Corsets and Cuties ring in the Holidays at The Venue.

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Tonight at 9pm, Corsets and Cuties will be performed their Holiday Show at The Venue
(511 Virginia Dr, Orlando, Florida). I went to the dress rehearsal, or should I say, undress rehearsal to get a sketch. This talented burlesque troop always delivers a unique combination of class and sass. Many of the routines are laugh out loud funny while other performers have golden voices that can belt out Broadway quality tunes.

A unique addition to the show this year was Serafina on the silks. She tested out the violet silks before the run through of the show. The distance from floor to ceiling is a bit shorter than she is used to, so she modified her routine to compensate. She does this death defying drop that caused one of the dancers to scream from the back of the theater. The silks caught her just inches before her skull crashed to the stage.

Every man knows what his woman really wants for Christmas, which is of course his junk in a box. This holiday favorite always delivers laughs. This routine might be followed by a song by a sexy Mrs. Claus, or another routine in which Mrs. Claus strips after having too much to drink. From the opening number to the grand finale this show packs in the surprises while delivering plenty of sexy holiday cheer.

Tickets are $18 at the door and as of the writing, the show isn’t yet sold out so this might be your lucky day. The Venue’s doors open at 9pm and the show starts at 10pm. If you arrive a bit early there are drinks available for purchase in the lobby.

Rehearsal of the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra.

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On January 9th, I went to a rehearsal of the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra with Eric Jacobson Conducting. This was back when conductors were being consider to lead the Philharmonic into the future. of the five finalists selected in the international conductor search, this concert turned the most heads because Eric was selected as the Philharmonics new conductor.

The concert which occurred on Saturday, January 10, 2015 at 8 pm was entitled SCHEHERAZADE: A FANTASY PROGRAM. Wu Man performed on the pipa which is a a four-stringed Chinese musical folk instrument, Sometimes called the Chinese lute, the instrument has a pear-shaped wooden body with a varying number of frets ranging from 12 to 26.

The program consisted of DEBUSSY  Prelude to The Afternoon of a Faun, JIPING  Concerto for Pipa and Orchestra, and RIMSKY-KORSAKOV  Sheherazade. Much of the rehearsal focused on the Concerto for Pipa and Orchestra. Wu Man performed on the pipa with a graceful flair. The sound is distinct and the music felt like an exchange of cultures between East and West, a bit like dueling banjos but with much more culture, style and lyricism.

SquareLando InstaShow Dropoff.

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There’s a NEW gallery in City Arts Factory, and some of Orlando’s Best and Brightest are coming together to welcome its debut.

The new “Pop Up Gallery” will host the “SquareLando InstaShow“, where all pieces must have a square aspect ratio. There will be little square artworks, and BIG square artworks, but all will be available to purchase and take home THAT NIGHT! (December 17) Prices start as low as $5.00!

Jon GlassMan Gardner is curating this show and he asked me to submit a square sketch. This gallery is usually blocked off with a black curtain and the only other times I saw it used was as a greenroom for the dead at Dia de los Muertos and as an open area for some installation art. This past week some of the conduits were removed from a wall to open it up to hang art and track lighting was installed allowing for the spotlights of work soon to be hung on the walls.

Once I dropped off my sketch and filled out the paperwork, I decided to linger and watch the square art arrive. A demonic Mickey Mouse by Boy Kong looked particular appealing since it depicted the corporate Mouse I had on worked for. I noticed a Parker Sketch  painting, and three square print by Plinio Pinto. The prints were mounted on those deep hardboard stretchers and if was hard to pick out that they were prints. There was a strong showing of work by Full Sail instructors.

As I sketched, Jon related the story of how he got the nickname GlassMan. At one point his life was turned upside down when his wife left him. He was blindsided, but realized he hadn’t been living the life he wanted the to live. He made a commitment to discover a new Orlando museum or arts venue every week. He soon realized that Orlando actually has a vibrant arts scene and he began creating once again. I bet Jon’s work is some of the first local art I purchased. He makes wonderful glass magnets that have an intricate paint pattern that reminds me of aerial photography. Jon has recently started his own auto glass business. That keeps a steady paycheck coming in while allowing him plenty of time to create when the shop is slow. 

