Mini CityArts

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City Arts Orlando Celebrated its Grand Opening In The Historic Rogers Kiene Building In Downtown Orlando. The Downtown Arts District’s gallery marked the opening of its new location with a ribbon cutting with Orlando Mayor
Buddy Dyer and Orlando City Commissioners. When Pam Schwartz and I arrived on the scene the gallery was too packed to get inside. Another artist, Jonathan Stemberger, was already set up across the street documenting the scene on a large yellow canvas. I have seen him at other events recording history much the way I do, so I was pleased to get a chance to meet him. He gave me his card, or so I thought. When I got home and took it out of my pocket, it turned out to be a sticker with a silhouette of a Jackal-ope on it.

I worked from the far corner to sketch the crowd pressing through the doors below the historic spire. While working, Gladiola Sotomayor shared with me photos she had taken of the mural we had worked on together that now hangs in the Orlando International Airport. I have been through the airport multiple time and not seen it yet. At sunset there is a golden column of light that shines down Pine Street only on the Rogers Kiene tower. It was exciting to see, and I splashed down some vibrant yellows and oranges in response.

With the sketch done, Pam and I went inside to explore. This building offers far less space than the former City Arts Factory a few blocks away. Artists still have to pay for the right to exhibit their work. Inside it was very crowded and the music was highly amplified. Violinist Michelle Jones performed all night. I admire how she is turning the violin into a hip pop instrument.


I was most curious about the new gallery space upstairs that had formerly been a screening room for films. The stadium seating had been removed to open up the room. I have seen and sketched so many amazing performances in that space over the years, so it will be missed by me. Now it was filled with artwork created by patients in the Integrative Medicine department at Orlando Health. The program is called Arts in Medicine. I sketched Andrea Canny who was part of a similar program funded by LIVESTRONG. A dancer was in the center of the room, so it was impossible to get close to any of the paintings on display. 

The hall ways upstairs are narrow and a woman knocked into several paintings causing them to slip on their hooks, almost falling off the wall. Another woman slammed her hand against the canvas saving it from slipping further. Together they righted the canvases. Across from them, Heisenberg, from Breaking Bad glared, his portrait covered in blue crystals of Meth.

 Though there might not have been enough space, the people who love visual arts spilled out into the street.

Program Announcement Party

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The 28th annual Florida Film Festival pass and package holders as well as other festival supporters gathered for this kickoff event featuring the announcement of all films, events, and special guests selected for the 2019 Florida Film Festival. The big announcement was that actress Nichelle Nichols best known for her role as Lieutenant Uhura on the original Star Trek series would be featured in the opening night’s film titled Women in Motion. Back in the 60s when Star Trek aired it was unheard of for a black woman to featured as a senior member of a crew. After leaving the bridge, she saw a film about the space program that featured all white men. She wondered why there were no women of color in the space program. She spoke to people in charge and ended up becoming the single most influential figure in the recruitment of women and minorities in the filed of space exploration.

The Blair Witch Project was made in 1999 with a budget of $25,000. The premise of the film was that the film makers hiked in the Black Hills near Burkittsville, Maryland
to film a documentary about a local legend known as the Blair
Witch. The three disappeared, but their equipment and footage was
discovered a year later. The purportedly “recovered footage” was the film
the viewer saw. I first saw the Blair Witch Project at the Enzian. The Blair Witch Project grossed nearly $250 million worldwide on a modest budget of $60,000, making it one of the most successful independent films of all time. The Cast and Crew will be returning to the Enzian for an evening to see and discuss the making of the film.

This year the Oscar for the best film went to a film made for Netflix. This might be an indication that audiences have a growing taste for independent films. The Florida Film Festival is an Oscar qualifying film festival. So for the independent film creators, this is an important step in their film’s journey.

Following the announcement, trailers were screened. This year there are more films by women filmmakers than ever before. Pam Schwartz wrote comments for each film so we knew what the best films to see might be. Her choices included,  

Chef’s Diaries: Scotland, food travel.

Dachra, Investigative reporting about witchcraft.

Dog in the Woods, a magic universe dog.

All is True, Shakespeare’s biography and finding his voice after retirement.

The Biggest Little Farm, a couple on a farm faced the hardships of nature.

General Magic, an early computer company dreamed of the pocket cell phone and was ripped off by Apple.

Tungrus, was a hilarious short about a rooster terrorizing a family home in Mumbai.

Of the animated shorts, I liked,

Sister, about memories of an annoying sister. I incorporated this film into my sketch.

Hybrids, looked like  gorgeous epic about life in the ocean with crabs wearing bottle top helmets.

Cerulia, a creepy Burtonesque film.

Beginning April 13, 2019 the Festival will screen 180 films over 10 days. Festival passes and individual tickets for the film Festival are on sale now. It will be 10 days of Film, Food and Friends.

