Marionette Making Workshop

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As part of ArtsFest, Hannah Miller offered a free Marionette making workshop at Urban ReThink. I heard that this workshop was sold out quickly and tickets were limited. Thankfully, Hannah, AKA Thunder Hag, understands my sketching obsession and she was open to having me observe. On the white board, Hannah had written the names of two puppet masters who’s work influenced the workshop. Albrecht Roser is a German puppeteer who believes that the puppet drives the motion, not the puppeteer. Robin Walsh had an affinity to using fabric, especially silk in the construction of her puppets. She explained that the puppets we would make today would be ugly but functional. Hannah pointed out that the puppets movements were based on a pendulum swing and each puppet would have its own way of moving depending on what it was made of.

Each participant had a bag of supplies. Inside was fabric, beads, string, and a control bar. The fabric was used as the body of the puppet. Beads were threaded onto the corners and became hands and feet. The head required special attention since three screws were positioned for mobility and control once the puppet was strung. April Tennyson was assisting Hannah. Both puppeteers once worked at Pinocchio’s Marionette Theater in the Altimonte Mall. April asked me, “Where should I stand to get in the sketch?” “Well,” I said, “The best place would be to stand behind Hannah.” She stood behind Hannah and smiled broadly as she took a heroic pose, holding up some fabric. I laughed out loud and tried to ignore her until she “acted natural.” I hope Hannah didn’t think I was laughing at her lesson.

Jeff Ferree who is a puppeteer who had a show at Fringe last year in the smallest venue, a closet, sat next to Hannah and struggled with the head of his puppet. To me, he is a puppet master but even masters want to expand their horizons. The couple seated closest to me seemed like a married couple. They giggled like kids as their creations came to life. The woman was always two steps ahead of her partner, and she would step in and help out on occasion. Some folks arrived late and April tried to get them up to speed.

Flying Horse Editions

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I had been told to sketch Flying Horse Editions by several readers. When I contacted them, Theo Lotz quickly said, “Yes, come on down!” Flying Horse Editions is located in the UCF Center of Emerging Media building right across from the Bob Carr and the old Amway Arena. For some reason there was an old steam locomotive in the parking lot of the Arena. I was happy I didn’t have to pay to park. Simple pleasures. The hallway leading to Flying Horse Editions had computer workstations for student. Right in the entry there was an old wooden press that could have been used for the Gutenberg bible. I immediately wanted to sketch, but no one was using the press so I went inside.

Theo, dressed all in black, introduced himself and showed me around. The room was immense and immaculate, filled with dozens of presses both old and new. They do limited edition fine art prints here of the highest caliber. They had just finished 2 run of 15 prints by artist Carmon Colangelo. The boxed set was bought by the Saint Lewis Museum of Art. Student Ashley Taylor was working the press right in front of me. She was experimenting on a way to reproduce some spiral patterns by artist Tom Nozkowski using relief printing techniques. Elizabeth Moorefield was in constant motion, talking on the phone and working on her laptop. Larry Cooper was building boxes that would hold prints.

Theo asked me if I wanted a scoop for my story. “Of course I do!” I said. “Well, Ashley just found out she is getting a full scholarship at the University of Florida. We are all so proud of her!” he said. Ashley smiled shyly. I was fascinated by the large trays of old letterpress leads. The typeface was an old western font. I wondered what they had been used for. Theo suggested I come back when there was an artist in residence. Things get crazy when an artist is given free reign and people stop sleeping. This place was a treasure trove of sketch opportunities and I look forward to returning. I congratulated Ashley as I left.

