were fresh green vegetable plants.

Friends and neighbors shared their gifts and talents to help the Palmers rebuild. Doors opened that they didn't know existed. They were told to apply for a grant from the City of Orlando and they got the grant. Thankfully the walls of the building were structurally sound. The front porch was rebuilt to look just like it did in 1947. Michelle was a full time mom before the fire, but now she is helping built and shape the business as they move into the future. The family had to re examine their hopes, dreams and passions. Merchandise that didn't move is no longer being stocked. They are carrying more organic insecticides and more modern, sustainable farming practices like hydroponics. She said the store plans to “honor the past while embracing the future.”

Folk art is now gracing the walls of the store. Behind the checkout counter there is chicken wire framed in reclaimed wood with photos from the store's long history held in place with wooden clothes pins. Each clothes pin has the year that the photo was taken written on it. A 500 pound concrete chicken will soon be perched in the yard next to the store. Michelle is now searching for rusty hand saws to decorate the store clock, and old vintage Orlando post cards.

Michelle and her family feel blessed. Friends and neighbors offered endless gifts and emotional support to keep her family's spirit lifted after the fire. The love shown was overwhelming. The outpouring of community support is something that has changed her family forever. Now she wants to give back and share the same gift with others. The store is celebrating its Grand Opening on March 3rd. There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony with Mayor Buddy Dyer and a City Commissioner. A local neighborhood choir will kick off the event and there will be music all day. There will be a food truck and free product giveaways. This business is back and better than ever.

Ruby Darling

2012-02-07T01:00:00.005-05:00

The dressing room at Theater Downtown is small and cluttered. The walls are covered with actors signatures from shows throughout the years. The mirrors are mounted on a wall with exposed two by fours. Odd items like plastic doll's legs and birds were also stapled to the walls. All the visual chaos left me wondering where to look.

Ruby Darling, the mistress of ceremonies for the Vaudeville show sat down to get her makeup done. She had a duel leveled lime green make up box filled with theatrical makeup. Her hair was already beautifully shaped to give her a vintage 40's era look. The hair style contrasted against her Led Zeppelin T-shirt. High heels were clustered here and there on the counter. A box of "light gloves" would probably be used in one of the acts for the Video Game themed show that would follow right after the Vaudeville show let out. They are now gearing up for a Burlesque Mega Show on Friday February 17th, 10pm, at Sleuth's Mystery Dinner theater during Megacon!

Susan Woodberry was putting on pasty green makeup and spattering blood on her clothing for her part as "Little Sister" in the Portal themed video game show. I wanted to sketch but I was also nervous about going on stage to do my sketch. I paced around and peered through the thin translucent red curtains to see the acts proceeding the circus act. The audience was having a blast. From back stage we clapped and laughed the loudest.

Video Game Burlesque Rehearsal

2012-02-06T01:00:00.005-05:00

Rehearsals were running late at Theater Downtown. After the Vaudeville acts had been rehearsed, the second show, a Video Games Burlesque was run through. Chan Sterling worked as the MC in a white lab coat, a deep grey ascot and big black rubber boots. Ruby Darling appeared at the end of the runway in a sultry black and white dress that came down tight at the knees forcing her to walk like Morticia from the Addams Family. 0n the day of the show, she would be entangled in wires and deliver a menacing monologue. I'm not sure what video game the scene is from, but the burlesque dance that followed was easy enough to understand.

Jolie Hart and her boyfriend cuddled in the front row. Jolie performed an amazing high energy retro dance routine that had her gasping for air when she burst back stage. The blood covered chair at the end of the runway was for Cory Violence and Shy La-Buff's Bio-Shock burlesque number. Shy wore a strange bunny's mask and wore a tattered green dress that Violence would later rip off her in shreds.

My favorite number of the rehearsal was when Ruby Darling sang "Soon or a Later" to Nekkid RoboJoe. As she sang she got some Duct tape and taped him to the chair he was sitting in. When the number was over, she dragged him off stage. This routine would certainly have the audience roaring.

Vaudeville Rehearsal

2012-02-05T01:00:00.005-05:00

After a full run through of all the Vaudeville acts, rehearsals started on the second show on the bill, a Video Game themed burlesque. Shy La Buff and Corey Violence had a number based on a creepy game called Bio Shock. The two of them share sensual sips from a syringe full of Adam, a blood like substance. Seductively Shy pushed Violence back into a chair. He ran his hands up her legs as she dug her high heel into his chest. They were rehearsing in the Lounge of Theater Downtown while the other burlesque numbers were being rehearsed in the main theater.

Of course I had intended to get Shy interacting with Violence but as soon as I sat down to sketch, the director had notes and they didn't continue rehearsing. I gave up on the idea of including Shy, so now it looks like Violence is relaxing in the lounge. I was distracted as well because my tablet PC had crashed that morning. Damon Natch Burke, my tech guru wasn't sure of the problem yet. I needed the tablet to do the quick digital sketch of Poodle Murphy on target for the knife thrower. For this rehearsal, I brought a video camera and tripod, hoping I could shoot video as I did a traditional sketch but I was missing a video connector. I tried to set up the equipment in the dark but failed. I needed the tablet. I sat sullenly on the stage, much like Violence is sitting in the sketch. Being unable to perform, I felt like so much ballast.

Vaudeville

2012-02-04T01:00:00.002-05:00

Thanks to Shy La Buff, I found myself as part of a Vaudeville act at Theater Downtown. The lobby of Theater Downtown felt like a large cluttered living room. There was a pool table in the corner and a small piano in front of a makeshift stage. Theater posters and large photos littered the walls. I didn't see any theatrical sketches. I planted myself in a comfortable leather seat. Actresses arrived one at a time, listening to iPods and swinging their hips.

There was a rehearsal wrapping up on the main stage so, Ruby Darling started blocking out the Circus act of which I was a part. Cory Violence stood in the center of the red carpet and began reciting "Live Circus" by Tom Waits. He had to read the lines off his iPhone at first but soon he was off script.

Every actress in the room was soon recruited to be in the act. Ruby herself became One Eyed Myra, the queen of the galley. Cherry Bob-omb took the role of Horse Face Ethel and her 'Marvellous Pigs In Satin'. She wore a dark beard and moved with a dancers grace. A-manda Lorian had a petite frame draped in an over sized mans outfit. The floppy hat was a size too large and it always kept half her face hidden in shadow. She swayed and staggered like a drunk sailor. She reminded me of a feminine version of Charlie Chaplin. Siber Digit was Yodeling Elaine the Queen of the air. She moved with languid and heavy depression having lassoed and lost another tipsy sailor. Shy La Buff was on target as Poodle Murphy. She held her arms high and arched her back so I could sketch. Chan Sterling as Funeral Wells stood prepared to throw his hardware. He tested the sharpness of the blade with his thumb.

I only had five minutes to do the sketch on my digital tablet hooked up to a projector. I had to plan everything out in advance so I could finish in time. Each knife was on its own layer in Sketchbook Pro, so when Violence shouted, "Leave the bum!" I could flick a knife layer on and it would appear on the sketch. No physical knives were thrown only digital hardware.

Day 99 of Occupy Orlando

2012-02-03T01:00:00.007-05:00

It had been 99 days since demonstrators first Occupied Senator Beth Johnson Park on South Ivanhoe Boulevard. The 99% planned to celebrate the 99th day with free music in the park. The crowd was sparse, perhaps forty people but their spirits were high. There were setbacks but their voices were not silenced. I sat down and sketched during the sound check. Someone had a bunch of those New Year's Eve noise makers. A car alarm went off and there was a call and response that happened where the alarm would sound and then the demonstrators would follow with the noise makers. There was a festive atmosphere, a feeling that this was an important anniversary. I felt good being among people who were passionate about the Democratic process.

I stayed for the first set. The performer with the Greek hat and orange shirt sang folk songs about the 99%. The sun was getting low on the horizon and the warm light made dry pine trees down by the lake glow a warm orange. Shadows grew long on the lawn. Photographers wandered about shooting photos. When the music stopped, the sketch was done. It is encouraging that voices are still being heard. I packed up and hiked back to my truck on Magnolia. Time to get back to the grind to try and make ends meet. The 99% are still standing strong.

Albannach

2012-02-02T01:00:00.004-05:00

I heard a commotion at the other end of the grounds and I headed that way. I grabbed a vanilla ice cream cone since there was no line. The gas powered churn sputtered and the belts shook on the machine making ice cream the old fashioned way. I cut through crowds at the craft vending tents and I finally stood at the top of a large bowl shaped hill. Hundreds and hundreds of people lounged on the hill, some in camping chairs and others seated in the grass. The Music tent was set up at the base of the hill and as Albannach played, children danced.

I stood eating my cone and scanned for a spot I could sketch from. I walked behind the tent where little boys were playing with their dull toy arrows. A woman in a Scottish dress walked back, her breasts hoisted high with a corset. I found a spot right next to the speakers where I leaned back and sketched. Albannach's music is energetic and sparking full of life. My lines danced quickly full of the music's energy and drive. Drum sticks twirled and moved with such speed that they were just a blur. There was something primal and raw about the performance. People on the hillside started to dance. Children spun in front of the stage until they became dizzy and fell. A drummer shouted out, "I'm thirsty!" When a woman walked down the hill with a cold pint of beer, the audience applauded.

I was buzzing when the performance was over. I knew that experience could not be topped so I decided to hike back to my truck to get home. I bumped into Sarah Purcer who is now engaged to Marco Bojorquez III. Her step daughter who is maybe 10 years old shook my hand. It was obvious they were having a great family day out. Time to get home.

Her Majesty's (Scottish) Forces

2012-02-01T01:00:00.006-05:00

I went to the Scottish Highland Games up in Winter Springs. Terry didn't want to go, so this was a solo mission. The games were more crowded than ever this year. Police waved my truck along until I was just about in the next town over. I parked behind a MacDonald's and hiked the half mile or so to the entrance. A blood donation truck was offering a pint of beer for a pint of blood.

The air was filled with the sound of bag pipes. I ran into Chad Bruce and Dana VanZandt who were perched on a hill top overlooking a medieval Scottish encampment. Chad was smoking a pipe which he said, indicated that they were upwind of the cow dung and downwind from the smell of the food vendors. He blew a puff of smoke that drifted behind them. I walked to the food vendors since I was starving, but the lines were too long.

Rather than watch the caber toss or sheep throw, I immediately went to the tent village full of family clans. There was no Thor Clan. I'm pretty sure there was some Scottish blood on my mother's side of the family. Even if there wasn't, I figured I'm Scottish enough for the day. What caught my eye was the World War II weapons on display with His Majesty's (Scottish) Forces in Florida. The sergeant standing in front of the table became curious about my sketch and he informed me that he was an artist himself. It was a difficult spot to sketch since people kept stopping right in front of me to have long chats. The Reenacting Unit was representing the 51st (Highland) Division and the 5th (Scottish) Parachute Regiment.

From Darkness Into Light

2012-01-31T01:00:00.003-05:00

I went to City Hall where people were gathering for a candle light vigil in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King. As I approached, I saw a banner with Abe Lincoln, and Mahatma Gandhi. It turned out this was a small group from the Occupy Orlando crowd. The King vigil was gathering inside the rotunda of City Hall where it was warm. Teens were dressed in uniforms as a color guard and drum marching band. The rotunda was packed. Glow sticks were issued to everyone in the crowd. Considered trying to sketch but I knew the political speeches wouldn't take long. Buddy Dyer mentioned that the Circus was in town and we might be walking past elephants that were being kept in the Amway Center garage. I positioned myself near the exit.

The marching band walked out to the street. There were several police cars and motorcycles to block off traffic as we walked towards Parramore. The crowed stretched back for a block and a half. Faces were illuminated with the mysterious fire fly green glow. It was an impressive sight though impossible to catch with a sketch since we were all in constant motion. Terry was at One Eyed Jacks watching a football playoff game with Packer backers. I texted her to let her know where I was going. Our final destination was Shiloh Baptist Church (604 West Jackson Street).

The church filled quickly for an Interfaith celebration of Dr. King's life. I sat near some steel drums, figuring it was a definite sketch opportunity. The steel drummer's did play with their bright red shirts blazing. Someone sat right in front of me shooting video and rather than get annoyed, I realized he made a nice foreground element. Speakers were from a variety of religions, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and Christian. Reverend Jim Coffin gave a surprising keynote speech where he recounted a time in his childhood when his family 0ffered their land to colored people for hunting. Once word spread, people from all over the state came to that land to hunt. Although they considered themselves more liberal than most, they still told jokes that were racially motivated. Change happens slowly and we still have a long way to go.

The closing hymn was, "We Shall Overcome." My sketch was done and I knew that I needed to stand and sing along. The woman in a pew across the isle reached out her hand to me and soon everyone was singing with their hands clasped and raised in joy. "We shall overcome some day. Oh deep in my heart I do believe we shall overcome some day."

Dr. Martin Luther King Candle Light Vigil

2012-01-30T01:00:00.001-05:00

On Martin Luther King day I went to Knowles Memorial Chapel on the Rollins Collage Campus in the evening for a candle light vigil. I found a spot on an upper level baloney with it's wrought iron railing. I sketched the space feverishly as people filed in. "Bridge over Troubled Water" was echoing through the church organ pipes. The Keynote speaker was Fairolyn Livingston who is active in collection and preservation of the community’s history and is a founding member of the Hannibal Square Heritage Center Picture Collection Team. She was born in Hannible Square a segregated community for blacks. She is active in collection and preservation of the community’s history and is a founding member of the Hannibal Square Heritage Center Picture Collection Team. Thanks to the groundbreaking efforts of Dr. Martin Luther King, she was able to attend Rollins College to earn her B.A. degree.

A moment of silence was asked for in Dr. Kings memory. The church bell tolled fifteen times. There was something eerie in the sound as it filled the night then faded. The Chapel was packed. Everyone stood to sing "The Black National Anthem." Students got up and spoke about how Dr. Kings words changed their lives."Hate can not conquer hate, only love can conquer hate." Four female singers rose and sang "I Give Myself Away." Finally everyone in the church lit their electronic candles. Perhaps the image wasn't as moving as a raw flame, but the room was alive with light as everyone sang out, "Let there be LIGHT!" Everyone filed out of the church, cradling their candles, as I rushed to finish my light filled sketch.

Gospel for Teens Choir

2012-01-29T01:00:00.000-05:00

The last stop on the SketchCrawl was the Alfond Sports Complex where there was a free concert of the Gospel for Teens Choir. After a lunch of Pita and hummus, Terry joined me as I hunted for the sports complex. It wasn't where I thought it would be so we got lost. We asked students for directions but the campus paths kept twisting and winding. We realized we must be getting close when we saw tennis courts and then I spotted the Choir's van. We still had to ask directions from a tennis player to get to the building. It turns out we had been just a short walk from the destination, but we took a long twisting loop around the campus to find it. Terry decided to go shopping while I sketched.

Two small platforms were set up on a basketball court. The bleachers were crowded with people. I found a spot on the second level when I could stand and sketch. Young women were doing a dance and I thought I might be at the wrong place still. I walked around the building some more searching for a concert hall. There was just an exercise room and empty classes. I returned. Vi Higgenson, the executive director of Gospel for Teens took to the stage. She explained that she formed the Choir to pass Gospel music from one generation to the next. Teens in the choir experience an uplifting sense of porous and pride. They come from a wide range of neighborhoods, like Harlem, Brooklyn, and even Hackensack New Jersey which is close to where I grew up.

These kids blew the roof off! To say they sang with enthusiasm and spirit would be an understatement. The audience rose to their feet, Clapping to the beat and dancing in the isles. The aluminum bleaches swayed, the whole room in motion. The choral master danced the whole time with gymnastic enthusiasm. I had to dance as well as I sketched. There is such joy in unrestrained self expression and power in faith shouted to the rafters. Let your light shine!

Knowles Memorial Chapel

2012-01-28T01:00:00.001-05:00

The second stop on the 34th Worldwide Sketch Crawl was Knowles Memorial Chapel on Rollins College in Winter Park. I did not see any artists at the 5.2k run but I knew it might be hard to spot artists in that crowd. I had resigned myself to a solo crawl. When I got to the chapel, I walked all around the building searching for the best sketch angle and keeping my eyes open for anyone holding a sketchbook. I decided to sit on a nice iron bench and I got to work. I don't sketch buildings very often, mostly because it is so hot in Orlando. It was a beautiful clear cool crisp day and I relaxed into the sketch.

Young students jogged by and a truck full of Lacrosse players rumbled down the hill towards the lake and playing fields. A player shouted out, "Do a drawing for me!" His buddy's laughed. A woman approached from the street talking on her cell phone. I heard her say something about sketching the chapel. She put the phone away and I asked, "Are you here for the Crawl?" She didn't understand, so I gave her a flier and explained what a Worldwide Sketch Crawl was. It turned out Claire Wiley was indeed meeting people to sketch, but they were a separate group of sketchers unrelated to the Crawl. Isaac Warshow walked up and Claire shouted out, "Come meet my new friend!" Isaac absolutely loved my work so, I shared a sketchbook with him and we chatted, then sketched together. Claire wandered across the street, set up her portable artist's stool and began sketching the front facade. Brad and Wendy Ringhausen, a married couple introduced themselves then set up outside a chapel courtyard. Brad told me he planned to finish a sketch he had started a year and a half ago. Brad showed Claire his sketch and they talked for a while before he walked off to finish it.

A large van parked right in front of me blocking the lower half of my view of the chapel. The van was for the Gospel for Teens Choir. They piled out and went inside the chapel to rehearse. An hour later, the van drove off and I focused on the areas that had been blocked. Isaac had to leave to get his hair done. He had done a bold study of the Chapel tower in ink using Rapidograph pens. He used watercolor pencils to add some color. He asked for my advice, so I suggested he darken the shadow side of the building.

Terry was coming to meet me for lunch. When I started packing up my supplies, I noticed Claire across the street had finished as well. I walked over to compare sketches and chat. Her sketchbook was full of small intimate studies of architecture, trees and delicate watercolor studies of clouds. The clouds floated and filled the pages with no horizon to ground them. Because of that, they were painted more boldly and had a degree of abstraction. They made me want to look up. Wispy clouds had blown in and enveloped the sky.

She works as an interior designer at Disney and her husband does the same for Universal. She is a sketch addict. When Terry walked up and I introduced her, Claire asked, "Is it a problem for you that Thor is always out sketching?" That was a loaded question that caused me to laugh out loud. Terry responded, "It is important for couples to make time to be together." It turns out Claire sketches even when she and her husband are out to dinner. She has to negotiate for the time to finish. For some reason it makes me happy that there are other couples who share the same negotiations.

Brad and Wendy sat in the courtyard together. He used a brown brush pen to delineate all the roof tiles and the rest of the sketch was done in muted neutral tones. Wendy was working on an interior study of a room using a photo for reference. She liked the multiple textures and experimented with ways to reproduce them in her sketch. I invited everyone to join me for the rest of the crawl, but one sketch was enough for them. Terry and I said goodbye and we walked up Park Avenue to find lunch.

