Rehearsals for Panther and the Crane went on all day long. It was rather windy at first which caused some problems with the screen that was tied up between some trees. A hard gust caused the screen to collapse and it had to be re-tied up. You can still see the ladder leaning up against the tree. Besides the inflatable gator there were also several bronze gators and a statue of a gator wrestler which are permanent fixtures in the park. By the time I sketched this the puppeteers had already run through the performance at least twice and they were getting ready to get some supper. This sketch gives a good overall view of the staging area they had to work with.
Heather Henson introduced herself to me while I was sketching. Actually she didn’t mention her name at first and was just talking about my blog. She was wearing shorts and a blue tee shirt, she had bright green tape hanging off her shorts for some reason and I assumed at first that she must be a stage hand running around taping together anything that needed taping. She was unassuming in every way. When she did mention her name I did double take but was very pleased to finally meet her. She once again stressed that I could sketch at will and I couldn’t have been happier. I knew this was a very busy day for her so I got to work and let her run.
For the performance that night, I put my sketchbook down and just watched the show for the first time. It was a beautiful performance. At one point I spotted the mother crane sitting on the nest I had seen Tamara fixing that morning. Two puppeteers were needed to perform her graceful motions. I then saw the egg she was sitting on and I was shocked to tears when it cracked open and she lovingly preened the chick. There is magic in puppetry.
Gator Devours IBEX Rehearsal
As I approached Orlando Regional History Center, I heard music which I assumed to be for the rehearsal and then I was surprised to see his huge inflatable gator throwing his head back like Godzilla on a rampage. This is not a regular feature in downtown Orlando and was in place just for tonight’s performance of Panther and the Crane. You can see several members of the IBEX Puppetry cast in the small outdoor amphitheater behind the Gator. I noticed one woman manipulating a catfish puppet, she and the other performers I noticed moved with the grace of dancers. It was fairly windy and several times I feared that the gator might get blown on top of the cast. He held his ground however while constantly threatening to move. Tourists leaving the History Center were surprised to see the huge gator, so I assume he was inflated while they were inside. While doing this sketch I probably got to see half of the performance being rehearsed. There was a constant crowd of people watching the rehearsals so I felt I should be able to blend in. I wanted to move in closer…
Tamara Marke – Lares
After pouring herself a cup of coffee, Tamara got started on all the last minute fixes that were needed for tonight’s performance of Panther and the Crane. While she replaced some Velcro on several costumes I started laying in the sketch for the room. Quite honestly I was a bit overwhelmed, every square inch of space was crammed full of interesting visual details. I took a deep breath and got started. I had to assume she would later be working on the contraption sitting on the high stool.
The device she was working on was to be worn over the shoulders by a puppeteer sort of like a base drum in a marching band. Tamara started hot gun gluing leaves to the shoulder supports. She burnt her fingers a couple of times and said ” This is why I usually don’t use a hot gun.” I couldn’t really tell what it was I was sketching, but she explained that it was a nest and sticking out of the nest was a shell with a young chick inside. In the sketch you can only see the chicks wing and a small stick which I presume controls the chicks head movements. Tamara actually took a moment out of her hectic day to show me some of her own sketches. They were amazing! The sketches had twisted organic ink line work and vibrant color, they had a touch of the macabre and yet were very playful. After everything was glued and set, Craig came back with the car from an errand and it was time for them to load the repaired items back into the car and head down to the History Center where rehearsals were going on all day right up until moments before the show at 7:30PM…
Henson Studio
While sketching at the Florida Film Festival wrap party, Margaret Nolan introduced herself to me. This was the first time I had met her in person. I requested to become a facebook friend with her when I saw that she had tagged some colorful photos of a production of Panther and the Cane. Margaret’s tag lead me to research the Ibex Puppetry Company and I discovered a whole series of wonderful development drawings produced by Heather Henson, for the show. I immediately e-mailed Heather and asked if I could tag along for rehearsals and any last minute creative work being done. I was thrilled when she e-mailed me back. She explained that she had obsessively kept sketch journals at different periods of her life and so she fully understood my mission.
