I went to the home of Jeff Kunerth who has a sizable collection of all things news related. Jeff has worked for the Orlando Sentinel for 35 years and his life’s work has always been journalism. His father taught journalism for 30 years at Iowa State University and at an early age Jeff was hitting the streets before sunrise to deliver the local paper. Since he didn’t like having to collect paper money door to door, he recruited his brother who enjoyed the work. His brother now runs a small paper in Idaho, of course handling all the finances.
Jeff collected press passes and desk name plates from employees as they left the Orlando Sentinel. He has about 30 press passes and 50 name plates. He finally stopped collecting as reporters were being layed off 30 to 40 at a time. Instead he has the long lists of names that appeared in the paper the week of the layoffs.
Jeff builds miniature newsstands with humorous themes out of cigar boxes. Here he is making an Obama election day themed newsstand. In the box in his lap are hundreds of newspaper front pages which were reduced multiple times on his laser printer. He carefully cut and trimmed these until they fit into the overall newsstand layout. The newsstand he is building is sitting on the card table. You can see the small shelves he has built on which the newspapers will be stacked. A small TV set is on and a black and white Film Noir movie is playing. Jeff never glances at the TV but the period music perfectly compliments the nostalgic feel of the news related miniatures.
Downey Park
On Saturday I drove to Downey Park on the East side of town. I went with the hope of seeing Capoeira Martial arts as they relaxed for a picnic and an afternoon of practicing this Brazilian martial art. I had no idea where in the park to find them but I ended up parking in a space right next to where their picnic table was set up. I walked up and 5 people were playing long bow shaped instruments, called Berimbaus, and a drum while others whirled dodged and did somersaults and handstands. As I sat down to draw…you guessed it, the music stopped and everyone packed up to go home. That was my fault I had arrived late, having come from another sketch location.
Rather than consider this a wasted trip, I wandered down to the lake where children and adults were splashing in the water. I sat in the shade of a beautiful old tree and vicariously enjoyed the company of a Hispanic family on siesta. A small Hispanic boy became infatuated with my haversack and he boldly walked up to me and started yanking on it. His father had to rush over and pull him away. Several other times kids wandered up to me and would put their hands on my knee like I was placed there to keep them steady on their feet.
This relaxing day in the park reminded me so much of old sepia colored photos I have of my mom in her youth. In every image she is seen smiling in a bathing suit and always close to water. Her father was a second generation Irishman who managed to buy a boat with his plumbers wages and the family was always near a beach or lake. I am left wondering how I lost that heritage.
Orlando City Artworks
On Thursday night Mayor Buddy Dyer and the Orlando City Commissioners hosted an art show of works by City Employees and their families. I met Terry in the City Hall Rotunda and she told me an award ceremony was going on upstairs on the second floor. She had just bumped into the Mayor who looked a bit lost and she was asking him if he had seem my painting which was supposed to be hanging in City Hall somewhere. The mayor became uncomfortable and his handlers ushered him away.
Terry had seen enough so we said good by and I headed toward the ceremonies. I had to go through a metal detector in order to get upstairs and I was given an orange visitors badge. When I walked in the last award was being presented and everyone headed back downstairs. I decided to stay upstairs and watch the reception from a balcony overlooking the Rotunda. There was wine and cheese, beers and sodas. Children were encouraged to paint patterns on the insides of ceramic hearts at craft tables that had been set up. On poor fellow knocked over a whole bottle of beer that shattered on the granite floor and caused the whole room to go silent. The art show itself is pretty much what you would expect to see if you went to a county fair and entered the 4H art pavilion.
I left City Hall and wandered up Orange Avenue to two other shows that were opening in galleys that night. The first was at the City Arts Factory and was called B-Side. It was a show if hip urban artists many of whom incorporated graffiti into their art. I then wandered to Avalon Island Gallery. This space had a nice staging area where a guitarist was performing. It would have made a great sketch but I had to get off to an evening class at Full Sail. It turns out that every third Thursday these gallery’s have openings and this is the first time I wandered into this ongoing art scene. Every gallery I entered, I bumped into friends. The Orlando Art scene is starting to feel like home.
Chateau Vintage
I decided to get a sketch at an event called Good Looke at the Beacon Lounge in Thornton Park. If I got there before 10 PM admission was free, so I hopped in my truck and headed downtown. Good Looke is a monthly party which brings together Orlando’s fashion, art, music, and design communities, for a network event that revolves around DJ culture, live music and live art.
Based on this description I was excited at the prospects. When I arrived at 9:30PM the place was very quiet but after 10 the crowds started to file in. At first I figured I would be drawing the bar or the DJ’s Queso and Youngheartz. But when these young lady’s from Chateau Vintage walked in with a pink suitcase full of vintage clothes, I knew I had found my subject. I sketched as they set up the table and put out their wares. The table had a constant crowd. One girl tried on a vintage hat and danced around in a burlesque style that would make Bob Flossie proud. Some of the dancers must have come from the Ballet.
I am not sure if all the arts were represented. I tried to figure out if any other visual artists were in the room and perhaps they could be recognized by their grungy tee shirts, shorts and tattoos. I didn’t see any other sketchpads. I don’t see how people were networking with the music so loud. But I did my part representing for the visual arts.
As I finished up this sketch the DJ really started to pump up the volume and the dancing heated up. I wanted to get back home to Terry so I tried to make it to the door, but right in front of the door there was a tight pack of gyrating bodies and it became necessary to push people aside in order to get through. Outside the club tables were set up and another crowd had formed. The party was just getting started.