BB King's

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I heard that the 5th Orlando Lindy Exchange was having a free swing dance at BB King’s. BB Kings is in Pointe Orlando on International Drive. Terry and I go to the movie theater in that complex sometimes, so I have seen the club but never been inside. Large primitive folk paintings of music legends decorate the exterior. When I got inside I asked about the swing dancing but was told that the dancing had happened the night before. Rather than leave, I decided to stay and sketch the evening’s live entertainment. It was early, maybe 6pm so, only a few tables were occupied. The host seated me at a counter directly facing the stage, but I decided I wanted an off center angled view of the stage. I took the menu and utensils and moved to the Johnny Cash table in a corner. Each table had a primitive painting of a musical celebrity. Johnny’s face was hidden by the ketchup, mustard and napkins.

Selwyn Birchwood was performing. He had a solid dome of hair and his white outfit stood out in the otherwise dark room. Stage lights illuminated the stage in yellow and magenta. Huss Rodham on bass was silhouetted against the bright blue curtains and I couldn’t see Curtis George on drums. He was hidden behind a piano. Selwyn grew up in Orlando and he performed some original songs about the Florida heat and gators. Most of the music was covers of classic blues, and he shouted out for requests.

I ordered a dish of Pesto pasta and it came out fast. I stuffed fork fulls in my mouth as I worked and when the stage went dark between sets, I ate in earnest. Good food. The Coke buzzed through my veins as I sketched. When the second set started, I pulled out the paints and splashed color on the page. A little girl stood beside me watching my every move. She finally lost interest when her food arrived. Her mom commented on the sketch saying she liked it, then she stood by the stage to shoot a cell phone photo. A waitress expressed interest and asked if I do “faces“. I have been known to draw a face or two.

Parking at Pointe Orlando cost $4. Some electronic ticketing machine barked metallic orders at me until it had my money. Getting out of the garage was a nightmare. As I got ready to back out of my spot, some woman stopped directly behind me waiting for my spot. I ended up doing a ten point turn in the tight quarters and she kept inching closer in her rush to get to the evening’s entertainment. There were no signs for the exit. I drove in circles trying to find my way out with people and cars cutting me off at every turn. I finally decided to drive to the roof of the parking structure figuring I might spot a ramp down with no obstructions. It worked in theory but 15 minutes later, I drove past the parking spot I had struggled to exit. I was in the twilight zone, or a Seinfeld episode. The only signs were those that demanded money. I used my compass to try and steer only towards the north east corner of the parking structure and I sighed with relief when a ramp finally lead me down. As I drove onto Universal Boulevard, I vowed, “Never again, NEVER again.”

Aiguille Rock Climbing Center

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I went to Aiguille Rock Climbing Center (999 Charles Street, Longwood) in the early afternoon. As I drove up, I noticed a group of high school students walking down the street in the same direction. I guessed that they were going to climb after school. I was right. The manager behind the counter asked if I planned to climb. I replied, “No, I’m here to sketch.” I explained to her about the blog. Her only warning was that I couldn’t step on a blue mat without lessons. There are picnic tables set up for observers so the place is perfectly set up for artists.

Several men were being taught how to use the ropes and harnesses. They had to learn several knots and how to safely use the equipment. Dozens of green ropes draped down from thick sewer PVC tubes suspended by two by fours. No one actually supported their weight in this training area. The rock climbing center is housed in a huge warehouse. Large false rock walls thrust up to the ceiling along the longest wall creating a man made canyon. After the basic rope training the newbies were walked up to the face of a wall. They climbed for the first time under the watchful eyes of an instructor. Safety and climbing etiquette were stressed again and again. One of the climbers got rambunctious and started kicking himself away from the wall, like you might see in a Rambo movie. The instructor calmly explained that he was taking unnecessary risks. One climber had done that too much and ended up crashing through the wall. He wasn’t injured too bad.

In a training area a muscular climber hung upside down from a chin up bar. He pointed his toes and shifted his legs from one side to the other using his abdomen muscles. Damn, I feel flabby, at least my fingers are getting a workout. A large group of climbers sat around a short central wall where they could test their climbing skills without getting too high. Fingers and palms were coated in chalk and then they would try to climb up an inverted groove. The plastic finger holds must be moved around often since someone was drilling new ones into the walls as I worked. Strips of red tape seemed to mark hold placements. Plenty of people fell as they challenged themselves. At one cliff like overhang one climber hung suspended by one arm, his legs swinging like a pendulum until he thrust his free arm up to a crevice.

