Notre Dame Burns

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2 of 5 Prints SOLD

In 2012 I visited Paris and had the opportunity to spend several hours sketching Notre Dame Cathedral from the banks of the Seine. I was following in the footsteps of Ronald Searle who creating an amazing series of sketches of the city in the 1950s. I tracked down the same locations he sketched and sketched the scenes myself. The styles of the cars had changed but otherwise history had stood still. With his sketch in hand I walked the banks of the river until I found the same view.

It was a quiet sunny day with locals and tourists checking their phones and shooting photos. I was humbled by the buildings immensity. I felt I was in the true heart of the city. I was in the exact same place one of my favorite artists had created about 50 years before. Construction on the cathedral was begun in 1160 and largely completed by 1260, though it was modified frequently in the following centuries. In 1858 some of the statues were damaged by Huguenots who considered them idolatrous. In 1793 after the French Revolution many of the art treasures were destroyed or plundered. 28 statues of biblical  kings were beheaded being mistaken for French kings.The cathedral became battered and ruined from neglect but Victor Hugo‘s novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame written in 1831,  brought a new interest to the structure. During the liberation of Paris in 1944 the building experienced some damage due to stray bullets. In 2016 there was a failed cathedral bombing attempt, and in 2017 four people were arrested on charged that they planned to travel to Paris and attack the cathedral.

None of these damages over the centuries compared to the horrible fire that engulfed the building starting about 6:50pm on April 15, 2019. It is believed it was caused by construction workers who were renovating the building. The fire possibly began in the bell tower. The fire caused the collapse of the spire and the roof. A small statue of a rooster on the top of the spire contained relics including a tiny piece of the crown of thorns which was acquired in 1239.

There is a water reservoir, covered with a lead roof, that is located between the two
towers, behind the colonnade and the gallery and in front of the nave. It was designed to quickly extinguish a fire.  Many of the statues, including statues of the twelve apostles, were removed just last week to allow for construction, so that is some good news. A bucket brigade of people also passes relics to safety as the roof burned. Firefighters have saved the cathedral from total destruction. There are no confirmed deaths. The fire is being treated as an accident.

As news of the fire blazed into my studio via social media, I immediately started to alter the sketch I had created in 2012. I painted the fire and smoke darkened the scene. Seeing the cathedral towers on the western facade engulfed in smoke of course brought back memories of September 11 when the twin towers collapsed in New York City. Thankfully the firefighters saved the twin towers on Notre Dames Western facade. The interior was blackened yet a golden cross remained suspended above the damage. The full extent of the damage is being assessed.  The phoenix must now rise from the ashes.

Saint Amands Key

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Pam Schwartz and I traveled down to Lido Key on the west coast of Florida near Sarasota. Saint Amands Key is the ritzy shopping district and we were going to meet a travel reported who was writing about Florida travel for her mid-Western paper. While Pam explored for a bit I sketched in the center of town where these Greek statues were arranges in a circle. A man in a bright yellow shirt sat reading the newspaper while smoking a cigar.

Property on the island was originally purchased by Charles St. Amand in
1893, who used it for fishing in the gulf and the bay. The name of the
island, St. Armands Key, was based on a misspelling of his name. Years
later, the circus magnate John Ringling bought land on the island to
build a large residential development. His plan was to build a shopping center around a circle in the middle of the town. Due to the intervening Florida land crash, the Depression, and World War II, it wasn’t until the fifties
that the area really began to take off. 

Many of the
statues date back to the twenties reflecting John Ringling’s belief in
bringing art and culture to the city of Sarasota. His travels to the Renaissance cities of Italy inspired this vision. The
classical sculpture he saw combined the realistic portrayal of
individual beauty and the humanistic aspects of localized beauty.
Sculpture was a key component of his vision as he began marketing lots
on St Armonds Key in 1927.