Stilt Walkers World Record Set
The folks at La Nouba set a new world record for the largest number of people standing on stilts. The event was held simultaneously in Las Vega, New York, Montreal (Canada), Fortaleza (Brazil), Lisbon (Portugal), Macau (China), Nagoys (Japan) and Tokio (Japan). In Orlando 119 people gathered for this short yet festive occasion. People from all over Orlando gathered in order to help set this new Guinness World Record. The stilt walkers paraded around the Disney Marketplace and then they gathered in the square in front of the La Nouba tent. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer stood before the crowd and declared the day “Cirque du Soleil Day” in Orlando”.
119 stilt walkers seems to represent Orlando’s culture at its best. It is ironic that Cirque got its start with small street performances, because in downtown Orlando street performance artists are outlawed. Probably with the way the law is written, I am breaking the law every time I sketch in public. From Disney I drove straight to a Friends of the Philharmonic meeting. When I arrived David Shillhammer, the Philharmonic’s Executive Director, was lamenting the death of the Orlando Opera to the crowd that had gathered. The Opera declared bankruptcy last month. He then outlined ways that the Philharmonic is working towards helping bring a limited staged Opera Production back to Orlando.
Maitland Art Center
The Maitland Art Center held an open house. I was told there would be an opportunity to sketch from a model, so I jumped at the chance. I had not been to a figure drawing class in ages. The drawing workshop was held in this small outdoor courtyard. It was a beautiful day and the mocking birds were chirping up a storm in the trees. In all there were about 10 artists including myself sketching from the model.
I stood by a small green wooden gate just outside the courtyard so I could see everyone. The moderator asked me if I could tell any passers by to pick up a flier if they were curious about the class. Sure enough quite a few people walked up to me to ask about the class and I was happy to talk and give them a flier.
Besides this class there were also many tents set up with artists showing their work. A sculptor was working in wax and the patron who had won the sculpture in an auction was there to see the work in progress. After the sketch workshop was over I wandered the event and wished I had more time to sketch but I had to get to another sketching location.
Crealde Sculpting
I avoided looking directly at the welding arc as I did this sketch. Several finished pieces can be seen to the left. Crealde is right on a lake and I could hear some Moore Hens as they swam by. As usual, I tucked myself into one of the few shady spots when I sat down to sketch. When it was lunch time I walked to the Publix which is next door with one of the artists named Heather. She explained to me why she became a representational artist. Her mother was schizophrenic and she would sometimes tell Heather it was time for bed even though it was far to early for bedtime. This caused her to question many things from a very early age, the most important being, “What is reality?” I thought this was one of the more interesting reasons for becoming an artist.
The activity in the workshop was loud and constant. Artists were grinding, filing, welding, burnishing and hammering. I could have stayed all afternoon but I decided two sketches was enough for a hot day in the Florida sun.
Crealde Welding Workshop
I got a tip from a friend of Mary Ann de Stefano, named Lynn Warnicke that I might find a Crealde Welding Workshop and interesting subject for sketching. Lynn was right on the money, the workshop was a feast for the eyes.The instructor, David Cumbie, welcomed me and said I could sketch anywhere with one warning, “do not look directly at the welders arcs”. Well that gave me a bit of a fright so this first sketch involves no welding. Here an artist is fitting metal pieces together trying to discover the shape they are meant to form. Metal bits and pieces are lying everywhere, resembling a junkyard. One mans junk is an artists palette. In the foreground a horses ears are formed by railroad spikes.
While doing this sketch a photographer set up an old accordion camera in the entry to the workshop. You can just barley see the camera in the upper left corner of the sketch. Later the photographer showed me a Daguerreotype he had taken of me while I was sketching. It was a beautiful image in rusty browns and my head was slightly blurred from my glancing my subject then the page. It is one of the best images I have ever seem of myself at work. It gave me a ghostly appearance like I had materialized from another time.
The Screaming Eagle
I went back to Zembower’s when my truck started making throaty noises like a Harley Davidson makes when it had no muffler. The guys in the shop had the work finished before I had this sketch complete. It turns out some small clamp was loose and it was in an area the mechanics had been working the previous time I had taken the truck in for repairs. Would you believe they did not charge me a dime! I was also given a card for a free oil change next time I stop in. This is a top notch shop and I will never be bringing my car in to the dealership again for work. I know the mechanics at Zembower’s will do a much better job and they will admit to a mistake, if it is made.
The bike belongs to the boss and is named the Screaming Eagle. The slick blue metalic paint and chrome glitter in the sunlight.
Magic against the Lakers
Last night I went down to the Amway Arena to see what kind of crowd gathered for the big game between the Orlando Magic and the Los Angeles Lakers. Fans couldn’t seem to resist playing the cheesy radio promotional games. All the games seemed to be run by women who looked like they had just come off a shift of working at Hooters. I feel fans like these should be required to pay higher taxes to help pay for the 480 million dollar Orlando Events Center.
I sat down on a grassy knoll to do this sketch. As I was working I heard the sound of a horse exhaling loudly behind me, sure enough when I turned around, there stood four police horses. I had just sketched at the Mounted Unit Barn a few weeks ago and I started to wonder if the horses remembered me. I heard one office say “Woo back up.” I am certain those horses watched every line as I put it down on the page.
Twice groups of fans arrived chanting at the top of their lungs, “Lets Go Magic!” Others would join the chant and it would gradually quiet down as the fans filtered into the stadium. Some fans wore huge Afro wigs and blue and white capes. Across the street someone was standing on a soap box and preaching. Trucks drove by with huge images of aborted fetuses running down the side of the truck. Another protest was against the Russell Corporation which produces Spalding Basketballs and Huffy Sports Backboards and has factories in Honduras that function as sweatshops. This group was banging on buckets and waving a photo of David Stern the NBA commissioner .
I returned home to watch the game on TV and as I am writing this the Magic are trailing by 10 points and it looks pretty hopeless. So much for the Finals. I don’t think I need to watch the end of this game.