Panera Bread by Lake Eola.

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I’m starting a series of paintings of Lake Eola. The plan is to do consecutively larger oil painting to break away from the watercolor I do every day. Panera Bread at Lake Eola (227 N Eola Dr, Orlando, FL 32801) has become a place where I like to eat and relax before or after painting. There are alwa5s people hanging out and working on their computers which makes them captive models. I am also working on a book about sketching on cafes, so there will be many more sketches and articles about Orlando’s best Cafes here on Analog Artist Digital World.

I have also discovered that the Saturday Lake Eola farmer’s market is a vibrant place to sketch. There was a health and fitness fair last week and the huge grass lawn in front of Panera was filled with people doing yoga. There were three groups, the beginners, intermediate and then the advanced students who were paired up and doing calisthenic poses. (the person would lie on the mat and 6se their legs to elevate their partner. The partners pelvic bone would be supported and when they leaned forward they would look like they were flying. Really ambitious students did hand stands with their shoulders supported by their partners feet. There was a spotter on hand in each case to be sure no one got hurt. I’m not that ambitious, but I do want to catch the gestures. 

Panera bread will be closing at the Lake Eola location this year. Panera wants to have drive throughs at their restaurants and this lovely 1920s building doesn’t have that option. There is construction going on to improve the roofing but that probably doesn’t have anything to do with the move.

Bone Fish

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Bone Fish

(7830 W Sand Lake Rd, Orlando, FL 32819) was a regular hang out when I lived in Metro West. They have very tasty Manhattans and other cocktails. S9me dr7njs come with a glow stick as a stir stick. I would order a drink just to experience the glow. The dinner menu is also good. I almost always order a saucy shrimp dish. 


I did this sketch while waiting for a friend. I seldom post unfinished sketches, but there are rare occasions where I run out of time. A sketch is by definition incomplete, I need to keep reminding myself of that. Pictured is the waiting area outside the restaurant front door. Palm trees and evening breezes keep guests comfortable if they don’t want to muscle up to the bar.

FAVO post modern roadside ceremony.

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FAVO is a former roadside motel that is now being uses in part as artist studios. Once a month on Friday the studios are opened to the public for an art stroll.

In August, one of the studios was opened up as a performance space. The audience sat on church pews lined up on the right wall. A synthetic green grass carpet was on the floor. A plastic or fiberglass basin stool table like on the grass. Chunks of road asphalt were strewn in the basin. Many of the chunks has the road’s yellow center-line on them. Clumps of grass grew between the chunks of asphalt. The scene was illuminated by a large telephone pole street lamp.

Two young women wearing white and black evening gowns and lace head shawls performed a long elaborate chant. If there were words uttered they must have been in Greek. At times they knelt in the grass and bowed their heads.

From a small card in motel room window I discovered that the ceremony had something to do with the motels beginnings as an example of roadside modernism. Originally built as the Davis Park Motel in 1957, it is an example of Googie style architecture. Googie was the name of a coffee shop in Los Angeles designed by John Lautner. These designs have an element of cartoon futurism, as in the Jetsons mixed with mid century modernism.

Frankly I didn’t understand what the ceremony was about, but perhaps that was the point.

Weekend Top 6 Picks for April 8th and 9th.

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Saturday April 8, 2017

 3:45pm to 8pm. $8 in advance,  $10 at the door. Double Header! Orlando Roller Derby vs. Savannah Derby Devils.

Game 1 – Orlando Ozone Slayers vs Savannah Derby Devils

Game 2 – Orlando Sun Blockers vs Savannah Hostess City Hellions

Doors open at 3:45pm, first whistle is at 4:00pm.

We will have a 50/50 raffle, bring some cash! The money collected will be benefiting High School High Tech, a program that exposes children with disabilities to careers in the STEM fields.

We will also have NEW MERCHANDISE! We have some shirts, tanks and koozies with our brand new logo!

Seating is provided at this venue.

After party will be directly after the game, at Ollie’s Public House in College Park.

Ollie’s Public House

3400 Edgewater Dr,

Orlando, FL 32804

4pm to 6pm Free. Young Voices. JB Callaman Center 102 North Parramore Ave Orlando Fl. Teen Open Mic Every second Saturday of the Month.

10:30pm to midnight Free but get food and drink.  Son Flamenco. Ceviche Tapas Orlando, 125 W Church St, Orlando, FL. Hot blooded flamenco dancers to live acoustic guitar.

