When Shadows Fall

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I went to a media preview of “When Shadows Fall.” This groundbreaking interactive experience happens in a large innocuous warehouse south of Downtown Orlando. There is no signage on the building. A young woman in a black dress held her phone in front of her and spoke to it. I assumed she was skyping but she was actually recording a video blog. Inside was a waiting area where four clumps of press spoke amongst themselves. Ricky Brigante the producer and Technical Director welcomed me. I was issued a small bronze colored badge. It looked like a mechanical eye with sunlight radiating from behind it. It was attached to a note which read, “Welcome new Penumbra citizen! Please accept this symbol of our new society with my highest regards.” ~K.C. Alexander

One of my favorite early computer games was “Myst.” In that game, you wandered through a three dimensional world looking for clues about the now abandoned civilization. Penumbra offers all the mystery of “Myst” while being fully interactive. It is unlike anything I have experienced before. We entered the first fully functional, totally harmonious society in the history of mankind two at a time or, in my case, alone. I walked down a long dark narrow hallway approaching a woman who asked for my allegiance to the new society. I was directed to a series of glowing tablets on the wall. Here, new citizens are given their new roles in the society. I then had to wait for a office worker, Cain (Chris Brown), who was in charge of internal affairs and quality control. He interviewed me briefly. When he found out that I was a journalist and sketched, he seemed interested and advised me to keep me eyes open and report back if I found any, deviant behavior.

I was reunited with the group in a dark hallway. Then, Harlan (Brett Carson) began calling out names. I knew already knew that there were various classes in this society. Golds were intellectuals and artists, certainly that is where I belonged. Silvers were like the middle class, while bronzes were hard laborers and then there was another darker class, the nameless, that no one wanted to talk about. Harlan called out about five names and then he called for me. I met the woman in black, Mallory Vance, and we wondered what our new role in society might be. We were lead to an area near a large reinforced vault door. Harlan’s kind welcoming demeanor changed. He announced that our antisocial behavior had earned us a spot in Penumbra’s dark underbelly, the labyrinth. Dark sinister rooms were contained by iron bars. A red light blinked above the vault door. Harlan bolted the door closed as he left us behind. A large octagonal table offered a spot to rest and ask long-term residents questions. While they were all scarred and misshapen, the women were quite beautiful despite their scars.

Mallory and I were assigned to help Daedalus (Joe Hall), who was dressed in a dark leather trench coat with a sharp pointed collar. He had red scars on his face. He asked us if we would do anything to escape from the labyrinth. Mallory was all in. I hesitated, wondering if murder might be required. He asked us to help him mix a potion in his lab. The walls were burned as if there had been a chemical explosion. I warned Mallory, but she was already pouring the chemicals together in a flask. The mixture could be used to incapacitate someone and allow for our escape.

Mallory and I were each given armbands that made it look like we were under house arrest like Daedalus himself. We were then sent on a mission to recover documents from Nikolai’s office. Nikolai was an ambassador, the son of K.C. Alexander. After his father’s death, Nikolai took over control of Penumbra. Mallory and I rushed through the maze of hallways, and hid any time security came around. We hit the jackpot recovering plenty of aging documents from the office. I followed Mallory’s lead. She seemed to know her way around the hallways better than I. It was fun having a co-conspirator. A secret panel got us back to the labyrinth. We were looking for information about a citizens project but many of the document were love letters. When Daedalus asked about what we found, Mallory snatched up the love letters and hid them behind her back. She later gave these letters to Odessa (Cassandra Heinrich). Mallory is a romantic at heart, and she wanted the romance to remain private. Daedalus might have used the information to forward his own devious agenda. . .

Tickets to this first person experience are $45.95-$74.84.

The Vinik Family Foundation presents The Beach Tampa.

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The Beach Tampa is an interactive architecture installation in the Amalie Arena. Created by Snarkitecture, This 15,000 square foot immersive environment features an ocean of 1.2 million recyclable and antimicrobial white balls. Open to the public at no cost thanks to The Vinik Family Foundation, the beach will remain open until August 25th 2016. The environment is created on the floor of the arena using construction materials such as scaffolding, wall panels, and perforated mesh.

