Bikes Beans and Bordeaux Central Florida Song Circle

Posted on by Thor

On March 29th, I wandered into Bikes Beans and Bordeaux (3022 Corrine Drive Orlando, FL 32803) for a sandwich after sketching at an East End Market wine mixer. Unknown to me there was a monthly song circle going on. Most musicians had guitars and they went round robin performing original songs. One musician performed on percussion, and there was a harmonica, but mostly several guitarists would join in as the performer sang. I had met one guitarist at a monthly guitar song circle that is held at the Winter Park Public Library. He remembered me and introduced himself.

The Central Florida Song Circle is Central Florida’s oldest continuous song circle where musicians get
together with guitars, violins, bass, fiddles and so on, playing and
singing everything from homemade music to OPMs (other people’s music). Besides that, the food was good and there was art on the walls form a local artist who creates personalized bike gear, covering helmets and shoes with bold line work. Drawings done on location were of Paris, France. I was pleased to discover another artist who draws on location.

Elite Animation Sketch class.

Posted on by Thor

This week I have been teaching a summer sketch class at Elite Animation, (8933 Conroy Windermere Rd, Orlando, FL 32835). I have 16 students and the goal of the class is to encourage the students to carry a sketchbook everywhere they go.  The first class we went over basic shapes and perspective and then for the afternoon we took a field trip across the street to Panera Bread. With 16 students we pretty much filled up the restaurant. It was encouraging to see many of the students using one point perspective for the first time while drawing on location. I remember when I first started drawing on location in NYC. I would circle the block multiple times until I worked up the nerve to start a sketch. Getting these kids started early means they are less likely to be concerned with sketching in public as they grow older.

For the second class, we went to a local retention pond to draw the ducks and bucolic scene. A family of ducks were very cooperative, with the mama duck and her chicks perfectly happy to pose for the intrepid young artists. It was hot however, even in the shade, so attentions wandered. One student started herding the ducks rather than sketching. It was a typical case of leading them to water but it was up to them to drink. Several students took in the entire scene and were right on task. We left a bit early to get back to the air conditioned classroom.

For the afternoon, I taught them the basic proportions of a face and then we set out to do 16 sketches in which students faced-off and did a sketch of each other. I tend to throw out the tasks rather fast and one student unfortunately got intimidated. I thought the student was acting when their head went down on the desk in agony. I later learned that another student had told him that his drawings weren’t any good. I’m of the opinion that any drawing if closely observed and sincerely done has value. The interns reassured the student for a bit and then I offered a personal lesson which gave him the confidence to return to the group and start working. It was reassuring to see the student that had been crushed only an hour before laughing as the next sketch was completed. Honestly art is a game, it is challenging, but can always be fun if approached with the right attitude.

Elite Animation Academy’s slogan is, “Developing young minds through the art of animation.” I’m proud to be part of a team that helps keep art alive in the hearts of students here in Central Florida.

Orlando Cringe: The Valentine Show!

Posted on by Thor

The Orlando Cringe Valentine Show was held at The Abbey (100 S Eola Dr, Orlando, Florida 32801). The evening consisted of four brave souls who shared stories of unrequited love, cringe worthy love poetry, and a victory or two from their childhood journals. My favorite couple read from their college journals. He was desperate and often asking for forgiveness and she was career focused. It was enlightening to hear their opposing viewpoints. It was also reassuring because it was clear that the couple found common ground since they are together to this day.

An ongoing joke was about Axe fragrance for men. A poet came out and read a very over the top sappy love poem and then sprayed Axe fragrance. I felt sorry for the folks in the front row, but it was the funniest moment of the night.

Four couples also took part in a Newlywed Game. It was fun to see couples who had been together for years who knew nothing about each other. Two women who had just started dating swept every round to take the prize.

Getting tested at the Center.

Posted on by Thor

Now that I have been separated for more than a year, I have had several relationships. To be safe, I decided to go to The Center, (946 N Mills Ave, Orlando, FL 32803). STD testing is free and the results are returned within 12 minutes. Gonorrhea and chlamydia are tested through urine. The syphilis test is a finger prick, and the results are available within a few minutes. Of course waiting for the testing is what takes time. I finished 2 sketches in the time it took for me to go in for my test. The HIV test results are considered 99% accurate, so I will be returning for a second test just to be 100% certain. Orange County reported the third highest number of HIV cases in 2014 and the state leads the nation in the number of newly diagnosed HIV cases.

A case worker went over the results with me and his assessment of the statistics of STDs in Central Florida were astounding. As he put it, Whorlando is the first in the country for cases of Syphilis, third in the country for Chlamydia, and fifth in the country for Gonorrhea. The number of cases reported rose by over 10,000 in 2015.