Seasons 5.2k

2012-01-27T01:00:00.000-05:00

To begin the 34th Worldwide SketchCrawl, I invited local artists to the starting line of the Seasons 5.2K in Winter Park's Central Park. I rushed out of bed with the sky just starting to turn a dark pink to get to the park by 7am. Traffic started to back up on Fairbanks, so I turned down side streets and eventually parked in the City Hall parking lot. Walking towards the park, I heard an announces say that the race would be starting in fifteen minutes. "Shoot, how am I going to catch this crowd in 15 minutes?" I thought. I decided to draw the table where the runners picked up their numbers.

Before I could add color, the starting horn blared and the runners moved on mass up Park Avenue. The theme from Rocky filled the speakers in the park. The tables I had been drawing were quickly broken down and the boxes carried away. Before I could finish the sketch, the first runners were returning, picking up bananas and drinks. Tommy Woodman was announced as having the overall fastest time. There were awards for every age bracket and every 52nd runner got a coupon for dinner at Seasons 52. Track Shack trained runners certainly won many of the awards.

A woman stood behind me and asked if she could peek. She was Jackie Nelson. Jackie is 72 years old and a survivor of Breast Cancer. She had just finished the run and was glowing. She said that when she found out the cancer had been forced into remission, she wanted to run out of the doctor's office. When she ran her first 5k, she was annoyed that people were rushing past her. That year she ran 20 5ks and the next year 26. This was her second 5k this year. I must say, she inspired me. Nothing is going to slow her down. She knew how to seize the day. One runner got on the stage to announce that this was his 700th 5K. I felt a little lazy since only my wrist was getting any exercise.

Fringe First Fridays with Fialy

2012-01-26T01:00:00.004-05:00

On the First Friday of every month, the Fringe features a $10 fundraiser show at the shakes. I decided to go not knowing what to expect. I sat in the back row of the Margisson Theater so my book light would not disturb any theater goers. I was delighted when Fiely Matias and Dennis Giacino walked on stage. I was surprised when Fiely picked me out of the crowd and told everyone to read this blog. Dennis sat behind a portable piano and Dennis began performing a hilarious song about being in love... with himself. He carried a small hand mirror around admiring his every move. I laughed out loud when he put the mirror on the floor and straddled it.

Dennis then started telling a little bit about the history of "Bitches of the Kingdom". He started writing the music as a sole show for Fialy. They were living in Portland Oregon at the time. One of the first songs he wrote was for Mulan. Lulu Picart was a dear friend and she offered to sing the song. Her performance set Dennis on a new path writing the music for women. This show has been in production for years. Dennis would write more music when a princess muse would speak to him. They have been having workshops for years refining the performances but they always saw it as a show that had to find it's home at Orlando Fringe.

Lulu came out and sang. It is a beautiful song about Chinese tradition and she wonders why she is the only princess who doesn't get the prince. The answer is obvious. She might be a lesbian. Michelle Knight came out and sang with bold bravado holding a note so long the audience started cheering and going wild. Andrea Canny is now performing as Ariel from Little Mermaid. The ironic twist to her character is that she is a kleptomaniac, stealing everything she can find from above the sea. All the princesses share a common form. In one number, Michelle Knight was scrambling trying to climb on another performers back. The show is hilarious and irreverent. It was a smash hit at Fringe.

Dennis reveled that a booking agent was coming to the evenings performance. Discussions are in the works to bring this show to Las Vegas, Atlantic City, New York City, Los Angeles and who knows where else. Dennis and Fiely were essentially told whatever you need, you got it. Dennis's mother was in the audience. When he told the good news, she shouted back, "Does this mean your going to pay back the money I lent you!" Some dreams really do come true.

Meeting at the Peacock Room

2012-01-25T01:00:00.003-05:00

This year I have decided to make a commitment to ask actors and dancers to pose in costume long enough for me to get a bold gestural sketch that I can post to promote the show before opening night. Up until now I have always worked clandestinely by getting into rehearsals and sketching the process. Of course no one stands still, and I am used to that, but a whole new energy slips into a sketch that is a collaboration between the artist and model. It was a revelation to me that people in this fast paced digital age are willing to take time to be sketched.

I asked Sarah Lockhard if she would pose in costume for one of the upcoming shows she will be dancing. That collaboration sparked an idea in her mind. She was going to perform a Vaudeville burlesque styled act where she would read a poem titled "Live Circus". She wanted me to sketch live on stage with her while a musician performed eerie circus themed music. As soon as I listened to the Tom Waits reading the poem, I was hooked. I'm willing to try anything once. The challenge is that the reading is only 5 minutes long. Rich imagery is packed into every stanza with weather worn characters bursting with life. I became infatuated with the relationship between Funeral Wells, a knife thrower and his woman Poodle Murphy on target. I found a knife throwing scene online that was sexy and disturbing and that scene will be the inspiration for what I sketch.

I got to the Peacock Room early and got a sketch before Sarah and the crew arrived. The director, Kevin G. Becker was there discussing how the elements of the show might fall together. The show has a video game theme. Portal which can instantly transport players, ends up transporting players between different video games. Bio Shock a creepy underwater nightmare will have a huge influence on many scenes. I've seen stills, but never played the game so the conversation at times became edgy and strange. Susan Woodberry plays the part of a little sister. She has the odd roll of inducing Adam by sucking blood from fallen victims with a huge syringe, drinking it and spitting it out. The final product Adam, gives players super human abilities but takes its toll causing genetic decomposition and fast aging.

Sarah plays the part of a seductress who distracts a game player or Spice. Susan who is working on costuming described Sarah's outfit. Her costume will be a sultry torn green dress with layers of crinoline and a hoochie skirt and turquoise blue ruffled panties. Feathers will be the only camouflage for her breasts. She will perform a hedonistic dance that entices the spice, played by Corey Volence. He rips off parts of her costume. Straps are broken and torn and crinoline is ripped off. She will lung at him like a wild animal, pushing his chair backwards and then straddling him. Panting loudly, she then will stab him in the heart with a giant syringe. Things could get messy.

Yum-mi Sandwiches

2012-01-24T01:00:00.006-05:00

I had several hours to kill before meeting actors at the Peacock Room. I had seen the work being done to modernize this Yum-mi Vietnamese Sandwich Shop on Mills Avenue. I figured it would serve holistic healthy food so I went inside for a taste and sketch. The warm glow looked inviting as I approached. I read the menu for a while, not sure what to order. I finally decided a, "Miss Piggy" sandwich sounded good. It would have pork in a sweet sauce along with plenty of greens on French bread. I like coconut, so I ordered a coconut freeze to drink. Rosa Phan asked if I would like tapioca in the drink. "Sure", I'll try anything.

I sat in a corner booth and started sketching while I waited for my sandwich. I paused after my first bite wanting to spit it out. "Miss Piggy" seemed to be full of thick slabs of raw bacon. I gagged. The fat was rubbery and difficult to chew. The next bite surprised me with a flaming hot jalapeno. I politely pushed my sandwich aside and took a quick sip of my coconut freeze to cool my mouth. The straw had a really wide diameter and I immediately found out why. A quarter inch wide black ball of tapioca was the first thing to pop into my mouth. It was like sipping in a dead jelly fish. I chewed the rubbery mass hoping its slimy exterior housed a tasty treat inside. No luck. I gagged again. Since all the tapioca was on the bottom of the cup, I lifted the straw and sipped just the drink which was passable. I nursed the drink and ignored the sandwich for the duration of the sketch. I tend to be like a famished dog ready to devour anything. I was shocked to find food that I just can't swallow. People were asked how their meals were and there were polite responses of, "wonderfull" or "fine". Could they have tasted the same food? I'm not likely to return. I rushed down the street to the Peacock Room to get a beer to cleanse my pallet. I hoped the enzymes in the beer would keep me from being sick.

Alice in Azalia Dickson Park

2012-01-23T01:00:00.000-05:00

On performance day I went to Dickson Azalea Park (100 Rosegarden Dr) to see "Alice Takes Wonderland." This production featured mostly middle school aged girls dancing and performing parts from Alice in Wonderland. Nao dance staged the production with Linda Eve Elchak the company's founder and choreographer and Kim Matovina as the assistant director. When I left the rehearsal several days before, I was attracted to this view from a hill overlooking the action under the bridge.

Behind me to my right, the caterpillar was doing her contorted languid dance. I could just make her out through the trees. A crowd of mothers and children were being lead from one staging area to the next. They came to the Cheshire cat who was in a web entangled bridge. The white rabbit carrying her luggage crossed the creek quickly. She then waited near this larger bridge that I was drawing. Tweedledee and Tweedledum were up on wooden planks covered with pegs. They lounged inverted until Alice approached. Alice said good bye to the Cheshire Cat and all the children followed. There was quite a crowd, perhaps 20 to 30 people.

When they got to the large cement bridge, Alice asked all the children to stop at a line just short of the bridge because it would be dangerous to go any further. Alice coached the children to shout out, "Come on everybody!" to encourage stragglers to catch up. Tweedledee and Tweedledum got down off their pegboards and merrily sprayed the children with silly string. Alice shouted out, "Oh, I'm so sorry!" It was fun to see the children's unrestrained reactions. Soon, Alice, the White Rabbit and Tweedledee an dum were doing an energetic chorus line dance under the bridge. Then everyone followed Alice and the White Rabbit further down the trail.

Later Linda walked back towards the start of the show. She shouted up to me, "One show down!" There were four more to go every hour. Tweedledee and Tweedledum collected all the silly string and made a bright line in the trail so the children knew where to stop for the next show. I finished the sketch as the second group made their way under the bridge. McClaine Timmerman and Daniel Joyce had just seen the show. McClaine is a choreographer and I had just sketched one of her Limit (ed/less) rehearsals. They walked up the hill and said hello. The dance community is a tight knit crowd, they all support each others productions.

First Thursdays OMA

2012-01-22T01:00:00.005-05:00

I went to First Thursdays at the Orlando Museum of Art partly on business and partly pleasure. My first stop was the gift shop where I wanted to place the 2012 Calendars. I met with the shop manager, MaryAnn Keane, who loved the calenders and wanted a dozen for the shop. The woman behind the register said she would have to buy one herself. That was easy. I want to get to other shops but just haven't had the time.

The theme of this First Thursday was sculpture. I had read that an artist was going to be carving a large cake. I searched for him but didn't see any cake. I considered sketching in the room full of sculptures but the room was packed. I would have been confronted with many backs. Instead, I wandered back towards the music. France Neil was singing a sultry rendition of "Don't Know Why" by Norah Jones. I love Nora's sad, sweet longing music. I melted away to the sad lyrics. France has been singing at Disney since 2001 in "The Lion King." I was tempted to mention my involvement working as an intern on the film but thought better of it. I still get goosebumps anytime I watch the opening sequence, feeling part pride and part joy to have played a small part. Several band members gave me their cards. Mike Bloomer was on the cello and David Capp was on the saxophone. David seemed to be in charge of the band, letting me know that they could add or subtract players depending on the gig.

A young woman and her mom introduced themselves to me. She follows the blog and told me to keep up the good work. I never did see a cake sculptor, but I had to go and find my way to a dance rehearsal across town.

Tree of Light

2012-01-21T01:00:00.005-05:00

I was at the United Arts Grant Application meeting where I first heard of Cole Nesmith's "Tree of Light." The sketch I saw at that meeting left me thinking it was a small sculptural piece. He joked that he ended up spending way more than the $1,000 grant. I went to Cole's place on Portland Avenue to see the work in progress. I couldn't see house numbers but I knew I was getting close when I heard a power saw. Cole was cutting planks off of wooden skits while Josh Owen was holding the wooden palette steady. A large aluminum structure filled the yard. Struts rose up at angles from a metal plate and then branched organically. Electrical boxes were welded at the ends of limbs and at junctions. The aluminum glistened in the sunlight. A large cylindrical beam acted as the trunk. It would be bolted to the ground and the upper limbs would be bolted to the top of it. For now it was lying on the ground. I started sketching. It was a chilly morning. Cole confided that his roommate was a bit of a pyromaniac who collected abandoned Christmas trees from all over town to burn, but that is another story.

Apparently the day before, Cole and Josh had been prying boards off of palettes using crow bars. It was back breaking, exhausting work. "The saw improved our productivity by 500%." Cole said. The job for the day was to start screwing wooden planks over the aluminum frame. Cole and Jimmy rejoiced when one whole limb was covered. They had tons of work to do. This was no easy process. The aluminum is light, but when all the wood is screwed onto it, it will become a very top heavy tree.

Chris Clatterbuck showed up with a box full of electrical supplies. It was his job to figure out the inner electrical workings of the art piece. He knew of me because of the sketches I did of the Singing Christmas Trees at First Baptist Church where he is an audio visual technician. He disappeared up onto the porch while the tree took form in the yard. A huge Live Oak tree spread its branches over the yard and house. I was impressed by the electrical relays Chris was working on. There were circuit boards and inner workings I couldn't begin to grasp. Cole showed me the strings of diodes that would be inside mason jars hanging from the tree. When a pedestrian pulled a chord, the diodes would light up, looking like fire flies.

February 2th the Tree of Light will he unveiled in downtown Orlando. It tree will be at the Seaside Plaza at the corner of Orange and Church St from Feb 2-Feb 29. The launch party is at 8pm-10pm on Feb 2 and is open to the public! I'll be there to sketch. I have to see how it all comes together.

Drip Rehearsal

2012-01-20T01:00:00.000-05:00

The cavernous space DRIP is renting on International Drive is slowly transforming. I went to a dance rehearsal during the week long intensive. The space was full of the debris of a work in progress. Two ropes hung from metal rafters with knots and a foot loop at the base. They were used by dancers during the high energy show. The walls are being painted black and the floor is getting a multi pigmented marbleize effect using spray bottles. Scully Nolan and Melissa Kasper were working on the space as the dancers warmed up. Melissa was constructing paint can chandeliers which will eventually hang throughout the performance space. She also took photos of the loading dock entrance which will be getting signage and a black paint job. Getting into this dark venue will be like finding a back alley speakeasy.

The dancers were making sure new arrivals were up to speed on the choreography. Videos on iPhones were consulted to clarify moves. There was athletic crab like movement followed by sweeping movement through imaginary pigments. The performance space brings a new meaning to "the splash zone" since the whole room is in the zone. I splashed watercolor on my sketch, knowing I was safe for now.

Jessica Mariko ll the dancers wore neutral colors, blacks and whites along with browns and denim. Jessica was explaining that all colored pigments in the show have meaning. Each dancer is associated with a particular color. A female dancer throwing red pigment instantly attracted the attention of a male dancer of orange. He is with another dancer but can't help but look when red catches his eye. The dance was about relationships and his need to do his own thing to make his life work.

A recording of the rock music blazed and the four female dancers did a run through of the routine. A dancer tried to figure out how high she could swing on the rope during the dance. Raw, sexy, colorful and unexpected, things are falling into place fast at what might become the hippest show in town.

34th Worldwide SketchCrawl

2012-01-19T17:35:00.001-05:00

Enzian Florida Film Festival Unveiling

2012-01-19T01:00:00.006-05:00

The invitation said, "Join us for an exclusive reveal party & receive a special gift. See why the 2012 Festival will be the best yet. You’ll be the first to know!" Exciting right! I packed my sketchbooks and rushed over. As the sky grew dark, the warm glow of the marquee and the Eden Bar looked inviting. Mark Baratelli arrived and I asked him to let me know if there were any free drinks. The signal would be a thumb swipe to the nose. By the time he came back, I was finishing up the sketch. He said there had been a platter of drinks but there was just enough in the cup for one dog's tongue lapping. Suddenly I was thirsty. Amanda Chadwick was having a going away party at Blank Space and both Mark and I were heading there next. She is moving to Seattle Washington soon to be with her boyfriend Matt Simantov. I didn't stick around to find out anything more about the Florida Film Festival, but If I find out more, I'll keep you posted.

On my way over to Blank Space, I was walking around Lake Eola. As I walked past the Eola Grill, I noticed a whole bunch of red and blue blinking police car light blinking over across the street near the Greek Orthodox Church. Three men and a woman rounded the corner in front of me. They were boisterous and joking, for some reason, I felt uncomfortable. As they passed me, police officers with their guns drawn charged around the grill towards me. They shouted, "Get down on the ground, On the ground!" "Get your hands behind your back!" Thankfully the police charged past me and forced the group of people down, five yards behind me. I stopped. "Sketch opportunity!" I thought. But Amanda would only have one going away party, so I pushed on.

Amanda had hired Kelly Richards to play piano at her party and as always when he performs it was a great time. The second I got in he started playing "Somewhere Out There" and Amanda muscled me up to the microphone to sing with her. Our final, farewell performance. This time, we had no lyrics and at points we had to make up our own. The final line is "We'll find one another, somewhere out where dreams come true." Thinking back to the final Disney days, I changed the line to, "Somewhere out where, dreams die." Outside the world of Disney dreams, the Phoenix can rise from the ashes. For some reason, when I got back to where Terry was seated, she was in tears. Is my singing really that bad? I'm sure when Amanda sang "Somewhere Out There", she thought of Matt off in Seattle, but he was at the party and he even sang "Hava Nagila" which means "Lets rejoice!" All the women danced.

Kelly began playing the Peanuts Dance. Everyone danced in the style of their favorite peanuts character. I suspect I was dancing like Pig Pen. Mark sang a rousing rendition of "I'm not Going" from Dream Girls. We laughed and sang along. Across the street I could see a wall of tuxedos inside a restaurant. It was a fundraising party for mayor Buddy Dyer. Terry had been invited but it cost $250 a plate. We were having a much better time.

January Artist's Critique

2012-01-18T01:00:00.004-05:00

Parker Sketch organizes these monthly or bimonthly Artist Critiques at Barefoot Spa (801 Virginia Dr.) I was running a bit late. I parked a block away and walked down Virginia Drive away from Mills. Belly dancers were rehearsing in a dance studio. I almost had to stop but I was late, for a very important date. I could see from the street that Barefoot Spa was packed. People were standing in the doorway. Luckily, I had my own artist's stool so I pushed to the front of the room and set my chair up in a corner right next to Parker. Ken Austin was sharing some of his more abstract watercolors and I got busy sketching. I had recently had a chance to meet Ken on a group trip out to the Museum of Arts & Sciences in Daytona Beach and then I bumped into him giving a demonstration a few days later at Crealde.

Paul Martin is the artist seated to the right in the sketch with a baseball cap and flip flops. He went to UCF in the 90's and then went to Miami. The Miami arts scene is thriving but he felt he wasn't making headway. He returned to Orlando where he is combining new medias with old media. He presented a painting of a Chinese flag on Plexiglas. When he traveled in China he took photos of any graffiti he could find. It was rare and hard to find. He scrawled this graffiti onto the Chinese flag painting. He plugged the painting in and three small video screens played footage of the American Flag waving in the wind. Someone in the room wondered if the video screens had been manufactured in China. There was an irony to the piece and an underlying social comentary. Paul pointed out that a client over time might decide that new video might be needed and this painting, like software could be upgraded for a price. China Flag 2.0. Love it. Everyone in the room was mesmerized. Americans can't help but watch a video if it is playing. That in itself says something about our culture.