Sunday April 9, 2017 

10am to 3pm $35 Registration Fee: Register online Earth Day Quick Draw Competition Sponsored by the Polasek Museum. The Quick Draw Competition is part of The City of Winter Park’s Earth Day Celebration and sponsored by The Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens. We invite you to celebrate Earth Day on Sunday, April 9; from 11am- 3pm, by capturing her finest outdoor scenes in Central Park along Park Ave. The Quick Draw Competition is a plein air, or outdoor painting competition and is open to anyone who wishes to participate, amateurs and professionals, ages 16 and up. This is a fast and fun event to watch and participate in!

If you would like to paint in the Quick Draw, follow the registration process. Artists have only TWO hours to complete their work. During this short time, all registered Quick Draw participants will set up their supplies and paint or draw en plein air in downtown Winter Park. Blank canvas will be stamped the morning of at the Albin Polasek Museum’s check-in booth located along the north side of Central Park, parallel with the train tracks, to ensure that all paintings were created within the limited timeframe. After the paintings are completed they will be displayed on the artist’s easels along the park’s north boundary for a public “Art Stroll.” During the “Art Stroll” from 12:30-2:30 pm the public will be encouraged to vote for their favorite and help us choose a “People’s Choice Award.” At 2:30 pm the artwork will be judged, and awards will be given out at the Main Stage. Works will NOT be for sale and must be removed at 3:00 pm. Everything about the Quick Draw is quick…so don’t miss out!!!

• Prizes will be awarded for the following categories:

1st Prize – $250

2nd Prize – $150

3rd Prize – $75

People’s Choice – $100 – Sponsored by the City of Winter Park

• In addition, every participant will receive a City of Winter Park Earth Day tee-shirt at morning check-in.

• $35 Registration Fee: Register online at http://polasek.org/quickdraw/

• Limited registration spots available so sign up today! Cut off for registration is April 8th at 5:00 pm.

Quick Draw Schedule:

9:00 am – 10:00 am: Mandatory artist check-in and canvas stamping at Albin Polasek Museum’s booth (near north train tracks in Central Park)

10:00 am – START horn will sound. Artists have until 12:00 Noon to paint within the Park Ave/ Central Park district, within walking distance

12:00 Noon – END horn will sound

12:00 Noon – 12:30 – Artists return to the registration area and drop off their finished work

12:30-2:30 pm – “Art Stroll” and “People’s Choice Award” voting

2:30 pm – Judging (Closed to public)

2:45 pm – Award presentation, located on the East Stage near Garfield Ave

3:00 – Artists pickup their painting and easel

Noon to 5pm. Free. Fresh Squeezed. Morean Arts Center 719 Central Avenue St. Petersburg, FL 33701. Performance art you can drink with a straw!

As part of the six-artist exhibition “Fresh Squeezed: Emerging Artists in Florida” at the Morean Arts Center in St. Petersburg, award-winning performance artist Brian Feldman will be presenting a juicy new project of the same name; his first in Tampa Bay.

“Fresh Squeezed” will be the longest performance art piece in Pinellas County history, as well as of Brian’s career, at 140 hours over 23 days.

During each weekend of the exhibition, Brian Feldman will be in the gallery window meticulously making and serving 100% fresh squeezed Florida orange juice in compostable cups for gallerygoers to enjoy, and all for the price of a drawing.

Draw him a picture of an orange for a small!

A picture of a glass of orange juice gets you a medium!

Or you can draw Brian making your orange juice and receive a large!

Oranges provided by Maxwell Groves est. 1935.

Colored pencils, crayons, markers, watercolor paint sets and card stock paper will all be provided.

The gallery walls surrounding Brian are envisioned to be filled with over a thousand drawings by the end of the exhibition.

The performance will be live streamed in its entirety at periscope.tv/BrianFeldman.

“Fresh Squeezed” references [1] both parts of the exhibition’s name (literally “Fresh Squeezed,” and “Emerging” [newly created, i.e. orange juice]); [2] the once-proud citrus industry in Pinellas County, 90 years removed from its heyday*; [3] Brian’s lifelong love of fresh squeezed Florida orange juice (that you can chew!), thanks to his grandfather’s daily act of making it for him as a child; and [4] his career-long exploration of durational and participatory performance art.

2pm to 4pm. Free. Indie Lens Pop-Up screening of National Bird.Winter Park Public Library 460 E New England Ave, Winter Park, Florida 32789.  NATIONAL BIRD follows whistleblowers who, despite possible consequences, are determined to break the silence around one of the most controversial issues of our time: the secret U.S. drone war. The film gives rare insight through the eyes of both survivors and veterans who suffer from PTSD while plagued by guilt over participating in the killing of faceless people in foreign countries.

Runway to Haiti

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REBUILD globally hosted a night of beauty and impact at the annual fundraising event, “Runway to Haiti: The Night Fashion Meets Impact!” The runway show featured local influencers, community members, and big ambassadors. The show inspired next season’s best trends.

