Overlooking the Göreme Open Air Museum.

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Terry and I hiked up to a trail along the tops of the rock formations around the the Göreme Open Air Museum. The Steep winding trail snaked along the top ridge of the white Hill. I slipped on the loose pebbles and caught myself as I slid down a rocky slope. My left hand got scrapped up but not bloody. Having already hiked every hill, staircase, cavern and church in the open air museum, I decided to to stop and sketch an overlook. Terry continued hiking the trail, but, I decided, that I would hike back on the paved road.

The Open Air Museum, is listed as a World Heritage Site which is is a place (such as a building, city, complex, desert, forest, island, lake, monument, or mountain) that is listed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as being of special cultural or physical significance. It is clearly a popular tourist destination since the parking lot was full and the trails were crowded.

Weekend Top 6 Picks for April 2nd and 3rd.

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Saturday April 2, 2016

7pm to 9pm $30 per person. Price includes all paint supplies, canvas and a free glass of wine. Wine and Paint with Bethany Myers. Vinyl Arts Bar 75 E Colonial Dr, Orlando, Florida. This is a fun and interactive experience where you get to be the artist. Guided by a professional artist, you’ll get to paint your own piece of artwork and bring your canvas home with you. This event is great for couples, girl’s night out, or just a group of friends wanting to socialize and meet new people.

Please arrive 15 minutes early. The painting begins at 7pm sharp.

About the Artist Instructor:

Bethany Myers is an Orlando artist best known for her brightly colored blind contour paintings and also works in photo realism, mixed media and line drawing. She has taught art to elementary school kids, senior citizens and all ages in-between. Project driven, Bethany has painted street art boxes for the Mills50 organization in downtown Orlando and completed a project in which she produced one painting a week for a year. She is currently working on a mural for a local women’s/children’s shelter.

9pm to 11pm No Cover. 1st Saturday Jamboree with the Bloody Jug Band (Special Guest Will Brack OMB). St. Matthew’s Tavern at the Orlando Beer Garden 1300 N Mills Ave, Orlando, Florida. The Bloody Jug Band has Partnered Up with St. Matthew’s Tavern at the Orlando Beer Garden for a MONTHLY Event. We’re Calling it the ‘1st SATURDAY Jamboree’ and will be Not Only performing at the Venue Each Month, but ALSO inviting a Local Musician to come Join the Jamboree with us.

8pm to 11pm Free but get food and drink. Jazz Saturdays. Cork & Fork American Grill 5180 S. Conway Road, Belle Isle, FL. Jazz Saturdays will feature live entertainment by Jazzanova musicians.

Sunday March 29, 2016

1pm to 3pm. Free. Reflecting Florida: Storytelling through Image and Word. Bookmark It 3201 Corrine Dr, Ste 109, Orlando, Florida. Bookmark It’s Reflecting Florida author series returns with a double book launch event for both Gary Monroe’s “E.G. Barnhill: Florida Photographer, Adventurer, Entrepreneur” and Jeff Kunerth’s “Forty: Newspaper Stories 1970-2014”. Looking back at Florida’s unique history thought the public lens of journalism and tourism, these books each capture the art of storytelling through image and written word.

Author Q&A and booksigning to follow presentations. Rick Kilby, author of “Finding the Fountain of Youth: Ponce de Leon and Florida’s Magical Waters” will be moderating the event.

4:30pm to 6:30pm $8 Orlando Roller Derby: Arkham Assailants VS. Sunnyland Slammers. Semoran Skateway 2670 Cassel Creek Blvd, Casselberry, Florida.Come watch Orlando Psycho City Roller Derby! Get ready for a KILLER rematch! The Sunnyland Slammers will be taking on the Arkham Assailants! Doors at 4:30pm, first whistle at 5:00pm. It’ll all go down at our home rink, Semoran Skateway.

Food and BEER will be available at the snack bar; all beer and wine charitable contributions go to benefit the Greyhound Pets of America, Senior Sanctuary.

Help Orlando Psycho City Derby girls LIGHT IT UP BLUE!!! We will have a 50/50 raffle, bring some cash! Half will go to the winner and the other half will go to Autism Speaks! This internationally recognized charity raises funds for Autism Research. In March 2014, Autism was a part of 1 in 68 children’s lives. Now that statistic is said to be 1 in every 45. Help bring awareness and funding to this cause by participating in our raffle and our donation station at the merchandise table!

Remember to bring your own chairs; chairs with rubber bottoms are allowed on the track, high heels are not.

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

The Göreme Open Air Museum in Cappadocia Turkey.

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Cappadocia lies in in the heartland of what is now Turkey. Fairy Chimney rock formations are scattered all around the town of Göreme. Though still cold, pink blossoms were bursting open in some trees while most trees were barren. The time that the Göreme was first settled is unclear, but it could date back as the Hittite era,
between 1800 and 1200 B.C. The location was central between rivaling
empires, such as the Greeks and Persians, leading the natives to tunnel
into the rock to escape the political turmoil. Christianity prevailed as the primary religion in the region, which is
evident from many rock churches that can still be seen today.