Matt Charlan is new to Orlando, having come from Boston. He presented a large painting of a smiling baby's face. The face filled the canvas and was offset a bit to the right. Matt talked about how he liked to paint in the dark using just flashlights. For him the act of creation is meant to be a struggle. When he paints, he actually doesn't look at the canvas. He has a video camera set up across the studio and he looks at a laptop computer to see the brush strokes he puts down. In a way he is a voyeur to his own process. He uses the cheapest house paint he can find along with pastels, white spray paint and fixatives. He started painting on uneven surfaces to heighten the effect of catching the video vantage point. While in Boston he painted a portrait of Steven Colbert on a couch. The portrait can only be seen from one vantage point. If you move, the image breaks up. A video was posted on YouTube and it got three million hits. That is huge, like instant viral fame! It gained him instant notoriety in the Boston Arts scene. Yet the couch never sold.

Sam Rivers Memorial Tribute

2012-01-17T01:00:00.000-05:00

I heard Sam Rivers play within months of first starting this blog. He performed with his band at the Maitland Art Center at a closing party for the Florida Film Festival. For me, sketching as he played, it was a liberating experience. Lines flowed and danced on the page with abandon. The sketch became about expressive vigor not clinical accuracy. Sam's music was about the freedom of loose improvisation. He was a dynamic, creative saxophonist, flutist, bandleader and composer. He died December 26th here in Orlando Florida. He was 88 years old. Over the course of his career, Sam played with many jazz legends in smokey lofts and bars including Dizzy Gillespie.

An open call went out for any musicians who had played with Sam as part of the Rivbea Orchestra, to gather for a Tribute Memorial concert at the Social in downtown Orlando. I arrived fairly early and found a table to sketch from. As band members set up, a microphone was placed stage left and people were invited to get on stage and talk about Sam and his music. One man got up and said that he found himself always holding a beer at Sam's concerts. When it came time to clap, he would slap his bald head with his free hand. Sam saw the gesture and took to clapping his head as well when he finished a set. A band member felt honored and a bit intimidated being in Sam's orbit. In one rehearsal Sam stopped and asked him, "What's that note your playing?" He responded, "E flat." "We aren't there yet." Sam said. There was a long silence, then Sam laughed out loud. He was joking with the performer. Dina Peterson had met Mr. Rivers a few times. He tended to take an interest in what she was doing and she was pleased when he picked up the conversation right where they left off many months later. Genevieve Bernard admitted that she used to go to Rivers concerts on her own when she was single because she loved the music.

The stage became crowded with musicians. The music was driven, spontaneous, raucous and free flowing. Anything was possible. Performers danced the razors edge, taking endless chances and reaching out. Cameras flashed and someone held up an iPad above his head, like a glowing billboard to catch the scene.

Sam's wife Beatrice died in 2005. The orchestra played "Beatrice" named in her honor. The gentle music filled the room. You could feel the love. This song is now a jazz standard. After that song one of Sam's daughters got on stage. She thanked all the musicians for playing his music, keeping it alive. She said that "Sam's still playing, and he's watching you." With the funeral and memorial behind her, she had to return home in the North East. I started to well up. The room was getting smokey.

Members of the Rivbea Orchestra stood in turn launching into personal solo improvisations. The focus of my sketch switched from one performer to the next as they played. The energy in the room crackled and built. Everyone swayed to the beat. Lines flowed and splashes of color were thrown down with abandon. The whole band joined together and built to a cacophonous yet structured crescendo. The room went wild. The spirit of Sam's music still ignited the crowd. The room was on fire. "Keep perking Mr. Rivers."

Sharon Hartmann's Holiday Party

2012-01-16T01:00:00.000-05:00

Chere Force told me about Sharon Hartmann's Holiday Party. Chere let me know that there would be plenty of talented musicians and a prime sketch opportunity. I had never met Sharon but Chere said she was someone I had to meet. I crashed the party. The house was in Winter Park near an I-4 overpass. I parked on a quiet side street then hiked to find the house since it was impossible to see house numbers in the dark. Most of the small homes in the neighborhood had small porches. I half expected to see musicians on porch rocking chairs when I arrived. The night air had a chill. Sharon's home had an imposing flat facade. For some reason it resembled a dentists office to me. Maybe I had the number wrong.

I rang the doorbell and then tried the door knob. It was open. Sharon shouted down the hallway, "Come on in!" A dozen or so people were gathered in the kitchen. I introduced myself to Sharon but I got her name wrong, calling her "Shanon." I'm such an idiot with names. She asked if I was Irish. I explained that my name was German but my mom was Irish. Though the math is probably more complicated, I consider myself half Irish. I tried a pita chip, dipping in some humus. Whoa! It was hot! I rushed around and quickly poured a sangria. Joe Waller was talking about a young musician he met who could learn how to play any instrument with strings just by picking it up and experimenting. "He could play a banjo and make it sound like an acoustic classical guitar performance." Joe makes Cheer Wine in his home state of North Carolina. A collage aged girl told him that she and her classmate would hoard Cheer Wine when they found it. One boy confessed he had a picture of Cheer Wine as his desktop on his computer. Joe said it is being sold in Publix now so I have to get me some!

Jubal's Kin arrived with a crowd. A woman joked with Gailanne Amundsen that it must be cold since Gailanne wasn't bare foot. There was a feeling of a tight knit family gathering. Folks hugged and caught up. I felt a bit like an outsider but I sensed that once all these talented musicians unpacked their instruments, there would indeed be, "a joyful noise." In the kitchen, I spoke to Brian Smalley for a while. Brian explained that Orlando is a town whose music is built off the glitter and flash of the tourist trade. For that reason grassroots home spun folk music is rare. If you head up north, people love the honest sounds of acoustic musicians. Most music played downtown at night is about raw volume.

Joe Waller lead the way upstairs to a large family room that had banjos, fiddles and guitars hanging on the walls. The place was like a museum. Chairs were arranged in a circle and slowly musicians made their way upstairs. Two huge bass's were carried up the narrow stairway. Wednesday Tunes made his way up the stairs in his moccasins and red socks. He was the elder statesman among the musicians and he was treated with reverent respect as he was helped into a leather recliner. His white mustache was waxed and curled like Dali's. His bow was raised to his fiddle and the music began. There was no sheet music, everyone found the beat and melody and just joined in. Much of the music had ancient Scottish and Irish roots. This music was handed down through the generations. The music was exhilerating, raw, homespun with ancient cultural traditions. It is music that binds people together. It was a joy to sketch as everyone joined in. Mark Brannan played a Bodhran which is an Irish drum made by a good friend that lives in Galway Ireland.

The music continued and I started a second sketch. A group splintered off and started playing outside on a patio. From where I stood I could hear both groups playing. A photographer with a flash wandered everywhere. The light would blind me an when I recovered I'd continue sketching. Terry was going to join me but she ate or drank something downtown that made her sic. A co-worker had to drive her home. She would have enjoyed the music and probably could have joined in. When I was done sketching, I had a great conversation with photographer Jean Guenther Brannen. She didn't use a flash and she caught some great shots. We talked about how different yet similar our mediums were. It is always fun to compare notes with another observer of life. I hope I can catch more of these impromptu musical gatherings. The sketch opportunities are limitless, and the music exhilarating.

Museum of Arts & Sciences

2012-01-15T01:00:00.006-05:00

Chere Force and her husband Rory sent out an invitation to local artists to join them on a trip to the Museum of Arts & Sciences in Daytona Beach. About six artists answered the call and we all decided to meet in Altimonte Springs and car pool from there. The morning we left it was incredibly cold for Central Florida, down in the 30's. The main reason for the trip was to see Reflections II: Watercolors of Florida 1835-2000, from the Collection of Cici and Hyatt Brown which is on exhibit through March 25th of 2012. I was particularly excited to see work from Andrew Wyeth. I piled into the back of the Force family van and was soon joined by Dotti Stickly. Dotti and Chere are both members of the Central Florida Watercolor Society and they have exhibited work in the same shews. The rest of the artist drove to Daytona in another SUV.

At the museum, we all split up and explored the museum on our own until it was time for lunch. I spent the morning examining all the watercolors up close. The Wyeth was a bold image in black and white washes of a pirate on a beach. Andrew was just 13 years old when he did it and his father's influence was strong. Humbling and inspiring work. I was disappointed that only one of his watercolors was on exhibit.The large room with warm yellow walls had perhaps a hundred pieces on exhibit. I was excited to find a painting by Thomas Moran, a Hudson River School artist whose work I admire. The painting was called Solitude, Fort George Island. All the paintings were done in Florida. One of the highest prices paintings was a study of Spanish Moss in Tampa Bay by Winslow Homer done in 1886.

After examining all the watercolors I walked out of the gallery and was immediately confronted by this Volusia County Giant Sloth skeleton. Time to sketch. This 13 foot tall skeleton is the best preserved and most complete fossil of this species in North America. It has been in the Museum of Arts & Sciences for the past 30 years. Chere remembered seeing the Sloth as a child. Children who saw the Sloth for the first time would stop in their tracks shouting out "Whoa!" They would scamper around the base trying to see the beast from every angle while mothers waited patiently. Before lunch, we took a group photo in front of the Sloth.

For lunch, our group went to a Tai Restaurant where I had a fabulous Pad Thai. I was suffering from post holiday starvation and perhaps I had been staring at bones for too long. I was famished. When we returned to the museum we were given a tour of the watercolor exhibit by a docent named Tom Davis. The exhibit showcased work from artists over a 168 year span. 23 women artists were represented and three living artists. Tom was a painter himself and much of the time he outlined the differences between oil painting and watercolor. The obvious difference being that watercolors are painted from light to dark while oils are painted dark to light. I'm not sure he understood he was talking to a room full of artists. I sat in a leather chair in the center of the gallery and spun around following his progress. I had already seen the work up close. He did say something that I have since been experimenting with. He pointed out in one landscape that there were essentially only two colors, red and green. To get darker greens, red washes were applied over the green. I've started applying this principle of applying complimentary color washes over areas to build up darks and it is a quick effective way to build a sketch. There was some amazing work in the exhibit and some work that didn't have strong enough value changes to have a solid punch. Watercolorists have to be fearless because changes can't be made after a wash is applied. I use the medium because I can fit the palette in a pocket and sketch anywhere.

A mother walking with her children dismissed the exhibit saying, "Oh, those are only watercolors."

Musical Mondays, The Abbey

2012-01-14T01:00:00.002-05:00

Terry and I went to the Abbey for Musical Mondays. It was a cold walk from the car. Temperatures were going to drop down to the 30s, and in Orlando, that is big news. There weren't many people there when we arrived. Kelly DeWayne Richards, Orlando's Piano Man, was trying to get the piano audio connected to the sound system. He introduced me to Emily at the bar and I recognized her but I couldn't figure out why. I ordered a beer and found a tall table with a good view of the stage while Terry was in the bathroom. Amanda Chadwick arrived and she and Terry sat in one of the cushy leather sofas in front of the stage. While the place was pretty empty, Terry got up and sang, "Soon or a Later." I placed her in my sketch as she held her glasses and tried to read the lyrics. The stained glass ceiling slowly changed colors from cool blues to hot reds.

Kelly called up Emily from behind the bar to sing. She sang, "Someone Like You" by Adele and suddenly I realized I had heard her sing before. She has a strong, silky, emotive singing voice that just bowled me over. Her full name is Emily Heffelfinger and getting to listen to her perform was a treat. I can't believe a talent like that works the bar. As Kelly said, "She's a great singer and she mixes a mean martini." Kelly gave her a hard time and jokingly she shot him the finger.

Sharon and Kelly stood at the microphones and sang a moving rendition of, "The Rose." The place slowly filled and singer after singer got on stage to sing. Some kept their hands tightly tucked in pants pockets while others clutched the microphone. Some voices were shy and tentative while others belted out the lyrics. Musical Monday is a great way to kick off the week. The festivities start at 7pm so I'd suggest having dinner downtown at a nice restaurant and then have a musical nightcap at the Abbey.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch

2012-01-13T01:00:00.012-05:00

Jeremy Seghers invited me to sketch the dress rehearsal for Hedwig and the Angry Inch at the Abbey. I was excited because Joshua Eads-Brown who plays Hedwig had agreed to let me sketch as he put on his make up. When I entered the Abbey, a rock band was warming up on stage. I didn't know where the dressing room was but, I assumed it had to be back stage. When I tentatively peaked around the back curtain, I practically ran into Joshua who was wearing a knit cap over his hair and not much else. His whole body seemed to be covered with a white dust. The stage manager took me back to the dressing room.

Janine Klein who plays Yitzhak was working on getting her hair tied up. She was dressed as a man. The dressing room was cramped. I stood right behind Janine as I sketched Joshua's metamorphosis from a man to a woman. He had a bright pink zebra patterned makeup case and open pans of color were scattered on the counter before him. The face makeup was applied thickly. He darkened under his jaw line and boldly accentuated his cheeks with Alizarin Crimson. He put crimson and blue around his eyes then bright red lips outlined in black. His lips and eyes sparkled. The fingers of white gloves draped over the counter's edge. Janine was getting into a leather jacket and Joshua delicately used an eyeliner brush to give her a mustache and goatee. She became handsome and rugged while he became gorgeous. Large fake eyelashes, the wig and a red white and blue gown finished the transformation. She slipped on the star shaped sun glasses and went on stage.

The dress rehearsal was delayed because a guitar player hadn't arrived yet. I used the time to block in a second sketch. Hedwig came out wearing a large red white and blue cape. He raised his arms and on the inside of the cape, the words, "Yankee Go Home", "With Me!" was emblazoned.

The show is staged as Hedwig's musical act in which he tells his life's story. He was born in the divided city of East Berlin. A U.S. Soldier falls in love with Hedwig. To get out of East Berlin, a sex change was needed. As he put it, "You must give up part of yourself for love." The operation is botched leaving an "Angry Inch." The soldier leaves Hedwig after a year for a man. Recovering from separation she form a rock band called, "The Angry Inch". She meets Tommy Speck and they write music together. Tommy never accepted Hedwig and he leaves her taking all the songs becoming a very successful pop star.

Yitzhak was a cross dresser. Hedwig insisted he must never again wear woman's clothes if they were to be together. He would have to give up that part of himself. All her life Hedwig searched for her other half. She couldn't find anyone who could make her whole. The revelation is that she needed to accept herself. Once she did that she was whole again. We can't fall back on others to complete ourselves. In the final scene Yitzak came out on stage dressed in a gorgeous black gown with a slit reveling her left leg. She was resplendent and whole. The audience went wild.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch is being performed at the Abbey through January 23rd. Check the website for dates and times. This musical will blow your socks off!

Alice Takes Wonderland

2012-01-12T01:00:00.021-05:00

Alice Takes Wonderland is being presented by NAO Dance Collective at Dickson Azalea Park (100 Rosegarden Dr) on January 13th. I had never been to the park before. It is gorgeous with a stream meandering down its length and dirt trails over small hills and under a bridge. Tr3 Harris an Urban Artist designed and painted this backdrop. When I arrived, people were crowded around a U-Haul truck. Linda Eve Elchak the company's founder and choreographer, was standing next to the drivers door and she jumped, squatted and stretched. She shouted, "Getting pumped up! Getting ready! This is the fun part, watching it all fall together!"

They unloaded Tr3's panels and dancers and choreographers walked the parks narrow paths to get the set in place. Linda shouted, "Look at us, Navy Seals!"When the panels and red bench were in place, Tr3 spoke with me about the panels. This is the largest panels he has worked on to date. The white markings on the black ground were inspired by Mayan, Egyptian and Urban graffiti roots. He mentioned the work of an LA graffiti artist called LA II. When I mentioned Keth Haring's work Tr3 pointed out that LA2 was responsible for much of the sort of numeric letter imagery Haring adopted. Hidden in Tre's panels are words which are hard to find. LINDA is on the right side. There is a reverse square root sign and the word LOVE on the lower left. Letters are broken apart and sometimes reversed. When I blurred my eyes then the word would magically appear. He sketched in my notebook showing how certain letters were reversed in an old English style.

With my sketch finished, I decided to follow along as they did a full run through of the show. Micihael Sloan had a portable backpack sound system on his chest. He worked it using an iPhone. Each scene along the trail would have its own soundtrack. The test audience of stage moms and me waited at a small footbridge that gave access to the park. Alice, played by Catlin leafed through a book dreaming of what might lie on the opposite side of the bridge. Megan as the white rabbit hurried in frantically out of time. Reluctantly Alice followed. She turned to us and said, "Come on kids!" How wonderful, I thought, I'm a kid! Kim Matovina the assistant director of Nao took notes as we walked along following the performers..

Alice and the rabbit did an inverted mirroring of each others performance in front of Tr3's wall. I was really impressed by the sinewy, fluid contorted dance of the caterpillar metamorphosis by another Catlin. She arched her back and twisted in an amazing series of moves all while delivering lines. Most of the dancers in the show were young girls. Evelyn Reynoso who played the Mad Hatter was most seasoned and experienced dancer. She is also working with Drip Dance on International Drive. She wore a sporty blue beret and had blue lipstick to match. Her costume had fun quirky colored patches. She told me she would be pushing for a touch of French affectation because of the beret. In her performance she would freeze any time Alice wasn't touching her.

Megan as the Cheshire Cat straddled a small foot bridge which was trans-versed by a series of webs. Alice then met Tweedledee and Tweedledum under a large arching overpass. This scene offered some of the most energetic and humerus choreography. The show had a playful innocence to it with improvised dialogue and well rehearsed dance. Alice Takes Wonderland explores what it means to ‘grow up’ by taking a sentimental look at the value of childhood. Though geared for children it is suitable for all ages.

January 13th Show Times:
first show walk thru:
10:00a.m.-10:45 a.m.
11:00a.m.-11:45a.m.
12:00am-12:45p.m.
1:00p.m.-1:45p.m.
2:00p.m-2:45p.m (last show of the day)

Limit (ed/less)

2012-01-11T01:00:00.011-05:00

I made my way to an industrial complex in Pinecastle where Limit (ed/less), Directed by McClaine Timmerman, was holding a rehearsal. This show will include modern dance, multi media, and spoken word exploring the limitations and limitless realities of our daily lives. What a perfect way to bring in the new year brushing away past regrets and striving towards a limitless future.

It was after dark when I arrived, and the building looked ominous and deserted. I searched for the "A" unit where the rehearsal was to take place. A black truck was running, parked in front of the entrance. As I walked around it, the brake lights went on and I was afraid it might back up into me. As I walked past the passenger door, I heard someone say my name. Brittany Wine was in the drivers seat. She let me know that McClaine hadn't arrived yet. I sat in my artists seat, leaned against the building and took a phone call. McClaine and all the dancers seemed to arrive all at once. Inside was a typical office building. Rehearsal was held in a large empty conference room.