Rebecca Rose dropped off a piece. I assumed it would be one of her intricate sculpted silver rings, but it turned out to be an early etching that she had done.  In all I would say about six artists dropped off work in the time it took me to get the sketch done. It is kind of fun sitting still an getting a chance to see some of Orlando’s best talent come to you. Rebecca will be exhibiting at the grand opening of the new Snap! Gallery in Downtown Orlando. I’m hoping to get a chance to sketch her at work in he silversmith studio before that opening.

Squarelando InstaShow opens Thursday December 17th from 5pm to 10pm at City Arts Factory (29 S Orange Ave, Orlando, Florida) as part of the Third Thursday gallery hop. Jon plans to put all the artwork on Instagram so if you miss the opening, you can browse the whole show on your phone. My Instagram handle is analogartist, so if to look me up, I’ll share the hashtag , link or whatever.

ODD6 at Falcon Bar and Gallery.

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Orlando Drink and Draw (ODD) ventures to a new bar each month to sample beers and sketch. There is no model fee and no instruction. This is just a chance to get out, meet fellow artists and draw. I’m hoping to sketch in Central Florida’s best dive bars, so suggestions are always welcome. Mondays are usually slow event wise in Orlando so ODD usually happens on the First Monday of each Month. In December I changed the date to a Tuesday since Kirt and Maxine Earhard had a wedding ceremony on Monday. In their honor, January’s ODD will be at Maxine’s on Shine.

Melissa Marie was gracious about letting artists descend on The Falcon Bar and Gallery (819 E Tosh-0, Washington St, Orlando, FL) on December 8th. I never know how many artists will show up, I might sketch alone, or there could be up to a dozen artists who stop out. On route to the Falcon bar, I learned that Melissa
Marie’s sister, Anthea, had just died at the tender age of 32 from a pulmonary embolism.The message appeared in my Facebook news feed and then flickered off to show a more recent post. My heart goes out to Melissa and her family.

The bar was empty when I arrived around 6pm except for the bar tender. I ordered a cider and started sketching. An open mic night was scheduled to begin at 8pm so I hoped some of the stools would fill up by then. Brian OHalloran who has attended past ODD events stopped in. I told him the news about Melissa Marie’s sister and then he did a black somber sketch of the Falcon Bar o his iPad. The only color in his sketch was the red candles which to him represented sacred funeral candles. My sketch, has a similar dark feeling. All the art on the walls was by local artists. The theme seemed to be pop culture, super heroes and manga. Perhaps there was no theme.

The bar tender was watching a show called Tosh-O on TV. There was an insanely long clip of a woman tweaking, so I sketched the gyrating butt on the screen. Another sine, sh shouted “gross! and I glanced at the tube to see a weight lifter vomiting as he lifted the dumb bells over his shoulders. I wished I hadn’t looked up It seems a sad commentary on what Americans need to see to be entertained.

Brian and I chatted for a while after our sketches were done. I had missed a sketch opportunity he had given me a tip about. It was a candle light service at an angel statue for women who had lost children in childbirth or at a young age. He and his wife Maggie attended and he said it was one of the most emotional experiences he has ever had.

I had brought in a stack of paper for an ODD sketching concept I wanted to try out. I call it a $ketch Off. Artists face each other on bar stools and are given 5 minutes to sketch each other. Neither artist is posing, so it is a bit hectic and the results can be unexpected especially after a few drinks. Since there were just two artists, it was a chance to try it out. I switched to pence and paper since me tablet battery was low. Brian was game, and he worked on his iPad, although he said he was a bit intimidated at first. He is an architect, so people aren’t his specialty. While doing the sketch, he laughed off his concerns, and the result is far more interesting than a realistic depiction. Asking people to pose for five minute is actually outside my comfort zone as well. I tend to usually keep my distance and watch a seen unfold from afar. At some galas and costumed events I should start asking people to pose so I can capture some quick close up sketches.

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The In-Between Series where you can expect the unexpected.

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The In-Between Series takes place every month on the Monday before each Third Thursday at The Gallery at Avalon Island (39 S Magnolia Ave, Orlando, Florida). Thad Anderson’s Sextet performed in January 2015 to kick off the monthly series of New Music. When I hear sextet, I imagined classical musicians with violins, cellos and flutes. This sextet however was all about pure primal new age drumming. A large Critique computer screen was set up in front of the phalanx of drums to display the sheet music.