After the sketch was done, I met Terry to tour the inner carved rooms, halls and churches. Signs help tourists on the in self guided tours. I can’t imagine that living in these stone caves could have been  comfortable. It must have been drafty and cold in the winter. Our hotel room was carved into the rock as well. A large bathroom was the primary room carved out and there was a honeycomb of notches carved into the walls which made for convenient storage for towels and clothing. With modern electricity and plumbing cave living can be quite luxurious.

The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul.

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The Grand Bazaar (Turkish: Kapalıçarşı, meaning ‘Covered Bazaar’; also Büyük Çarşı, meaning ‘Grand Bazaar) in Istanbul is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and over 3,000 shops which attract between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily. In 2014, it is listed number 1 among the world’s most-visited tourist attractions with 91,250,000 annual visitors.

The place is a cavernous riot of activity, bustle and bright colors. Beautiful mosaics cover much of the intricate inner arch ways. Red Turkish flags hung above many shop entrances. Terry of course shopped as I sketched.  I sat outside a jewelry shop and the shop owner took quite an interest in what I was doing. It is traditional to offer shoppers a cup of tea and I was offered a cup as well. You can see several tiny tea cups resting on a silver plate on the floor of my sketch. The merchant was in his late 50’s with a thick grey mustache’ He spoke fluent English and he told me That he has run the family business for over 30 years.  He also told me that much of the tile work was done by local students.

The construction of the Grand Bazaar Began in 1455 shortly after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople and was finished in 1460. Fires, earthquakes and other calamities ravaged the market through it’s long history, but it always recovered. The uncovered streets around the market a r just as crowded and bustling. Terry and I took a culinary tour of the market to taste food from some of the hidden gems of restaurants that can be found everywhere. We sampled cheeses and learned how the locals shop. Shopping at the Bazaar is a real adventure. Finding Terry after the sketch was done was another adventure.

Hagia Sofya in Istanbul Turkey.

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Hagia Sophia, Sultanahmet Mh., Ayasofya Meydanı, Fatih/İstanbul, Turkey, (from the Greek: Ἁγία Σοφία, “Holy Wisdom”; Turkish: Ayasofya) is a former Christian patriarchal basilica (church), later an imperial mosque, and now a museum (Ayasofya Müzesi) in Istanbul, Turkey. Built in 537 it served as an Orthodox cathedral and seat of the Patriarch of Constantinople, except between 1204 and 1261, when it was converted to a Roman Catholic cathedral under the Latin Empire. In 1453, Constantinople was conquered by the Ottoman Turks under Sultan Mehmed II,
who ordered this main church of Orthodox Christianity converted into a
mosque. By that point, the church had fallen into a state of disrepair. It remained a mosque until 1931. It was then secularized and opened as a museum in 1935. Although a museum the minarets still broadcast the daily Muslim prayers.

As I worked on this sketch, Terry went inside to explore the museum. A young Turkish girl let me know she was also an artist. We did our best to communicate using the universal language of sketching. She showed me her quick sketches, and I showed her mine. I probably learned more about her from that quick exchange of images than if we had chatted for hours. A picture is worth a thousand words.

The large public square bustled with activity. Hagia Sophia is one of the top tourist attractions in Istanbul. Women covered head to toe in black burkas were among the tourists. It seemed a contradiction to see them fingering their iPhones.

Istanbul Turkey Day 1.

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Terry’s niece Alison Brown works for the United States State Department and was stationed in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is an exciting highly populated city that straddles Europe and Asia across
the Bosphorus Strait. The Old City reflects cultural influences of the
many empires that once ruled here. In the Sultanahmet district, the
open-air, Roman-era Hippodrome was for centuries the site of chariot
races, and Egyptian obelisks remain. This is a city I would love to live in. There is so much history and culture that needs to be sketched.

Just getting from the airport, to Alison’s high rise apartment was an adventure. Once the taxi got off the highways, which were lavishly decorated with thousands of Daffodils, the side streets started snaking up hills. The streets get very narrow with cars are parked on both besides of the street . Every block becomes a game of dare as drivers face off for the narrow passage in opposite directions. Alison’s apartment building had guards at the driveway entrance with steel stanchions that could lower into the pavement when a car is cleared. One window of Alison’s apartment looked like it had been hit by a bullet causing a hairline crack. Alison didn’t think much of it. 

Terry played with Louie, Allison’s French Bulldog, as I did this sketch. Afterward, we explored the area to find a restaurant. Not knowing the language, we just pointed at item on the menu. Turkey never let us down, the food was always delicious. The hole in the wall restaurant we found turned out to be a place we returned to time time again.