The show has a cast of eight with Jimmy being the only guy. The women dancers warmed up and stretched behind four movable panels of bars. What followed was a quick walk through of the show. Scenes weren't acted out, they all were just piecing the show together paying attention to the overall flow. Then dancers changed and they began a full run of the show. This was the first time all the dancers were together. At first everyone walked on stage, questioning to themselves their lot in life. They froze in shapes of thoughtful contemplation, searching for memories. As each dancer in turn stood center stage and spoke of hope or questioned courage. Dale moved swiftly, a space eater. Two dancers performed a pained piece where they mused that perhaps, "It didn't happen." They didn't ask for it to happen. The dance expressed deep regret and pain. I welled up, my mind shifting to a horrible incident that I had heard about.

I was thankful when humor flooded the next scene. The four panels enclosed the cast in a tight elevator and each persons inner dialogue played on a sound track as you could read their subtle expressions. They were uncomfortably close. Kim grimaced when Jimmy brushed her hand. Had someone not bathed? Who farted? A romantic solo dance in a blue dress with tons of tool was charming. The dancer just wanted to be wanted. There was humor in the way she expressed that she would be missed. Would she be remembered?

McClaine and Jimmy Moore sat center stage as an established couple. Tall white letters spelled "LOVE" on her black T-shirt. She wanted him to express his inner feelings to her and quite simply he didn't get it. She felt like she was having a conversation alone. How often have I been there. They both read. She asked him to massage her knee. As he did, a tall leggy dancer in a form fitting black dress asked him for a light. She flirted and his head turned to watch her walk away. Again and again, beautiful dancers in leopard print got his attention. Looking up from her magazine McClaine asked, "Why are you sweating?"

McClaine Timmerman is a master at being able to express a universal inner yearning using modern dance and spoken word. A solo dance she performed in which she struggled against the constraints of a corset seemed to me to be the signature dance of the show. In a struggle, laces were loosened and in spoken word she mused about freedom to change and yet wanting to keep the unfailing consistency of her identity. In dance, she reached out in supplication. She threw off her period high heals but in the end, sitting like a rag doll, she reached behind her and tightened the corset back up. This is a raw honest show that pushes the limits of what can be expressed through dance.

Performance Dates:
January 13th 8pm
January 14th 8pm
January 15th 2pm

Location:
Orlando Rep Theater (The Black Box)
1001 East Princeton St
Orlando Fl 32803

Tickets:
$15 cash or check only
call or email McClaine for reservations (not required)
407-721-3617 mrougemac@me.com

Flat Mountain Men

2012-01-10T01:00:00.005-05:00

Every Monday from six to ten in the evening, the Audubon Community Market is held in the parking lot in front of Stardust Video & Coffee. On this particular evening I was going to be able to see the first run of 2012 Ourlando Calendars hot off the press. Julie Norris who did an amazing job designing the calenders had yet to see the calendars as well. A table was going to be set up in the market to sell the calendars. I spotted Julie and her daughter, Maya, at the Big Wheel food truck. I ordered a stuffed avocado dish and then joined Julie and Maya inside Stardust to eat. The avocado was delicious. Emily Rankin entered Stardust carrying a heavy box. She split the tape seal and cracked it open. Inside were the first 50 calendars. Julie and I each grabbed a calendar and started flipping through. I was happy to see the final product but I felt uneasy. The colors were more saturated and darker than I would have liked. I held my tongue, then Julie said, "What do you think?" I had to admit my concern and she agreed.

We were on a tight deadline to have the calendars ready for the holidays. The rest of the printing run was on hold till the morning while the printer ran another job. An employee was at the printer so I drove there to be sure the rest of the print run wasn't as dark. A sample calender had been printed 10% less dark. I decided it was good enough. I then drove back to Stardust to sign some calendars and enjoy the music. Julie was leaving because Maya was tired. Emily was at the table selling the calendars and I signed a few before sketching the Flat Mountain Men. The parking lot stage consisted of a card table with an inverted cowboy hat and a stool. The music was rustic home spun fun. Folding tables were set up in front of the band where people came to sit and enjoy their food and the music. The two women seated right in front had known the musicians ever since high school. The band played "Walking the Tightrope" as the sky grew dark and the evening cooled.

Terry's Office

2012-01-09T01:00:00.006-05:00

After a day of searching for Citrus Floats, I decided to meet Terry at her new office at Merrill Lynch. The firm is located on the eighth floor and Terry's office has a view of the new Amway Center. Terry was one of maybe four or five employees who were in the office between Christmas and New Years. Terry looked up a press release on the computer for me and then went back to work. Amanda Chadwick said she had something planned that she wanted to do that night. She wanted to keep the destination a secret from Terry. We all decided to meet at a Mexican Burrito joint on Colonial.

After dinner, we all piled into Amanda's car to first pick up Mark Baratelli and then go to the final destination. On the drive south on I-4 we passed the neon rainbow studded Bungee Sling Shot on International Drive. We convinced Terry that was the destination but Terry insisted she would keep her feet on the ground. A "Screaming Gator" zip line adventure over the teaming swamps around Gator Land elicited the same response. Our true destination however was Disney. Amanda was concerned for my mental health, fearing I might experience flashbacks. Mark had a season pass which got us into parking for free.

We took the Monorail to the Polynesian Hotel where wWe sampled some pineapple slushies, called Doles, before heading out to the beach. There we sat on wet beach lounges and waited for the fireworks over the Magic Kingdom. Boats on the lagoon kept honking their horns and we screamed back at then to "Keep it down." It's not like there is any traffic on the lagoon. The fireworks were stunning, with Saturns, cascading waterfalls and immense blooms. The piped in music was faint and the explosions came long after the flash catching us off guard.

After the display we began a quest for hot chocolate and soft serve ice cream. There were plenty of photo opportunities with the huge Coronado Christmas tree. We laughed endlessly as we searched the Coronado Springs Resort. As Mark put it, "Its not the journey that is important, it's the destination." The drive back had us all singing like Young Frankenstein to pop hits on the car radio.

Fresh from Florida Parade

2012-01-08T01:00:00.004-05:00

I woke up late on Saturday morning and realized I had to rush downtown to catch the parade formerly known as the Citrus Bowl Parade. I knew where the parade assembled since I had sketched the police horses the prior year. I parked north of Lake Eola and walked to Orange Avenue. I could hear the college bands playing as I approached. A lanky man walked up behind me and said, "Looks like you got the best seat for the parade." "Well it's the cheapest." I replied. He started complaining about how the parades name had changed. "They always have to fix things that aren't broke." He said. He broke off to head south.

I wanted to sketch the assembly area since folks would be standing still waiting for the parade to start, which makes sketching much easier. A Nebraska band stood in bright red and white uniforms. Majorettes practiced twirling their batons. It was a warm beautiful day. I'm sure they were glad to be removed from the cold Nebraska planes. Since I was late, I knew I wouldn't have enough time to sketch a whole band. I needed to find something bigger, bolder and less likely to march away.

I started to sketch people holding Macy's balloon styled "Power Ball" red orbs, but then the parade started to move. They walked away. I erased them and walked a block back to start the next sketch. Old cars caught my eye along with women on stilts. Who can resist sketching women dressed up as candy canes on stilts. They were on a side road waiting for their turn to get on the parade route. I soon realized these were all performers from Universal Studios.

Bands marched loudly by. Shriner's in mini automobile go-carts buzzed around in circles in the intersection. The police horses clomped through the intersection but they weren't in the parade this year. They must have just been there for crowd control. When the parade had past me, a street cleaner immediately got to work brushing it's way north up Orange Avenue. I realized I hadn't had breakfast. I ordered a hot dog from a vendor across from the Court House. Being in the staging area, I got to see the whole parade and I wasn't in a crowd that could block my view. As I walked back to my car I could see where the parade was ending. People had paid $23 to sit in bleachers and the intersection was mobbed with people. I wasn't tempted to shove my way in.

Citrus Floats

2012-01-07T01:00:00.006-05:00

I spent an afternoon searching for the spot where volunteers rubber band thousands of citrus fruits onto wire meshes to create the floats for what was formerly the Citrus Bowl Parade. The new name of the parade is the "Fresh from Florida Parade." I heard volunteers would be working feverishly at the old Amway Arena. I went there assuming the floats would be inside the Arena. I was surprised to see that the Arena was surrounded by chain link fencing and it is considered a construction site. lt turns out the Arena is being demolished to make way for a Creative Village. The interior is now being demolished, and the building is slated to be rigged with explosives and will implode in March of 2012. I walked around the fenced in Arena. A security guard in the parking lot asked if I was going to the game. "No." I replied. "I'm looking for volunteers working of floats." He directed me to the opposite side of the Arena. A huge crowd was gathered in a line going through a security check point. They were being scanned for explosives by the Department of Homeland Security and local police. "This is a rather big fuss for a few floats." I thought. This turned out to be parking for the college football game happening at the Citrus Bowl. People had to go through security before getting on a bus to the Bowl Game.

I hiked down to the new Amway Center searching for floats as well. No luck. I visited Terry at her downtown office and she located a press release online. It turned out the floats would be at the Amway Arena the next day. At least I got plenty of exercise. So the next day, I hiked to the Arena and I could see the bright orange and yellow citrus peaking through the foliage around the parking lot from a block away. I settled under a shady oak and sketched. I had expected more floats. Volunteers were still securing fruit to the wire mesh with rubber bands but the floats looked pretty complete. The construction had occurred for two days at the Convention Center. They were then driven to the Arena for final touch up before the parade the next day. I wondered what roads they must have driven. Did they scream up I-4 at 55 miles per hour? Wouldn't the citrus bounce off causing a catastrophic citrus pile up? More than likely they took side roads creating a minor traffic back up.

As I was finishing up the sketch, someone drove away in a golf cart to get dinner for the volunteers. The sun blazed warmer as it moved towards the horizon making the oranges even more orange as the shadows lengthened.

New Year's Day Party

2012-01-06T01:00:00.014-05:00

Terry and I hosted a New Year's Day party to celebrate AADW's third anniversary and to ring in the New Year with friends. We shopped for hot dogs and hamburgers the day before along with beers champagne and orange juice. On the morning of New Year's day, I went to Panera to pick up a large order of bagels and pastries that Terry had called in the week before. Panera's was packed. Everyone seemed to want bagels that morning. There was a separate line for pick up orders but no one was at that counter. The place was understaffed and chaotic. A twelve year old girl in line in front of me held a puppy she must have been given for the holidays. The woman next to me said, "I'm just waiting for that pup to pee. That's what they do. There's a sign on the door that says no pets. My mother would be having a fit right now." I laughed wondering if the puppy would prance around on the pastries when the girl got to the counter.

The cashier didn't know about my order. One woman searched, but came up empty handed. They waited for the manager who was at a register. We waited. He finally looked in the same place as the other woman and pulled out the large bag. The next stop was Publix for some lox and cream cheese. At home everything was spread out on the dining room table. Candles and the Christmas tree were lit. The invitation was for noon till midnight. Since no one had arrived yet, I started writing a blog post. Half way into the post, the doorbell rang. Our first guest was from Terry's writing group and Terry immediately put him to work cutting tomatoes and an assortment of last minute preparations.

All through the day people arrived at various times. In the evening, Kelly DeWayne Richards stopped by with his portable piano. Terry was the first to sing. She sang, "Soon or a Later." I was outside scrambling to get burgers and hot dogs on the grill. Amanda Chadwick got up to sing "Somewhere out There." I don't know how this tradition started, but I always get called up to sing with her. I will spare you the audio. Amanda then called Matt Simantov in Seattle via Skype. She had me hold the cell phone while she sang to him. Britt Daley sat behind the keyboard and began singing "Anything But", one of her original songs. Everyone stopped to listen. There was magic in that moment. What an amazing way to start the New Year, with authors, artists and musicians. So much talent in one place made my heart warm.

Then Terry insisted I sing "Hold On" by Michael Buble. I hid in the kitchen. Though Terry couldn't see me, Amanda could. She shouted at me to "Get in there and sing!" I don't know the lyrics and when I perform, I like to know I'm well rehearsed. I messed up the lyrics several times and couldn't find my way back to the refrain. Luckily no one was in the room but Terry and poor Kelly at the piano. She was seated on the couch in her wedding dress, listening intently. She had changed her outfits five times that day to everyone's delight. After the song, she knelt down in front of me and said, "Marry me." We had already renewed our vows on our 20th wedding anniversary. People shouted out, "Again?" The writers looking in from outside found the image of Terry kneeling in front of me suggestive. When I realized why they were laughing, my face flushed red.

We Buy Gold

2012-01-05T01:00:00.000-05:00

Most people refer to him as "The Gold Guy". The Diamond Exchange (3016 E. Colonial Drive) was right behind him, ready to exchange cash for gold. When the economy tanks, gold seems to be the one standard people hope will maintain its worth. He stands on the corner of Colonial Drive and Maguire Boulevard all day. I pass him all the time on my way to work at Full Sail. He wears a gold mask and is dressed head to toe in a gold suit and pants. As cars pass he quickly tips his golden hat with a flourish. I parked at the Florida Mall across the street and walked across this rather dangerous intersection. At first I thought I would sketch him from a distance with a inflatable sock Santa in the foreground. Unfortunately "the Gold Guy" walks away from the intersecting toward traffic. He disappeared behind a palmetto and I moved. I decided I had to sit in the parking lot to catch him. He always faces on coming traffic so I would only be able to sketch him from the back.

Within 15 minutes he started to leave. The sketch was far from finished. He noticed me and approached. He smiled when he saw the incomplete sketch. All of his teeth had gold caps. He takes his golden role seriously. He let me know that I could find him there every day, all day. I just happened to show up when his shift ended. When he left, I kept working on the background and I painted as the intersection grew dark. A little red compact car parked right in front of me blocking my view. Rather than getting annoyed, I decided to incorporate it into the sketch, then I shifted over to regain my view. I rather like painting nocturnes. I can't always see the page and colors are put down with vibrancy that I don't really see until I get back to the studio and see the sketch in the light.

The Grove

2012-01-04T01:00:00.004-05:00

The week following Christmas, my event calender was empty. I had to get out of the house. I took my sketching supplies and just started walking north. I stopped when I saw a sign that said, "Sidewalk Closed". A large piece of land, on the corner of Conroy and Apopka Vineland, once covered with trees and foliage had been stripped bare. Ironically the name of this development moonscape was, "The Grove". When Terry and I moved into this neighborhood fifteen plus years ago, we used to bike on the rural side roads. There were orange groves everywhere. Today groves are rare.

I pulled my art supplies out of my bag to start sketching. My watercolor palette landed on a large ant hill causing a sudden surge of activity as hundreds of ants started moving grains of sand, changing the landscape. On the construction site there were a dozen or so bulldozers, escalators cranes, graders, and continuous tracked earth movers. An escalator's claw scraped and grabbed at the sand. One truck was used to moisten the sand so it wouldn't blow away causing sand storms. C&C Silt Fencing was tacked down all around the scared lot. The construction company was JR Davis Construction from Kissimmee Florida.

A sign of the corner at the stop lights announced the wonders that were to come. There would be retail stores, restaurants, and office space. Specifically there would be a Panera, an LA Fitness and Windermere Village Dentistry. Ironically there are several deserted store fronts in the strip mall adjacent to "The Groves."

On the walk back home, palmetto leaves rustled in the wind sounding like rain striking a tent. The horizon was a dark steely blue. I heard the distant rumbling of thunder. A snow man made of white metal mesh had blown over, his head separated a few feet away. In an inflatable nativity, Mary's veil had blown down over her face and all the wise men and animals vibrated in the wind. When I got home, Terry was in the driveway scrubbing rich green moss off of rocks I had used to build a waterfall in the garden. I rather liked the moss, it made the waterfall look overgrown and ancient. Oh well, it will all grow back in time. As I relaxed on the back patio it began to rain.

Reed Nissan, Holiday Oil Change

2012-01-03T01:00:00.003-05:00

My truck has been running hard in idle. As a kid I used to use a clothes line pin to make baseball cards flip against the spokes of the front wheel my banana seat bike. That is what it sounded like. Nostalgic but probably not good. An oil stain on the garage floor made me suspect I was low on oil. Terry also let me know that a turn signal in the back was out. I brought the truck into Reed Nissan for an oil change and bulb replacement. What I like about Reed Nissan is that the waiting area has large windows overlooking the work area.

Bing Crosby crooned some Christmas Carol as I sketched. I always dread bringing the truck in since I always expect the worst diagnosis. A small blue compact blocked the view of my truck which was on the lift in the back of the garage. Parts and labor for the bulb and oil change came to $69.57. Then the technician explained that there were other problems. Both axel boots were broken and he wanted to replace both axles. He wasn't sure about the price on the axles so he left to look that up. While he was gone I started doing my own price research online. I found out that the CV Boots were $15 plastic pieces that helped keep dirt off the axles. The cost for the axles and labor was going to be $1,328. Merry Christmas! I decided to skip getting new axles. I'm hoping that it was an unnecessary repair. Things always break down, and letting some things slide seems to be the only way to keep moving forward.

Driving home the truck sounded smooth and steady. Things just might look good going into the new year. I just need to focus on whats working, and ignore anything that isn't working right now. I'm not ready for a complete overhaul, just change the oil.

On the Road

2012-01-02T01:00:00.005-05:00

Kelly Medford was visiting Orlando from Rome, Italy. She decided she wanted to do a plein air painting of the Kerouac House. Kelly does a plein air painting every day which is astounding and ambitious. The last time I had sketched the house, I sat on a small patch of grass between a chain link fence and the street. The home owner walked her dog while I was working and when she returned, she yelled at me. I was certain the old lady would call the police. I of course told Kelly the horror story. She decided to set her easel up on the road. Traffic was light on Clouser Avenue but I had to admire her chutzpa. A garbage truck roared by and Kelly waved to the driver. I sat "On the Road" a few yards away from her and started blocking in my own sketch.

The yard around the Kerouac House had experienced a major overhaul. Palmettos and other dense foliage had been removed leaving the side of the building looking naked and exposed. I respected the buildings modesty and didn't sketch its newly exposed flank. The house to me, had a sad worn look to it. Roof lines sagged inward and the tired beams struggled to support the weight of the tin roof. A giant live oak towered over the house, letting in only thin beams of sunlight. What a gorgeous day. I don't sketch outside much since I'm usually sketching indoor events. This was a nice change of pace. Kelly moved the garbage can and recycling bins so they weren't in her picture. I rather liked them, since they show that the place is and always will be occupied and alive, full of creative energy and the buzz of independent minds sharing thoughts and experiences.

