There’s a White Elephant in the room.

Posted on by Thor

Believe it or not, this is a sketch from December of 2014. I’m going through all the sketchbooks and finding sketches that I didn’t post yet. Terry and I went to the home of Wendy Wallenburg‘s friend Christine Billis right before Christmas. Everyone was encouraged to bring a rather quirky present for a White Elephant gift exchange. Of course there was plenty of food and drink before everyone settled in the living room for the exchange.

With a White Elephant gift exchange, you can pick a wrapped present, or you can steal a present that had already been opened. When it was my turn to pick, Terry encouraged me to steal the bottles of booze that had been someone Else’s pick. We hid the booze under a chair but soon enough it was swiped back. Every item that Terry got seemed to be swiped away, because she had to keep going up to take another turn.

Towards the end of the party, I was introduced to a young teen who loves to draw. I told her all about my new teaching gig at Elite Animation Academy. Hopefully I helped inspire her to pursue her dream. That’s what I love about my new job, I get to teach kids who are young enough to have never said to themselves “I can’t” or “I don’t know how.” Kids create with wild abandon.

Birdman questioned what is real and what is imagined.

Posted on by Thor

Terry and I went to see Birdman at the Enzian Theater,1300 S Orlando Ave, Maitland, FL. While I waited for her to arrive at the Eden Bar outside the movie theater, I couldn’t resist doing a sketch. I ordered an Orange Blossom Pilsner and sketched as fast as I could. The advantage of being an artist in this digital age is that people who focus their attention on their phones become completely absorbed and therefor never notice that they are being sketched.

Birdman turned out to be one of my favorite movies of 2014. It was much like Hitchcock’s The Rope in which there were no discernible cuts between scenes. The movie was about an actor who was famous for his role as Birdman in the movies but he wanted to be taken serious as a true artist. He wrote and directed a play for Broadway that he hoped would revitalize peoples perceptions of him as a true artist. The camera followed his every move as opening night approached. The first scene showed him in his dressing room in a cross legged yoga pose. As the camera pulled back you realized that he wasn’t only meditating, he was floating above the floor. My disbelief was suspended and I accepted each of his supernatural yet ego centric quirks.

What happened on stage always seemed to reflect what was going on in his own life. Because there were no obvious camera cuts, the moments seemed to play out in real time right until the opening night of the show on Broadway. Much of what happened might have been imagined by the narcissistic director played by Michael Keaton. There was a hilarious moment when he took a cigarette break right outside the stage door. A stage hand closed the door locking him out and he had to walk around the block, through Times Square in his underwear to get to the front entrance of the theater. Did this actually happen, or did he imagine the humiliating situation? Every scene raised these type of questions. This wasn’t a CGI effects block buster, but it was a smartly written drama that raised more questions than answers. I absolutely loved it. The film garnered wide critical praise, and won the Academy Award for Best Picture, along with the Best Director for González Iñárritu, the Best Original Screenplay, and the Best Cinematography from a total of nine nominations, tying it with The Grand Budapest Hotel for being the most nominated film of the Academy’s 87th annual awards ceremony. Michael Keaton deserved to win the Academy Award as the best actor.

Barre Bellas tones muscles with dance stretches and strength.

Posted on by Thor

I went to ‘Barre Bellas‘ at 1061 South Sun Drive Suite 1121 Lake Mary Florida to sketch Dion Leonhard as she lead a strenuous dance workout. She has classes are every Monday and Wednesday starting at 10:30am and 11:30am. She also
offers private one-on-one classes. The full class line-up with other
teachers is available on the website.She also offers a dancer, theater, student,and performer discount at $15 per class and a package of 5 classes for $50. The package is good for a year. This discount is only available for her classes, so individuals interested need to contact her on Facebook or email Dion_Christine@yahoo.com smile emoticon.

Dion is a talented dancer and actress. I first sketched her years ago when she danced for Emotions Dance and now she is part of the quirky cast of Phantasmagoria, a Gothic Steampunk group that tells tales of horror. She has always been a master of classic ballet and modern dance. After the initial stretches on the pink yoga mats, everyone lined up at the barre at the front of the classroom. Stretches, with one foot up on the barre involved both strength and dexterity. One woman’s knees started to shake as she tried to hold the pose. Although the workout seemed simple enough, it clearly pushed everyone to their limit. I later learned that the one guy in the class, Stelson Telfort, was the actor who played Hooper in Beth Marshall Presents, Hoodies. After this group was finished with their workout, an individual women came in for a one on one instruction session. What a great opportunity to get fit and toned head to head with on of Orlando’s top talents.