Performance artist Brian Feldman told me about the exhibit. He tried to get in on a weekend but there was a line for tickets. When he did get his ticket the entry time was for six hours later. He got sidetracked at an art event in St. Petersburg and didn’t get back to the Arena. We decided to take a day trip during the week. This time there was no line. At the entrance guests are offered free ice cream. White fabrics lined all the halls leading to the beach, creating a sense of wonder and anticipation.

Security checked all bags and a metal detector wand checked for metal. My pencils kept setting off the metal detector but I ultimate made it through. There are free lockers available if you want to leave personal items behind before entering the beach. A volunteer questioned my artist chair but let me pass.  There were plenty of white beach chairs inside, but they were set back away from the 75-foot-wide beach shore. I set up right at the shore’s edge where all the action was.

Within minutes of arriving, Brian spotted an olde woman who looked like she was in distress. Only her head was above the balls and she was sinking down as if in quick sand. Her face was red and her eyes panicked. I let a lifeguard know and she threw out a life preserver. Several more lifeguards moved in and tried to lift the woman. She was very heavy and it took three people to get her out. Later I saw another elder couple also struggling to get out. The woman seemed stuck, but her partner managed to help get her back to shore. Later, as she struggled to catch her breath in a beach chair she said, “That was exhilarating.” Brian waded out and submerged until only his head was visible. A woman with beautiful black hair lay back on the sea foam of balls and spread her hair out as if a Victorian muse. Perhaps that selfie will be her next Facebook profile photo. There must be millions of selfies shot at the beach every day. Mirrors surround the ocean of balls increasing the feeling of an open expanse. The Beach signage is presented backwards and forwards so that any digital image will have the signage facing the right way if you aim your cell phone at the right angle.

I waded in once my sketch was done. A lifeguard warned me to empty my pockets since the pressure of all the balls tends to push objects out of pockets. I left me keys change and wallet in my sneakers at the shore’s edge. When this huge ball pit is emptied there will be a treasure trove of objects to be found at the bottom. Brian took a few photos as I struggled in the balls. If you lay back and sink to the bottom it can be hard to get back up. Children know instinctively how to roll and get up. It is the adults who are more prone to panic.  Swimming in balls is a good workout. I was exhausted from my short exuberant swim. Afterwards, Brian navigated us to Gourmet Pizza Company, (610 S Armenia Ave, Tampa, FL), a pizza parlor offering vegan and gluten-free options , and I must admit it was the best pizza I ever had.

If you want to have a fun time, the drive west on I-4 to Tampa is well worth it. You only have until August 25th to experience the beach for yourself.

Weekend Top 6 Picks for August 20th and 21st.

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Saturday August 20, 2016 

8pm to 11pm $15.95 and Members can enjoy the event for FREE. Adults-Only Science Night Live! Orlando Science Center 777 E Princeton St, Orlando, Florida.Live from Orlando, it’s Science Night Live!
Featuring the digital art show SENSORIUM, presentations from Microsoft, Mindbender Mansion and more!
Orlando Science Center is reserved strictly for adults at Science Night Live on Saturday, August 20 from 8–11:30 p.m. with grown-up-inspired programming. It’s social, it’s science, it’s 21 and up! This event proves there is no age limit on curiosity. You’re never too old to learn something new! It’s social, it’s science, it’s 21 and up and tickets are going fast!
EXPERIENCES
• Hear an engaging presentation from Microsoft (details to follow)
• Enjoy the NEW hands-on exhibit Kinetic Zone
• Unlock the puzzles in Mindbender Mansion for the final time
• View stars and planets through the giant refractor telescope in the Crosby Observatory
• Get inspired by the latest art gallery on display in Fusion: A STEAM Gallery
• View Sensorium – Exhibition of Interactive Sound + Art Installations, on display for one night only
• Experience giant screen films in the Dr. Phillips CineDome
• Conduct lab experiments in Dr. Dare’s Laboratory
• Delight in food and adult beverages available for purchase
• Engage in science trivia to win prices!
• Experience a once-in-a-lifetime performance by Orlando Shakes

Make it a date night at Orlando Science Center for Science Night Live!
Tickets are available online only and the past two events have sold out so get yours before they’re gone!
Visit www.osc.org/snl to learn more!
**Must be 21 and older
**Dress code is casual attire.