A women power walked past us saying, "Hello, how nice to see artists in the neighborhood!" Kelly laughed afterwards saying, "Why doesn't SHE live across the street from the Kerouac House?" As if on cue, the old lady came out with her bloodhound on a leash. I sucked in my breath. She disappeared around the corner, past the STOP sign, without incident. She returned and re-entered her home quietly as well. When my sketch was finished, I walked up to Kelly to see her progress. Her oil painting was completely blocked in and she was refining the details. She extended an open invitation for Terry and I to visit Rome to paint and explore. That is a very tempting invitation. A private Prix de Rome, learning about that ancient city from a resident artist. Jack Kerouac would have certainly jumped at the chance to leap over that vast expanse of the Atlantic and soak in the ancient ruins.

Tom & Jerry's

2011-12-31T01:00:00.000-05:00

Every Tuesday starting at 9pm Tom & Jerry's Lounge (1117 N. Orlando Ave.) hosts a Free Open Mic with Blues Mama. The Lounge is easy to spot since it has a VW Bug on top of a telephone pole to catch your attention. I pulled into the side streets and parked behind the building. I noticed that quite a few off duty food trucks were parked in the area. Inside, the smoke filled bar was quiet. I walked behind the wall of people seated at the bar. I figured I'd order a beer so I looked to see what was on tap. I didn't see a bartender so I gave up on the beer and sat at a tall round table.

Band equipment was being set up on a small corner stage. Two guitarists got the evening started with cover songs. Blues Mama followed them playing guitar and singing solo. Though the tables remained empty, the bar was crowded. When she finished her set, she walked up to me curious about the sketch. I asked her name and she shouted, "Cheryl!" over the amplified guitar music. I must say, she keeps the event humming with performers constantly lined up throughout the evening.

Terry and Mark Baratelli walked in, having come from a fundraiser at a posh European sports car dealership. They both looked sharp and a bit out of place in the grungy bar. Terry didn't like the smoke, so they immediately left. A scuffle broke out between two guys at the bar next to me. A bar stool crashed to the floor and one guy was shouting waving his finger in the other guys face, "Don't you ever touch me!" I don't know what it was about. The woman seated between me and the scuffle caught my eye and she raised her eye brows as if saying, "Boys will be boys."

A guitarist named Thomas got on stage and it was announced that this would be his last performance at the open mic since he is moving to the cold North East. My sketch was done, so I packed up and left. I had completely forgotten to have a beer.

Music at the Morse

2011-12-30T01:00:00.005-05:00

Free music at the Morse Museum (445 North Park Avenue, Winter Park) has become a holiday sketching tradition for me. On select Fridays through April musicians perform, filling the Museum with music. Of course the last time I tried to sketch in the Morse I was asked to stop sketching since I was sketching on a digital tablet. So this time I didn't bring the tablet. Last time I couldn't use my artist stool either but I'm an eternal optimist so I brought it along. When I arrived I asked the woman at the reception desk if there was any way for me to get close to the performers. They were high up in a balcony so I hoped I might stand in a hallway up there. The receptionist remembered me from last time. I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. There was "No room up there" she explained.

I would have to settle on a long shot sketch. I sat back against a wall next to the entry door and started blocking in the sketch. After several lines a guard approached. "We need this area clear for foot traffic." he said. "I'm going to have to ask you to move forward to that part of the gallery." I negotiated to move forward just about five feet next to a table with museum fliers. This spot turned out to be better since fewer people walked in front of me. Of course people stopped at the table for extended periods filling out membership forms. I sketched around them.

A woman approached me. "Great" I thought, "Here comes the Museum Director to ask me to leave." It was actually Julie Koran. She is a Facebook friend and participates in a monthly event called Dinner and a Conversation. Jennifer Miller organized this event 20 years ago. It is always fun to meet a Facebook friend in person for the first time. She knew of my work and just wanted to say "Hi." I relaxed. The sketch was going well. The museum guard took a peak and said he liked what I was doing. Shannon Caine who was one of the flutists came down and spoke with me as I was throwing down the final washes. She was gracious and told me about upcoming performances. The other flutists were Kelli, and Mary. The Music for Three Flutes Only was a custom collection by the staff arranger. As I left, the guard held the door for me and said, "Merry Christmas." My heart warmed. We weren't working at crossed purposes. Tonight there is the Sweet Sounds of Jazz Trio (flute, guitar and upright bass) from 4pm to 8pm and admission to the museum is free. A perfect, relaxing way to prepare for the New Year.

Grandma Party

2011-12-29T01:00:00.009-05:00

This was the ninth Grandma Party held in the parking lot of Stardust Video & Coffee. As I drove past in search of side street parking I could see at a glance that the lot was filled will more tents than ever. As I approached on foot I saw that there were even tents set up in a retention ditch next to the lot. Down in the ditch I saw Patrick Greene wearing a T-shirt with a marijuana leaf boldly crossed out and circled in red. He was selling marijuana free brownies. He joked with me later that some folks were honestly upset by his marijuana free campaign. He responded to them "Chill out dude." "You'd think they would be more laid back." he told me.

I did a full tour of all the tents knowing I wanted to pick up a Christmas gift. Dewey Chaffee and Douglas McGeoch were selling handmade bird houses. Dewey and Douglas had left town to bring their unique edgy comedy to larger cities on the East coast so I was surprised and pleased to see them. I found a spot under a tree on a parking lot island and started to sketch. The billboards announced, "Committed" and "My Comfort & Joy" which seemed appropriate for this event which truly celebrated local artisans and talent. It is an event that honestly brings together a tight Knit community of people. Yet there was variety and diversity to the crowds who shopped.

Anna McCambridge-Thomas was shopping for necklaces made from bent spoons. Many were shaped into bells and she tested them to find the perfect ring. Maya Norris was equally enchanted by the sounds and she gazed up and batted a few to listen. Emily Rankin was watching Maya and she braced the display to be sure Maya didn't play to hard. There was delight in Maya's young eyes. Across from me was Leah Fairchild's booth filled with glass Terrariums filled with moss and small woodland sprites. Next to her was Misty Forest which had some jewelry for sale. Doug Rhodehamel stopped in his tracks in front of me. He always jokes about where I should place him in my sketch. We both agreed that this was a perfect warm day for a Grandma party.

I learned about an art party that happens in Winter Park every month so that is on my sketch wish list for next year. While I sketched I got to meet so many people as they shopped. When the sketch was done, I walked up to Leah's booth knowing I had to have a terrarium. I picked one that was in a flask shaped coffee pot. A bright blue creature was inside but I couldn't make it out because of the condensation. With the lid on the terrarium is a closed environment. Leah explained that it rains just like the Earth environment. Life and a complete ecosystem on a small scale, the perfect gift. Of course Ourlando Calendars are a good gift too for the new year.

NADA Art Fair

2011-12-28T01:00:00.002-05:00

The condominium we stayed at was in North Miami Beach and on the last day we went to the Deauville Beach Resort which was the home of the New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) is a not-for-profit organization devoted to giving support and encouragement to those who work in new contemporary and emerging art; facilitating strong, and meaningful relationships between members; and enhancing the public interaction with contemporary art. NADA Art Fair was founded in 2003. Members include galleries directors, non-profit art spaces, art advisers, curators, writers, museums and other art professionals from around the world.

NADA was only a few blocks from where we were staying. After a quick stop for omelets, we walked along the beach boardwalk till we found the hotel. After three solid days of looking at art, we were all experiencing art burn out. Everything started looking the same. Dealers in one booth explained to us that dealers from Art Basel liked to migrate up north to the NADA Art Fair to see something new and unexpected. He said these dealers might stop back several times that week. As he put it, "We are all learning as we go. There is no rule book."

After walking through the Napoleon, Richelieu and La Jardin Ballrooms, only one image was engraved into my memory. There was a video playing that showed a giant tortuous grunting as it tried to mount another tortuous. The person in the booth explained that there were only a few of this species left in the Galapagos Islands and they were all males kept together in an enclosure. These males were each over one hundred years old and the last of their species. With all the odds stacked against them these Centenarians were still trying to propagate their species. The shells scraped and clicked as claws lost grip and the dance began again in slow motion. Life finds finds a way.

In the lobby, Grant Peterson lay prostrate in a leather chair, his fedora spooned neatly over his backpack. Like everyone in our party, he was exhausted, having seen enough art to last him another year.

Red Dot

2011-12-27T01:00:00.003-05:00

The Red Dot tent was right next to the Scope tent. By now I was moving quickly focusing only on the work that interested me. There was far more representational art than in the convention center. A second large tent was connected to the first, doubling the exhibit space. Several members of our party were seated at a circular table in this back exhibit space. I was glad to join them. Seated at the table across from us was Russian artist Anna Razumovskaya with flowing blonde hair and dressed in a white business suit.. She paints romantic images of women in warm impressionistic hues. Her work exudes high fashion and excess, executed with bold brush strokes, bravado and flash. A large flower arrangement burst out of a clear vase full of green apples. A dark ballgown was exhibited as well with a giant black crinoline flower. Anna was often approached by women who loved her work. They shyly approached her, delighted to have the chance to meet the artist in person. She would pose for photos with them and was so gracious. It was nice seeing an artist being treated like a rock star.

The booth next to Anna's contained the photo realistic paintings of Ken Orton. The large paintings explored the way light dances it's way through mason jars. I'm fascinated that an artist could commit himself patiently to a quiet still life subject like that, over and over. For me, life is always on the move and I just struggle to keep up. There are things to be discovered in the quiet moments as well.

Santa at the LYNX Bus Terminal

2011-12-26T01:00:00.003-05:00

Debbe King tipped me off that Santa was going to be in the LYNX Bus Terminal. When I arrived I sat on a terminal bench straight across from Santa. Mrs. Claus was there as well but she was constantly on the move. She shouted out, "Hey! How about another announcement!" The loud speakers crackled, "Mr. and Mrs Claus are in the bus terminal. Come meet Santa." Mothers and children must have taken buses just so they could meet him. A new mom had her two week old baby with her. She gently placed the baby in Santa's lap. He smiled at the baby that cooed playfully. A slightly older daughter was frightened of him. The man seated next to me was also watching and he laughed.

A man with a dark straggly beard and wild dark hair was muttering and cursing to himself as he shuffled by. He must have been the anti-Santa. He continued to curse after he sat on a bench. Two OPD officers soon walked in and insisted that he had to leave or get on a bus. Santa was loitering as well but his jolly laughter and good cheer left the officers laughing as well. "Ho, Ho, Ho! Write me a ticket! Ho, Ho!" As they walked away, they were smiling. A face painter created intricate holiday masks for the children. One boy left as Spiderman and his sister had delicate butterfly wings over her eyes.

A fan was pointing at Santa constantly since he is used to much cooler weather at the North Pole. A group of teenage girls approached him. "Your never to old to sit on Santa's lap!" He chuckled. The girls giggled. One of them sat next to him and whispered in his ear. He asked a little boy what he wanted for Christmas, and the boy said, "A car for my parents." "You'd be amazed at how many requests I get for cars." he replied. "I'll see what I can do." I was touched that the boy didn't ask for anything for himself. Santa's beard was real and his red nosed complexion was real as well. Perhaps families across Central Florida will experience a New Year with the freedom of the open road. If only gas was less expensive.

Decorating the Christmas Tree

2011-12-25T01:00:00.002-05:00

For the first time in years, Terry and I decided to buy a live Christmas tree. Neither of us had seen any tree tents in our travels around town. I did notice a fireworks tent still up on Colonial Drive. I guess they will do a brisk business for New Years Eve. Terry was raised Jewish but she loves decorating the tree even more than I do. The first order of the day was to pack the back of my truck full of old computer monitors, a fax machine and and several dead car batteries. We dropped everything off at a recycling center on McCoy Road. As I drove, Terry asked friends on Facebook where they got their trees. I think Tracy Burke is the one who directed us to go to Home Depot.

A tent was set up in the Home Depot parking lot. When we walked in, the pine needle smell was intoxicating. Terry seemed to think I would be a tree expert since I grew up with the tradition. They all looked good however. We finally settled on a seven foot Douglas Fir. It was a little mushed on one side but that imperfection gave it character. We were given a ticket and we payed inside the garden center. Terry couldn't resist picking up some purple Begonias, her favorite flower as well. The tree was packed in a tight nylon net. I backed up the truck and opened the back, hoping the tree would fit inside. The trunk was thrust between the front seats almost touching the windshield. When I sat behind the steering wheel, I had to lean against the door. The sweet smell of pine needles filled the truck.

Getting the tree to stand straight in the stand was a chore. Terry held the tree as I tightened the bolts into the trunk. There was no way to check if it was standing up straight. When Terry let go and backed up to take a look, the tree fell over. I realized there were too many branches near the base so she got me some garden shears to cut them away. I tightened the bolts in a second time, having them puncture the trunk in a new spot. This time the tree stood its ground.

Using a ladder, I climbed up into the attic space above the garage where the Christmas lights and ornaments are stored in moving boxes. We unpacked the boxes in the kitchen, looking first for the lights. Foot long strands of green wire and tiny colorful incandescent bulbs fell out on the floor. Something was wrong. I neatly wind the Christmas lights around a red hanger but they were falling away in pieces. We discovered rats had chewed through the wires. I started throwing away the wires that had been chewed through. I tested the few strands remaining and only the last one partially lit up. I lay it out on the floor and plugged it in. Only half the strand was lit. I started replacing bulbs one at a time trying to revive the lights. Those little suckers are hard to take out. After a dozen bulb tests, I gave up, pronouncing the final strand DOA.

We went to a Walgreen's and got 3 boxes of the old fashioned larger bulbs. These are the types of bulbs I grew up with. I was in charge of putting the lights on the tree. When I was done, I settled back and sketched while Terry put up the ornaments. Amanda Chadwick stopped over with Baxter, her adorable, but skittish Dachshund. It took Baxter quite a while to notice Zorro, our cockatoo on his perch. When he did notice him, his ears bristled and his eyes grew wide as he thought, "Toy!" We were short on ornaments and I had to crawl back up in the attic to recover a box that had been moved by workmen running cables up there. Inside was a treasure trove of old ornaments. Terry would hold each one up and announce, "Oh, look at this one! Oooh!" Amanda napped on the couch with Baxter. We had plenty of Marti Gras beads that came back with us from New Orleans and the Gay Pride Parade. Amanda twisted the beads creating wonderful little stars. She showed me how to do it and together we created dozens of stars. Matt Simantov checked in from Seattle via Skype.

I warmed up a bottle of German mulled wine which was sweet and delicious. When the tree was fully decorated, we ordered a pizza and basked in its warm glow while listening to world beat music.

2nd Annual Holiday Benefit Concert

2011-12-24T01:00:00.011-05:00

The Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra performed a Holiday Concert in the Lake Eola Band Shell. The primary purpose of the FSYO is education. All programs reflect a commitment to provide young musicians with the opportunity to strengthen their musical talents and develop an appreciation of the arts through classical music.The first orchestra to perform was the Prelude Orchestra. A cow in a Santa suit got on the conductors podium as the children warmed up. The cow wasn't a conductor at all! He was a mascot for Chick Fill-a promoting the mass murdering of chickens as apposed to cows. For the rest of the concert he remained on the sidelines, occasionally throwing cow T-shirts into the audience. Beth Marshall once told me that Chick Fill-a company policy does not recognize, and opposes same sex couples so I stopped eating there.

The first few pieces by the Symphony were embarrassingly bad yet there were enough parents in the audience to offer thunderous applause anyway. I was seated in the front row at stage right. I started sketching chairs to block in the sketch figuring I would fill them with children when they got on stage. Unfortunately the first orchestra only filled a few seats. The next orchestra was filled with slightly older children and the music started to feel more unified. A special guest was announced and Santa Conducted the orchestra. Audience members brought new gifts and donations for the Salvation Army's Angel Tree Program. The concert will air Christmas morning at 6am on WMKG-TV Local 6.

Moving a Tree

2011-12-23T01:00:00.003-05:00

Moving a Tree was a performance art piece staged in a courtyard in front of the SCOPE tent at Art Basel in Miami Beach. There were a few couches set up in the gavel courtyard for an audience. I sat on a comfy cushion to sketch as everyone else explored the art inside.

This is what the artist, Avery Lawrence, had to say about "Moving a Tree."
"For the last five years, my family and I watched as dementia overcame my grandfather. The act of witnessing and attempting to slow down his decay brought us together. He died in January. In the 'Moving a Tree' film, installation and performance, I explore the process of creating an homage that honors his life, his passing, and the relationship he forged with my grandmother over sixty years of marriage."

"There was a dying walnut tree on my grandparents property in Central Virginia. Through the process of moving it, I created a physical struggle that enabled me to contemplate my grandparents efforts to create a whole loving family and maintain their own compassionate relationship. The characters I portray in 'Moving a Tree' represent my grandmother and grandfather, and the installation recreates my idea of their home."

I assumed the artist would be doing the performance piece non-stop. As soon as I started sketching, he stepped off and disappeared. Where was the struggle, the inner turmoil and endless contemplation? I blocked in the treadmill and all the background elements, then I went inside the tent to see some art. When I returned, he still wasn't there but I had faith that my struggle to complete the sketch would be fulfilled. As I was applying washes, he did return and I quickly sketched him in, knowing he might disappear at a moments notice.

The SCOPE tent had some of the most inspiring art I saw that weekend. I found the work of Karim Hamid and I took my time exploring his work. Karim is an excellent draftsman whose work is part collage and part expressive oil paintings. He fragments and partly abstracts the human face and form. I saw his work last year at Art Basel and this year the colors were a bit more garish.

Sound Scape Park

2011-12-22T01:00:00.006-05:00

After a solid day of viewing art at Art Basel, our group decided to meet up at Sound Scape Park, just a block from the Convention Center. Mark Baratelli and I arrived first. Videos were going to be projected on the side of the New World Center which is a performance space for the New World Symphony. The palm trees in the park were all fitted with speakers for a surround sound experience. I started sketching near the projection booth at the back of the lawn. Orange and purple been bags were scattered all over the lawn for people to lounge in. Mark and I gathered three been bags for our group. Mark was thirsty so he walked to Washington Avenue in search of sodas. I was left to guard the bean bags as I sketched.

Every few minutes people would interrupt me asking how much it cost to rent the bean bags. I guess, since I was seated next to a group of bean bags they assumed I was in charge. I would explain that seating was free. They would then reach for the bags next to me and I had to explain I was saving them. One guy grabbed one and said, "You aren't going to miss just one." It wasn't worth getting in a fist fight over a damn bag. They would have to make due. I decided it was easier to say "The bean bag chairs are $50 to rent" any time someone approached. Finally Terry and our friends arrived. They all squeezed together on the remaining bean bags, joking and snuggling.

The video I sketched was called, "I'm not much, but I'm all I think about", by Marilyn Minter. Dimensional sculpted "ME" kept falling into a viscous fluid which splashed and then enveloped the letters in slow motion. I would have to guess that it was a film about narcissism. The next film was called, "God bless America" by Martha Rosier and it featured a woman saluting who struggle to pull the saluting hand away from her face.