Patrons enjoyed a Deux Mains Designs runway show, music, a silent auction, and more as funds were raised for life changing education and job training programs in Haiti. With the world class pop-up boutique patrons could make an instant update to your wardrobe and impact the world with the latest styles.

Julie Colombino awarded Jim Hobart the first Orlando Global Citizen Award for his photo journalistic work documenting REBUILD globally’s impact in Haiti. Over 100 students have been taught and 85 jobs created that will help families build a life outside displacement camps. Locals are trained to create shoes that are created from recycled car tires.

Julie Antoine is smart and focused. She crossed the border into the Dominican Republic and adapted quickly to Dominican culture. She made a good living selling wares on the streets. One day, she was pulled off the street by Dominican police. Since her physical appearance was Haitian, she was forcibly deported without even being able to get her children. In the displacement camp, she had no idea how to adjust to the abject poverty. She jumped at the opportunity to craft sandals for REBUILD globally. She made her way out of the displacement camp in 3 months. Mose people remain in displacement camps for 17 years.

The goal of the Runway to Haiti fundraiser was to raise $50,000. People raised their hands to donate $1000 each.

Runway to Haiti dressing room.

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Runway to Haiti was a fashion show gala that raised money for Rebuild Globally. In 2010 there was a devastating earthquake in Haiti. Death toll estimates are between 100,000 and 160,000. It was a horrific blow to an already impoverished country. Julie Colombino decided to immediately go to Haiti to help in any way she could. She didn’t have a plan to start. Her efforts lead to the founding of Rebuild Globally which empowers people by giving them jobs creating sandals and shoes. The soles of the sandals are fabricated from old tires. Apparently the first pairs were not so comfortable but now they rival designer brands. The organization has also offered education to over a hundred students which further empowers people who rise from the displacement camps.

Julie is getting her makeup done in this sketch. The room was a constant blur of activity as models had their makeup done. It seemed like there wouldn’t be enough time before the event doors opened. The goal for the evening was to raise $50,000 dollars. Everyone needed to look their best.

Performance art you can drink with a straw!

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Fresh Squeezed at the Morean Arts Center (719 Central Ave, Saint Petersburg, Florida 33701),  featured the work of six emerging artists picked from a pool of almost 80 applicants. Award-winning
performance artist Brian Feldman is presenting a juicy new project
of the same name; his first in Tampa Bay.

“Fresh Squeezed” will
be the longest performance art piece in Pinellas County history, as
well as of Brian’s career, at 140 hours over 23 days. During
each weekend of the exhibition, Brian Feldman will be in the gallery
window meticulously making and serving 100% fresh squeezed Florida
orange juice in compostable cups for gallery goers to enjoy, and all for
the price of a drawing.

Draw him a picture of an orange for a small!
A picture of a glass of orange juice gets you a medium!
Or you can draw Brian making your orange juice and receive a large!

Colored pencils, crayons, markers, watercolor paint sets and card stock paper will all be provided.

Of course I had to make the several hour drive to earn a large orange juice. Unfortunately this sketch was done in my sketchbook and thus didn’t qualify. Therefor I did a second much simpler sketch to get a tall sip of juice. As a bonus, Brian’s family was there. Brian’s dad did a rather nice drawing of Brian with an orange slice behind his head much like a halo, although I doubt that was his angelic intention. I was surprised when he threw it in the garbage rather than cash it in for a cup of juice. After the Feldman’s left, I confiscated the sketch from the trash and decided to cash it in myself. It was a simple case of recycling and re-purposing the art. I filled out the questionnaire on the back of the sketch in Ed’s name. Brian was concerned that I was turning in stolen art. After any war, art mysteriously makes its way into museum collections. My confiscated submission only earned me 1/4 cup of juice. Crime barely pays.


A reporter asked Brian for an interview. His first question was, “Do you live in Saint Petersburg?” “Well, No.” Brian explained, “I’m from Orlando.” The interviewer stopped him, He just needed to talk to locals. He had no interest in Brian’s award winning career. Brian smiled and then laughed. The interviewer turned to Brian’s family and we all laughed since no one in the room at the time was from Saint Petersburg.


People walking by would often stop to peek in and see what was happening. Some of them would stop in for a free juice. The room was packed all day with children, both young and old, sketching their hearts out. Brian made the event fun and interactive by learning everyone’s name as he explained the performance. People shared stories as they created. This was a shared community experience. The entire performance is being streamed live on Periscope TV.