10pu until morning. Free. Creative Sleep Over. Defined Enterprises 279 Douglas Ave, Altamonte Springs, Florida 32714 You ever wondered what would happen if a bunch of creatives got together and slept under one roof? No need to imagine anymore, every second Saturday Defined Enterprises opens it’s doors for all the creatives to spend one night out of the month together. Feel free to bring your own set of tools that allow you to create. Bring your own pillows and blankets. Food and beverages will be served through out the night.
Creatives, artist, dancers, directors, photographers, musicians, engineers, gamers, techies, models and innovators, you guys are all welcomed.
BRING BOARD GAMES AND THINGS THAT WILL HELP US COLLECT MEMORIES!!!!

10pm to Midnight Free. Dizzy punk. Saint Mathews Tavern 1300 N Mills Avenue Orlando fl.

Sunday August 21, 2016 

10am to 4pm Free. Lake Eola Farmers Market. South East corner of Lake Eola Park.

2pm to 4pm Free Yoga. Lake Eola Park, 195 N Rosalind Ave, Orlando, FL1 near the red pagoda.

10pm to Midnight Free but get a coffee. Comedy Open Mic. Austin’s Coffee, 929 W Fairbanks Ave, Winter Park, FL. Free comedy show! Come out and laugh, or give it a try yourself.

Pints for Pulse: a Community Event.

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Festival Park (2911 E. Robinson St., Orlando, Florida), was the site for Pints for Pulse. Tickets were $50. Yo u could sample beers from just about every craft brewery imaginable while helping raise money for the OneOrlando fund. The event’s tag line was…  beer | art | music | you.

This craft beer community event raised money to help the pulse nightclub victims. Over eighty breweries, food trucks, food tents, burlesque shows, drag shows, and many more amazing and wonderful things – all to help raise funds for those affected by the pulse night club tragedy. This fiery burlesque performer swallowed fire for the cause.

All proceeds from this event will go to OneOrlando. I’ve heard the funds from OneOrlando will not be distributed until November. For those who are struggling now there is little peace. Survivors of the Pulse nightclub shootings will have a little more leeway
to qualify for a share of the millions of dollars raised by the
OneOrlando Fund, its board of directors decided late Thursday. Forms should be online at OneOrlando.org by midday Friday and must be submitted with documentation by Sept. 12.

The money will go only to four groups: the families of the dead,
survivors who were hospitalized, survivors who sought outpatient medical
treatment, and those who were present in the club when the shootings
began but not physically injured.

Families of the dead will receive the most; the share that goes to each subsequent group will be decided next month.

Peace, Love, Pulse!

#DisarmHate Art Expression at Falcon Bar.

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#Disarm Hate is an art show at Falcon Bar, (819 E Washington St, Orlando, FL) in which local artists address the issue of rampant gun violence in America. Since the 49 Pulse Portraits of Pulse victims was created at Falcon Bar, it seemed appropriate to hang them for this show. Melissa Marie hung the portraits clothes line style on string I had provided using electrical clamps. She didn’t peal the name tags off the backs of the sketches, so I did the when I arrived at the opening. People would stop and linger, looking at all the faces be for they would make their way to the bar to order a drink. 

Artist Plineo Pinto sold a watercolor of someone who was shot by an arrow and the Pulse logo was under the wound. H had a red dot when I arrived. The commission that The Falcon collects on art sales will be donated to 501(c)(3) Nonprofit http://PulseOfOrlando.org/


Artist Holly Tharp was at the opening. She had two pieces in the show, one of a woman collapsed over a gun’s bullet cylinder and the other of a Buddah. Melissa Doskotz had a beautiful rainbow colored heart made from thin Strips of paper curled with interlacing spirals in a shadow box frame. That piece as just $270 which is a steal. All of the 49 Portraits can be seen in the short video, “Finger o the Pulse” but there is nothing like seeing the art is person. The art will continue to be on display until September 9, 2016.