After the screening, Derrek Hewitt rushed off to get the car in a parking garage. Terry, Mark and I lost his group on the way. Mark and I quickly walked through an abandoned store front that was full of stitched art. Female nudes were outlined with stitching on large six or seven foot canvas sheets. Two girls sat on the floor stitching. "Great sketch opportunity", I thought but we had to find the group. After phone calls and texts, Mark and I piled into the car and we were all off to find a restaurant.

Art Basel Video Kiosks

2011-12-21T01:00:00.009-05:00

The sheer volume of artwork to be seen in the convention center is mind boggling. These large video kiosks build out of plywood were constantly occupied not only by people curious to see the videos, but by people just looking for a chance to rest their feet. I sat on my portable artist's bench and started sketching. The video pods were playing 22 films selected by Artprojx and they played on a continuous loop. I watched one for a short while. It was a black and white film that showed a Marlyn Monroe look alike as she wandered aimlessly in a deserted city lot. I lost interest quickly and moved on.

In the background of the sketch is a black sculpture hanging by a chain from the ceiling joists. It is "Untitled #1176" by Petah Coyne made between 2007 and 2010. The piece consisted of a chandelier which was covered with taxidermy birds, candles silk flowers, hair pins, felt, thread and Velcro. I don't know where someone would want to hang the thing.

I walked around with Mark Baratelli for a while and we came to the conclusion that this was the year of broken mirrors and hair. Just as we agreed on this, we came across four woman's wigs framed on the wall. One small piece mounted inside a clear plexiglass box looked like a bar of soap carved out of a piece of wood. Mark read the plaque and discovered that the wood grain was actually a long strand of pubic hair. He enjoyed explaining the piece to two women who wandered by.

One artists work did capture my imagination. There were large plexiglass dioramas mounted on the wall. One diorama depicted a giant swirl in the ocean with two tall ships getting sucked into the "Maelstrom" by Mondongo. The colors were small strips of Plasticine. It reminded me of a 3D version of a Van Gogh. I loved how the work danced a fine line between painting and sculpture.

We went to the Wynwood Arts District in the evening to check out the vibrant galleries and graffiti art. We went to an Absolute Party, sipping Coconut Vodka while listening to musicians performing in front of a shipping storage container. Art covered every imaginable surface. The whole neighborhood was a riot of sound and color. A sketchers dream, but I was being escorted on a lightning tour of the neighborhood. We stopped in an empty lot full of food trucks. I suspect the neighborhood would be partying all night but it was time to crash.

Art Basel Miami

2011-12-20T01:00:00.008-05:00

Terry, Mark Baratelli and I drove down to Miami to see Art Basel. Basel is a city in Switzerland where art galleries from around the world gather to show their art. This was the tenth year that the art exhibition has taken place in Miami as well. Terry's friend Elaine Pasekoff was gracious enough to let us stay in one of her South Beach Condos. When we arrived in the late afternoon we all relaxed and read the Miami Herald entertainment section to get an idea of what we might like to see. Art Basel is centered in the convention center but also has satellite tents and exhibitions all over town. It is impossible to see everything.

I was intrigued by a performance piece by Glenn Kaino. In a park near the convention center he was asking people to help him levitate a 20 by 20 foot platform with a representation of the 1934 Worlds Fair perched on top. Called "Levitating the Fair", it was to be held up for the entire four day duration of the Art Basel. Derek Hewitt dropped Mark Baratelli and myself off in the park. As Mark photographed desert food bikes, I searched for a crowd holding up the Worlds Fair. I never found it. I did see the platform but it didn't appear to be levitating. Perhaps everyone was on a bathroom break.

Star Wars paratroopers were guarding the balconies of an apartment complex across the street from the park. Picasso held a house painting brush loaded up with bright pink paint. "Love is the answer" billowed in the ocean breeze. A huge Mr. Potato Head had a green Swiss alps hat on and for some reason he was pleased to be holding a squeeze bottle of ketchup. "Brainwash" was printed above the doorway. After I finished my sketch, I hiked over to the convention center. The art marathon had begun.

DRIP Dance on International Drive

2011-12-19T01:00:00.001-05:00

Drip dance is renting a new performance space on International Drive (8747 International Drive, Orlando). I had some trouble finding the entrance. You actually enter the space via a loading dock behind a Denny's restaurant. Jessica Mariko, the dance company's founder, wants to keep the feeling that you are entering an independent, alternative venue off the main drag. Signage will help guide people back. The space is raw and unfinished, a blank canvas waiting to fulfill it's creative potential. Large plastic sheets were taped to the walls and floor in a far corner where dancers would later be photographed along with flying pigments. The space used to be an indoor miniature golf course. Large rolls of artificial grass were arranged around a square in the center of the cavernous space. About twenty volunteers sat down for an informal meeting. There was beer and snacks for the people helping make this dream a reality.

Jessica outlined Drips mission statement for the new people coming on board. "DRIP combines performing arts and visual arts to create compelling sensory-stimulated experiences that excite and move audiences. We believe everyone has the potential to succeed at whatever they desire. DRIP provides a supportive environment that encourages participants to continually develop themselves while doing things they are passionate about. We aim to become a worldwide household name that is know for innovative, captivating and stimulating entertainment." Jessica said that she is building the business plan based on shows like Circque Du Soleil and Blue Man Group. David Traver who composed the music for the new DRIP show actually works for Blue Man Group.

DRIP's opening show in the new venue will offer a "wet, raw, sexy rock 'n roll experience, that stimulates many senses. The show includes dance, acting, live music, visual art installations and a powerful story. A variety of alcoholic beverages and merchandise will also be sold at the venue." The bar is one element that is taking form fast. Jessica wants to have an urban dive bar that serves colored beers. Brian Sikorsky is in charge of trying to make that happen. Big beer companies are reluctant to have organic coloring added to the beer since taste is the top priority. Every option is being considered to make the colored beer bar a working reality.

Dancers are still needed to fill out the core group. A ramp has to be built up to the loading dock entrance, permits need to be filed, and the bar completed, all within a month's time. An explosion of volunteer creative effort is going into making DRIP an alternative hit on International Drive.

Little Shop of Horrors

2011-12-18T01:00:00.002-05:00

Director John DiDonna staged a lively production of Little Shop of Horrors at the Annie Russell Theater in Rollins College. I love the Annie Russell's fabulous Baroque architectural touches. As the audience filled in, several bums lounged on the stage, occasionally shifting positions to get comfortable. I've always loved the music from this play. I used to blast it while I painted in NYC. I always hoped that someday I'd live somewhere that's green.

Audrey, the plant, was four different sized in the production. I ended up drawing the third largest version. When Audrey was at his largest, he filled the little shop. John took me back stage after the show to see the inner workings of the puppets. A puppeteer had to get inside the plant and bend at the waist to get the plant to talk. I must have been physically exhausting.

On stage right a chair was draped and hidden with fabric. It turned out this was the dentists chair. Today I went to the dentist and discovered I needed four wisdom teeth pulled. I was given Nitrous gas and told to relax. Old x-rays from eight years ago turned out to be from another patient mixed in with my own. As new x-rays were taken the tech told me they were short staffed. An assistant disappeared because of a family emergency. As the dentist worked on my teeth, he kept coaching the assistant so she wasn't in his way as he worked. It seemed like this was her first time applying suction. I suspect she was usually in the reception area but she was excited to learn.

The bright light in my eyes, I saw a large needle and felt a sharp burning sensation in my gums and in my cheeks. I flinched and the doc apologized. He kept the needle in and kept vibrating it pushing hard. He repeated the process on all four quadrants of my gums. The worst pain happened when he stabbed the roof of my mouth. I was fitted with a bright orange clowns nose with two hoses for the gas. My head swam and my legs relaxed. Some sort of wedge was inserted inside my mouth to keep it open.

Before he began, he advised me to take an extra deep inhale of the nitrous. I heard his stomach gurgle. The dentist started prying at my back wisdom tooth and he pushed hard under the roots. I heard a crunching noise, like a tree branch breaking and I felt the tooth give way. For an eternity he continued to pry. There was cracking and crunching as he broke the teeth free. Giant hands and tools invaded my field of vision. "I should be sketching" I thought. When he was done he patted me on the shoulder and said, "Time flies when you're having fun, kind of makes you wish you could have them all out." He loved his work.

I was left reclined in the seat to recover. My whole mouth was numb and I realized I couldn't swallow. My throat felt like it was constricting. I started to panic. I heard shoes ringing on the tile as assistants and dentists rushed from station to station. Would they notice if I stopped breathing? I gasped for air through my mouth and struggled to relax. When I was finally seated upright and the orange nose removed, I breathed a deep sigh of relief. A simple trip to the dentist for a deep cleaning turned into an unexpected horror.

Orlando Holiday Pops Concert

2011-12-17T01:00:00.001-05:00

The Orlando Philharmonic performed a free Holiday Pops concert in Winter Park's Central Park. The lawn in front of the band shell was crowded with families with blankets and lawn chairs. In order to sketch the stage up close I sat next to the stage with a few others. The sun was setting so I made sure to sit in the shadow of a tree. Within a half an hour the sun shot out below the canopy of the band shell. I was blinded every time I looked at the performers. I shifted my attention to the audience in the grass.

Children scampered around playing tag. A young boy was seated against a tree and he was startled when a frantic squirrel charged at him through the crowd. At the last second the squirrel saw the boy and changed course to leap up another tree trunk. The music was your standard holiday fair. A youth chorus and an adult chorus joined the orchestra. Chorus members lounged on the band shell steps waiting to go on stage. Two tiered bleachers were set up on stage left for the chorus.

Of course all the upscale stores on Park Avenue were open to attract the Holiday hoard after the concert. Let the shopping season begin.

Puppets for Harbor House

2011-12-16T01:00:00.008-05:00

The Michelee Puppets Studio hosted volunteers from Bank of America and Merrill Lynch to create sock puppets for the children of Harbor House which is a safe haven for women and children who are victims of domestic violence. Jodie Hardman who organized this volunteer effort arrived with a stack of red volunteer T-Shirts. Tracy Conner the executive director of Michelee Puppets welcomed me warmly. I had met her once before at a United Arts award ceremony where she won an award for her work in the community.

Michelee puppets teach children to respect themselves and others, basically encouraging them to be good human beings. A recent production called "Little Heros" teaches violence prevention and ways to be safe. It teaches where children can go for help. Bullying is taught to be unacceptable. Cyber bullying is apparently rampant now among children. Children are taught that words do hurt.

Volunteers provided the new colorful socks and Michelee provided sequins, googly eyes, yarn fabrics and hot glue guns. Everyone worked with focused concentration like busy holiday elves. Jody was proud of the long Pippy Long Stocking braids she had on her puppet. There was a fun playful spirit to the event. When Jodi placed the puppet on her hand she became the character. She whipped the puppets head side to side enjoying the flowing braids. The kids laughed, their guards down. Each person made about two puppets. Everyone posed for a group photo.

On Friday all the sock puppets created, and about a dozen mini Christmas trees, will be donated to moms and children at Harbor House.

The Goonies

2011-12-15T01:00:00.004-05:00

Denna Beena invited friend over to celebrate her fiance, Travis Fillmen's birthday. It was an evening potluck and barbeque. As soon as Terry and I arrived, it began to rain and everyone ran up the wooden steps to the second floor apartment. The first thing I saw entering the apartment was a sinister life like baby with blood stained teeth. I had seen similar babies at Spirit Halloween. Travis was at the stove preparing some deep fried pickles. I had never tasted a deep fried pickle before and now I'm a huge fan. Many of the people at the party were comedians from the SAK comedy lab.

The grill outside was kept going an soon there were hotdogs and hamburgers for everyone. There were cupcake sized cheese cakes that were to die for. Terry and Wendy Wallenburg sat together on the couch looking at shoes and other accessories on Wendy's phone.

The highlight of the evening was an out door screening of "The Goonies". The movie was a silly and fun Spielburg kids adventure. Travis had purchased a huge wide screen TV but discovered that it was impossible to get up the stairs to the apartment. The TV now lives in the garage and is rolled out for outdoor screenings. Perhaps a dozen people sat in a semi circle of camping chairs watching the movie. A cage was suspended from a tree above them with skeletal remains inside. Candle light and a string of Christmas lights offered the only illumination. I created my own second row so I could sketch.

The Diviners

2011-12-14T01:00:00.005-05:00

Beth Marshall Presents brought this Depression Era story set in the dust bowl to the Garden Theatre (160 West Plant Street, Winter Garden). Directed by Aradhana Tiwari, opening scene set the stage full of movement as townspeople went about their daily routines. A windmill stood in stark silhouette and Buddy Layman played by CK Anderson gasped awake. Walking down a dirt road was C.C. Showers played by Michael Marinaccio. C.C was a former priest running from his fathers calling. He found work with the Layman family.

Buddy Layman was a high spirited, somewhat retarded boy who referred to himself in the third person. He had a gift for divining where there was water. He used a tree branch to search as farmers followed with eager anticipation. He had a natural gift. He could feel a storms approach on a clear day. It became clear in time that the boy feared water because he once almost drowned. His mother died in that incident and Buddy was unable to accept that she would never return. Buddy and C.C. developed a bond, a brotherly friendship. Buddy's fear of water was so severe that he would bolt at the sight of a bucket. He feared he could not breath when it rained. He never washed, and that became a problem cause he constantly had itchy feet.

The cast did an amazing job with thick accents and rural mannerisms. I was particularly taken with Marinaccio's performance. When he demonstrated his father's preaching, he became bigger than life, bombastic and powerful. What he yearned for however was a simpler life away from the priesthood. But once townsfolk discovered his past calling, they wouldn't let him be. He was asked to say grace before meals and anytime he was seen with Buddy, they thought he was saving the boys spirit and that he could cure Buddy's fear of water. This conflict between too much and too little faith is what caused a tragic oversight.

The final scene of the play was beautiful and tragic. The stage was illuminated from below with a green flickering light. C.C. had lost Buddy in the river. They moved under the water and the theatre filled with the muffled sounds of bubbles and rushing water. When they burst up for air, the light burst warmly on and the watery audio stopped. When then slipped back under, the world flickered green and muffled again. They struggled against the current. Townspeople moved in horrified slow motion.

The play ended as it began, a full circle, with townspeople going about their business and then Basil, the town farmer, and Dewey, a farm hand, gave a eulogy. The weight of their words had new meaning. Amazing Grace filled the dark theater. The Diviners will run December 15 -18th. Performances are on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8pm , and Sundays at 2pm.

Harmonious Universe

2011-12-13T01:00:00.004-05:00

In the beer garden behind the Social Chameleon, the DJ Mo'Negro, had a portable mixing board perched open before him. His hand rested on the earphones as he mixed the music.A young woman painted several small automobiles and then spelled out, "Bank" in bright red paint. A dollar sign was added by another gentleman later in the evening. My favorite part of the mural is a gnarly black and white stripped tree which looks like it could grow and take over the wall. A young woman with curly blond hair knelled before it and I thought she might be the creator returning to let the tree stretch it's limbs and grow. Unfortunately she just added a small detail next to the roots.

Todd Morgan got up on a short ladder to work up high. His wife Laura was going to paint, but when she was coached, she decided to sit it out. The creative impulse is so easy to break. Markus Adkins made bold large changes to the mural. He added a huge bold area of red above the large face of a woman. He liked adding paint with a squirt bottle letting it drip down. In spots the mortar of the block wall was accentuated with dark paint. The wall was compartmentalized yet in spots it began to pull together as a whole. A few more drinks and many more brush strokes and who knows where it will go. Work will continue on the mural on the evening of December 17th. Get out there and make your mark, everyone is welcome. "Be it, share it."

Milk Bar Beer Garden Mural

2011-12-12T01:00:00.011-05:00

It had been a while since I went to the Social Chameleon. The inside of the place has been changed drastically with a large bar added. It is now an extension of the Milk Bar. I ordered a beer to sip while I worked.The front room was expanded into what used to be the kitchen. Harmonious Universe owners, Todd Morgan and Rodney McPherson, were out back getting paint ready and setting up. This wasn't the first time the mural had been worked on, it was already covered with images. Laura Morgan and Todd were just recently married and I let her know that Terry and I just celebrated our 20th anniversary. She asked advice on how to make it last, and the only thing that popped into my head was "compromise." I'm a man of few words when I'm sketching.

Artist Frankie Messina shook my hand and I later saw Pam Treadwell. I didn't notice them working on the mural. High on the mural were some roses which I believe had been painted by Libby Rosenthal.

Artists slowly trickled in during the night. A photographer had his digital camera set up to take a shot every five seconds to create a time lapse view of the murals progress. A couple sat at the table I was seated at. Trevor and Nikki Divine told me that on New Year's eve they plan to have a painting party with 60 artists in attendance. I definitely need to sketch that. They both recently had given up full time corporate jobs to peruse their art. At one artist's gathering, Trevor was told he was more expressive and painted better when he used his fingers. Now he is strictly a finger painter. It turns out I had sketched Trevor and Nikki once before at the Cameo. I need to find that sketch and post it.

When a spot opened up on the wall, Trevor and Nikki painted side by side. Trevor painted a Buddha-like face and Nikki a delicate spiraling symbol. With so many artists looking to add their mark, there is the possibility that their contribution might get covered up as the mural evolves. A young woman arrived with a tall ladder. She braced it against the wall and moved some pebbles to give it a sure footing. With a bold magic marker she drew a robotic looking face and torso of a beautiful woman with her inner tubes and pistons exposed. Her boyfriend held the ladder like a gentleman. She worked with quick deliberateness. Then just as quickly as she had appeared, she was gone.

Later as I was packing up to go home, Rodney looked at the sketch and said, "I'm glad you caught her. She came out of nowhere, like Bat Girl!" We laughed. "She had some mad skills" he added.

Post script:
The artist scaling the ladder was Morgan Wilson. I had seen her work one other time when Sam Flax was having artists paint murals on the side of the new store.

Faith Arts Village

2011-12-11T01:00:00.007-05:00

Faith Arts Village ( 221 East Colonial Drive) is a ministry of Park Lake Presbyterian Church that provides a place where the faith community and local artists can work together to share their gifts of inspiration, beauty, and spiritual expression to promote peace, understanding, and well-being in the larger community. As a 'village' it will emphasize the activity and integration of many constituents: local artists, church members, community patrons, schools, and civic groups. Faith Arts Village Orlando may include:

* Studio space for artists
* Green and exhibit space for community gatherings
* Meeting and classroom space
* Gallery space
* Open air markets
* Outdoor performance space
* Cafe space for refreshments
* Possible future residential space for designated guests
* Teaching art as an expression of faith

When I arrived it was dusk and the old motel loomed dark before me. Its dark iron gates made it resemble the Bates motel. I heard music however and then the hum of a food trucks gas generator. In the parking lot behind the motel there were folding tables and chairs set up. The ground floor motel rooms glowed warmly. I walked into the various rooms to inspect the arts and crafts. I spoke with one artist and she told me that rent for one of these studio spaces would be $300 a month. Considering she wasn't selling much work, that price would be too steep for her. Donations were accepted for Second Harvest Food Bank.