Florida Blog Con

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At the 2017 Florida Blog Con, “Rowdy” Gaines was the key note speaker. Ambrose “Rowdy” Gaines, was an American former competitive swimmer, U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame member, three-time Olympic gold medalist, and member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame. He is locally born being from Winter Haven Florida.

His talk about how every moment of his training led up to a single defining moment in his life. From 1978 to 1984, Gaines set ten world records. He was considered a
favorite to win multiple gold medals at the 1980 Olympics. At the time
he was the world record holder in the 100-metre and 200-metre
freestyles. That moment to shine however slipped through his hands when the United States boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics. “I felt physically at my peak in 1980—and mentally up, too. It was tough, really tough. I had the chance for four golds.” To cap off his story, he handed off a gold metal and had it passed around the audience. I can say that is the only time in my life that I have held a gold metal.

In August 1991, Gaines was temporarily paralyzed with Guillain–Barré syndrome, which is is a rapid-onset muscle weakness caused by the immune system damaging the peripheral nervous system.
After a two-month hospitalization, he experienced a surprising full
recovery attributed largely to his superb physical condition as a
competitive swimmer. He eventually regained world-class times and, at
the age of 35, became the oldest swimmer to qualify for the trials for
the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Ultimately, he chose not to compete in the trials for the 1996
Olympics but instead continued his career as a television commentator,
covering swimming for NBC at the Games.

It was an inspiring story of perseverance and finding new directions and goals through the various stages of life. My own life is going trough seismic shifts and I am desperate to find full time work to make ends meet here in Orlando. Hopefully hard work and perseverance will someday pay off. The ship never comes to harbor, you have to swim out to it. Opportunities abound if you just keep swimming.

The 2019 Florida Blog Con will be on September 7at Full Sail University. Tickets are $50 – $70.

ADSR-Squared

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City Arts Factory is about to move into the former Avalon Art Gallery space (39 S Magnolia Ave, Orlando, Florida 32801.) Chris Belt took over The In between Series from Patrick Greene, the former gallery promoter at Avalon Island. Chris wanted to add his own touch to the series and decided to ask artists from different disciplines to work together. Pulled together Elizabeth A. Baker a modern electronic sound composer, and Voci Dance.

ADSR-Squared was a multi-movement interdisciplinary structured improvisation work for dance and sound. Evolved from the traditional spatial and sonic relationship of a fixed media track behind dancers, the piece blurred the line between music makers and movers, creating an immersive experience for both performers and audience.

I decided to sketch from the side lines but was afraid the wall I backed my artist stool against might be in the way of some part of the dance routine. I went back stage quickly to check with choreographer Genevieve Bernard to be sure I wasn’t blocking anyone.

The Voci dancers brought a playful aspect to the evening. They interacted with speakers, holding them to their ears and moving to the beat. When they began using small musical instruments, one dancer became possessive and would not share the instrument she came to love. The dancing wasn’t limited to the stage area. Dancers moved in and around the audience as well.

One dancer sat next to me for the longest time. I began to wonder if she was an understudy, but she was only waiting for her moment to shine when she began her solo. Ausin Texas has the saying, “Keep Austin Weird.” The In Between Series is doing its part to “Keep Orlando Weird.”

The Shasta Trailer

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Traveling to Austin Texas, Pam and I decided to stay in a Shasta Trailer parked in someone’s garage. It was an affordable option that felt like a camping adventure. There was a shower in the backyard where a few chickens wandered. In this sketch, Pam is making breakfast. Behind her is the bathroom which was the one flaw of the trailer. I couldn’t get in and out of the bathroom without bonking my head. It was also too tight for me to stand to lift my underwear back up, so I would have to crawl out of the bathroom and then shimmy my skivvies back into place.

This trailer also promised several bicycles but they weren’t working. We ended up taking Ubers wherever we wanted to go instead. On a whole however, this tiny trailer was the perfect place to explore Austin from. The host offered plenty of suggestions for restaurants and venues to explore. Austin’s restaurants are strangely loud and always crowded. It is as if the louder a restaurant is the more crowed it becomes. We tried several Texas BBQ joints to see how Texas compares to Central Florida BBQ. My humble taste buds could not differentiate. I would need a blind taste test side by side.

Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival

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This was the 60th Annual Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival. I arrived on the first day to do a quick sketch. I entered by the rose garden and realized that it was the perfect spot to slow down and observe before entering the tight crowded walkways.College girls took selfies in front of the iconic peacock statue. One girl must have shot over 50 photos of herself in her constellation pattern skirt.