The Center for Disease Control published its study on sexually transmitted diseases, reviewing rates from 2015, and found an increase in chlamydia and gonorrhea. Syphilis
rates increased the most among the three diseases, seeing a 19 percent
increase from 2014. Rates among women went up 27.3 percent, and 18.1
percent among men. Rates of reported chlamydia cases increased by 5.9 percent when compared to 2014 numbers.


Women with chlamydia increased 3.8 percent from 2014, and 10.5 percent among men in the same year. Gonorrhea cases increased by 12.8 percent when compared to the previous year. Men saw the largest increase at 18.3 percent, while women diagnosed with gonorrhea increased by a rate of 6.8 percent.

The alarming rate of STD infections increasing across the country has been attributed to the closing of 21 health care facilities. A younger demographic also seems to feel they are immune or can get early treatment, despite their lack of knowledge. We are lucky to still have the Center here in Orlando. The Center was ground zero after the Pulse Nightclub massacre. Since I have been so involved in following Orlando’s healing process after that horrible night, it makes sense for me to frequent the Center to be sure I am healthy.

Weekend Top 6 Picks for July 8th and 9th.

Posted on by Thor

Saturday July 8, 2017

 4 PM to 6 PM – Free. Young Voices. JB Callaman Center, 102 North Parramore Ave, Orlando FL. Teen Open Mic Every second Saturday of the month.

6 PM to 9 PM – Free. Imaginarium Illustrated Show Reception. Chapman Leonard Studios And Production Center, 9460 Delegates Dr, Orlando, Florida 32837. This
Art Reception is a family-friendly event and there will be light refreshments. The artists on display are
Morgan Wilson (Lux Nova Studio), Vanessa Farano, David McWhertor, Thomas
Thorspecken (Analog Artist Digital World), Mark Harchar, Heidi
Kneisl (The Naysayer), James Becker, Genki Goth Studios (Miriam Medina
& Dee Jay), Miranda Hauser, Kenyari Gil, and Katiana Robles.
For this installment of Imaginarium they are showcasing the art of
illustration with its different styles and mediums. With the up rise in
movies made from comic books and children’s books, and the fan art
industry, it is only fitting to present a show like this one. “The
detail that these artists can achieve
and the imagination they have is astounding. You can get lost in the
stories that some of their pieces portray”, says Jason Lee, the
curator for the venue. This group of artists is a mixture of established
and emerging individuals that are a vital part of the Central Florida
arts community.
The art will be on display May 13 through August 12, 2017. 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 are 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. The Arts Hub Organization strives to enrich communities and create
connections by providing curatorial services for commercial &
residential spaces; event organization & production; and promotion
of artists, events, & venues. You may contact Jason Lee at
321-695-8266 or via email at artshuborg@gmail.com.

8 PM to 10 PM – $5 Second Saturdays in Sanford. 202 S Sanford Ave, Sanford, FL. Live music event featuring 2 stages, drink specials and more.

Sunday July 9, 2017

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. 


11:30 AM to 1:30 PM Get food. Drag Brunch. Hamburger Mary’s, Church Street Station, 110 W Church St, Orlando, FL 32801.


Noon to 3 PM – Free. Music at the Casa. Beautiful Music String Quartet. Casa Feliz Historic Home Museum, 656 N Park Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789.

Waiting for poets.

Posted on by Thor

I went to the Spilled Milk Literary Open Mic in March at The Milk Bar Lounge (2424 E Robinson St, Orlando, Florida 32803). It was to be hosted by Eddie Dts Figures.
The Open Mic is a place for litlando to bridge the gap between slam poetry and science-fiction novel, blog post and college thesis, screenplay and fan fiction. If it’s worth writing, it’s worth spilling on the mic.
Content addressing Spring Time and New Beginnings was encouraged.

I had sketched this event in the past and always enjoyed the variety offered. I ordered a cider and started sketching. The bar was pretty empty. The bar owner’s dog made his rounds getting affection and attention from each bar patron. The poets never showed up. There was some big poetry slam competition out of state and they were all there to compete or cheer each other on.

Curtis X Meyer is hosting a whole series of open mics this month . All
donations and proceeds go towards helping Orlando poet team-mates as
they venture off to The National Poetry Slam this August in Denver,
Colorado!

Artists sketch at the Orlando Skeleton Museum.

Posted on by Thor

Artists gathered at the Museum Of Osteology

(near the Orlando Eye, 8441 International Drive

Suite 250

Orlando, FL 32819)

from 5:30 to 10:30 pm to sketch skeletons.

Using the skeletons collection of over 500 REAL skeletons as inspiration, they spent time exploring new skills or perfecting figure drawing in the museum. Event sponsor, Sam Flax of Orlando, provided sketching materials that artists could experiment with, but all artists were encouraged to bring your own pens, pencils, and sketchpads.