One of the statues in my sketch, standing in front of a beach shop at the corner of John Ringling Boulevard and St. Armands Circle is, Asclepius, the god of medicine and one of the seven virtues. Allegory of Sarasota, Its Seven Virtues was conceived and designed by Edward Pinto and was dedicated on Feb 2, 2008. Also in my sketch is Music, created by Ewald Judt. This statue  represents the performing arts.

The Save Our Statues (SOS) project’s goal has the goal of preserving the
statues John Ringling purchased. Twenty-one new statues
were added in 2007 to enhance his legacy. Today, St. Armands Circle is a
hub of activity for the island that is otherwise filled with mostly posh
residences. The beach, sitting on Lido Key, on the Gulf of Mexico is
only a few blocks away.

The Orlando Fringe Sketchbooks

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The Orlando Fringe Sketchbook Abridged documents 10 years of the Orlando Fringe in sketches. The project began in 2009 and today, 10 years later, the sketching continues. Above is a sample of the first 10 pages of the book.

This abridged Fringe Sketchbook is 110 pages with over 200 sketches. The book is going to press now and will be available at the 2019 Orlando Fringe Festival. Each year has a few paragraphs highlighting my favorite shows of the year. The goal has been to assemble every sketch done at Fringe shows over the past 10 years at an affordable price.

The books will sell for about $25 at the Orlando Fringe. If you would like to pre-order a book contact pam-schwartz@hotmail.com. If you pre-order we will arrange to give you the book when you arrive at the Fringe Festival. If there is enough interest we will print more books. We can take orders via pay pal, checks, or of course, cash. As an added bonus, prints and original Fringe paintings, are being offered at half price. $100 per print, and $200 for an original. Should you want me to frame the art I can arrange that for $100 more. If you order one or the other you get an Orlando Fringe Abridged book thrown in for free.

Below is a 10 page sample of the much larger 249 page book that has all the original articles written for Analog Artist Digital World.

This coffee table book is still in the works and of course will be more expensive that the abridged book now going to press. This Deluxe Edition Orlando Fringe Sketchbook will be available by print on demand. If you are interested in this unabridged edition of the Orlando Fringe Sketchbook, please, contact pam-schwartz@hotmail.com so we can keep you  in the loop when it goes to press.

Striking the Set

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After Man of La Mancha closed at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater, I went in to sketch as the set was struck to make way for the next show. La Mancha was a theater in the round so bleachers had been set up where the back of the stage usually would have been. Subtlety isn’t needed when striking a set, things get hammered banged and kicked in any way to break things down. As I sketched, the set disappeared. The set had a circular central platform that turned and a trap door.

A drill would remove screws and a hammer might bang out nails, but safety was always the first concern. Stage hands looked out for each other assisting each other as needed. I enjoyed sketching the progress. According to Ivan Klima, “To destroy is easier than to create.” Yet these folks seemed to be working mighty hard while I was sitting and just scratching the page with a pen.

Now through April 28, Richard the II by William Shakespeare is at the Shakes. Tickets are $25 to $32. Convinced of his divine right to rule, King Richard II never expected
to be undone by his own maladroit mortal wrongs. By brashly putting his
own vanity before the needs of his kingdom, he creates the perfect
opening for Henry Bolingbroke to seize the throne. Shakespeare’s deeply
moving and insightful retelling reveals how one man’s bumbling mistakes
can shape a nation’s political landscape and change the course of
history.

Weekend Top 6 Picks for April 13 and 14, 2019

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Saturday April 13, 2019

6pm to 9pm Free. Imaginarium: Natura Art Reception. Chapman Leonard Studios And Production Center Orlando, Florida 9460 Delegates Dr, Orlando, Florida 32837.

This Art Reception is a family friendly event that is free and open to
the public, and there will be light refreshments. The artists on display
are Bridget Hanley Cohen, Heidi Vance, Tatjana Andre, Richard Bond,
Stephanie Muse, Kerry Harripersad, Eileen A Art, Mark Hadley, Charlie
Charen, Leyna McGrath, Leona Gold, Maryse Jupillat, Dan Meneely, Violeta
Militaru, Richard Guerriero, Teresa Touhey, and Bethany Piotrowski.