At work Larry Loria told me about the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria Virginia. There, an old factory was converted into artists studios. Artists were only charged $50 a month, so they only needed to sell one piece of art to cover the rent. That project revitalized the historic district and now it is an expensive and exclusive neighborhood. I wondered if Faith Arts Village could do the same thing. It is located just a few blocks away from an intersection where I always see people with cardboard signs begging for money from cars at the stop light.

In another room, Mary Hill was helping children paint picture frames with bright tempera paint. I love watching kids paint. They have no preconceptions and they work with raw abandon. Mary rushed to fill cups with paint. One boy asked for gold and she was pleased to find she actually had gold paint. I leaned forward and dipped my brush into some of the bright pink paint. A little blond girl looked at me with a touch of anger, her lips pouting. "Mine!" she said. He mom coached her that it was polite to share. Will Benton, the executive director of the village welcomed me warmly. He asked me to paint something on his T-Shirt. An infinity symbol was already pairted, so I added a fish symbol with a single brush stroke.

The Village seemed to have more of a flavor of a family friendly crafts fair rather than a serious place to create art. But of course that might change as the place grows and as artists start using the studios. The motel is still being refurbished and all the artists were only there for the duration of the event that night. This could be the seed of something Orlando desperately needs, a true arts district. The event was part of the monthly "Third Thursdays" downtown gallery hop but the motel is so far from downtown that it was invariably isolated from that event. As I left, a father asked if I would show his son a sketchbook. The boy was delighted flipping the pages like he was devouring a comic book. A new urban sketcher might have been born that night.

Gay Pride 2.0

2011-12-10T01:00:00.004-05:00

The Gay Pride Parade had been rained out a month ago, so this was a second attempt to celebrate tolerance, equality, and diversity in the City Beautiful. I went down to Lake Eola to sketch the preparations for the Gay Pride Parade and Terry came down when the sketch was done. I parked on Cathcart Avenue a fair distance from the celebration. Walking down Cathcart I ran across these Wells Fargo horses and knew I had to sketch. The old stage coach was just being lowered out of the 18 wheeler when I arrived. Then the horses were walked out and they happily munched on the grass. Every yellow wooden spoke on the wheels was polished by a cowboy. Music began to pulse behind me and I texted Terry to let her know I was done with the sketch.

A young girl help a half inflated balloon on her chest and she squeezed it saying, "My booby balloon is sad." Rainbow colors were splashed everywhere. There was a phalanx of scooters with pink ribbons tied to the handle bars. Macy's had a giant red star in the parade, just like they have in the Thanksgiving parade in NYC. Disney was out in force with voluntEARS helping, and rainbow Mickey Mouse bobs being thrown out to the crowd.

With a series of texts, I found Terry and we found a spot curbside to watch the parade. Churches were out in force in the parade. The First Unitarian pointed out that this is what Jesus had to say about homosexuality, "Zip. Zilch. Nada." What he did promote was justice, equality and compassion. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence marched by with their colorful makeup and habits billowing in the breeze. People shouted "Hey hey, ho ho, Homophobia has to go!

Candy and bead necklaces were thrown into the crowd. Terry did an amazing job of catching most of the loot. She caught some condoms. I saved all the fliers, sure that they offered hints to future sketching opportunities. Tiny beach balls bounced into the crowd. A Labrador retriever across from us bit a beach ball and ripped it apart. Loud motorcycles roared by. Eliot and Fern rode together in a convertible. They have been together 48 years.

Thanksgiving

2011-12-09T01:00:00.004-05:00

For Thanksgiving, Terry and I drove down to Port Charlotte to visit my sister Pat Boehme. The two hour drive was surprisingly care free. Terry slept most of the way down as I drove. We were surprised we didn't hit traffic around Disney or near Tampa. Zorro, our umbrella cockatoo, made the trip as well, hanging upside down from the bars in his travel cage most of the way. When we arrived, Pat told us that the turkey was ready. She had prepared a delicious traditional feast. I love those crunchy bits she puts on top of the green beans. After several servings of turkey and stuffing, we all started to slow down.

I did dishes while Mike Napolitano showed Terry some of the new plants in the backyard. Then we all retired to the living room. Mike watched football games on TV. Terry reclined on the couch opposite me and drifted off in a tryptophan induced sleep. Zorro was happy as he could be perched on her knee.

The road Pat and Mike live on is going to soon be expanded with a traffic circle added to the corner they live on. When all the construction is done, their little slice of tropical paradise will have been decimated. Most of their side and front yard will be gone and the drainage ditch will be right next to the house like a medieval mote. They are afraid that the homes foundation might be compromised. They had hoped the town or county might buy the property so they could afford to move, but no offer has been made. An Orlando lawyer is now involved on the case.

2D Animation

2011-12-08T01:00:00.003-05:00

Last month we had a husband and wife learning animation together in the front row. They gave their all and produced some stunning animation. In general the whole class was full of aspiring animators and there was friendly competition to come up with original and inspired ideas. I'm starting to get used to drawing on the tablet. I just need to put the lines down quicker letting them slide over the glass. With my water color sketches, I have a very limited palette. Suddenly on the tablet I have millions of color choices. That alone causes me to slow down.

I am now at Art Basel Miami Beach and I realize that I can't yet scan the drawings I have been doing. I just searched the hard drive to pull up this digital sketch. I'm considering bringing the tablet out to sketch today. We were walking all day yesterday from 11am to well past midnight and I know I only saw a fraction of the art. I don't like the notion of carrying it around after the battery dies however. A sketchbook that dies after several sketches is a pain. Yesterday I did four sketches. The tablet would die after two sketches.

Storytelling Drawings

2011-12-07T01:00:00.006-05:00

In the 2D Animation Lab at Full Sail, students returning from the lunch break are asked to do a storytelling drawing. They are given a theme and asked to do some thumbnail drawings and pick one idea to execute. The drawings aren't supposed to be highly rendered works of art, but rather simple, playful ideas. Sample suggestions include, standing in line, waiting for an elevator and moving something heavy. At the end of the 10 classes there are six or seven examples from each student and the best three are graded.

Pirates of the Caribbean had just come out in movie theaters. Larry Lauria came up with a new theme called "Pie Rats of the Caribbean." Dan Riebold likes to tackle each storytelling himself on the white board. His whimsical sketches help inspire and challenge the students. Often there is a movie screen which he works behind like the Wizard in the "Wizard of Oz." Dan was drawing a rat which had just been punched by a slice of pie. The vicious pie had not been sketched yet. Larry likes to do small sketches as well. When the students were finished, they were asked to tape it up on the white board. Of the ten to twenty students it is always fun to see all the different ideas that students generate.

Britt Daley Music Video Released!

2011-12-06T01:00:00.003-05:00

I did a series of sketches the day Britt Daley's music video was being shot in the Orlando Repertory Theater. Since that day, Scott Wilkins, the writer and director, has been working feverishly at an editing bay to polish the final cut. This video was shot gorilla style in one day featured the talents of some amazing local performers who volunteered to create some fun lighthearted magic.

Britt invited cast and crew to her parents home for a special advanced screening. People brought side dishes and Britt's dad lit the grill for a barbecue. Terry and I arrived first and Britt showed us her private recording space in a room beside the garage. As more people arrived, they hung around the kitchen counter before retiring to the screened in porch. Scott arrived later and when he tried plugging in the hard drive, it didn't work. It was assumed that the adapter on the hard drive was broken so he rushed out to see if he could find a replacement at a Radio Shack.

The food was served, and periodically Britt got a call from Scott who was having no luck finding an adapter. He eventually returned, annoyed and defeated. After dinner Britt pulled out her laptop which had a very early edit. Scott explained how he intended to multiply shots and he was embarrassed that a more polished edit wasn't available. We also watched a blooper reel with silly outtakes. There was plenty of laughter. The next week it was discovered that a breaker had burnt out in the Daley residence. The adapter was fine, they just needed to find a working wall outlet.

Now all the blood sweat and tears has paid off as the final edit is now going viral on You Tube. Enjoy the latest from Orlando's own electro-pop goddess!

The Drop Cloth

2011-12-05T01:00:00.004-05:00

A refreshing breeze blew through the barn. A drop cloth was nailed to the rafters. The steam rising from the boiling cauldron full of sugar cane juice, had to be protected. They didn't want it to cool too quickly. There were Krispy Cream donuts on the table. It's a shame I wasn't hungry. The man seated next to me was a virtuoso with a fly swatter. He killed every fly that landed anywhere near him. I feared that if a fly landed on my sketch, he would react, and with a flick of the wrist, leave a bloody mess on the sketch. I occasionally waved a fly away from my face. Glass cups and boxes were repositioned on the table to widen the killing field.

I was offered some boiled peanuts which I never tried before. They were wet, salty and delicious. The next time I see a boiled peanut stand on the side of the road, I am stopping. Orange County Sheriff Justin Barley drove up in his patrol car. He introduced himself to everyone in the room and then there was a lively conversation about petty crimes in the area. More sheriffs arrived. I think they came for the food.

Patrick Greene's mom started putting out a lunchtime spread. There was a mound of crispy fried fish, the tails still intact. There were cornbread nuggets also fried, and a beef stew that was thick with Lima beans, thick cuts of meat, and an oily sheen. I waited till all the helpers had served themselves and then I tried a little of everything. I kept sketching as I ate. A hound dog curled up on a rusty bed spring behind me. Chickens were clucking in a coup. Distracted, I mistook their clucks for the sounds of children in a playground.

Several of the men started checking out the sketch. The fellow with the grizzly black beard asked, "How long you been in Florida?" I knew where this line of questioning was leading. I said, "Over twenty years", perhaps stretching the truth a bit. "Well," he said, "Not a bad sketch considering you're a Yankee." The man across from me commiserated. "I've been here 49 years and they still consider me a Yankee!" We laughed.

When I had to leave to get to class, I shook the hand of Patrick's step dad. I hadn't been introduced yet, but I suspected that this stoic man was in charge. His face glistened as he stood beside the cauldron, the steam wafting in front of his face. Patrick explained that the steam from the cane syrup actually leaves a sweet crust over everything it touches. A rural Midas Touch.

AADW 2012 Events Calendar

2011-12-04T22:46:00.018-05:00

Buy Now

This calender is only available through pre-order and at special events.

From Julie Norris on behalf of OurLando,

Ourlando had a brilliant idea that I think you will be interested in partnering with as a fundraiser for your organization. We took Thomas Thorspecken's brilliant sketches of Orlando area arts & culture events, and used them to create a MUCH needed 2012 Event Calendar. Plus we made it a fundraiser for area organizations with a custom cover = the local arts lover dream gift that gives back to great independent organizations and supports Thor's work!
We just put the final touches on the the project and are planning to go live with pre-orders as early as this Monday (12/5/11). I wanted AADW readers to be one of the first to see the partnership opportunities to either get your event listed and or have a custom cover.

If you know of a local arts organization who could benefit from this fundraiser, then please have them take a thorough look at this partner's page, and then fill out this form to reserve a space. Since we are working on such a tight holiday deadline, the sooner the better for this information to be returned to us. We will let you know as soon as your partner info is updated on the online store so you can send an email blast to your list to fulfill pre-orders.

Please note, this is produced as an Ourlando publication and we are asking that all partners become a member of Ourlando and join with us in support of local & independent efforts (if you aren't already). Please sign up online now if you can, otherwise we just need your commitment that you will join and we can deduct your membership fee from your donation when we pay it out in January.

We know that this is a tight turnaround, but we just came up with this idea mid-November and are so passionate about Thor's work and promoting all the local goodness we just couldn't wait until next year to do it. This is a volunteer undertaking by myself and Emily Rankin on behalf of Ourlando and in support of Thor. I will be handling the design and website and Emily will probably be communicating with you about this moving forward.

Thanks for all you do to co-create a better Ourlando and have a fabulous day!

Julie Norris
Consultant, Writer, Adventurer & Ecopreneur
http://julienorris.wordpress.com
Dandelion Communitea Cafe, Co-Proprietor
Front Porch Radio, On Air Host
Gaia Mama, Holistic Blogger
"Be the change you wish to see." Mahatma Gandhi

Boiling the Cane

2011-12-04T01:00:00.004-05:00

Patrick Greene told me about his family's tradition of harvesting and boiling cane in late November. I got up at the crack of dawn and drove east through downtown. There was a violent panic to the traffic as people rushed to their jobs in the city. I drove till the East West Expressway ended and then continued east. I missed the farm's driveway on my first pass. I turned around in the parking lot to a natural preserve. I wasn't sure how far to drive down the dirt road, so I followed it back to a barn. When I got out of my truck a hound dog let out a hollow howl. He was harmless, he came up and sniffed my hand.

A dozen men, many with cowboy hats, sat around several tables swatting flies. I asked for Patrick and they directed me back to the house at the road. I drove back. Patrick greeted me at the front door. His mother was in the living room and she apologized for the mess although everything looked in it's place to me. She is an artist herself and she pointed to several rendered pencil drawings that she had done. They were framed and looked good against the dark wood paneling.

Patrick walked back to the barn with me and introduced me around as "the artist." The cane had already been harvested. Then joked that we should have gotten up much earlier to help with that. The cane was crushed by a mechanical crusher and the sweet liquid was gathered. My sister Pat Boehme had some cane growing in her yard in Port Charlotte. I asked to cut a stalk so I could see how it tasted raw. I cut out the soft inner pulp and chewed on it. Raw cane is delicious but once the initial burst of flavor passed, I had to spit out the chewed pulp. A neighbor said that as a child, he was given raw cane as a treat instead of candy.

Back in the barn a large cauldron full of cane juice was boiling. Thirteen rows of cane were not harvested since they had plenty of cane juice for the boil. The heat was intense and the steam rose. Several men were always on hand to skim the surface removing the debris and thin film that rose to the surface. All morning the furnace blazed. An inner metal cylinder was placed inside the cauldron and mesh was wadded up and inserted around the edge to soak up more of the film. A breeze began wafting the steam away. Several men tacked up a green drop cloth to block the breeze. It seemed the steam needed to linger and rise straight up for the boil to be most effective. By the end of the day all that would be left was a thick syrup which the women would bottle. This is a true old Florida tradition, a look at an art form that is fading away in our fast paced times.

Gratitude Bonfire

2011-12-03T01:00:00.001-05:00

Julie Norris opened her home on a cool crisp evening for a front porch party. Terry and I arrived in separate cars after a farewell reading at the Kerouac house. There was a wide assortment of whole fresh foods on the porch. Julie is helping me assemble a 2012 Calendar, so I handed her some design elements she had asked for. Julie asked Terry if she wanted some cider and they went into the kitchen to heat some up. I heard music out behind the house so I wandered outside. Julie had a large vegetable garden and I avoided stepping on several large leafed pumpkin vines as I made my way toward the singing.

Perhaps a dozen people were seated around a fire pit, basking in it's warm glow. There weren't any chairs, so I went back to my truck to get my artist's stool. In the light of a street lamp, I was thrilled to see my breath as I exhaled. I rushed back to the fellowship of the fire to warm up. After several songs, I decided I had to try and sketch. When Terry came out, I was surprised that she sat across the fire from me. I relaxed when she started singing and even leading, by looking up lyrics on her iPhone. After we all sang Fulsom Prison Blues, by Johnny Cash, a woman to my left said we had to see this song sung by a five year old on You Tube. She said it was the funniest thing she had seen in a long time.

Roger and Gailanne Amundsen of Jubal's Kin were relaxing beside the fire. They had just performed at a huge concert at the Citrus Bowl. Gailanne came over to glance at my attempt to catch the firelight. She had seen a previous sketch I did of Jubal's Kin at Urban ReThink and she liked it. It made me happy to rub shoulders with so much raw talent in the hidden dark corners of undiscovered Orlando.We all sang "Hallelujah". Even our imperfect broken harmonies sounded divine. I felt grateful and warm. Perhaps I am in the right place at the right time in this chaos of life. "It was a cold and broken Hallelujah!"

An improvised blues song began and everyone wanted Julie to make up some lyrics. When she sang her blues everyone clapped along with the beat. People joined in adding their own blues to the mix. The warm voices filled the cold void surrounding the fire. Terry was tired and wanted to go home. I rushed the sketch so I would get home soon after her. I hugged Julie to say goodbye and turned my back to the warm glow.

Seven Lives of Chance

2011-12-02T01:00:00.006-05:00

Dina Peterson told me that a film was being shot at Urban ReThink (625 E. Central Boulevard). I had several hours open before I went to Full Sail that night. She told me that an entire room would be filled with balloons and that there would be a line of extras waiting to get inside. There were no actors around when I arrived, so I sat across the street and started blocking in the architecture. The last time I drew this building it was the Urban Think bookstore which had to close because of the recession. It was a vibrant artists hub then and it is even more vibrant today. This is where I would experience a fraction of Seven Lives of Chance.

As I sketched, Banks Helfrich, the writer and director, parked his car and pulled out a dozen balloons. He and an assistant were dropping off some equipment at Urban ReThink. He stopped over to say hello and let me know that the cast and crew were right down the street shooting outside a Publix supermarket. I don't know the story behind Seven Lives of Chance but there are plenty of balloons involved. Banks described the first day of shooting which involved recreating a digestive tract using urethane foam. As he spoke the balloons he was holding kept getting blown in front of his face. He batted them aside.

Rather than rush down the street, I decided to keep working on the sketch I had started. Banks let me know they were coming to shoot at ReThink next in half an hour. They were a little behind schedule. Actor, Richard Regan Paul, said hello. He seemed to know me, yet I couldn't place him in my rattled brain. He was in a scene with Jodi Chase. The scene was shot from inside a ReThink conference room looking out at the actors on the sidewalk. After a take, Banks ran out to the actors on the sidewalk and he described their motivaion with animation and plenty of gesturing.

Dina Peterson waved hello and she shouted out the shooting schedule to me. The line of extras wouldn't arrive till after I was gone. Dina directed several extras who walked behind the actors in the scene. As one shot was being filmed, Dina raised her arms in panic. A pedestrian was walking right into the shot. She couldn't stop him. This was a small production that couldn't afford barricades. Perhaps this unsuspecting extra will end up in the film.

A giant red balloon was inflated in the conference room. It must have been incorporated in the shot somehow. The sound man kept the mic above the actors out of the shot. I couldn't hear the dialogue, but it looked like Jodi was ready to leave and Richard wanted to tag along. When I finished my sketch, I crossed over to thank Dina for inviting me. She was discussing schedules with the extras and she looked like a thousand derails were buzzing in her brain as yet unresolved. This was a 90 minute feature film being shot in seven days. They had just one chance to get it right.

Improv at Full Sail

2011-12-01T01:00:00.004-05:00

As part of my continuing education at Full Sail I took a two hour workshop that taught the basic principles behind improvisational performance, and how to use the hidden communication framework within improv to connect with students.Ten to fifteen Full Sail instructors and staff gradually filtered into the classroom. Adam Bellis and Simon MacDonald, both SAK comedians were at the front of the classroom. They asked people to sign in as they arrived. They had a few power point slides but from the start it was obvious that participation would be needed from everyone. Everyone was asked to stand in a circle to participate in an acting warm up exercise.