Heather suggested I go to the Henson studio and watch Tamara Marke Lares who is an amazing artist, working on the costumes for the show. The studio is located in this colorful old building downtown. I knocked on the door but there was no answer. I looked in the doors glass panes through some light lace curtains and saw a fantastic explosion of shapes and colors. Blue gossamer birds hung from the ceiling, a mannequin head was on the mantle piece with pins sticking out of its head and assorted bits and pieces of colorful fabric were everywhere. There was no chance I could walk away from that door. I assumed Tamara wasn’t in yet so I did what any artist-journalist would do, I camped out in front of the house and began to sketch. Before the sketch was complete Tamara and Craig, her husband drove up. Since we had met previously, the introductions were short and sweet and Tamara quickly got to work…
Sam Rivers Jazz at Maitland Art Center
Later in the evening at the Florida Film Festival Wrap Party the 83 year old Sam Rivers and his band really began to poor on the heated spontaneous Jazz. Each musician would break off and rip into a long rapturous solo, and then the group would join back together and build off of the soloists riff. A group of about 30 or so people crowded around the stage tapping there feet and swaying to the rhythm. Up front 5 photographers kept snapping pictures the whole time. I couldn’t help but think that the photographers were missing the boat. Where was the joy in capturing an image by pressing a button. I was standing there tapping my foot and every line was thrown down to the beat of the music. It was magic, I wasn’t thinking anymore, just doing. No measuring or second guessing just the simply joy of taking a line for a spin. This might not be the best drawing I have ever done but boy was it fun to do. When this last set wrapped up the crowd was cheering for more, but 10pm was quitting time for this wrap party and sadly the event was over.
Wrap Party
I drove up to the Maitland Art Center for the Wrap party. Joining me tonight would be Jana who who would search the crowd for hidden human interest stories while I sketched. I arrived early and went down to the water front to enjoy the sun and watch the water skiers ride the wakes. I pulled out a sketch book and splashed on some watercolor on an unfinished sketch to pass the time. When I heard the music start up I went over to the entrance to wait for Jana so I could get her in. I waited, and waited. I pulled out the sketch again and messed around with the colors while leaning against a light pole but my heart wasn’t in it now, I was getting annoyed. When Jana did show she said she had been writing and lost track of time. As an artist I suppose I should understand that, but right then I didn’t understand anything.
When we got in, there was Travis Blaise an animator from my old Disney Feature Animation Days. Travis and Jana introduced themselves. (I should have done that, but I could not think straight) A photographer swooped in and herded us together for a photo. When Travis and Jana started talking, I took that as my cue to move on and start casing the room looking for a sketch. I was immediately drawn to the music so I sat on a wooden bench and pulled out the sketch book. With the first lines my mood softened. The music slowly charged my lines with rhythm.
With one sketch done, I decided to get some food. With some chili in one hand and a Coke in the other I heard Jana call my name. She introduced me to her friend named Jennifer and since we couldn’t shake hands we did an exaggerated cheek kiss. I assumed I would touch base with Jana after the event was over, but she left with her friend early without saying goodbye, which left me wondering if I had insulted them in some way. I haven’t got time to sort it all out. I am having to much fun sketching to the jazz beat.
Got Milk?
Orlando had dubbed a new neighborhood “The Milk District“. It can be found south of the TB Lee Milk Factory behind the Colonial Plaza. A huge “Milk Shake” party was thrown to christen the new neighborhood. Businesses in the neighborhood include: Vinyl Richies Wiggly World of Records, Drop Shop, Retro Records, Sportstown Billiards, the Bull and the Bush and the Drunken Monkey among others. The “Milk Shake” party was to include DJs, live bands and plenty of food and drinks in a parking lot.
As I approached the neighborhood the sky grew dark, I heard the sound of music, and the rain drops began to fall. I ran for cover about a block away and sat down hoping to wait out the storm. I realized I had a wonderful view of the white factory towers silhouetted against the dark sky, so I got to work. Setting up my chair I noticed that there were 3 bullet holes in the plate glass window above my head. I wonder what that was all about?
Once in a while 20 somethings would run towards the music with coats shielding their heads or people would be running the other way on beer runs. One huge teddy bear of a man with dreadlocks stopped to see what I was up to as I got close to finishing the sketch. He was MC Swam and he had just finished his shift as a DJ. He said I was keeping it real and if I could draw like that I should be making a mint doing t-shirts. I gave him a card and said I am always up for any freelance. When the sketch was done I realized I had what I came for. I didn’t need to see the bands, or watch kids getting drunk, I already had my high for the day.