It seemed like this was a regular ritual for many of the people here. Landing flat on your back wasn’t something that slowed these climbers down. They would dust themselves off, laugh about it and anxiously wait for the next chance to climb the overhang. This sport seemed to require concentration, strength, patience and an innate knowledge of how to push the boundaries where some might feel fear. Even the staff undergoes rigorous training. There is always something new to learn. No climber is perfect, they are all humbled by gravity.

I didn’t climb, I was having too much fun sketching, but I can now put this on my bucket list of things I’d like to try. I think I need to work on my abs and arm strength. I’ll keep lifting that heavy art satchel till I’m ready.

Benoit Glazer

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Benoit Glazer and his wife opened their home, the Timucua White House, starting in September 2000, to bring free music to the Orlando community. I’ve sketched many of these concerts and have always been pleased to discover new talents. Benoit and his family believe and promote the following…
Art and music belong to everyone.
Art and music are the highest manifestation of our humanity.
Art and music should be enjoyed in the most intimate venue: the living room.
Every community is better when art and music are performed and nurtured within it.

After one concert, I discovered that Benoit was composing the sound track music for an independent film called “7 Lives of Chance” that was filmed right here in Orlando. This film, written and directed by Banks Helfrich, is about a woman who loves balloons and is unable to let go of the past. Her life would be so much easier and less painful if she could let go and watch her worries drift away with the breeze. The sound track features light and breezy violin music giving the story a distinct European flair. Benoit jumped at the chance to compose the music.

I sketched Benoit on the weekend as he worked in his sound studio. A collection of violins and trumpets lined one wall. A window looked out on the main stage area in his custom built acoustically designed “living room.” His flat screen computer monitor was tilted vertical so he could see all the tracks. The family was watching a neighbors dog. The Benoits also have a greyhound and this dog made the tragic mistake of nipping at the greyhound while it slept. The greyhound was jolted awake, and bit down on the the other dog’s head. The children took the dog to the vet at a great expense. The dog lay on the floor with a big band aid covering the bite. The dog was restless, and occasionally Benoit would have to soothe it, making sure the dog didn’t scratch at the wound with it’s paws.

After each concert, Benoit mixes a CD to thank the musicians for performing. He began mixing a CD for singer Ashley Lockheed. Chris Rotmeyer was on piano, Ben Cramer on Base and Allen Vache on clarinet. Benoit informed me that Allen is a very big deal, having performed with the Jim Cullen band. The music filled the tiny sound studio as Benoit adjusted the levels again and again. I was surprised when he asked my opinion on the levels of one track. I was just as surprised when he agreed with my humbly assessment. Benoit adjusted the levels using pure instinct. He doesn’t consider himself a perfectionist, he just knows when it feels right.

The Way of the Cards

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The Way of the Cards will have its World Premiere on April 27th at 8:30pm at the Lowndes Shakespeare Center- Mandell Theatre (812 E. Rollins St). This play is written and directed by Orlando native, Aradhana Tiwari. Aradhana has always had a rare ability to utilize the creative talent around her to its full potential. This sketch is from a Project F rehearsal held in a green screen stage at a TV news studio in town. The actors were writing down personal experiences, each of which influenced the direction of the production. The cast was very much a part of the creative process.