Violectric Debut Revolutionary LED Instrument Lighting “Violuminescence” at Bite.

Posted on by Thor

Bite Night, hosted by the Orlando Weekly was held at The Orchid Garden and Ballroom at Church Street in Downtown Orlando from 7pm-10pm on June 29th.   I went to the event specifically to sketch the premiere performance of Violuminence. 

Michelle Jones the founder of Violectric asked her husband, Jerry Jones, the groups technical director to design the diodes along the rims of the instruments which made them glow like souped up Harley Davidson motorcycles. Violuminescence produces unique, lighted string instruments that can be remote controlled to enhance any performance in an unrivaled manner.

When I arrived, the event was just getting started but there were already long lines for food. I immediately started hunting for my sketch opportunity. I ran into Ilene Lieber the groups pleasant and hard working PR representative and she let me know that the Violuminence performance would start at 9pm in front of the DJs table on the main floor. That gave me several hours to sketch in the Orchid Room’s magical turn of the century decor. When Violumenence began, I added color starting with the blue glow of the instruments. The instruments glowed in every color of the rainbow as if celebrating the recent Supreme Court decision allowing everyone to share the rights of marriage.

“We are beyond excited to finally unveil Violuminescence to the public later the month,” said founder of Violectric and Fretless Rock, Michelle Jones.  “This will be the first opportunity for public audiences to experience Violuminescence and revel in this truly spectacular and awe-inspiring musical innovation.  We are known for getting audiences up out of their seats and dancing along with us as we play, and we look forward to blowing away all our loyal fans with Violuminescence and hopefully gaining many more new ones worldwide.”

When the violins performed Journey‘s Don’t Stop Believing, everyone in the room started singing along. “Shadows searching in the night”. It was really a magical moment. The crowd was hooked and I sang along as I sketched. The violinists weren’t passive. They began moving around the room finding their way through the crowd.  By the time my sketch was done, the crowd was starting to thin out. All the food vendors had packed up. Darn it. I hadn’t tasted a bite so I can’t report on how good the food was. Genevieve Bernard and Seth Kubersky told me that the food directly across the room from me was absolutely delicious. I am pleased by the rich warm and cool colors that I could catch with my digital sketch.  For more information on Violectric contact 407-434-1261 and for more information on Fretless Rock by Strings Etc visit their web page.

Beer tasting at East End Market.

Posted on by Thor

I went to East End Market, 3201 Corrine Drive Orlando, FL, where I have some cards on consignment displayed at Local Roots Farm Store which brings the freshness and quality of the farm
directly to the city, including local produce, artisan foods and craft
beer. I was advised to get a rotating card stand to display the cards but it had slots which were too large for the 5 by 7 inch cards I had created. Because the slats are so large, cards kept falling on the floor and I was asked to remove the display. I’m thinking that I could hand make foam core boxes that could keep the cards from falling but that is a complex task that is on the back burner for now. For now, my cards are on display in a small wicker basket on a shelf.

The bar is made of a huge single slab of wood that curves elegantly.  Taylor and Megan were trying a beer sampler which had six shot sized glasses of beer for their tasting pleasure. I like this sampler idea. I just started a monthly artist group called “Drink and Draw” and the idea is to sample beers at a different bar each month with a group of artists. I am hoping to refine my tastes while also sketching.

Mark your Calendar. The first Orlando Drink and Draw (ODD) event will be at Taverna Opa, 9101 International Drive, #2240, Orlando, FL from 5:30pm to 8:30pm on July 6th. Taverna Opa has an assortment of unique Mediterranean dishes. But you might not be too focused on the food as restaurant goers participate in the traditional Zorba line dance and throw plates and napkins on the floor. I’m having to re-think my retail display since cards keep falling on the floor, but it has to be fun sketching a restaurant and bar with plates and napkins getting thrown on the floor.

Weekend Top 6 Picks for July 4th and 5th.