For this, the second installment of Sketching with Skeletons, the museum extended the event by two hours to allow for more sketching time! Tickets were offered at a discounted price of $12.00. If you brought a valid student or teacher/educator ID, there was an extra discounted price of $10.00.

My plan was to work digitally on my iPad but when Pam Schwartz and I arrived at the Orlando Eye parking lot, I suddenly realized that I hadn’t brought my art supply bag! That has never happened to me. Well, the event said that there were some supplies on hand, so, I decided to go regardless and make do with the materials provided. Sure enough, each artist was given a clip board along with several sheets of 11 by 17 inch paper and bulldog clips. I did have pencils in my pocket and around the venue there were some boxes full of colored pencils.


After walking quickly around the museum, I settled on this view of two artists sketching the big cat skeletons. I quickly penciled in the composition and then Pam found me a ball point pen to finish the line work. I actually liked the ball point pen and might work it into my everyday supplies. Coral Dixon, the museum marketing associate introduced herself to me.  She is heading off to college soon to study to be a museum curator.


I was very pleased and surprised with how many artists were on hand to sketch. Coral is clearly doing a great job marketing the event. She contacted all the local tattoo shops, which quite frankly is a stroke of genius. Once the sketch was done, I walked around the exhibit with Pam to catch the highlights. A skeletal dog still had his collar on, and a raccoon skeleton was rummaging through a box of Milk Duds. The sea otter was lounging with his paws neatly tucked behind his head. Former Disney animation artist Woody Woodman was there with his wife, and we got to catch up briefly. Museum founder and owner, Jay Villemarette and Samantha Tutor introduced themselves and Jay gave Pam and I a personal tour. Since Pam is a curator, she had an amazing conversation about the care of the museum which is just 2 years old. Jay was proud to introduce us to the two glass cases of flesh eating beetles. The spongy cotton bottom of the case was swarming with beetles covering several small animal skulls. Jay went back stage and added some water to the tanks which sent the beetles into a real frenzy. They become most active when moisture is added. I started to itch.

I was highly impressed with the event and the museum in general. Orlando is lucky to have the world’s top collector and distributor of skeletons right here in town. Jay pointed out that no animal was ever killed for the collection but that each animal died of natural causes. Sea World handlers sometimes return to the museum to pay their respects to the animals once in their care. Humans also donate their skeletons to the collection. Jay is often asked during interviews if he would want his skeleton donated someday. He gives the answer that the interviewer wants, but honestly he doesn’t care what becomes of his skeleton. I am hoping that these sketching events continue.  The first one was highly attended with over 75 artists, but the attendance dropped for this second edition to maybe 25 to 30 artists. I hope to introduce the Orlando Urban Sketchers to the venue when I host the Orlando 10 x 10 workshops starting in August.

Screw fireworks, we all need some Santa on July 4th.

Posted on by Thor

Usually on the first Monday of each month, I host Orlando Drink and Draw (ODD). In May, I decided to host the event at Frosty’s Christmastime Lounge (50 East Central Blvd, Orlando, Florida 32801). Frosty is a snowman, Frosty is also what you call a cold cocktail or beer. However you interpret it, it is correct. Frosty’s wants to give you the feeling of the holidays all year round. Why wait until December?

Located right near the Orange County Regional History Center, Frosty’s does sport plenty of Christmas bling, like stockings hung with care under the liquor bottles, to a fat Santa near the entrance and the the sexy leg lamp won in the film “A Christmas Story.” Old school large bulb Christmas lights were strung from the rafters and the TVs only played Christmas specials and movies like “Home Alone.” The images on the screen have a strange blue electric haze that may or may not have been intentional, but looked like it was a short circuit.

The specialties at Frosty’s are the craft snow cones with names like, Porky’s Liposuction, Coconuts roasted over an open fire, and the last wurd. I was the only artist around, so I figured it might be a short evening and I ordered a Heineken. Besides myself, there were only 3 people at the far end of the bar. The sketch progressed quickly. Mandi Ilene Schiff stopped by with her fiancé Robert Johnston. Mandi worked up an intricate redesign of the Frosty’s logo. They were soon off to another party as I was finishing up my sketch.

Going to Frosty’s early on a Monday night wasn’t very exciting, but I am sure the place perks up as the evening wears on. I heard that there is snow sometimes, but I didn’t witness it myself. I might return as the weather cools down a bit.

Hang gliding at Wallaby Ranch.

Posted on by Thor

The last week of May was a birthday week celebration. I went to Wallaby Ranch with Pam Schwartz the curator at the Orange County Regional History Center. The ranch, (1805 Deen Still Rd, Davenport, FL 33897) is located a short drive from Orlando. As soon as we exited Deen Road into the drive, a sign overhead announced that we had arrived. The plan was to stay in one of the tiny cabins, called hooches) for the night and then fly at the crack of dawn the next morning.