Ashley Equality Inguanta created an installation stage set that had a small porcelain Virgin Mary with a small vile of perfume or holy water, and rose pedals on the alter and floor. A small rug was set up in front of the alter so that anyone could kneel down if they wanted to. Unfortunately no one stopped at the alter long enough to be included in the sketch.

La Empanada Food Truck was parked in the alley next door, so there was plenty of good food available along with drinks from the Avalon Bar. Sketching to the drums beat loosened up my lines and made me throw washes down with much more vigor.

The next concert at The Gallery at Avalon Island will feature Chris Corsano and
Bill Orcutt on Monday December 28th. The doors will open at 7pm and the
concert will begin at 8pm. All ages are welcome. Click here to check out the event Facebook page for more information.

The Perfect Gift exposes raw human emotions for Christmas.

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The Perfect Gift is written and directed by Winnie Wenglewick who also plays Stacia in the show. Winnie cut her teeth in theater at the Orlando Fringe for the first 10 years when it was still downtown. She moved to Denver Colorado, where this play is staged, and established Dangerous Theater in 2007. Although Winnie has just moved back to Orlando, she is keeping Dangerous Theater open in Denver. The Perfect Gift was first performed four years ago in Denver. In fact they have their own production of The Perfect Gift runring as well this season. If all goes according to plan, Winnie will be opening Dangerous Theater here in Orlando around Fairbanks and Edgewater in about March of 2016.

ME Theater (1300 La Quinta Drive Orlando FL) isn’t easy to find among the stretch of warehouses. Look for the tall ME Dance flag. I slipped into the theater, a bit early to get a jump on the sketch. I considered sitting in the front row, but decided against it, since the front row would most certainly fill up. Christmas songs from all the quirky 60s animated films livened up the room. I found myself humming along as I sketched. When the house opened, only two patrons sat in the front row.

The play opened with Stacia and Winter (Thomas C. Taffinder) sitting on a park bench. Winter was a homeless man with a quirky sense of humor. Staciawho had shared sandwiches with winter  on more than a few occasions, recalled warm childhood memories of Christmas, but the holiday didn’t hold the same magic now that she is an adult. The memories we incredibly funny and although there were as many people in the audience as on stage, we were laughing out loud throughout the show. Winter, though he had little, decided to invite Stacia to a holiday dinner with a friend under a bridge.

His friend was named Karma (Kim Stone). Also homeless, she was an avid Broncos fan, wearing a football jersey and a colorful tutu. Both Karma and Winter had imaginary friends, so the table had to be set for five. Karma had a childish charm about her as she related a story of a Christmas donkey who had very large ears. Conversation over the humble dinner turned to memories of loss and sadness. The “Guardian Angels” managed to bring some peace into the lives of Winter and Karma who had little to loose yet could still find pockets of happiness. We all could all use a guardian angel in a world that seldom plays out like A Wonderful Life.

The fellowship and friendship found under the bridge managed to shine a bright light on the true meaning of the holiday season far removed from the commercialism in the malls. Life, love, and loss are universal. This was a rare show that had humor laced with sadness. As we grow older material gifts aren’t as important as having a close friend to share memories with. Being part of the small audience actually made the show more magical since our laughter was contagious and filled the room. I hope more people discover this holiday gem from a director who has just returned to make her mark in Orlando.

December 3rd – 20th
Thursday Friday and Saturday @ 8:00
Sunday @ 4:00
NO performances on 12/5 & 12/17

Tickets $20.00
$5.00 discount for students, seniors, military
and anyone wearing a Fringe Button from any year.

The N Tunes performed at Maitland Art Center’s Culture & Cocktails Summer Concert Series.

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Art and History Museums (231 W Packwood Ave, Maitland, FL) has a Summer Concert Series as part of their monthly Culture and Cocktails event. This sketch of the N Tunes was done at the July 2014 event. When I arrived the band was still setting up the sound equipment. It was the golden hour, a time when the warm light gets more intense and orange as the sun sets. Large live oaks and palm trees kept the stage shaded, but a bright magenta stage light illuminated the stage. By the time the band started performing, the stage and background were blocked in with pencil.

As with most Culture and Cocktail events, there was also poetry being read across the street in the Mayan Courtyard. New art exhibits had also opened to the public. Although I would love to be everywhere at once, I have to limit myself to focusing one one thing a a time. Sketching takes time.