In
honor of Earth Day the Arts Hub Organization and Chapman/Leonard
Studios brings you the next installment of Imaginarium, “Natura”. With
beautiful works of art depicting the majesty that is nature, it is a
show not to miss. “Without nature we would not exist, nothing we have or
place value on would exist. It should be respected.” states Jason Lee,
the curator of the space. The artists in this show are a mixture of
established and emerging individuals that are a vital part of the
eclectically talented Central Florida arts community.

The art will be on display February 2nd through May 4th, 2019.

The
local artists’ works may also be viewed during normal business hours,
9am-5pm, by appointment with an Arts Hub Org. representative.

Chapman/Leonard
Studios is an award winning manufacturer of camera support equipment
for motion picture and television productions worldwide. The equipment
manufacturer is based out of their state of the art sound stages and
production facilities.

7pm to 11pm Free. All Things Music Art Show. Kaleidoscope Venue For The Arts 1991 Corporate Square #181, Longwood, Florida 32750. An art show featuring Music related and inspired art. Beer, wine, sodas, and water available at the show for donation. Contributing artists’ drinks are complimentary.

10:30pm to 11:30pm Free but get food and drink. Son Flamenco. Ceviche Tapas Orlando, 125 W Church St, Orlando, FL. Hot blooded Flamenco dancing to acoustic guitar.



Sunday April 14, 2019

11:00am to 1:30pm Free. Conway Community Market and Urban Sketching Demo. Barber Park 3701 Gatlin Avenue, Orlando, Florida 32812. Urban Sketchers Orlando is hosting a FREE sketching demo at the Conway
Community Market! If you are new to urban sketching, this is for you!
Experienced sketchers will share advice on how to focus on small stories
from observation and demonstrate the art of making an urban sketch on
location. Clipboards, paper, pencils, and coloring supplies will be
provided for those who would like to sketch along with us and the
session will include a QandA.

We also invite our fellow
sketchers of Central Florida to join us on a sketch walk of the market
and Palm Sunday/Early Easter celebration. The Conway Community Market
brings people together for a fun afternoon outside with the
opportunities to offer new experiences. The event will include the
Easter Bunny, a photographer and an Easter Egg Hunt! There will be
plenty of festive stories and moments to capture into our sketchbooks.

Meet Up Point: At the covered pavilion near the pond and the market. where the Urban Sketching Demo begins at 11:00 am.

1pm to 4:30pm Free. Family Day. The Mennello Museum of American Art, 900 East Princeton Street, Orlando, FL 32803. 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.

2pm to 4pm  UCF Opera presents The Tender Land An opera by Aaron Copland. Alexis and Jim Pugh Theater Dr Phillips Center for the Performing Arts 445 S Magnolia Ave, Orlando, FL 32801. Generously supported by Ronald Thow and Carolyn V. Thow

In the
American heartland during the Great Depression, the provincial existence
of a rural farming family hinges upon the high school graduation of the
eldest daughter, Laurie Moss. However, on the eve of her graduation,
Laurie finds herself questioning her place in the world and wondering
what kind of life she could lead if she were to leave the farm. Her
restlessness is fueled by two drifters, Top and Martin, who are hired to
help with the harvest.

While Ma and Grandpa Moss are suspicious
of the strangers, Laurie is captivated by their vivid tales of travel,
and she and Martin quickly fall in love, culminating in a tender kiss at
Laurie’s graduation party. Grandpa Moss, furious, banishes the two men,
leading Martin and Laurie to make plans to elope, but Martin quickly
realizes that this would cause trouble for all involved, and reluctantly
sneaks away before daybreak. Heartbroken, Laurie realizes that, though
now alone, it is still time for her to go. She bids farewell to the farm
and sets off into the unknown, leaving her weeping family to completely
reassess their hopes, dreams, and plans for the future.