The first local artist I saw was Robert Ross but I never did find his tent. There are so many paths set up with wood chips through the park that I suspect I must have missed a few aisles. Someone walking the event was on his cell phone was saying to a friend, ” It’s 9 to 5 or some mess like that.” I always like seeing the quirky work of Ed Myers who integrates hidden digital phones and tablets into his creations to add blinking eyes to some paintings.

There was a hand made book binder that intrigued me. It reminds me that I should create my own sketchbooks if I want to work on paper that I love in the size that suits me. I have never found just the right sketchbook for my work. I make due with what I can find mass produced.

Local artist Mathew Cornell had a booth on Park Avenue. He creates small and incredibly realistic oil paintings. I like that he doesn’t crowd his booth with tons of work. He just had a few paintings appropriately spaces like in a gallery. The painting on display were called roadside attractions being from his travels across the country. He is trying to relate what America means to him as an artist.

There was also fashion accessories, photography, mixed media, ceramics, metal, leather, jewelry, digital art, fiber, glass, clay and sculptures. It was a chance to see a wide variety of art as inspiration. Of course it is illegal to sketch on Park Avenue in Winter Park. I hoped that the city ordinance had been rescinded for the duration of the festival. I also knew that Central Park is considered a safe zone, where freedom of expression is permitted.

Weekend Top 6 Picks for March 23 and 24

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Saturday March 23, 2019

8 AM to 1 PM Free. Parramore Farmers Market. The east side of the Orlando City Stadium, across from City View. Purchase quality, fresh and healthy food grown in your own
neighborhood by local farmers, including Fleet Farming, Growing Orlando,
and other community growers.

10 PM to Midnight $18  Corsets and Cuties: Lady Jaimz Bday Show. Theater West End, 115 W 1st St, Sanford, FL 32771. A little song, a little dance, maybe a Cutie in your lap. Unexpected fun and surprises await!

Lovely ladies and some not-so-gentle men sing, dance, and take their clothes off all for your entertainment pleasure! Whether you’re celebrating with the one you love or out on the prowl, the Cuties are ready for ya! Guest stars, and special treats from sponsor Premier Couples Superstore – you can be sure of a fantastic night out!

NOTE: The show is intended for adult audiences, as it contains adult content and nudity. 

10:30 PM to 12:30 AM Buy some food and drink. Son Flamenco. Ceviche Tapas Orlando, 125 W Church St, Orlando, FL. 

Sunday March 24, 2019

10 AM to Noon. Free. Heartfulness Relaxation and Meditation Class. University, 5200 Vineland Rd, Orlando, FL 32811. The Method of Heartfulness A simple and practical way to experience the heart’s unlimited resources. 

1 PM to 4 PM Free, $5 onsite parking. Florida Cowboy Heritage Day Family Open House. Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens, 633 Osceola Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789. Cattle Culture Arts Crafts demonstration historical presentations cowboy poetry live indoor painting hands on art activities.

2 PM to 4 PM Free but get a coffee. Irish Music. Olivia’s Coffee House, 108 N Bay St, Eustis, FL.

Cathedral of Junk

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The Cathedral of Junk is located in quiet suburban neighborhood in Austin Texas (4422-4424 Lareina Dr, Austin, Texas 78745) in the back yard of the artist who created it. It is a living sculpture, meaning it is always in flux as its creator, owner and curator, Vince Hannemann, adds new features and edits others out. Construction began in his backyard in 1988 and new items are added constantly. He estimated that it now contains 60 tons of junk. His puppy acted as our unofficial docent and Vince left us to explore. You should call  should you ever decide to visit the Cathedral. Vince welcomed my request to sketch.

The unassuming cathedral can not be seen from the street. The main tower has an inner structure of re bar onto which is attached every for of junk you can imagine. Hubcaps, gears, surf boards, rocking horses, guitars, road signs, a glittering array of Cd’s and a shrine to Elvis and Madonna. Crutches pointed to the heavens at the top of the tower. Though the materials are unorthodox, there is a reverence to the place, like a true cathedral. The place is also multi leveled with steps winding up to a high perch overlooking the neighborhood. It is a true playground for adults and children alike. No single sketch or photo can do the place justice. There is something new to see every few inches.

Yuppies in the townhouse behind the cathedral had complained to the city asking it to be torn down. Several engineers have studied the structure looking for weak spots but it is built to withstand any Texas storm. The only thing that did have to come down was a pyramid of 200 TVs. Although the engineering of a pyramid might be sound, the TVs are lighter than stone and might become projectiles in a hurricane.

Austin State Capitol

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The Austin State Capitol was designed in 1881 by architect Elijah E. Myers. It was constructed from 1882 to 1888 under the direction of civil engineer Reuben Lindsay Walker. A $75 million underground extension was completed in 1993. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1986.