The game was called GO! The premise was simple, you must point to someone in the circle. They would say "Go" and then you would walk to take their place. They would then point, seeking permission from someone else. It was surprising how tricky this was. You really had to listen. There was a sense that decisions and permissions were rushed. In another pass the verbal, "Go" was replaced with a simple nod. Being a visual person I found this easier yet following the flow sometimes left me glancing around aimlessly. Was I making a fool of myself? Was everyone thinking the same thing?

The next exercise was called, "The Name Game" or Johnathan's alliteration. You had to state your name and then add a descriptive action while acting it out. Everyone in the group had to repeat the name and action. I think I said something like, "Thor is thirsty" as I acted like I was sipping tea. What was I thinking? Everyone repeated the action raising their pinkies delicately. By the end, I felt I knew the people around me. This was a perfect ice breaker.

Adam and Simon then conducted an improv where they were puppets being manipulated by audience members. I volunteered and controlled Adam. It was fun raising his arms to gesture as he spoke. They worked together building a sacred bridge of trust. They validated each other and forwarded the story by creating new options. It is easier to tear down a bridge than to build it. Everyone in the room was free to openly express themselves which was a good environment to communicate and learn in.

It turned out that Simon is producing a Fringe show this year which is a Star Wars musical. I love the premise and I hope to sketch rehearsals as it develops.

Art Critique

2011-11-30T01:00:00.006-05:00

Parker Sketch has organized a monthly critique group. I haven't really gotten feedback on my work since I was in college. That is longer than I care to admit. The last session was held at the Barefoot Spa. I decided to bring a five foot panel that I had just started. All together 19 artists were slated to show their work. Seated in front of me was a woman named Loraine Del Wood. Her name was just Loraine Wood but someone told her, "Your name is so boring." From then on she included her middle name for an exotic touch. When she discovered that I worked for Disney Feature Animation in the past, she told me about her animation background. She had worked as an inker and painter at Columbia screen Gems in the early years. Hand drawn animation was transferred to a clear acetate cell and then the character was painted on the back of the cell. She had worked on many animated characters. The one that stuck in my mind was Tubby the Tuba.

She loved animation and talked to different animators to learn their craft. She was told "Women don't do animation." Her husband worked on live action films so she left animation and assisted him on such films as Some Life it Hot, The Pink Panther and West Side Story. Her art fell to the wayside and she took a 40 year break from 1964 to 2004. She showed a series of paintings she did of women wearing black wide brimmed hats.

Painter Richard Colvin showed 2 paintings. One was of John Ashcroft standing in front of a statue which was partly draped. Ashcroft later insisted the statue be properly draped. He stopped doing this sort of political art since he felt he was preaching to the choir. In one year he experienced the grief of 11 deaths of family and friends. He started doing more traditional landscapes. He experienced a mad rush of creativity, doing 30 paintings in two months.

Marla E. Artist showed a large plaster base relief which was going to be used to cover a flat screen TV. The image was divided in two so it could be separated to display the TV. She wanted to sign up on Facebook as Marla E but it didn't allow initials for a last name. Her occupation as artist was tagged on to her name. Facebook is the new Ellis Island, forcing name changes as people immigrate to the digital realm.

The Mennello Christmas Tree

2011-11-29T01:00:00.002-05:00

Angela Abrusci offered to take some high quality photos of the five foot long painting I did for Margot Knight. We agreed to meet at the Mennello Museum to take the shots. Some shots were taken as the painting leaned against a brick wall and then we layed it flat in the parking lot. It was a cloudy day which she said made for better diffuse light. Autumn Ames wasn't sure how to ship such a large painting, so I decided to ask Kim Robinson in the Museum, her advice. From the basement she found a large shipping box called a strong box. Inside was coated with foam soundproofing material. The box was just six inches shorter than what I needed for the painting. She also suggested that the panel be wrapped with glassine which would keep the foam from sticking to any paint.

Kim and Genevieve Bernard were getting ready to put up the museum's Christmas tree. The wooden tree was designed by artist Anita Lam in 2000. She called it "The Out in Aspen BB Tree." The branches were wooden dowels. They all had numbers which corresponded to the height they were placed on the trunk. Branches were collated and piled on the floor. Angela stayed to help and she snapped pictures. An old metal American flag was added to the top of the tree. It bobbed on its spring just barely clearing the water pipes.

Many of the ornaments were original works of art by local artists. The Museum put out another invitation to artists to submit ornaments for the tree this year. Genevieve went to an inner city school to participate in Career Day. She had the children make craft paper ornaments which she planned to string up on the tree. On her iPhone, Billy Holiday was singing "Nice Work if You Can Get It" as she strung the ornaments together using red yarn. Outside the giant bay windows the lake sparkled and a large colorful sculpture by John Robert Wolf moved slowly in the breeze. Kim stacked apple ornaments below the tree.

Gail Pergande stopped in to watch with her dog. Once the tree was full of ornaments, we all went out to lunch at Shakers in College Park. I hadn't finished my sketch yet so after lunch, I returned to the museum to add color washes. I was inspired by the bright colors in the Earl Cunningham paintings on the walls.

Farewell Margot Knight

2011-11-28T01:00:00.003-05:00

Autumn Ames called and asked me to do a painting to celebrate the ten years of service Margot Knight gave to the Orlando arts community as the President of United Arts of Central Florida. There was a farewell dinner in Margot's honor at the Orlando Repertory Theater. Autumn wanted me to execute the sketch and bring the five foot panel to the party so people could lay in the first colors. Autumn was the first person to step up to the painting, and she painted in the red guitar. The party was just two hours long, so I knew the painting would not be finished that night. I spent the evening thinning down acrylic paints and offering suggestions to the people who painted. I didn't put down a single brush stroke that night. In a conversation with Mary Hill, I came up with the idea of renaming all the colors after wines. I used sharpies to add the names to the cups of color. Not everyone noticed but those that did found it fun to paint a guitar with Merlot, for example. At first it was a challenge returning to the painting after so many people had touched it. Then it became liberating as it forced me to make bold decisions.

Every aspect of this painting was pulled from my Orlando sketchbooks. Most of the people in the painting were sketched for the Mennello Museum Mural. They didn't make it onto the mural for various reasons, so I consider this painting the blooper reel. I was blessed to find that so many people came out to pose that I couldn't fit them all on the 48 foot long wall. It is good to have too many choices sometimes.

That evening Margot brought with her all the silent auction items she had never used. We were given raffle tickets. I won an evening in a Maitland police patrol car! I can't wait. What a great sketch opportunity! I was rushing around so much filling cups with color that I forgot to eat. I grabbed a plate after most everyone was gone. Margot and Autumn were sitting together. I got to see pictures of the beautiful rustic home that Margot is moving to in California. She is taking a new job at Djerassi Resident Artists Program in Woodside California. In a list of ten things to keep in mind about the Orlando arts community, she said, "We have some of the most out-of-the-box, talented artists. And we don’t appreciate or compensate them proportionate to their talent. Artists illuminate the human condition. We don’t always like what they show us. But they take more risks in a week than most of us take in our lifetime. They deserve our respect. They deserve to be paid." She is a true artist's advocate and I wish her well in her new adventure on the Golden Coast.

Wave Awards

2011-11-27T01:00:00.003-05:00

Terry found out about the Wave Awards ceremony happening at Mr. Sisters (5310 East Colonial Drive). I had never heard of the Wave Awards so when my class was over at 9pm I drove down to Colonial. Terry sent me a text saying parking was tight. I lucked out and found a parking spot right under the giant LED Mr. Sisters billboard. As I walked towards the club I saw Billy Manes, a journalist for the Orlando Weekly. He was carrying a plaque and he nodded to me. I seem to keep bumping into him at events around town lately. I later found out he had won an award as the favorite local writer/journalist. Inside, I said hello to Mack Dixon. He had been voted the greatest straight ally to the local LGBT community along with his wife Margo. Since I knew nothing about the awards ceremony, I asked him a few questions. The Wave Awards were awarded by Watermark, a local LGBT newspaper. There was a copy of the paper on each of the tables. I thumbed through one and it looked like a great resource for finding fun local events.

Terry and Amanda Chadwick were seated at a table out on the patio overlooking the lake. Every table had a black and white painting of a celebrity on it. I could see a large eyeball staring up at me, but I couldn't make out the face hidden behind the ketchup, plates and glasses. Airport lights flickered on the horizon. A beautiful spot, but removed from the bustle and activity inside the club. Actually the place wasn't that crowded. People were starting to leave. I grabbed a plate of crackers and cheese before it was put away. Mark Baratelli joined us. He was holding his award as the favorite local LGBT blog. His blog, thedailycity.com, also won third place as the favorite LGBT website.

Rather than focusing on the event as a whole, I decided to sketch Terry and Amanda as they had dinner in the gay club. Amanda shouted, "You're not drawing me eating chicken wings, are you!?" I erased her arms. My sketching habit seems to be a burr in the saddle, an annoyance that people tolerate. Billy Sisco arrived and hugged Mark from behind. He showed Amanda his new Windows phone and started hammering it's screen with a knife handle. As hard as he hit it, the darn thing didn't break. I snagged a few of Terry's fries but was happy enough with my root beer.

When it was time to go, Mark asked us all to pose for a celebratory photo in front of a green screen. Mark and Billy stayed behind wanting to celebrate much later into the night.

Sunday Piano Bar

2011-11-26T01:00:00.007-05:00

Amanda Chadwick invited Terry and myself to the Sunday afternoon Piano Bar at the Parliament House (41o North Orange Blossom Trail). Kelly DeWayne Richards plays every Sunday from 1:30pm until about 4:30pm. He has a huge selection of sheet music and invites audience members to come up and sing. There is an undeniable regular crowd. Most of the singers are exceptionally talented. We muscled up to the bar as our eyes adjusted to the dark room. Amanda ordered a chocolate martini and it looked so good I wanted one. From the bar stool I started sketching. Mark Baratelli enterd and everyone shouted "Mark" Cheers style. Kelly insisted Mark step up to the mic. As he got ready to sing, an audience member got up to go to the men's room. Mark glowered at him like a diva and we all laughed. He began singing an over the top emotional rendition of "I'm Not Going" from Dream Girls. His emotional heaving breaths and despondent screams made his rendition hilarious. The crowd in the tiny room roared.

Even though I was still sketching, Kelly insisted I step up to the mic to sing "Hold 0n". Kelly told the story of how I sang this at the surprise 20th anniversary party I threw for Terry. I pulled the lyrics up on my cell phone as the audience waited. With a weak internet connection, it seemed an eternity. I whispered into the mic, testing it, "This one goes out to Terry." I missed a lyric or two but by the end I was feeling good, even the high notes were effortless. I looked at Terry then I saw people in the audience swaying and singing along. By the last refrain, the room was filled with harmony. When I finished, I assume there was polite applause. When I walked back to the bar, Terry threw her arms around my neck and kissed me. Mark shouted out, "Hey! Look everybody, straight people!" I laughed. One song isn't a free pass. It is the first step on a long road.

While I was singing, some guy had taken my bar stool. I just stood next to him throwing down quick watercolor washes. He eventually left and I regained my seat. Terry got up and sang "Being Alive" from the Sondheim musical, Company. I was surprised how soft and vulnerable her voice was. We are both frightened moving forward challenging support and independence but very much alive. Amanda and I sang "Somewhere Out There." We have had to sing it every time we are at the Sunday Piano Bar. Now that Matt Simantov, Amanda's boyfriend, is living way out in Seattle, the song has taken on a special meaning for her.

Sweetheart Deals - Beth Raymer

2011-11-25T01:00:00.005-05:00

Terry and I went to a farewell reading by Beth Raymer at the Kerouac House. Beth had been working for the past month on a novel entitled Sweetheart Deals as a writer in residence. Her first book, Lay the Favorite: A Memoir of Gambling was a huge success and it is being made into a film directed by Stephen Frears (High Fidelity, The Grifters), starring Bruce Willis, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Rebecca Hall who I assume is playing Beth. It is slated to open next year. The success of her first book meant Beth was inundated with interviews and appearances. She confided she wasn't much of a public figure and she found all the attention distracted from her continued desire to write. The Kerouac House writer in residence program came just when she needed a chance to get away and focus on her new novel.

She was charmingly nervous as she introduced her new book, speaking a mile a minute. She curled her hair with her index finger and delicately pointed her cowboy boot inward, twisting the curve of her leg. Having written a memoir, she was used to reporting facts and her new novel recreated her family dynamic when she was six years old. The story is largely about a man based on her father, a boisterous salesman who, as it turned out had a mistress. She described the mistress in loving detail, describing the diminutive qualities that attracted her father's attention. At one point he needed money so he set fire to his business. Beth consulted with local insurance agents to see if the facts of her story worked. The story is set in Florida, so Beth was glad to return to feel the humidity and see lizards dashing under foot. Vivid childhood memories surfaced. She liked to work at the kitchen table in the Kerouac House, often editing in the afternoons. Like Jack Kerouac she has lived a vibrant unconventional life. She is new to Facebook and on a dark evening she got a friend request from a mysterious Jack from beyond the grave.

Beth seemed to enjoy the sketch, although as usual the nose is a bit off. There were so many talented people in the house that evening. Kelly Medford who lives in Rome is a plein air painter who does a painting a day. Authors stood in the open kitchen doorway laughing about local characters. Patrick Greene told me about a harvest of sugar cane that would make a great, "Old Florida" sketch opportunity. Leaning against a stove, a young man in a baseball cap pulled a bright fire engine red flask from a hip pocket and the final drops were emptied into a drink.

Beth offered me some delicious fruit salad she had prepared. In the kitchen, she talked about how odd it was that so many British actors were in the movie version of her first book. The screenplay writer, DeVincentis, brought his background to the story and the director had his personal vision. It must have been hard to give up control especially when it is the story of her life. I told her how I felt I gave up my artistic identity when I worked for Disney Feature Animation, and how I'm just now rediscovering that inner voice. She raised her cup of wine and we toasted.

Musical Mondays

2011-11-24T01:00:00.002-05:00

It was Kelly DeWayne Richard's birthday. He celebrated by playing the piano at The Abbey for Musical Mondays. I couldn't get off from work until 9pm. Terry went there around 7pm and I rushed to meet her. She was seated in a wide leather love seat in the front row. Kelly was singing a flamboyant version of the Piano Man. I sat down, the leather squeaking. Terry and I kissed and she snuggled against my chest asking me to put my arm around her since she was cold. I was hot having just walked many blocks from my parked truck. My eyes were busy composing a possible sketch. This wasn't a great angle since I couldn't see Kelly's hands on the keyboard. I felt a bit like we had just made love and I was wondering how much longer I was expected to hold still. "Relax!" I thought to myself. "Enjoy the moment, you don't always have to be sketching to be happy."

She must have read my mind because after a while she said she was going home. She had waited several hours for me to arrive and that meant a lot to me. She knew I was itching to work. I moved to the next seat over. It was still a horrible vantage point. I ended up unfolding my artist stool and leaning against the wall. The lighting in the Abbey is magnificent. As soon as I started to sketch, Kelly took a break. It was my chance to hug him and wish him happy birthday. Chris Equality Leavy took his place at the Baby Grand piano. Chris sang a moving rendition of "My Way." I sang along as did most of the people in the crowd. My heart warmed.

Later a female singer took to the stage. Kelly introduced her saying she had a wonderful voice. The mic was on the far side of the piano so I could only catch a glimpse of the top of her head and the thigh high black leather boots she wore. She sang "Someone Like You" by Adel. Her voice was astonishing. She truly sang the song with more heart and sincerity than the pop star. There was a skit on Saturday Night Live this week where women office workers played the song and they all cried together. A man entered and he cried, his mascara running. A janitor mopping the floor broke down and a window washer pressed his ear to the glass and bawled. The singer at the Abbey was Emily Heffelfinger. What a find! A true raw, heart warming talent.

The stage was soon full of cabaret singers who sang a moving patriotic medley. Voices were raised in perfect harmony. I spotted Andrea Canny, who waved. I sang along, my sketch now complete, swept along in the fervor. I basked in the warm glow of this vibrant artist community.

The Medium - Performance day.

2011-11-23T01:00:00.011-05:00

Kelly Medford, a plein air painter from Italy picked up the extra ticket I had to see The Medium. Italians love opera. I arrived early knowing I would like to start blocking in a view from the upstairs balcony. This "God's eye view" seemed appropriate for the seance scene. When I arrived, the valet was quick to take my keys. Parking would be tight since this was a private residence. Admission to this rare staging was by invite only. I had my invitation in my bag but by now everyone knew me.

I rushed up the grand staircase and got to work. I leaned against a marble pillar as I sketched. Kelly arrived and I was pleasantly surprised when she pulled out her own sketchbook. She moved a folding chair to where she was working and I decided to grab one myself. I stepped on it and used my horizontal calf as a table to steady the open sketchbook. I had a book-light but realized that I didn't need it since the afternoon sun warmed the room.

Frank McClain announced that they were going to wait a few moments for more people to arrive. Baba said something similar to her guests before the seance began in Act I. Out the top of the tall windows I could see the lake. I joked with Kelly that the delayed guests must be arriving by boat. She said, "Or they are arriving by seaplane!" Frank, seated next to me, dimmed the lights and the room grew quiet.

Monica and Toby began the act in a playful scene of fantasy. Baba interrupted their play when she entered loudly. Monica ran to her room and Toby cowered. Baba's every movement was threatening. She was larger than life. She drank heavily and when she whipped Toby, anger rose in me. Her every frustration was unleashed on that poor adopted boy. The performance flowed effortlessly. I was surprised that I finished my sketch early so I put it away and leaned forward on the railing, looking down.

Baba, played by Susan Neves was singing about the horrors she had witnessed in her life. When she sang, "Oh God, forgive my sins, I'm old.", I identified with her growing madness. "Old Black Swan" is my favorite aria from the show. First Monica, played by Shannon Jennings sang it then Baba sang it in the last act. It is a haunting melody. I was glad the sketchbook was tucked away. I let the music wash over me.

After the performance there was applause. I stood and clapped loudly. The audience below me was hidden. There was deserts and port in the parlor afterwards. The port came in the tiniest little glass stemware. The sweet liquid warmed my throat. I had to raise a pinky to drink it. I couldn't have just one. I couldn't resist swirling the alizarin crimson liquid in my cup. Unfortunately it slipped over the edges into my hand. I did that twice and then finally washed my sticky hand in the kitchen sink. I recognized many of the people in the room from the days when opera thrived in Orlando. Besides the exclusive residential productions, the show will be staged at the Orlando Repertory Theater on December 3rd at 7:30pm and December 4th at 2:30pm. You can get tickets at floperatheater.org or call 407 718-4365. Opera is back!