Oliver van Dam Merrett greeted us and drove us around the property in a golf cart. There is a huge hanger full of hang gliders and a dozen or so hooches, a pool, volleyball court and a central barn gathering area where pilots congregate before and after the flights. Nikki Meir had helped me make arrangements for the day and she introduced us to her new puppy named Larry. Since it was late in the day with little wind, folks were grounded. We decided to watch the sunset from the pool.

The next day we got up before the sun to the sound of a plane engine firing up. We were rushed out to the field which acts as the take-off area and several guests were strapped in and went up before “Tom!” was called. I kept sketching since I’m used to answering to “Thor”. People kept gesturing my way and it finally dawned on me that I should get up. I tripped over a puppy (Larry) on my way to my hang glider. Within seconds, I was signing my life away and then, Malcolm Jones, the ranch owner strapped in beside me. Malcom is said to have had more safe flights that anyone else in the world. Central Florida is a great place for hang gliding because the coastal winds meet in the center of the state and rise. People come from around the world to fly here. You strap in by stepping into what looks like a sleeping bag and then you lie down suspended from support straps. A small yellow plane was latched by rope to the front of the hang glider and before I had time to get nervous, we were quickly accelerating across the field. The wheels left the bumpy ground and we were up.

The ground gradually slipped farther away. The plane kept circling the property gradually gaining altitude. I saw another hang glider take off below me and assumed it must be Pam getting the same experience. Then the strap to the plane was released and we were on our own. We glided in silence and Malcolm said to me, “Welcome to my office.” The experience wasn’t what I expected. The was no gut wrenching thrill, but instead a simple peace as we glided over the gorgeous landscape.  A reservoir was in the distance and the properties were neatly divided into a grid. Light wisps of clouds floated below us and our hang glider cast a shadow onto them. That shadow was surrounded by an amazing circular rainbow. I have never seen anything like it before. The, we circled and went right into one of the clouds.

I was told to let go of the steering bar in front of me for a moment and the hang glider stayed steady. “See, it flies itself” I was told. Pulling back would slow us down, edging the nose up, and pushing forward accelerated us as we glided down. Pulling left and right of course circled us in those directions. The ground was slowly getting closer. I spotted Pam on the field, and she waved to me. I was told later that we hung in the air motionless for some time above the field. Malcolm took control of the glider and guided us, landing belly down on the field.

Pam had not gotten to fly yet and we were told that with the winds picking up, the flight would need to be canceled for the day. They don’t take chances at Wallaby, they know good flying conditions and do not push the limits for safety’s sake. We decided to stay one more day in the hooch and Pam was the first person in the air the next morning. Evenings feel like a relaxed camp outing with friends as we sat in the barn and played games while several guests got out a guitar and sang. The pool saw plenty of use in the heat of the day and some pilots hung out under the large live oak trees to exchange flying stories. I can see how this could become an addictive lifestyle. You need to go up on 20 tandem flights before you can fly solo and Wallaby offers lessons from some very experienced hang gliding pilots. This was truly an experience of a lifetime.

Pulse Memorial and Candlelight Vigil.

Posted on by Thor

The parking lot of Christ Church Unity Orlando (771 W Holden Ave, Orlando, Florida 32839) was full and we were directed to park on the grass. This vigil happening one year and three days after the Pulse Nightclub massacre was going to be crowded. The invitation noted that no backpacks were allowed in the sanctuary. I decided to use my iPad to sketch so I could leave my bag of watercolor art supplies behind.

A harp player set the mood as we entered the sanctuary. Governor Rick Scott entered with his entourage. Orlando Commissioner Patty Sheehan was also in attendance. The evening was a celebration of life, honoring and remembering the lives so tragically taken in the Pulse Nightclub shooting. It was to be a time of healing, love, and unity for all. The names of the victims were read aloud during the ceremony.

 Pastors from several churches were in attendance along with Terri Stead-Pierce, Senior Pastor of Joy Metropolitan Community Church. Joy has been an open and accepting place of worship for the gay community for over 30 years. After Pulse happened, Joy was overlooked as churches held memorial services to honor those lost. A year later and Joy is no longer being marginalized. Music offered solace as candles were handed out to everyone in attendance. The warm glow lighting each individual face.

After the ceremony, Commissioner Patty Sheehan offered me a hand-made quilt crafted by the Orlando Modern Quilt Guild. The quilt had rainbow colored hearts in bold rows of color. The Central Florida based quilters wanted to help after the Pulse tragedy and so did what they know best, which is to sew. A call to help went out to the quilting community and the response was grand.  Quilts and quilt blocks were created and sent from 22 countries and 50 states. The goal was to gather enough quilts to help not only the victims who
survived, but the families of victims who perished, as well as first
responders, nurses, police officers, etc. They started with a goal of making about 100 quilts and have now made over 2000.