The Texas State Capitol is 302.64 feet tall, making it the
sixth tallest state capitol and one of several taller than the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. In 1931, the City of Austin enacted a local ordinance
limiting the height of new buildings to a maximum of 200 feet,
aiming to preserve the visual preeminence of the capitol. From that time
until the early 1960s, only the University of Texas Main Building Tower was built higher than the limit, but in 1962 developers announced a new 261-foot (80 m) high-rise residential building to be built adjacent to the capitol, called the Westgate Tower. Governor Price Daniel voiced his opposition to the proposed tower, and State Representative Henry Grover
of Houston introducing a bill to condemn the property, which was
defeated in the Texas House of Representatives by only two votes. The
Westgate was eventually completed in 1966.

Pam and I sat back to back on the lawn so I could do a sketch of the capitol. There are 7 Confederate themed statues on the lawn of the capitol. After a rally by white nationalists turned violent in Charlottesville, Virginia, Confederate monuments and markers across the country have drawn increased scrutiny. The process of changing the landscape of the Capitol grounds isn’t an easy one. While
the Preservation Board is in charge of the Capitol grounds, it often
takes new state laws, along with years of waiting, to spur them into
action. The board currently has no instructions or processes in its
administrative code that address the removal of any items from Capitol
grounds. That’s prompted some to push for state lawmakers to address the issue. Things move very slowly in the South. It could take many years for lawmakers to pass legislation to get the preservation board to make changes to the capitol landscape. Who wants change? Charlotesville, Virginia

Nerd Nite 6 Year Anniversary

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The Nerd Nite 6 Year Anniversary was held at Celine Orlando, (22 S Magnolia Ave, Orlando, FL 32801.) Nerd Nite anniversaries are usually held at The Abbey but that venue was booked for the night. The evening was slated to begin at 6 PM but the first speaker didn’t take to the stage for another hour and a half. I suppose that was time set aside for mingling and networking. I used the time to block in my sketch. I had never been to Celine before so the space itself was exciting. Ricardo Williams started off with excerpts from some of his favorite Nerd Nite presentations over the years. His white suit caught the blue light to great effect.

Dr. Krista Noble was the first speaker for the night. Her talk was titled “Why the Heck Are We Conscious? The Hard Problem of Consciousness”. As she said, “Everyone agrees that our mental processes (meaning our thoughts,
emotions, and perceptions) correspond with physical processes in our
brains. The question is, how and why? Why do we have subjective
experiences at all? Why aren’t we genetically programmed to pursue
survival, yet lacking consciousness? These fundamental questions still
plague scholars in spite of our most advanced scientific discoveries.” As she spoke about comparing two objects and noting that they were both bright red, I put some red notes on my sketch. If I sketch am I conscious? Perhaps I am more like a zombie using my few synapses to document what is around me with my hands and eyes.

“To Boldly Go: A Brief History of the Space Toilet” by Brendan Byrne followed with hilarious results. Brendan works for WMFE and he covers the space beat. As he said, “Human spaceflight has been plagued by waste. From urine-soaked
spacesuits to floating turds, the history of human spaceflight is flush
with dirty (and hilarious) anecdotes of dealing with waste in space.
Engineers seem to have a handle on #1 and #2 as we explore low Earth
orbit, but the future of deep space exploration hinges on our ability to
overcome a heaping pile of physiological, biological and engineering
problems. So how will we do it? Brendan has
been exploring the history of the space toilet for a new book and
presents a brief history of the galactic commode – and ideas for new
hardware that will boldly take our poop to places like the moon and
Mars.” 

On the first space flight, the astronaut was supposed to be in flight for just 15 minutes so no thought was put into a toilet. He was nervous and drank many cups of coffee that morning. Then there was a delay in launch which resulted in his needing to ask permission from mission control if he could wet his spacesuit. Engineers followed with a hard dock solution in which a condom was attached to a bag. A crap was more difficult requiring a cup strapped to the butt and a two fingered method of snipping off the log. Gravity usually helps the solids fall away but there was no gravity. Brendan read a recently declassified transcript in which astronauts debated about whose crap was floating around the capsule. Upon opening a recently recovered capsule a navy man vomited upon smelling what was inside. There was some hilarious audio of astronaut John Young (namesake of John Young Parkway)  as he was on the moon. He farted loudly and curses saying he would never eat citrus again.


Technology did catch up with the problem with a small fan providing suction to draw the excrement from the source. He played a video of astronauts pee being vented into space and it instantly crystallizing. Today however all liquids are recycled to be reused as drinking water. For long distance space flight a researcher is creating a device that burns down all waste and turns it into water and hydrogen. Brendan ended the presentation with a photo if him sitting on a space station toilet replica. is  mom must be so proud. I geek  out just as hard trying to get to as many space launches as I can to  sketch.


It was an evening of scatological and cerebral pursuits, who could ask for more?

The next Nerd Nite is April 11, 2019