Posted on by Thor

Saturday July 4, 2015

4pm to 10pm Free. Fireworks at Lake Eola. Lake Eola Park 512 East Washington Street Orlando FL. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer invites Central Florida residents and visitors
to attend Fireworks at the Fountain on Saturday, July 4, 2015 at Lake
Eola Park in Downtown Orlando. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early
in order to find a great viewing spot. The night will conclude with a
patriotic firework display over Lake Eola, which will begin at 9:10 p.m.

 6pm to 8pm Free. Brewery Tour. Orlando Brewing, 1301 Atlanta Ave, Orlando, FL.

7pm to 9pm Free.  Swingout Saturday. 644 Florida Central Parkway, Longwood, Florida. The music is hot and the dance floor will rock! Beginner dance lesson at 7pm. Dancing from 8 to 11pm.



Sunday July 5, 2015 

Noon to 5pm Free but get a beer. Sunday’s with Smiling Dan. The Falcon Bar & Gallery, 819 East Washington Street, Orlando, FL. DJ mixes music for the afternoon.

9pm to 11pm Free but get a coffee. 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.

9pm to 11pm Free but get a coffee. Solo Acoustic Spoken Word. Natura Coffee & Tea, 12078 Collegiate Way, Orlando, FL. 407 482-5000.

Artegon then and now.

Posted on by Thor

Artegon is an artist market set up in the former Festival Bay Mall. Festival Bay had only a few merchants who were long term, one was the Bass Pro Shops, Ron Jon Surf Shop. Unfortunately the rest of the mall was usually half empty. Artegon came in with an exciting concept to convert the mall into an artist market. I liked the idea, having been to a number of exiting markets around the world like the bazaar in Turkey. Rent for artist vendors started at a cheap rate of $6 a day, so I went to several of the early pitch meetings to consider the idea of setting up a shop for myself.

After the pitch we all got a chance to tour the new facility. All of the inner courtyards had been given alleyways of cages for vendors to set up shop. Each cage was about 10 feet square. The effect as we walked through the dark space was much like an insane asylum or Thunder dome from Mad Max. One artist had invested in a huge retail gallery space for his own vanity gallery. When I re-visited Artegon several months later, he had moved out. Unfortunately the cages are never more than half occupied.

A metal zip line elevated aerial adventure  had been constructed in the largest courtyard. Within one month of the opening, a tourist fell to his death from the attraction. There is no safety net, but I imagine tourists must sign a waver before they climb up to the heights. The Daily City, another Orlando News site set up shop for the opening of Artegon, but that store also closed. Walking around recently I didn’t recognize and local artists as vendors, although local B-Side artists collaborated to create some decent murals.

Driving from the airport to Orlando on the Bee line and on I-4 I noticed billboards for Artegon. They hope to bring in tourists to the market and travel destination. Despite the marketing efforts the place still has a lonely vacant feel. Gods and Monsters, a comic superstore just opened, and at the opening day the market was finally bustling with costumed superheros. Perhaps it will take a superhero to save this artist market ideal. Right now the place seems to have an identity crisis.

The Art and Horror of ‘Phantasmagoria’ was at Valencia College.

Posted on by Thor

A multi-media art exhibit brought the spirit of a Victorian-era, Steampunk-influenced Halloween opened at Valencia College’s East Campus on Oct. 3 for a one-week run.

“The Art and Horror of ‘Phantasmagoria’: Puppetry, Photography, Costumes, Props and Video” offered an inside peek at the magic behind “Phantasmagoria,” a critically-acclaimed stage production that director John DiDonna describes as “a graphic novel come to life.”

Five years ago, “Phantasmagoria” began as an evening of horror stories told by local actors dressed in clothing from the late 1880s. Today, the production has evolved into a sort of Gothic soap opera, with recurring characters who appear year after year.

The exhibit also included Phantasmagoria-related works by prominent local and international artists, including paintings by Thomas Thorspecken and photographs by Kristen Wheeler and Beaureguarde Von Hoffman.

The exhibit was on display at Valencia’s Anita S. Wooten Gallery.I went to the opening reception and was immediately drawn to the Punch and Judy styled puppets on display. Some people at the opening were dressed in Victorian Steampunk fashions and they weren’t even part of the Phantasmagoria cast. Members of the cast did mingle mysteriously at the opening and then they waltzed to music that only they could hear. Giant skulls and bones hung from the ceiling and a ghostly figure hoovered in the corner.

A panel discussion helped students learn about Theater.