I saw an early staging of The Way of the Cards back in September of 2011. This was an early draft of the play, but it already had a serious dramatic punch. Notes from a talk back at the end of that show may have helped as Aradhana went back and re-wrote and tweaked the structure of the play. The play has the unique premise that the interpersonal relationships and power struggles in a family can directly correlate to the stages of a single hand of Texas Holdem. The head of the household is “Sass” Arlington (played by Beth Marshall), may have been the “First Lady Of The Vegas Strip” at one point in her poker career, but now she is simply a tired hack who plays on a riverboat. Her son, “Tip”(played by Anthony Pyatt), is a surly cereal chewing teen who best relates his thoughts by teaching the subtle tactics behind the cards. Sass’s distraction as she struggles to recreate her former winning streak leads to tragic consequences.

Here are the show dates, this is one local gem you will not want to miss.

When:
April 27th through May 6th
Fri 4/27- 8:30PM
Sat 4/28- 8:30PM
Sun 4/29- 2:30PM
Mon 4/30- 8:30PM Industry Night
Thu 5/3- 8:30PM
Fri 5/4- 8:30PM
Sat 5/5- 2:30PM(Matinee, no night show)
Sun 5/6- 2:30PM

Cost:
General Admission: $15
Industry Night: $10 (Guaranteed seating with previous reservation, we are also offering a walk-up admission of pay what you can, it’s not guaranteed seating, but you can pay whatever you want!)

Time:
Fri/Sat/Mon- 8:30PM
Sun/Sat(5/5)- 2:30PM

To purchase tickets please visit our website at www.BethMarshallPresents.com

Weeki Wachee Mermaid Show

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Weeki Wachee is a crystal clear spring west of Orlando straight out 50 towards Tampa. The drive out slowly unveiled the true old Florida with tin roofed houses under huge Live Oaks and ancient pickups with just the right amount of rust. Weeki Wachee has been a unique roadside attraction for over 60 years. When it first opened, the mermaids had to stand roadside to try and attract visitors.

“Fish Tales” the underwater mermaid show was housed in a theater right beside the spring. The stadium seating sloped down to a huge arched glass wall that looked under water into the spring. A miniature castle was perched on the slope of the opposite wall of the spring. A girl rose from the depths and waved to the audience. A snorkeler held her air hose. As part of her “mermaid training” she had to swim straight down into the spring against the flow of water rushing upward. She held her breath the whole way. When she reached the bottom she tugged the air hose twice so the snorkeler could help bring her up. It was an unnerving demonstration of will and faith. She held her breath for over two minutes then did a graceful back flip to prove she was not in a rush for air.

When mermaids performed, turtles and fish would swim nearby. Sometimes a mermaid doing a somersault might bump her head on a turtles shell and she would gently push him away. The final number was a rousing underwater ballet to “Proud to be an American!” A Merman rose from the depths with an American flag as a cape. He spread his arms and grinned ear to ear. The show is campy and over the top fun.

Prop 8

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Beth Marshal Presents brought Prop 8 to the Orlando Shakes. Prop 8 was passed in California stating that marriage can only be defined as the union of a man and woman with the goal being to procreate. Protesters lined the entry walkway towards the theater entrance. They shouted their protests of equal rights to love. There was a surreal irony to the demonstration since most Prop 8 demonstrators would be shouting their judgements and hatred.

This play, written by Lisa Cordes, used court documents in the case to overturn Prop 8. When I got to the theater, Beth showed me where I would be sitting, right next to other bloggers and tweeters on the sidelines. I didn’t have a good line of sight to the judge, so I ended up sitting on my artist’s stool a bit further away from the stage. Daily City blogger Mark Baratelli had been out in the lobby curious about what was going on. He had been at an event across the parking lot at the Orlando Museum of Art but he was drawn to the hubbub at the shakes. I was alone in the theater blocking in my sketch before the actors got on stage. I texted Mark suggesting he join me in the bloggers section. When the play started, I finally realized that the bloggers were actually actors. Silly me. Their fingers floated above the keyboards to make it look like they were typing without creating noise. As it turns out, I was the court artist.

