JiggleMan at the Windermere Public Library

Posted on by Thor

I got to the Windermere Public Library just before 10am. A large white Colonial building was locked. I backed up and realized that I was trying to get into the Windermere Town Hall. The Library was actually behind the town hall. The tip off was a bronze sculpture of a child reading a book. There was a woman waiting at the front door. “Is it locked?” I asked. “They open at 10am, and not a minute earlier.” she replied. As we waited, parents and their children started to arrive. There were rocking chairs on the porch and tat young boys rocked excitedly. They had seen JiggleMan the year before. The mom explained that JiggleMan entertained the parents as well as the kids.

The door to the library opened and the kids rushed in like they were Black Friday shoppers. The event was going to take place in a separate meeting room but the glass doors were closed. I waited with parents and their kids in the hallway. Tisse MalIon arrived and then Banks Helfrich. He signaled me to come in a bit early to set up. Banks is JiggleMan. Tisse began blowing up large balloons with an electric blower. The kids in the hallway pressed their noses up against the glass doors and shouted with excitement each time That she started to fill a new balloon. One mom joked, “Who needs a show, just blowing up the balloons is enough.”

Banks put a line of masking tape on the floor to mark the leading edge of his stage. He quickly changed into a black jumpsuit with baggy black shorts in the bathroom. Tisse announced, “I’m going to let them in” “No, give me a minute.” Banks replied. He did a handstand and seemed to stay there forever. I sketched quickly. I could hearth kids in the hallway shooting the obvious. “He’s doing a handstand Mom, look!”

Tisse opened the doors and the kids sat on the floor behind the masking tape line. there was excitement and squirming as they all settled in. JiggleMan entered from the back of the room, walking a bit like a penguin in straight lines in all the open gaps in the audience. I was reminded of Charlie Chaplin. The kids were already enthralled. He ultimately found a front row seat, and waited along with the kids. Then he walked up to the boom box and adjusted the music, Shaking his bootie when he found a beat he liked. the kids loved his antics.

The show is a high energy romp with plenty of fun props. A pink balloon was bounced off the walls and balanced on JiggleMan’s head. He ran from the balloon as if in a slow motion chase scene.  The entire room of kids was shouting with delight. They were as fun to watch as the show itself. JiggleMan pulled out an electric blower and proceeded to clap at it and shake it, to turn it on. The kids shouted excitedly that he needed to “turn it on!’ When he did, the blast of air hit him in the face, contorting his features to comic effect. The blower was stood on end and small balloons were suspended in the air flow as if by magic.

The larger balloons were used to even larger comic effect. I don’t want to give too much away, you have to experience JiggleMan for yourself. I had a blast! Mark your Calendar,

Thursday, August 11

11:00amJiggleMan @ Southeast Branch Library

Friday, August 12

10:30amJiggleMan @ Herndon Branch Library

Saturday, September 17

2:00pmFree JiggleMan Show @ Hiawassee Branch Library (Orange)

Wednesday, October 12

10:00amJiggleMan @ Lakeland Square Mall

4:30pmFree JiggleMan Show @ South Trail Branch Library (Orange)

Friday, October 14

10:30amFree JiggleMan Show @ Southwest Branch Library (Orange)

Snap! print day sale.

Posted on by Thor

Snap! Space, (1013 East Colonial Drive, Orlando, FL) held a Snap! print day sale with limited editions, and or open edition prints from local and international artists selected by Snap!
Tables were set up throughout the space for artists.

Each participant had their own photos to showcase and have some type of take away envelope or packaging for buyers to walk away with. I decided to participate, and I sketched the other artists displaying their work as I sat at my table. Chris Tobar was seated at the table beside me with a large tiger print behind him. Chris is now the art director at the Orlando Weekly. It was nice to meet the other artists and see their work. Although it was a pleasant way to spend a Saturday afternoon, I unfortunately didn’t sell a single print.

The Central Florida Storytellers Guild.

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A friend advised me to sketch the Central Florida Storytellers Guild which meets each month in the Community Room of the Winter Park Library. I was very glad I went. It was a welcoming group, and if I we to ever share my own stories, I thin this would be a relaxed and encouraging group encouraging group to share stories with. Each storyteller pick a name from a hat to decide who is next to go on stage. Madeline Pots saw that I was new to the group, so she sat down and chatted with me for a bit. I had heard her tell a story once before at the Abbey. Her voice is distinctive with a soothing melodic flow. The Store told at the Abby was about how she let her artist husband do a full body cast of her. He had to step a way and the plaster began to seep into the air holes. The story was both terrify in and funny sin she lived to tell the tale. We all go to crazy lengths for love.

I sketched Madeline as she told a very funny story about how she had to wear green bloomers in gym class. Although not life threatening, the story involved the embarrassment of being dressed different than everyone else. Her adolescent desire was to conform, but as an adult to conform, but as an adult, I think she realized. the being unique has its advantages.