Posted on by Thor

John DiDonna, who is the Program Chair/Artistic Director of the Theater Department at Valencia College‘s East Campus, organized a panel discussion with some of Orlando’s biggest talents. The event was held in the community area right next to the campus Black Box Theater in front of the gallery which had a show of black and white photos documenting racism in Central Florida.

Beth Marshal started off the discussion, Mike Deaven and Anastasia Stacy are integral to her production company, Beth Marshall Presents. Beth basically stressed that students should have realistic expectations if they want to get into the theater business. When I sketch at Beth’s auditions, Mike is always there to play opposite someone in scenes. He is Beth’s assistant. Anastasia is Beth’s son’s girlfriend and she has become indispensable as Beth’s Stage manager. Students who go into theater tend to think they will start making over $30,000 a year, but realistically most actors, directors and stage hands all need to have a day job to pay the bills. The only way to work your way into theater is through patience, perseverance and endless determination.

Alana McMillan Friskes is the Executive Director of the Garden Theatre. I love that historic Theater with its star studded indoor ceiling. Built in 1935, it was the first movie theater built for “talkies.” The theater underwent several renovations before closing in 1963. It was then converted into a farm supply store. The Winter Garden Heritage Foundation, restored the Garden Theatre which  reopened
in February of 2008. With over 200 events per season, has quickly
become a shining star on Plant Street. Alana has been integral in bringing live theater to the stage in Winter Garden.

James Brendlinger, who is the Chairman of the Department of Arts & Communications at Lake Howell High, School, is also the founder of Penguin Point Productions. James helped build and organize a huge expanded Costume Room which is an incredible resource for the theater community. I know that he collaborated with Beth Marshall Productions on Hoodies which was a powerful production at this year’s Orlando International Fringe Festival. The Central Florida Theater community is small and very interconnected. A strong reputation takes time to build, but a bad reputation is quickly discovered by everyone in this tight knit community.

Aradhana Tiwari spoke about how she admired the work of a director at Mad Cow Theatre. She had never done this before, but she asked to shadow the director to find out how he worked. He then left the theatre and Aradhana was promoted to the position of being Mad Cow’s resident director. John DiDonna shouted out “She is essentially the Artistic Director.” This is a fine parable about how curiosity and drive can lead to unexpected breaks in this business. I learned things about the Central Florida Theater Community, and I’ve been sketching from the sidelines for years. This must have been an eye opening experience for students just starting out in theater.

Bikini Ad Space turned heads at Fringe.

Posted on by Thor

Katie Thayer, an attractive local actress and comedian, came up with the idea of Bikini Ad Space at the Orlando International Fringe Festival several years ago. The idea is pure genius and simple. She wears a sexy bikini and you can body paint your message on any of her prime body parts. Her lower shins, and her upper or lower arms, front and back go for $5 each. $10 gets prime exposure on her upper calves, front and back, and her belly. You can “get cheeky” by purchasing ad space on both butt cheeks for $15. Of course the most expensive ad space is the $20 chest ad which can nestle in her cleavage.

We bumped into Katie on the first day of the Fringe Sketch Tour and arranged to sketch her the next day. She works inside the Shakespeare Theater lobby which is always crowded with people buying tickets and waiting for shows. She had her leg propped up on a table covered with show flyer’s. The layer of flyer’s was an inch thick which meant you often had to dig down to find a flyer for the show you were interested in. Usually clients had the opportunity to paint their ad on Katy’s flesh. In this rare instance Katy was painting her own ad to get people to vote for Bikini Ad Space as the best “Bring Your Own Venue” in The Daily City Audience Choice Awards. I don’t know if she won that honor.

Cootie Catcher in the red venue had purchased the prime cleavage ad space while Valence had invested in belly ad space. I saw valance, an introspective dance performance that inspected touch in human interactions, but I never saw Cootie Catcher. My sketch protege sketched me sketching Katy and I’m sure photos were shot which made it a very “Meta” performance. The day before, Katy had left her kit of brushed behind and it vanished. Luckily she found a loose brush in the bottom of her bag, but it was a rather blunt brush which meant she couldn’t add any refined touches. I offered her one of my brushes but she was too proud to take it. I hope that the ads she sold will help pay for a new set of brushes because quality brushes are expensive. Her palette was a clear plastic plate. Friends stopped to ask her advice on the best shows to see. Katy had seen tons of shows, so she was a great resource.