N Tunes website describes the band as “performing songs from Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Adele,
Kanye West, Black Eyed Peas, Kid Rock and everything in between that’s
currently topping the charts, this 5 piece powerhouse of a group
lays it down with style. Having the N-Tunes perform at your venue or
event is like having all of the current top 4Art the consummate party band. With a wealth of popular material to pull
from, they can tailor their performance to meet your needs.”

Finding information about the performers wass close to impossible. All I could find out online is that the lead singer is Natalie Wright.

Weekend Top 6 Picks for December 12th and 13th.

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Saturday December 12, 2015.

 6:30pm to 9:30pm Free but get a bite eat. The Fine Art Nude by Doug Heslep: Shades 2.0. Maxine’s on Shine 337 N Shine Ave, Orlando, Florida. SHADES 2.0 is an ENCORE presentation of ’50 Shades of Black and White’, my Central Florida debut exhibit this last April at Aloft Orlando! Come see what the HYPE was all about and spend the evening at your favorite neighborhood hang, Maxine’s on Shine, while viewing a diverse selection from The Doug Heslep Fine Art Nude Collection! There will be live music from the awesome Justin Kangraga… with a complimentary wine tasting all evening from Coastal Wine and Spirits, featuring Kim Crawford Pinot Gris, jammy Brazin Zinfandel, plus a mystery selection… and simple hors d’oeuvres until 8pm.

If you also want to satisfy your palate from their unique dinner menu, reservations are recommended. Click the link… or call 407-647-6841.

8pm to 11pm  $25 Science Night Live! Craft Beer Edition. Featuring some exBEERiments like the science of craft beer and food pairing with Brown Distributing!

Join us for an evening reserved only for adults and enjoy everything you love about Orlando Science Center with grown-up-inspired programming. It’s social, it’s science, it’s Science Night Live!

Orlando Science Center will be transformed into a bier garten oasis where guests will discover the perfect food and beer pairings from food partners and 10 craft brewers from around the country pouring samples of their finest brews. Discover different combinations that can enhance both the dining and drinking experience and change perceptions of beer’s place at the table.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy a presentation from our special guest speaker

• Delight in 20-30 minute “mini” craft beer seminars

• Sample craft beer from local and national distributors (nominal fee required)

• View stars and planets through the giant refractor telescope in the Crosby Observatory

• Conduct lab experiments in Dr. Dare’s Laboratory

• Participate in Science Trivia

• Delight in food and adult beverages available for purchase

PRICE

• General admission to Science Night Live is $15

• Adult Ticket + Craft Beer Sampling is $25*

• Members can enjoy Science Night Live for FREE

• Member Ticket + Craft Beer Sampling is $10*

Craft beer sampling includes 12 two-ounce pours and can be shared.

Limited tickets are available so purchase today at www.osc.org/science-night-live/

No one under 21 admitted.

9:30pm to 11:30pm Free. “Violectric Holiday Show”. Walt Disney Amphitheatre at Lake Eola Park, 99 N Rosalind Avenue, Orlando, Florida. Central Florida’s Top Strings Rock Group Return to the Walt Disney Amphitheatre and Offer a Fun and Free Concert Featuring All Your Favorite Holiday Tunes with a Twist.



Sunday December 13, 2015. 

10am to 6:30pm Free. Grandma Party 2015! Stardust Video & Coffee, 1842 Winter Park Rd, Orlando, FL. It’s time for another rad Grandma Party Bazaar! If you are looking for unique gifts from local artisans, live music or just a fun time, come see Grandma! Local, handmade, vintage, good music. 100% awesome. This year WPRK will be broadcasting live from the bazaar. DJ Nigel John will be spinning to start the day off right and there will be performances by Lavola, Summer Spiders, The Secret People, Timothy Eerie, Wet Nurse and Polylust! Grandma Party is you and me and all of us making it happen.

5pm to 8pm $10. Jingle BellaSutra Concert and Fundraiser. The South Lounge! Corner of Hampton Ave and 1U, Orlando, Florida.  Join us for a super fun night of BellaSutra music!

This is a concert and fundraiser to help us produce our first CD. Be part of the journey with us!

$10 at the door includes one delicious beverage.

