Search Results for: label/Genevieve Bernard

Leu Gardens

Posted on by Thor

I went to Leu Gardens last week to sketch and report on a meeting of the City Public Art Advisory Board. This group selects artwork that hangs on the walls at City Hall and chooses the sculptures found in public places around town. Developers pay a 1 percent fee that goes into Public Art Fund coffers. As an artist I figured it was my responsibility to learn more. When I got to the Leu Gardens reception desk, I was told that there was not enough interest among members of the board and they didn’t have enough members planning to attend for a quorum. An e-mail was sent out at 8am that morning canceling the board meeting. I was not informed. Most people don’t know this board exists. Now I know why.

Later that week, I returned to Leu Gardens for the Annual plant sale. Terry and I go to this event every year to get inspiration for our own garden. It was a beautiful day with flowers in bloom everywhere. I arrived before Terry thinking I might get a sketch. Mosquitoes drove me away from one spot and an old man started telling me all about a geyser that apparently used to shoot up 100 feet from Lake Fairview. Since my sketch opportunities had been interrupted, I decided to get an ice cream cone. Delicious.

When Terry arrived I decided to simply stroll and enjoy the perfect weather. We kept running into people we knew, like Doug Rhodehamel, who now has a show called Dessication which uses dried plant matter to create whimsical under water creatures. Amanda Chadwick joined us. It was rather fun watching Amanda try and catch a photo of a Monarch butterfly on her iPhone. The Monarch never posed for long and Amanda was always in the wrong spot. I believe she did get her shot in the end. After seeing all the vendors, the three of us went down to the lake side gazebo. We bumped into Genevieve Bernard and Seth Kubersky And the conversations bounced between Passover practices, bird watching and travel adventures. Turtles and fish circled in the water expecting a hand out. An Osprey swooped down and splashed into the water grabbing a fish. The setting sun sparkled on the waters surface. It was a perfect way to end the day.

A Kindness of Ravens

Posted on by Thor

There was a mad rush to get things finished opening night of Macabre Vignettes #3 Snow. There was the enraged search for an electrical chord which involved throwing things out of the way and then a mad flash of black Duck taping the wiring down. Audio equipment was being moved from downstairs to the balcony in the final moments. Seth Kubersky announced, “5 minutes to open house!” A few dancers who were still dressing and applying make up said, “Thank you 5.” That didn’t leave me with much time to finish my sketch. Below they were working on a dance routine that involved interacting with a large raven. The dancer held two lines that manipulated the birds sharp talons. As they rehearsed, Genevieve Bernard walked quickly by getting ensnared in the near invisible lines. “My bad.” she said. There was no harm done. It seemed like there were too many loose ends for the show to open on time. Leah called for a 5 minute extension. The pulse in the room quickened. Finally Seth shouted out, “House 0pen!” People started to drift in. I had a few more watercolor washes to add and I slapped them down. Showtime!

I walked down the web encrusted staircase and ordered a Blue Moon at the bar. Then I put the sketchpad away and relaxed on a green couch . The show had already started with dancers wandering among the audience marveling at the environment. Bloggers Jana Waring and Mark Baratelli wandered in. The dancers were in their own world never interacting with audience members. Once a dancer held a hand out towards a man walking by. He hadn’t noticed her and her longing gesture lingered. When the dancers moved among the ravens, one of the control wires got all tangled in a knot among the talons. The bird hung limply just a few feet in front of me. Finally I couldn’t resist, I stepped forward and untangled the poor bird and then held the control line. A dancer leaped toward me and took the line smiling. However the bird had spun so many times that he couldn’t be raised any higher. The dancer valiantly held the line but the bird would only loose altitude never going back up. It finally fell to the floor and was brushed aside by Leah. I admired the dancers for adjusting to such technical problems without missing a beat.

Over time the dancing was no longer enough to hold me. I needed some thread of story to keep me engaged. I never became involved enough to suspend my disbelief. Staging the large puppets was a problem since they were best viewed from the front. They would spend agonizing moments with their backs to the audience. I walked around the room incessantly, changing my point of view. Most of the audience however remained stationary unable to see the action or gesture of the puppets. Tamara Marke-Lars stated that the large creations were sculpture first and puppets second. She pushed the boundary between puppetry and art. Sometimes for me, art isn’t enough if it doesn’t support a solid story.

Magnifique!

Posted on by Thor

Magnifique! A Voci Dance Nighttime Glowing Fairy Fundraiser will be held at the Mennello Museum of American Art (900 East Princeton Street Orlando, FL) on Saturday, November 20th from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. Admission is just $15.

As dusk falls, the audience will gather beneath Orlando’s oldest oak tree for an evening walking tour of the grounds of the Mennello Musuem of Art. Refreshments, wine and a raffle will accompany the performance. All funds go to Voci Dance to support their many performances, workshops and community outreach programs they present throughout the year.

Since I was going to be on assignment in Miami that weekend, I called Genevieve Bernard, the choreographer and founder of Voci Dance and I asked to sketch a rehearsal. She filled me in on the entire rehearsal schedule. When I arrived at the Mennello Museum, I found Genevieve in the parking lot talking to two dancers. Rakia Mikhailenko had just flown in from Seattle for this performance and she was on her cell talking to her children. Leah Marke is the center pin of the performance and she was at every rehearsal whereas other dancers might have conflicts with work schedules. Genevieve explained that there would be seven fairies, including a pregnant fairy, on performance night, but for this rehearsal there were but two. Actress, Sarah Lockhard, showed up, and her roll was as an honorary fairy, helping illuminate the lead dancers.

The hatchback of Genevieve’s car was open and inside were lights, costumes and fairy wings. Leah’s sister Tamara had designed the wings which are made of a light translucent fabric. Leah secured her wings by tying a knot just below her chest and then tying two more shoulder straps in place. Genevieve had made a Walmart run the night before, to get small LED lights which will be used on performance night. With everyone’s wings in place, the dancers walked out to a huge Live Oak tree whose branches gracefully bowed out, touching the ground, then branching back up. The late afternoon sun illuminated this magical secluded cove with patches of warm light.

Leah lead the performance. Her movements were graceful and light. She danced using the tree’s huge branches as a natural staging area. Rakia picked up her moves by following Leah’s lead. Sarah followed the dancers, crouching low and using an LED flashlight to illuminate the movements. The fairy’s approached the main tree trunk, perhaps 20 feet in circumference and they worshipfully raised their arms and arched their backs, their arched fingertips reaching toward the stars. They were a delight to watch. On performance night their wings will glow, adding a haunting element to the already surreal choreography. Genevieve explained to me that she was inspired in part when imagining Magnifique, by the amazing, unexpected work of Henry Darger. Doug Rhodehamel will fill the mysterious cove with glowing mushrooms and DJ Nigel will supply the music. Tell your Facebook friends, this is one evening you do not want to miss!