A vivid
portrait of the rural mid-west, The Tender Land is painted richly with
Copland’s quintessentially American harmonies and tells a beautiful and
simple story of a young woman’s coming of age.

Sung in English with super titles.

Game Night

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Driving home from my mural unveiling at Ivanhoe Park Brewery, Pam and I noticed a young woman biking across Mills Avenue in the light rain. She looked familiar, in fact, she was a friend of Pam’s named Gabby. Pam pulled her truck over on the next block and shouted out her window to Gabby, “Do you need a lift?” Of course Gabby probably considered this an offer from a creep, but when she recognized Pam she was pleased. Gabby and Brent had just purchased a bungalow and she advised us to follow her to check it out.

The blue bungalow was indeed adorable in a nice quiet neighborhood. The front lawn was filled with native plants rather than a lawn. The home had a a front porch and a sizable back yard for their dog Zoe. We got a quick tour of the place and then Gabby and Pam decided to set up a date for a game night.

Gabby and Brent take care of Pam’s dog Sprout any time we are traveling and we do the same for their dog Zoe. Pam and I picked up a foster puppy named Darcy and she is an unpredictable kraken of a beast. When Pam and I took care of Zoe, fights tended to break out between the three dogs. Zoe and Darcy would play rough having a ball, and then Sprout would break in snarling because he was protective of his girl Darcy.

Game night the dogs ran around the back yard with Darcy and Zoe playing rough while Sprout relaxed. They burned off plenty of excess energy. I sketched the first game which involved making up stories about horrible turn of  events. Gabby’s brother showed up as the rules were being explained and he joined in reluctantly. Game play was constantly interrupted by bouts of over zealous dog play. Gabby’s brother had to leave once the first game was over.

I wanted to play Settlers of Catan, so the sketch was done when that game came out. Settlers involves gathering resources to  build roads and settlements. The player who builds the largest settlement wins. It was a fun game involving plenty of bartering for needed resources. The game stretched late into the night with four large settlements spreading across the board.

War broke out. The war wasn’t on the game board but among the beasts. Zoe enjoyed playing but grew tired of Darcy’s incessant nudging and barking. “Darcy NO!” was shouted so often that you would think her name was Darcino. Several snarling brawls had to be broken up. Brent did a good job of separating the beasts by shuffling them apart with his legs. Pam did the same on a second occasion. Darcy the puppy was clearly to blame. She doesn’t know when to slow down. Gabby and Brent had considered getting a puppy but that foster didn’t work out. Zoe loves playing with people more than other dogs. She kept bringing me a toy while I was trying to sketch. When Zoe was put in the back  room, Darcy began nipping at Sprout, who just wanted to rest on the couch. I finally decided to leash Darcy to my chair limiting her movements. With other dogs to bite and bark at she soon stretched out on the floor and there was peace. She needed the rest. The next day she was going to be “fixed” at the vet.

Titanic the Musical

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Titanic the Musical based on the story and book by Peter Stone, and music a lyrics by Maury Yeston, was staged at the Walt Disney Theater in the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts as part of UCF Celebrates the Arts. I entered the theater under the impression  that i would be seeing a quaint college production with excited parents in the audience shooting shaky iPhone footage of their child on stage. The stage itself quickly dismissed that false notion. The set was huge consisting of three tiers with stairways and gang planks. An orchestra was under the second tier providing live musical accompaniment. Silky banners were suspended from the rafters, and at the overture, photos were projected of the people who would  play a part in the tragedy to follow. As the projection glowed bright a spotlight wold illuminate the tiny actor on stage playing the part.

This wasn’t based on the James Cameron movie in which Kate Winslet let her artist lover, Jack, slip off the floating door which she needed to survive, and watched him sink into the cold ocean depths. The play introduced a whole new cast of characters, many immigrants hoping for a better life in America and others rich and famous. Three women from Ireland discovered they all had the same first name of Kate as they entered the floating palace destined for a new life. Below deck third class passengers ate at humble wooden tables excited for what might come while the rich smoked cigars and drank brandy as they played cards up in the Grand Salon. The excited songs below deck were tinged with an underlying sadness since we all knew their true destiny to come.