Original Cinema
The theme for the Florida Film Festival this year is Original Cinema with Cin underlined. This of course stressing all that is sinful and sexy in film. The animated shorts screening that I attended was a fun romp. My favorite was a short called “Tales of Mere Existence” by Lev Yilmaz. It really isn’t animation, it is more like half finished drawings that are completed while the narrator talks about the simple futility of his relationships. It was non stop laugh out loud funny and the narration read very much like the inner monologue of a blog. My second favorite short was “Horn Dog” by Bill Plimpton. In this short a rather scruffy bug eyes male mutt falls madly in love with an sleek slender dog but in his pursuit of love all goes horribly wrong. Very funny stuff.
Bill Plimpton attended the screening and was going to do a meet and greet afterwards. I had to get to work right after the screening so I actually had to sneak out before the last short was finished. I am glad I did because Bill, (notice we are on a first name basis now!) was in the lobby talking to a few people. I noticed him but I might be late to work, great excuse, so I headed out the door. I stopped myself once I was outside. That was Bill Plimpton, I at least had to shake his hand. So I turned on my heal went back in and marched up the the small group of people he was with and held out my hand. I beamed like an adolescent and told him I was a fan of all his films. He thanked me, and then we swapped stories about our childhoods, simpler times and the joys of creating animation (just kidding, I wish). I rushed off to work but felt great. In the world of animation Bill is a huge celebrity.
Florida Film Festival – Eden Bar
I finally made my way over to the Enzian Theater to enjoy the Florida Film Festival. This event has been going on all week and this was my first chance to stop over. I decided to view the animated shorts #5. I left the studio with the assumption that I would sketch the theater building but the radio on the drive over kept squawking tornado warnings. However when I got to the theater the sun burst threw the clouds. I arrived 2 hours early to give me time to sketch prior to my screening. After I got my tickets I walked around the building trying to find the perfect angle, but the theater is dwarfed by huge Live Oak trees which hide much of the architecture from a distance, so I started walking toward the entrance. I stopped in my tracks when I came across the Eden Bar.
The Eden Bar has murals painted by Oscar nominated animator Bill Plimpton. I sat at a table and ordered a glass of white wine and started to sketch. About midway through the sketch a fellow stumbled up to my left side and stared at what I was doing for a while. He leaned in towards me and wavered a bit then blurted out “Heyyyy!” He continued to watch my hand waving across the page and then he said “Get OUT! He then jerked forward and stomped towards the entrance of the theater swaying from side to side. Later another fellow approached me on my right. I braced myself. He said “Hey, are you that fellow that has a blog?” I said “Yes?” He said “What is it called?” I told him. And he explained that he has been following it for some time. He disappeared and came back later and said “Look, I am the Director of Operations, I have a proposition. I would like you to come to the Revel 18 Party on the final evening of the Festival to cover it in your blog.” He then gave me two complimentary tickets. Jana has agreed to find the human interest story while I sketch. Yet another curve ball that proves the arts are alive in Orlando!
Post Script: I just found out from an anonymous reader that Bill Plimpton is in the sketch I did of the Eden Bar. He is in the foreground with the high rise red socks and a green shirt. Apparently this was the first time Bill had seen his mural since it had been completed. I never even saw his face at the time. Did you hear me! I got to draw the back of Bill Plimpton’s head!!! How wonderful! How amazing! What a small world! Oh god, he must think I was staking him that night.
Finola Hughes Interview
In a whirlwind of e-mail activity I arranged to head out on assignment with Jana Waring while she interviewed Finola Hughes for Playground Magazine, Central Florida’s Hip Sophisticated Parenting Magazine. Finola who was once a soap star on “General Hospital” and who is now on “How Do I Look” was in town to host Fashion Funds the Cure held at Saks Fifth Avenue. This is a fashion show in which young girls who are battling cancer make their debut on the fashion runway. The young girls beam with delight at this once in a lifetime opportunity.
I was impressed at how Jana and Finola spoke as if they were sisters right from the start. In some ways arriving in a wheel chair has its advantages Jana said, it shows your human frail side right out front and it sort of empowers me to take chances and ask sincere questions. Finola was describing in detail the trials and heart breaks of adoption and the need to accept situations as they stand. She painted a picture of her family life in broad clear strokes.
After the interview I got a chance to sit down with Jana at the Florida Mall food court. She joked with me that she wouldn’t have minded being adopted by Finola herself, and Finola seemed so genuinely entranced with her, that I think that could have been arranged. We both agreed that the interview went really well. Since the interview was only a half hour it was a bit rushed from a sketch perspective but I got the major details in place and finished up back at the studio. Actually my presence may have helped Finola to talk about some of the more creative aspects of family life. For instance her husband is a painter and she says the children are encouraged to draw. Getting to work out in the field with Jana was an exhilarating experience.