MOOM stands for Meeting of the Orlando Minds. I attended the sixth MOOM hosted by Mark Baratelli’s TheDailyCity.com at Blank Space (201 East Central Boulevard). Eighteen people were present. Jeff Wirth called the meeting to order and we all started by introducing ourselves around the table. Once the introductions were out of the way, Jeff asked us all to break up into groups of four or five people, with each person expected to quickly outline what they might need in the following year to help in the creative work they were doing. I was skeptical. I have never been one to specifically ask for assistance, and yet people have found me over the course of the last year and assisted in ways I never would have imagined. Well when it came my turn to talk about this blog, I said I just needed people who could assist me in trying to locate interesting cultural events at which I could sketch. To my amazement, the young woman seated next to me named Amber Mundinger said that she could help me on all counts. She is the Marketing and Special Events Coordinator for Downtown Orlando. My jaw dropped. She is as excited as I am to discover Orlando through sketches. It is a New Year’s resolution to finally contact her at her office and discuss how we can help each other reveal to the world Orlando’s growing cultural community.
My other humble request was to find out if anyone knew a web designer who might be able to help me update and improve Analog Artist Digital World as it rolls into 2010. To my right was seated Arianne Pemberton, and she said she knows an artist named John who could easily assist me. I am so excited. The arts community is proactively gaining strength from within its ranks and we all benefit.
Brian Feldman was with my group as well, and discussed how he might need help with a project he is planning with the Orlando Public Library. The project promotes literacy and I hope it can happen in 2010. Ambers humble request was for some timers, so that a lights display at Lake Eola Park could turn off automatically each night . I had two timers at home, but they were both in use and I felt bad not having any to lend to her.
I am reflecting on the supportive atmosphere that I felt at MOOM, as I face a whole new year with a rededication to post one sketch a day documenting Orlando and its art scene.
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The Citrus Bowl Parade
When we got to the starting point for the parade, the horses became a bit agitated. They kept turning around and around. I got out of the truck to sketch them several times. Then before you knew it, we were sent to the front of the line to head up the parade route. The pooper scooppers got their bucket and shovel out and followed behind. Immediately, a horse let loose a pile. As the scoopers shoveled, a bicyclist got too close and got hit with some flying poo. She laughed though and the scoopers shouted out an apology.
The parade route was really crowded. The officer’s children sitting in the police pickup truck bed with me started throwing candy out to the crowd. Adults and children alike were shouting, “Over here! Throw some over here! The kids were only five or six and didn’t have great throwing arms. The candy would land maybe a foot from the truck, and then the spectators would run into the street to retrieve it. I worked on finishing up this sketch for the duration of the parade. The horses and Citrus float were both sketched at the very beginning of the parade. Every inch of the float was covered with orange and yellow citrus. Once we were moving, the float fell far behind. When we turned the corner onto South Street, we lost sight of the floats behind us for good. I just kept picking out individuals in the crown and adding them to my sketch one at a time.
I was surprised when I heard my name being called out. I looked up from my sketchbook and saw Tisse Mallon and Jeff Wirth in the crowd. I gave them my best Cinderella wave and they laughed. Later, when we were rolling past the grand stands where the TV cameras were, I again heard my name and I picked out Mark Baratelli and Brian Feldman who were up high in an overlooking apartment courtyard. As I was waving to them, I saw a huge camera boom that was swinging over the street. I suddenly realized I might be on TV when the parade is aired nationally on New Year’s day. Being in a parade is like experiencing eleven seconds worth of fame. Then almost immediately, the parade was over.
As we drove back to the barn, we passed a pristine lake with beautiful white ibis and ducks. I could smell the water and warm air. A cormorant was drying his dark wings. It was a beautiful day for a parade.