The fellow in the red shirt told a story about his boyhood idol, Gene Autry. He would watch Gene every chance he could get on TV. At a huge event at Madison Square Garden, tie finally got to see his idol in person. When Gene took off his cowboy hat, his hair piece came off with the hat. Even idols put on their pants one leg at a time. of course, my brash summaries are nothing compared to the actual tales, so you need to experience them for yourself.

Each story was unique and heart felt. It is hard to imagine that people willingly sit at home watching tr all night, when they could be out enjoying each others company and share in the is own great stories. Mark your calendar! Storytellers guild meeting are on the first Tuesday of each month at 7pm in the communist room in the win the Park Public Library (460 E New England Ave, Winter Park, FL). The next meeting is September 6th.

Tonight August 8th Pete Abdulla is the featured storyteller at the Windsor Rose Restaurant and British Tea Room (142 W 4th Ave, Mt Dora, FL Mount Dora). He begins his tale at about 1:30p.m.

Finger on the Pulse.

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At Pints for Pulse, The City Song Players performed Finger on the Pulse for the first time since it had been recorded a week before.  Shadow Pearson was on piano, and Eugine Snowden got on stage to help with vocals. The song has been picked up by a subsidiary of Sony and paperwork is still be in filled out.  The song is just two minutes and forty seven seconds as Shadow explained, it is we radio friendly. All sales of the song are now be in donated to onepulsefoundation.org.

A news camera was trained on the stage, and on c again, I felt like I us witness to history.  All the beer tents were far away, so no one was crowded up to the stage. There was no refuge from the sun. I sketched fast hoping not to burn to the complexion of a lobster. Before I knew it, the song was sung and the beer soaked crowd cheered its approval. Even as we numbed ourselves with beer, art can still punch through reminding us of what cause we are drinking for. Actually, I didn’t drink a sip. My cause was to witness and sketch this performance.

Pints for Pulse

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Pints for Pulse was a community event that featured beer, art, and music at Festival Park (2911 E. Robinson St., Orlando, Florida). It happened to line up with Orlando Drink and Draw (ODD), so I made it the month’s drink on and draw in destination. Tickets however were $50 and I don’t think any artists of he than myself showed up. This was a craft beer community event that raised money to help the pulse nightclub victims. There were 80+ breweries, food trucks, food tents, burlesque shows, drag shows, and  more, all to help raise funds for those affected by the pulse night club tragedy.

When I arrived, I quickly walked around the entire event. Beer vendors were serving shot glass sized servings of beer. I didn’t get a wrist band since I didn’t plan to drink, just sketch. I stopped as soon as I saw these redefine artists hard at work on a collaborative piece of art. They were paint in on square wooden panels and each artist seemed to be in charge of their own panel. Some panels interlocked. For instance the swan engulfed for of the panels along with a lizard. At the end of the day, the entire painting was going to be given to the winner of a raffle drawing. These artists sweated the in butts off to complete This group mural, So whoever won, was getting an amazing painting for next to nothing.

Steve Parker pulled off his panel, so he didn’t have to work shoulder to shoulder the whole day.

Peace, Love, Pulse. All proceeds from this event went to OneOrlando.

Weekend Top 6 Picks for August 6th and 7th.

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Saturday August 6, 2016

6pm to Midnight Free but get beer! Craft Beer Carnival. The Copper Rocket Pub 106 Lake Ave, Maitland, Florida. Come one, come all to the greatest prost on earth! The first ever Craft Beer Carnival at the Copper Rocket Pub in Maitland. Join us for what will surely be an EPIC night of craft beer fueled fun and excitement. Watch as sword swallowers, fire dancers, body painters, stilt walkers and more party it up with you in celebration of Eli Brooks and Jeremy Wood’s birthdays! Beer tents will rise up, bands will lay it down and the party will carry on! Come thirsty and bring friends, we’ll need your help to float the event exclusive KEG OF PRARIE’S BIRTHDAY BOMB! Simply mention Beer Snob Society and recieve *20% OFF* of your tab for being part of the coolest beer club around! (Discount also applies to your guests)!!!

9pm to 11pm Free but get a drink. Disarm Hate.The Falcon 819 E Washington St, Orlando, Florida. Participating Artists (so far):

Brandi Monard

Carmen Berfield

Cristina Glynn

Holly Tharp

Josie Pedragoza

Korri Lacalamita

Laura Ashley

Melissa Doskoyz

Michelle Irizarry

Morgan Wilson

Plinio Pinto

Tina Thomas

Also the 49 Portraits created on the evening of July 3 will be on display.

Cory James Connell www.gofundme.com/295tskk 

Jean Carlos Nieves Rodriguez www.gofundme.com/29g76x8 

Javier Jorge-ReyesReyes and Jean C. Nives Rodriguez www.pulseoforlando.org

10pm to the next morning. Free. Creative Sleep Over. Defined Enterprises 279 Douglas Ave, Altamonte Springs, Florida. You ever wondered what would happen if a buch 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 bevarages will be served through out the night.

Creatives, artist, dancers, directors, photographers, musicians, engineers, gamers, techies, models and innovators, you guys are all welcomed.