Captain Smith was on his final voyage before he retired and he allowed himself to be pressured into accelerating the speeds ship beyond his usual safety precautions. Titanic after all was unsinkable. At the end of the first act a spotlight illuminated Fleet, who was high above the audience on a an upper balcony in the theater. He was the look out and he sang a song lamenting no moon and no wind as he shivered on his post. Then he spotted an iceberg. The sound of ice ripping through metal was followed by the blackness of the curtain falling.

Another particularly powerful scene came when perhaps 20 of the cast appeared above the audience on the lower balcony. Watery reflections shimmered around them as they sang. Perhaps they were ghosts. As the first and second class passengers gathered in the grand salon they were told to put on their life jackets. Vanity kept the rich from covering their expensive robes. As they argued a coffee cart began rolling across the stage. All the bickering stopped and suddenly everyone was in a rush to get the jackets on.

I had never heard the music before but by the second act I would myself predicting what word would follow on the next line to rhyme. With so many intertwining human stories, some stronger lyrics might have added a finer polish to the show.

The Titanic carried 20 lifeboats, enough for 1178 people. That was only a third of the passengers and crew. Women and children entered boats leaving the men behind to die. As one surviving woman described it, “It was as if a while football stadium entered the sea and the screaming was overwhelming. A half hour later, all the screaming stopped.”

This was a stellar production, far exceeding my expectations. The theater was packed. It is a shame there were only two chances to catch this amazing show. There were over 50 performers in the cast and all of them were UCF students with a few guest artists and faculty in the mix.

Fictional First Dates

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Written by Mallory Vance and Megan Markham, Fictional First Dates is a musical Parody presented by Phoenix Tears Productions, at Dragonfly Studio 129 (133 W Mckey St., Ocoee, Florida 34761) about dating using a digital app called Sparkle. Songs were used from other shows with the lyrics changed to advance the story. Carson (Chan Sterling) was a writer who had an assignment to write an article about Sparkle the new digital dating app. He was friends with Piper (Megan Markham) who worked in a coffee shop. The coffee bar in the corner of the set was fully functioning and Pam ordered us drinks for the show. I needed a hot drink to battle my chronic cough. I had sketched this show before, and wanted to see how it had evolved over time.

Tyrion Lannister (Skylar Keck) found out about Carson’s new mission to  go on dates, and he introduced him to the appeal of one night stands. Skylar’s singing prowess stood out in this show. He did an amazing job staying true to his character. Each date Carson went on was with a female hero from pop culture. He dated Jean (Bella Swan) from Xmen, Daphne (Leanna Bailey) from Scooby Doo Faith (Olivia Roman) from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and more.

The funniest date came when Carson’s date spoke at a rapid fire pace never giving him a chance to get a word in. The date was over before he knew what hit him. The blind hopes and dreams of each meeting made for some fun encounters. Not all the singers hit the notes just right but the fun playful aspect of the show allowed for some off key registers. I had a blast.

I unwrapped about 10 cough drops before the show started and sipped some hot coffee to keep my cough at bay. Laughing unfortunately triggers my cough sometimes and that happened in the middle of the show. I started coughing so uncontrollably I had to run out into the street so I didn’t interrupt the show. Once I regained my composure I slipped back inside. I managed to stifle my cough through the end of the show.

Ralph Richardson famously said, “The art of acting consists in keeping people from coughing.”

Fictional First Dates runs through April 14, 2019. 

Tickets are $12 online and $15 at the door. 

Wild Party

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Wild Party written by Andrew Lippa is running at Theater West End (115 W 1st St, Sanford, FL 32771) through April 14, 2019. The play was based on a poem by Joseph Moncure March. The poem was widely banned when it was published back in 1928, first in Boston, because people felt the content was lewd. This musical was equally lewd and lascivious which is it’s strength.