Oranges are being provided by Maxwell Groves est. 1935. The wall behind me had empty orange boxes stacked high. Brian was getting close to squeezing his 700th cup of juice. If you want to get a delicious cup of orange juice, get out to Fresh Squeezed. On Thursday April 6th, Brian will be giving a fresh squeezed gallery talk starting at 7pm. Fresh Squeezed, the exhibition runs through April 30th.

Ka Malinalli in Blue Box 14.

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Ka Malinalli performed in Blue Box 14 which is on the corner of East Central Boulevard and South Garland Avenue with the I-4 looming nearby. There are 27 Blue Boxes painted on the sidewalks of downtown Orlando. They are the only places where begging, or busking is allowed. Street performers have been  told that they must use the blue boxes. Very few people know where the boxes are, and the boxes are located in areas with very little foot traffic. It is a Machiavellian concept to box in artists. I am documenting each box by having Orlando’s most talented performers utilize each box while I sketch.

It was a windy day. Very windy. Kay braced herself and sang facing the wind. At times she was blown backwards and had to lean in to stand up straight. My baseball cap blew off my head, and I chased it before it landed in a puddle. Two gentlemen caught it just in time and gave it to me. The cap to my water bottle also blew away and landed in the puddle.I left it there until the sketch was completed.

Ka sang lyrical Spanish songs she wrote herself. The wind blew her voice away. Even being just a few feet away, I couldn’t hear her clearly. Her skirt fluttered like a flag. A few cars honked their approval, but I’m certain that no one heard the performance. The two guys who helped retrieve my hat were the only people who walked by. Simply put, this is not an ideal place for a performer to showcase their talents. Of course there were no tips for her wonderful performance. When each song was complete, I would clap and make a gentle sound in my throat like the roar of a huge audience. That roar couldn’t be heard over the wind. Ka bowed to the imagined throngs.

F.C. Belt in Blue Box 16.

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There are 27 blue boxes painted on the sidewalks of downtown Orlando. These are the only places where panhandling or busking is allowed. Some performers have been told that they must use the blue boxes, thus being a performer equals being a beggar in the City Beautiful. According to this statute, I could be considered a performer. To test these blue boxes, I am sketching 27 separate performances in each of the blue boxes. The performers should be legally protected, but I might be breaking the law by sketching as the audience. Being outside the box in Orlando could have repercussions.

F. C. Belt performed acoustic guitar in the blue box right next to the Orlando Library‘s downtown branch, and across the street from the Orlando Regional History Center. He arrived right on time, set up his chair, music stand, a tiny foot stool and opened his guitar case. The case remained open in case anyone wanted to add tips.

It was a lyrical concert, unexpected for the few people who frequent the park across the street. On man was transfixed. He asked detailed questions about the guitar which is quite rare from what I overheard. The man stood and listened for the longest time. Then he moved to the planter retaining wall and sat for the entirety of the performance.

I was seated in a tiny grass median that separated a bus lane from the main road. Luckily a bus never roared by. It was perfect day for a pop up concert and the gentle music added culture to the otherwise drab bus stop in the intersection, and the park across the street.

A large group of school children were laughing and playing in the park after getting out of the History Center where they must have been on a field trip. The children didn’t notice the music, they were too busily screaming and laughing.

Belts guitar case never collected a bill. This corner of the city is surprisingly unoccupied on a work day. Everyone is in their offices removed from the clutter on the streets.

I probably sketched for an hour and a half which is longer that most musical solo sets. F. C. Belt went back to the beginning of his play set towards the end of the performance. I must say, that if such classical performances were a regular occurrence in Orlando the city would be a much more civilized place to live.

Mardi Gras at The Orlando Museum of Art

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From 6-9 pm on the first Thursday of each month, Central Florida has an opportunity to discover local artists, listen to live music and mingle with an eclectic mix of people. There are cash bars serving wine, beer, soft drinks and water, and café offerings from area restaurants. The event is hosted by the Associates of the Orlando Museum of Art (2416 N. Mills Ave Orlando, Florida). The museum refers to the event as “Orlando’s original art party”.

The February First Thursday’s theme was Mardi Gras. I arrived rather late and settled on sketching the band before they broke down for the night. High-spirited guests were dancing to the music. There was a drag show in the front gallery, but when I walked in they were walking out. I seemed to be one step behind every performance that night. There were plenty of golden masks and opulent dresses. I just didn’t manage to capture any in the one quick sketch I did. Maxine of Maxine’s on Shine offered some gumbo at the end of the night and it was absolutely delicious. It had just enough kick.The taste brought back vivid memories of the crowded Bourbon Street in New Orleans in which you need to learn how to navigate the flow of the crowd not through annoyance and avoidance, but by accepting the weaving and constant contact. It’s glorious when you are in the moment.