Josean Garcia at Hamburger Mary’s

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Josean Garcia and I met at Hamburger Mary’s on Church Street. I
was there first. I didn’t know what he looked like and he didn’t know
what I looked like, but we found each other. Hannah Miller who founded AdoptOrlando, was meeting us as well, but her car got rear ended by some guy rubbernecking rather than paying attention to traffic. She arrived shortly after Josean and I had met.

I was seated by the waitress at a round table in the center of the room. I thought a booth might be
better, but accepted the location offered. He felt
uncomfortable when he arrived, with his back exposed to a room full of people that he
couldn’t see. We moved to a booth close to a back exit door. I felt more
comfortable and so did he. He now always thinks about possible escape
routes anytime he is in a public place.

Josean has experienced an incredible amount of loss. First, he lost his mother, Deserie Garcia, and then on June 12th he lost his best friends Amanda and Mercedes at Pulse. He escaped from the nightclub that evening. “It’s been two months since my best friends , my sisters joined my mother in heaven.” he said on Facebook on August 12th.

Josean is an incredibly talented singer and song writer. His R&B music often addresses the darker side of life. Since the horrible shootings at Pulse, his life has been on hold. He can’t believe this happened in Orlando and that he was there. I love that he feels Orlando has gained a new found “weirdness” along with the
incredible outpouring of acceptance. Rainbow flags are still
seen everywhere. He will
start creating music again when the time is right. He is thinking that New York City could be where he should go to further his career. When we got our wines, he insisted we toast. His grandmother always said
the you should toast anytime you are with friends to celebrate life. We
all need to feel a connection to friends. He knows how to celebrate life while remembering his dearest friends lost at Pulse.

You can donate to the Amanda Alvear or Mercedes Flores GoFundMe accounts if to would like to help.

Finger on the Pulse at the Livingroom Theater Shorts Program .

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Banks Helfrich and Tisse Mallon present independent local films in real, live living rooms. Living Room Screening events go beyond movie night and into a shared experience which includes the film, the creator and the reflections and thoughts of the audience.
This evening’s intimate experience consisted of a number of short films and a conversation with the creators.

Having just finished editing “Finger on the Pulse“, I sent Tisse and Banks a Facebook messages asking if the short was a good fit for then Living room Theater Shorts program. Amazingly my last minute submission squeaked into the lineup.

Filmmakers included.

Ariel Zengotita
Kevin O’Neill
Rokaya Mikhailenko
Logan Anderson
Ferio Dismo

  My film, “Finger on the Pulse” began and the room fell silent.
You could hear a pin drop. I thought something might be wrong. When the
credits rolled there was an unexpected thunderous applause. In the talk
back I described my experience showing the 49 portraits at the Orlando Science Center,
and once again I choked up when I described how one victim’s sister
reacted when she saw the exhibit. I was advised to Show the film at the Enzian Film Slam and the Global Peace Film Festival. I need to clean up the edit and burn it to DVD to make those submissions.

My favorite film was titled “Lean” by director Kevin O’Neill. In that film, actor Dennis Neil sat in a rocking chair on to porch of a weathered southern cabin. He held a tiny music box and the camera zoomed in o his face as he remembered his past. The flash back scene was saturated white in a southern school room. A pretty girl with blond curls pay full glances back at the boy as they both do their school work. She places the music box on his desk. Later, he is helping her with her homework and their fingers touch above the school book. A storm breaks out and they run outside to dance in the rain. I felt uncomfortable. with a black boy and white girl playing together in the south, things couldn’t end well. The boy sits down in the mud and the girl follows suit. His white shirt and her white dress are soon playfully covered in mud. He reaches out to hold her beautiful curls and then they hold hands. Just then the girls mom drives up and she drags her daughter away. We flash back to the present and Dennis goes inside the cabin and hands the music box to a woman in bed. She looks sick but has the same beautiful blond hair. The moral is that love sees no color. I loved the film.

Other films included a toy car that acted like a caterpillar and built a cocoon to become an airplane, by Ariel Zengotita. A poetic southern travelogue by Logan Anderson, A quirky film about science and perception by Ferio Dismo, and a hot Flamenco dance piece that followed the dancer’sromance, motherhood, and ultimately her husband’ death by Rokaya Mikhailenko.

Universal City Walk Perspective.