Cash bar. Silent Auction. All your favorite peeps will be there.

Please park in the parking lot at First Unitarian Church, 1901 S. Robinson St. 32803.

7:30pm to 9:30pm Free. Beth McKee. The Timucua Arts white house 2000 S Summerlin Ave, Orlando, Florida. Beth will range her performance from solo to full band and will include special guests at this world class “House Concert” Venue. Artist Bethany Myers will be creating a live contour painting, onstage during the performance. http://www.timucua.com/

Art of Medicine Gala at the Orlando Museum of Art.

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Local physician Cindy LaRoe, wife to
First GREEN Bank’s CEO, Ken LaRoe, was an avid cyclist until she crashed hard
at a race. She recalled the day in some detail in a video presented at the Art of Medicine Gala at the Orlando Museum of Art, (2416 North Mills Avenue, Orlando, FL) on October 15th.  It was getting near the end of the ride when she let a group of young cyclists pass her. They swerved and crossed each others paths in ways that aren’t allowed in a professional race. They got tangled together and went down hard right in front of Cindy. That is the last thing she remembered. Sadly, she suffered a traumatic brain injury that left her
unable to work as a physician, which prompted her to focus on her
passion for art. 

Ken recalled trying to find a good physician who could treat Cindy. The first physicians they faced were more interested in biking than in diagnosing Cindy’s symptoms. The misdiagnosis and delay lead to Cindy’s condition not getting treatment in time for a full recovery.  The accident encouraged Cindy to bring awareness to
the brain injury community in Central Florida. The

Art of Medicine Gala on October 15th benefited the
Brain Injury Association of Florida which supports thousands of people who have found relief through the organization. 

Cindy’s artwork was bright, bold and realistic with detail stripped a way. A large painting of Lance Armstrong tied in well with the theme of the evening. All of the artwork on display in the front gallery of the museum was by practicing physicians practicing physicians. It makes sense that physicians would have a taken for art.

I sketched the Jazz Fusion band performing in the museum’s lobby. I recognized the saxophone player. The tall table I worked at turned out to also be right in front of the stage where Cindy and Ken spoke. Actually Cindy had no desire to speak in front of a crowd, but her quiet presence and her art inspired many to give to the cause. When the auction kicked off, I took that time to look at the art in the then empty gallery. Her work does stand out. He large canvases inspired me to want to work larger. Funds raised at the Gala will help the Brain Injury Association of Florida raise the $250,000 goal needed by June of 2016.

Loves First Kiss.

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Rusty Pliers returned to Stardust Video and Coffee (1842 E Winter Park Rd, Orlando, Fl) to read a short story entitled “Love’s First Kiss” at an open mic night.  I worked with Rusty Pliers back when Disney Feature Animation created films the old school way with millions of drawings done by hand. A small army of artists were required to make the films. I’m fascinated at how the many talented artists re-invented themselves after animated films turned to computers rather than drawings. Rusty Pliers took up the pen an started writing. At the first reading he explained the his alias Rusty Pliers came from a sideline career as a porn star. There were some rusty pliers on the set and they were used in ways that are probably better left unsaid.

This second reading on Memorial Day was much softer and innocent, recalling his first love in high school. She loved horses and although he considered horses to be monstrous beasts, he told her that he adored horses to get close to her in the barn. Their first kiss was tender and sweet and it stirred feelings below the belt that he didn’t expect. It was abruptly cut short by the girl’s father however. The young pair drifted apart and never rekindled that moment.

Another author told a story that resonated for Memorial Day. She had a career in the military and was good at he job. She got married and was starting he new life. Her husband was in the military as well, and they were not always stationed together. Life was good, but then she got news that changed everything. She had Multiple Sclerosis and this would take away her mobility. She eventually got medical disability. She moved and open boxes lay everywhere. She didn’t know what to do with the rest of her life.

What made he story so compelling is that she would occasionally stop reading and just relate her story from memory. The point of her story was that although her life was upended she needed to find a way to restore order. She started with a task that many overlook. She began organizing her spice rack in her apartment filled with unopened boxes. She cried as she worked, but with that one task done she could move on to the next. She was a brave veteran who had found a way to reinvent her life after all the structure and discipline of the military and she wouldn’t let MS define her life. Clearly as a writer she had rediscovered a way to let her spirit sour.