EVERY SECOND SATURDAY!!!!!

BRING BOARD GAMES AND THINGS THAT WILL HELP US COLLECT MEMORIES!!!!

Sunday August 7, 2016

10am to 4pm Free. Lake Eola Farmers Market. South East Corner of Lake Eola Park. Produce, flowers, gifts and the unexpected.

Noon to 3pm Free or donation. Music at the Casa. Mini parlor concert every Sunday.

2pm to 4pm Free. Yoga. Lake Eola Park, 195 N Rosalind Ave, Orlando, FL. Near the Red Pagoda.

Drip Art Nights

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I went to DRIP (8747 International Dr #102, Orlando, FL 32819) to sketch their local Art Night.   The event features Visual Artists, Performance Artists, Burlesque troupes, Body Painters, Dancers, Belly Dancers, and Art Installations. It is an all ages event.

Set-up for artists began at 6:30 and the doors opened to the public at 8
PM. Artists brought in tables, walls and other ways to display their
art. I decided to sketch artist German Lemus as he worked on a painting. of course painting at a crowded event like this means having to break away from the creative process quite often to answer questions of prospective clients.

As always the DRIP art night was action packed with plenty of dance and music. The usual DRIP performance is no longer staged on Art Nights, which means the main performance space can be opened up to artist vendors. Mark Your Calendar! The next DRIP Local Art Night is September 22.

Pulse.

Posted on by Thor

While driving down Orange Avenue to hang the 49 Pulse Portraits at the Cardboard Art Festival, I passed Pulse for the first time since the horrific shooting. I parked in the SODO Shopping Center where the Cardboard Art Festival is located, an then walked back north to Pulse, three blocks away.

Pulse has become a destination where people from around the world, come to leave an offering and pay their respects. Personally I find the Mylar balloon with hearts for eyes and a smile disturbing. There was a constant stream of people taking photos and reading the names of those lost. A banner had a painting of the Dali Lama that said, “my religion is kindness.” I positioned my set in the only spot with shade from the black fabric that obstructed a direct view of the building. A wooden skid had color paint swatches arranged in a rainbow with the names of the fallen on each swatch. Above the skid, was a tear in the fence’s fabric. People tended to stay clear of me, perhaps thinking I was an attendant, but a few walked up to the tear to peak inside. There was a cooler opposite me show people get thirsty. On the ground, candles were arranged in a pulse pattern. The candles closest to me were flattened from being stepped on. When people first arrive they approach, the skid to red the names. Twice I watch people step on the candles. One girl couldn’t get the hot wax off of her sandals. A sign announced that the Orlando History Center collects Pulse memorabilia for their archives. The decaying scene is constantly changing and the regular afternoon thunderstorms speed up the process. Paper and cardboard signs quickly fall apart.

An hour into doing this sketch, I swear I began to smell death and decay. In my old home, rats would occasionally get caught in the walls, and the smell is quite distinct. Perhaps I was smelling mold on the teddy bears or the smell of wilted flowers, but it definitely smelled like death. Smell is my weakest sense so it must have been pronounced. I have a friend who lives right behind the 7-11 across the street. She said, the bodies were placed behind a fast food establishment, and to transport them, simple everyday vans were used. She remembered the feeling of dread every time a van passed her house. She never counted, but it felt like an endless procession. Fire Station #5 is located one block from Pulse. Some people who were shot, ran to the firehouse, but firefighters couldn’t open the doors until they were given the all clear. With the sound of gunfire, the firefighters could not treat the wounded until police arrived. Once the doors were opened they immediately found bloodied victims hiding from the shooter behind the brick walls of the firehouse. They found a man shot to in the abdomen. They transported him inside firehouse and stabilized him. This relatively calm area soul of downtown Orlando had become a war zone.

Eugene Snowden at One Pulse Sounds of Our City.

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One Pulse Sounds of Our City, was an all day benefit concert for victim’s families of the Pulse shooting in Orlando. Held at Orlando Brewing (1301 Atlanta Ave, Orlando, Florida). Hosted by Shadow Pearson the event featured an incredible line up of local performers.

Eugene Snowden was accompanied by Ben Brown. Eugine kept his set low key to start, but by the end, he was taking the audience to church. He stood and started stomping the stage with his bare feet. It is impossible not to get swept up by the Sheer force of his energy. Even the sketch is influenced by his performance.

It seems like I have been sketching Pulse concerts and vigils for more than a month. The memorials have been removed from Lake Eola and the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.  Signs indicate that the Orlando History Center is archiving some items for posterity. I have to wonder how much is instead shipped of to land fills.

The 49 portraits created on July 3rd, are now at the Cardboard Art Festival. I hung them very high right below the ceiling. They are over a map of Orlando that has a huge heart to show where Pulse is. Visitors can take adhesive hearts and add them to the map to show the home or office. Driving to the festival I drove past Pulse for the first time since the shooting. A makeshift memorial is set up along the blacked out fence that surrounds the building Orange barricades protect the curious from the endless traffic on Orange Avenue.