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I went to Universal City Walk on assignment for Querto Press to do a step by step sequence that showed how I would approach a scene with multiple vanishing points. This scene has five different vanishing points because all the buildings are at different angles to each other. The book on Perspective that this sketch was done for also has a large section in the back that feature drawings done in Orlando that can be completed by students to learn about one, two and three point perspective.

I was at the location with a friend a month before but there wasn’t him to sketch. Unfortunately security at Universal Studios considers an artist stool as a threat, and I had to walk back to my car to get rid of it. Going to sketch in such a controlled environment has it’s disadvantages.

At ant theme park setting there is always a wall of tourists walking around. It becomes a challenge to decide which tourists to include and where. If someone stands a few feet in front of me blocking much of the view, they are ignored. I had a hotdog at a street vendor around the corner and the dog was quite good, but expensive. Although I used to live only a quarter mile away from City Walk, I seldom went, because I prefer to keep my distance from the tourist hoards.

Would it be possible for a madman with an assault rifle to go on a shooting spree at City Walk? Most likely the answer is yes, but he couldn’t sit on his own stool.

Extreme Perspective Art Show at Dandelion Communitea Cafe.

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Extreme Perspective Art Show at Dandelion Communitea Cafe (618 N Thornton Ave, Orlando, FL) Art is a show is all about an EXTREME perspective, either something grand, vast, expansive, large, or something tiny, cellular, small, minute or something from a perspective of enormous, like a very large collection of items or something extremely close up and uncomfortable or something from a unique and unusual perspective.

I submitted a framed original of a sketch I did at Fantasy Surf. At Fantasy Surf you can ride an artificial wave that never ends. Water is shot up over a plastic shaped wave and you can do tricks otherwise impossible in the ocean since you can hop down on the Past is surface to set up for spins o flips. The original piece of art is discounted since I didn’t add in the cost of the frame which was an up front cost for another show.

Theresa Touhey curated the show and when I arrived at the opening, she was seated at a table with

Natassia Dudack. Theresa reminded me about how her boyfriend spotted m in a Documentary about performance Artist Marina Abramovic. I flew into NYC on the final day of her extended performance of, The Artist is Present. Brian Feldman who was an Orlando performance artist at the time convinced me to sketch him sitting opposite Maria as they stared at each other. I got some decent sketches that day, but I still haven’t seen the documentary. 

I got to talk to artist Natassia Dudack, a bit at the opening. She had several delicate and well observed paintings of flowers in the show. Paintings on her cell phone portfolio hint at Buddhist themes to her work. One had a golden symbol for the “oohm” phrase uttered when meditating. She is also branching out to curate shows on her own. At the table in front of me, a family was out to show their support for Natassia. The mom was also an artist who does exquisite calligraphy brush paintings. The dad told me about his recent trip back to New Jersey where he went to his childhood home. The front door still had a carving that his dad had created over 45 years ago. Some art does last through the generations.

I joined Bethany Taylor Myers and her friends at a corner table for a while to catch up and laugh to a bit. Bethany has been friends with many artists in the room ever since she was 17 years old. It is reassuring to know that some friendships can stand the test of time.

Extreme Perspective will remain at Dandelion Communitea Cafe until September 3rd. Stop out to experience some local art.

Weekend Top 6 Picks for August 13th and 14th.

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Saturday August 13, 2016 

7pm to 9pm Free but lanterns cost. 4th Annual Canine Memorial at Lake Baldwin. Harbor Park at Lake Baldwin 4990 New Broad St, Orlando, Florida. We got rained out last time and as you can imagine, we were all beyond disappointed. The great news is that due to popular demand, we were able to reschedule it right away, and better yet, all the key players are on board. So lets try this again!

We started this event four years ago when a very important member of our family, our beloved golden retriever Brandon, died. As anyone who considers a dog a companion knows, the intense pain that accompanies this loss was unbearable. Unfortunately, and as most pet parents often do, we grieved alone. During the following months, as our family grieved over our pet, friends, neighbors and even strangers shared their stories of loss and bereavement with us. That’s when it became painfully obvious to us that we all shared the same feelings of isolation as there wasn’t much support out there for those who grieve for a pet.