Cabana Bay Beach Resort has a 1950s themed ambience.

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Cabana Bay Beach Resort, 6550 Adventure Way, Orlando, FL, is a new place to stay right near Universal Studios. It is no more than a quarter mile from my studio and I watched as it was built up on a huge dirt lot next to the theme park. The lobby has retro themed 1950s TV commercials running all day. The pool area is expansive with a large lazy river around the perimeter. I walked in to see how the of he half lives. Tourists have it made in Orlando. Yet this retreat is far removed from the culture that can be found in Orlando every day.

This central a rest o the resort has all possible amenities lit restaurants, movie screenings, and constant watery bliss. Why would tourists brave the hot parks when they can relax here. Tickets were purchased and commitments made so most of these people were probable recovering from the sweat and heat stroke they endured in the parks. Guests benefits include, early Universal Studios Park admission to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, one hour before the theme park opens (valid theme park admission required)
and complimentary shuttle buses and walking paths to both Universal Orlando theme parks and Universal City Walk.

With the T-Rex at Downtown Disney.

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A former Disney Feature Animation background painter was having a show at one of the Disney Stores at the Downtown Disney.The invite was wrong however and he wasn’t in the store when I stopped by to say hello. Since I was there, I walked around to find something to sketch. The Marketplace is a hectic place to sketch. Everyone seems to be in a rush to make last minute purchases before they head home. The eye catching Dinosaur bones stop tourists in their tracks for a brief photo opportunity. The Dinosaurs are part of a themed restaurant Called T-Rex Cafe, (1676 Buena Vista Dr, Orlando, FL) that is always jam packed. They serve adventures rather than ordinary meals. American eats plus animatronic dinosaurs and an underwater aquarium draw crowds in Downtown Disney.

Weekend Top 6 Picks for March 26th and 27th.

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Saturday March 26, 2016

9am to 3:30pm $40 NYC Urban Sketch Workshop. Pearl Studios which are located at 519 Eight Avenue. That’s located between West 35 and 36th Streets. We reserved Studio F, which is on the 12th floor. I will be offering an Urban Sketching workshop in NYC. The primary focus will b on populating a sketch wit multiple people and in the afternoon, we will sketch on location in the city. I’m very excited to meet about 40 New York City Urban Sketchers. Afterwards, we will go o for drinks and perhaps more sketching.

7pm to 9pm  Free. Brewery Tour. Orlando Brewing, 1301 Atlanta Ave, Orlando, FL.

8pm to 11pm Free but get a drink. Jazz Saturdays. Cork and Fork American Grill5180 S. Conway Road, Belle Isle, FL. Jazz Saturdays will feature live entertainment by Jazzanova musicians. Cork & Fork American Grill happily announces the launch of a new menu starting Wednesday, March 23, featuring even more tasty dishes made fresh daily to add to Cork & Fork’s already popular menu that’s made the Belle Isle eatery a favorite amongst foodies, locals and visitors throughout Central Florida.



Sunday March 27, 2016

Noon to 2pm. Free but get food and drink. Florida Gospel Jam. Fish on Fire 7937 Daetwyler Drive Belle Isle FL. Every 2nd and 4th Sunday.

2pm to 4pm Free. Yoga. Lake Eola Park, 195 N Rosalind Ave, Orlando, FL. Every week.

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

Lake Eola sculptures light up the night.

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Any time I sketch at a venue in downtown Orlando, I park near Lake Eola. At night, the fountain is lit up as we r as the sculptures that were put in last year. They were put in place by an organization called See Art Orlando. This sculpture is called, “Take Flight” by Douwe Blumberg, sponsored by Darden.

Douwe was born in Los Angeles of two amateur artists, his artistic gifts were
evident early on.  During a childhood that was almost a continual art
education, he spent some formative years in Europe being exposed to
western artistic traditions.  Later he attended the University of
Southern California’s prestigious Idyllwild School of the Arts and
Music.  This was followed up with four years of sculpture/metal working
education during which he won many national awards.  His education was
capped by an apprenticeship at a CA art foundry where he mastered the
many facets of creating bronzes.  Hence his “art education” consisted of
a unique and healthy mix of traditional schooling with hands-on
apprenticeship.  He attributes his ability to work in varied techniques
and styles to this style of learning.

Upon graduation however, he did not immediately pursue an art
career.  Instead, he became a professional horse trainer, a career he
pursued for 18 years at his ranch outside of L.A.  Gradually, however,
he started sculpting again, albeit part time, and began accepting
commissions.  As demand for his work grew, he was forced to choose
between the two careers; his lifelong passion of sculpting won out. 
Closing his barn in 2000, he relocated to centrally located Kentucky
where he has a studio and home north of Lexington.  Douwe has completed
well over 200 private and public commissions and has numerous awards,
residencies and shows to his credit.