Lisa Cordes herself played a witness and I caught her in my sketch. Her wit and irony made it clear that she believed in the cause of any one’s right to marry. The lawyers who defended Prop 8 did a very poor job and defense witnesses were often weak minded bigots. The bloggers were able to summarize otherwise mind numbing testimony so it could be easily digested with humor and wit. The most compelling testimony came from witnesses who longed to be able to publicly celebrate their love yet were denied by law.

In the end, the play remained unresolved since legislation is still pending. The testimony and evidence certainly left us all with hope that love could outlast bigotry. Chad Lewis and Jason R. Donnelly were to be married in the theater after the performance. Members of their families took up much of the second row of the theater. We all were asked to wait in the lobby as the theater was converted into a chapel. Nicki Equality Drumb and Rachel Equality Gardiner stopped over to say hello. An actor came over and thanked Rachel for being such a good audience member. He explained that he had been exhausted near the end of the play, but her enthusiasm fueled a second wind. She was a bit embarrassed, but that is what makes theater in a small town like Orlando special. The actors truly appreciate the audience. Every year on Valentines day they host “The Human Heart.” Hundreds of people gather in Lock Haven park holding hands and forming a large heart shape. Candles are lit in the name of love and equality. I also love this couple since they go to the courthouse regularly to ask for the right to be married. Hopefully someday soon the tide will turn and the court clerk will finally say “yes.”

Mulan Screening 2DA

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Each month at Full Sail, we have 10 classes instructing the 12 Principles of Animation in the 2D Animation Lab. On the last day of class, students get to enjoy a traditionally animated film as they put any finishing touches on their animation projects and flip books. Often students are illuminated by the warm glow of the animation disks as they sketch. There is usually a rush of activity at the animation cameras as scenes are shot and re-shot.

This month, the class decided to watch Mulan, a film which I put plenty of blood sweat and tears into. This was the first full feature film Disney produced entirely in Florida and the small crew had to put in an astonishing amount of overtime to get the film finished. It was trial by fire, and I loved the pressure. I stayed late without being asked to re-work all the keys in a scene that showed fish swimming underwater. By morning I finished the scene, locking down the stripes and patterns on the fish bodies. All that work garnered quick promotions. Ironically after all the water ripples were added, all that work was distorted, but I still feel pride any time I see it. I haven’t experienced that kind of intense community creative effort since production on that film. I suppose my daily deadlines are my way to keep that pressure cooker active as I strive to grow as an artist.

Topographies

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“Topographies” a series of sculptures by Barbara Sorenson are on exhibit in front of the Orlando Museum of Art. These bright primary colored resin and metal creations will be on exhibit through April Fool’s Day. On March 18th, “Art and Dance: A Pas de Deux” a piece inspired by Sorenson’s Work will be performed in this court yard. The piece will feature Orlando Ballet Dancers choreographed by Robert Hill and Eric Yow.

On exhibit inside the museum is “Made in Florida” featuring three exhibitions and a gallery display. Work in the exhibit features artists who were inspired by the sunshine state. Florida’s unique landscape and culture has inspired artists from all ages. The eclectic permanent collection features work of such acclaimed artists as John Singer Sargent, Cecilia Beaux and Robert Rauchenburg.

I found myself in front of the Museum at dusk with an hour to spare since I planned to attend a piano recital across the parking lot at 7pm at the Margison Theater in the Shakes. This recital, which was part of ArtsFest, was to feature Hyung-Min Suh, the third place winner of the second Florida International Piano Competition. There weren’t many cars in the parking lot. At 7pm I walked into the empty theater. The building was deserted. I checked out the intricate set that was built for “Romeo and Juliet“. The set was gorgeous with a root-like structure holding up an isolated platform as well as the infamous balcony. Now, I really want to see, and sketch the play. This was the second time an ArtsFest event I planned to sketch was MIA. This year’s Fest must be in some disarray after United Arts lost Margot Knight and Cory Warren. An unexpected disadvantage of drawing on a tablet at night is that big beetle and tiny gnats were attracted to the screen’s light.