Queenie (Kristen Sheola), was a hard working burlesque dancer whose lover, Burrs (Preston Ellis), a vaudeville show clown, became abusive. At first that violent side of him excited her but  soon it scared her. After Burrs essentially rapes her, Queenie decides to throw a lavish party with the hopes of putting her lover in his place by letting him make a fool of himself.

The party flared up with an amazing cast of friends, Madelaine the lesbian (Wendy Starkland), Eddie the thug (Casey Sweeney), Mae the dimwit (Bernadette Siudock), Jackie the
dancer (Cody McNeeley), Dolores the hooker (Elizabeth Christie), and Nadine the
minor (Sarah Huff). Kate (Michelle Knight) arrived with a flourish and quickly devoured the attention of everyone in the party. She arrived with a friend, Mr. Black (Terrance J. Jamison).

Queenie placed her trust in Mr. Black and fell for him hard while Kate fell for the abusive Burrs although he had no interest in her. He became enraged when Queenie and Mr. Black danced. To diffuse the situation Kate pulled Queenie from Mr. Blacks arms and danced with Queenie herself. As the party raged on the drama of this love triangle grew to a boil.

Michelle Knight belted out her songs with confidence but sadly the acoustics in the theater were harsh making it impossible to hear any of the lyrics. It might have been that the band was loud and overpowered the words but I followed the show not knowing what was being sing relying on the gestures and staging to follow the show like a silent movie.

It was definitely a powerful production. If seated up front in the cabaret tables you would be right on top of the action. Pam and I were seated in the last row so that the glow of my screen would not be seen by anyone else in the audience. The walls of the theater are brick with a metal ceiling. Perhaps the sound just bounced around like in a noisy bar, which could be good if I was able to pick out lyrics. Despite this, I loved sketching the show. Colors changed constantly like in a dance hall. The creative challenges kept me engaged as the wild party turned violent.

Tickets are $22 for an individual or $50 for the dinner package.

C’ d’Zan Mansion

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Ca’ d’Zan, was a Venetian Gothic residence in Sarasota, Florida, which was the winter home of the American circus owner, developer and art collector John Ringling and his wife Mable. They had been traveling throughout Europe for nearly 25 years,
acquiring circus acts and art. They both greatly admired the
architectural style of Venice’s Ducal Palace, Ca’ d’Oro and the Grunwald Hotel. When they decided to build a home in Sarasota, Florida, where
they had been winter residents for a number of years, The Ringlings took
these palazzi as their inspiration, and Sarasota Bay as their Grand
Canal. Ca’ d’Zan, means “House of John”, in the dialect of their beloved Venice.

One of America’s wealthiest couples, the Ringlings started building Ca’
d’Zan in 1924 and completed it shortly before Christmas in 1926 at the
then princely sum of $1.5 million. Mable, who had kept an oilskin portfolio filled with postcards, sketches
and photos she had collected during her travels, oversaw every aspect
of the construction. The home was built from terra cotta “T” blocks, concrete and brick, it is
covered with stucco and embellished with glazed tile.
Decorative tile medallions, balustrades and ornamental cresting in soft
red, yellow, green, blue and ivory highlight the pink patina of the
stucco and exterior.

Sadly, only three years after
its completion, Mable died from Addison’s disease and the complications
of diabetes. When John Ringling died in December of 1936 he bequeathed his estate to
the people of Florida, but legal wrangling with his creditors went on
for a decade until the property finally passed unencumbered to the
state. During this time Ca’ d’Zan remained closed. Finally, in 1946 it
was reopened to the public, but still in a state of disrepair. It was so run down it was used as Miss Haversham’s Mansion in the 1998 production of Great Expectations.

Restoration of the home was finally completed in 2002, at a cost of $15 million, ten times that of
the original house, Ca’ d’Zan was returned to its former glory
and reopened as the grandest mansion on Florida’s sun coast. Today it
stands as one of America’s architectural treasures.