We realized that what we all needed most as a group was to have our feelings validated…

Motivated by that, my daughters and I decided to coordinate a collective memorial in order to provide everyone with the opportunity to honor and bid farewell to their treasured companions. The first Canine Memorial was held on the one year anniversary of our beloved Brandon’s passing, July 27th, 2013.

On that day, the cities of Orlando and Winter Park, Florida united to help us create the most beautiful and unique ceremony; one that brought together animal lovers from near and far, who expressed their sorrow by decorating lanterns in honor of their canines. These lanterns were then released into the water to carry away the heartwarming messages written to their beloved.

For some, it was the first real opportunity to say goodbye to their companion!

Sadly, and as expected, many more dogs have crossed over since our first memorial, leaving behind many families in need of an outlet for their grief. We must continue our mission…

Please join us Saturday, August 13th and you too will have the opportunity to honor the memory of a canine companion you have loved and lost.

An experience you don’t want to miss!

Just like last year, the entire ceremony will take place at the beautiful Harbor Park in Baldwin Park.

Please reserve your lantern to guarantee availability. Absentee lanterns are available as well, anyone in the world can order a lantern that will be decorated and released by a volunteer. For more information: contact Jannette at 561-577-7050/FloatingLanternMemorials.com or info@FloatingLanternMemorials.com

You can help us promote the memorial by posting this link.

As in previous years, we respectfully request that attendees refrain from bringing their dogs.

7pm to 9pm. Suggested donation $20. Living Room Theater – Community Show. 736 Boardman St, Orlando, FL. Tisse Mallon, Banks Helfrich and Jack Graham present an experiential, exclusive performance in a living room.

This unique 70 minute show consists of short segments focused on fun, connection and authenticity. From the funny to the serious, from the commonplace to the absurd, these original works take the audience on an emotional journey.

A few things for you to know:

– Due to the intimate nature of the show, no late arrivals can be accommodated.

– While not lewd or vulgar, this show is recommended for ages 18 and up.

– The show lasts approx. 70 minutes.

– There will be time for discussion afterward.

NOTE: Due to limited space, we can only accommodate a certain number of people. Admission is on a first come basis.

7:30pm to 9:30pm Free. Ryler Dustin’s Farewell Reading. Kerouac House 1418 Clouser Ave, Orlando, Florida. Please join as as we bid farewell to our summer resident writer, Ryler Dustin. Bring something to drink if you like and listen to what Ryler has been working on while living in the Kerouac House.

Sunday August 14, 2016 

10am to 4pm Free. Lake Eola Farmers Market. South East corner of Lake Eola Park.

Noon to 2pm Donation based.  Community YogART class: 7 Chakra series. Artegon Marketplace 5250 International Dr, Orlando, Florida. Every 2nd Sunday of the month YogART will be hosting FREE Color Therapy Yoga classes for the community at Artegon Marketplace (located in the community room across from section B6 – use movie theater entrance)

We are excited to bring you our “7 Chakra Series” that will focus each class on each individual chakra: breaking down it’s color, meaning, location and function. This particular class will revolve around our second major energy point known as “The Sacral Chakra”.

Color Therapy glasses will also be provided for those who wish to experience the effects of color therapy. Orange will be the primary focus for our Root Chakra but you may wear any color you want to work with.

This is an ALL LEVELS class which incorporates stretching, breathing exercises and light yoga poses geared around the Sacral Chakra.

We also have a color wheel on our site that explains the benefit of each color (glasses) Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet. http://www.yogartinc.com/color-therapy-chart/Please bring your own yoga mat and prepare to unwind

Check out our lovely YogART instructor’s website for more info on her, and some great articles:

www.jamiecrowell.com

*Any children who attend must be able to participate in the session quietly to respect the space of other guests. If your child is unable to partake without disruption we ask that you please refrain from bringing them. Thank you! Namaste ~

For more info contact us at:

info@yogartinc.com

1pm to 5:30pm Free. Family Day on the Second Sunday. The Mennello Museum of American Art, 900 East Princeton Street, Orlando, FL. The make-and-take craft table is open from noon-2:30 p.m., and docents are available to give mini-tours of the museum. Then it’s open house in the galleries until 4:30 p.m.