Weekend Top 6 Picks

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Weekend Top 6 Picks

Saturday October 12, 2013

6pm to 8pm Caroline Kole Concert. Free. Leesburg Towne Square 501 W Main Street Leesburg FL. Outdoor concert, bring lawn chairs.

3pm to 10pm 2013 ZombieFest: RESURRECTION. Free Downtown
Lakeland. The “ Outbreak Wristbands” will get you  great discounts at
various Retail, restaurants and bars around Downtown Lakeland, in
addition to special perks during Zombiefest.  Wristbands are $15 and
will be sold during the event.

7pm to 9pm  Book Party and Launch: I Will Meet You at the River. Free. Quantum Leap Winery (1312 Wilfred Dr  Orlando, FL).  Come hear Suzannah Gilman read selected poems at the long-anticipated launch of my first chapbook of poetry. Of course, no book launch is complete without wine, so there will be plenty.

Sunday October 13, 2013

10am to 6pm Fashion Square Art Fair. Free. PREMIERE EVENT!! Starting October 13, 2013 on the 2nd Sunday of every month Gallery Fresh Art Markets and Orlando Fashion Square Mall proudly present our “Fashion Square Art Fair.” This is an indoor event showcasing 30 to 60 artists and fine crafts persons located throughout Fashion Square Mall.

1pm to 3pm Film Slam. $5 Enzian Theater 1300 S Orlando Ave  Maitland, FL. Originally a project of University of Central Florida’s Downtown Media Arts Center, Enzian became the home of FilmSlam when DMAC closed in 2006. Now in its fifth year at Enzian, FilmSlam continues to be a popular outlet for indie and student filmmakers throughout the State of Florida. FilmSlam will usually be held on the second Sunday of each month at 1PM at Enzian.

9pm to 11pm Comedy Open Mic. Free. Austin’s Coffee (929 W Fairbanks Ave Winter Park, FL). Free comedy show! Come out & laugh, or give it a try yourself.

The Hub

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On September 18th, I went to the Full Sail building 2 lobby (3300 University Boulevard, Winter Park, Fl) for the return of The HUB (a.k.a. the Digital Arts and Design Gallery). Every other month this space will present a new selection of work by students and faculty. Each showcase will follow a theme. The first exhibition featured art and design inspired by music. All media/styles are welcome. Kim Lomas organized the event and I submitted a sketch of the Brad Catron Quartet. Rather than get the sketch framed, Kim gave me the option of displaying the sketch digitally on a computer screen. I liked the idea of displaying my analog art digitally.

The goal is to showcase projects from every department at Full Sail to demonstrate the rich variety of media, styles, and formats used. A committee of instructors choose the award for the best faculty work, and a committee of students choose the award for the best student work. Thankfully, I missed any award ceremony or speeches.

Faculty had quite a bit of work on display. Hugo Giraud had a painting of “The First Lady of Soul (Ella)” and a painting of “Dizzy G”. Leslie Silvia had one of her black paper cut outs (Scherenschnitte) titled “Sparrows and Nightingales.” Leslie joked with me as I sketched, saying, “We don’t allow sketching in here.” It is an ongoing joke among friends that I am so often kicked out of events for sketching. Tony Philippou had paintings of “Bigge”, “Andre 300”, and “Cee-loo”. A student whose work caught my eye was Tyler Christmas who had a painting done on acetate, of a human ribcage with a blue crab on top called “The Protector”. I noticed Tom Buzbee and his daughter, Avaryl in the reception crowd, but he wasn’t exhibiting any of his large abstract works. I had gotten to the reception late and so, I was still working on the sketch long after everyone had left for home.

Lake Eola Sunset

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On August 28th I found myself downtown with several hours to spare before going to an artist paint out in front of Loft 55 Gallery and Boutique (55 West Church Street, suite 114, Orlando, Fl). Walking around Lake Eola I was struck by the amazing sunset and decided to do a straight forward landscape sketch. I avoided line much of the time trying to just capture the play of warm and cool colors in the sky and on the buildings. The city has invested in brand new swan peddle boats which must have cost a fortune. Joggers and people walking their dogs circled the lake.

There were several other events I could have been sketching, like an Urban ReThink Town hall meeting and a Social Media Club Meeting.  Sadly, Urban ReThink has had to close its doors, but It will be returning in a new form at the recently refurbished Cameo Theater (1013 E Colonial Drive Orlando, FL). I was playing hookie. It felt good to slow down and take in the sunset.

Robert Ross Studio #7

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The Art and History Museums of Maitland (A&H) offers an Artist-in-Action (AIA) program that reflects the spirit of founder J. André Smith’s Research Studio and the current mission of the institution. This program provides non-residential studio space to an established or emerging artist for the professional practice and research of fine art. This program is an exciting opportunity to interact with A&H’s community of artists and art enthusiasts while working in this uniquely rich and historic environment.

A fixture at the institution for many years, the A&H’s acclaimed Artist-in-Action program takes place at the A&H’s historic Maitland Art Center (originally André Smith’s Research Studio). In Smith’s day, famous artists were invited to live and work at the Research Studio in the winter months, including luminaries Milton Avery and Ralston Crawford. In the recent past, a number of very well-known artists occupied the studios in a non-resident capacity, including the late Anita Wooten, Barbara Tiffany, and Ellie Diez-Massaro.

On September 12th I went to visit Robert Ross one of the 2013 Artists in Action. I got to the studio a bit early, so I considered doing a quick study of the Maitland Art Center’s central courtyard.  Unfortunately that sketch was interrupted by a lawn jockey who entered the courtyard with a lawn mower. He isn’t permitted to mow a lawn with anyone within 50 feet of him because flying debris could cause injury. He asked me to leave and I erased what I had started. Robert arrived as I exited the courtyard.

His studio doesn’t have any windows, but the bathroom window lets light in when the door is left open. A large tree branch was hung on one wall and Robert was working on a life sized sketch which was pinned to the wall directly below the branch. He decided to work on a still life with a cup, jar and seed pod. He quickly assembled his field paint easel. A warm spot light was set up to illuminate his scene. Robert’s paintings  have been exhibited in a growing number of venues in Central Florida. He also maintains a studio at McRae Art Studios in Winter Park. He worked quickly on his painting and I tried to maintain the same energy with my sketch by avoiding line in favor of value and color. Robert is a retired graphic designer and he loves the ability to pursue painting full time. He plans to take part in the Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival where he can see which pieces sell. He doesn’t want to get caught up in chasing the market. I admire Robert’s work which is a blend between Edward Hopper and Fairfield Porter.  Many of his pieces show lonely, empty spaces between structures.

Recently he has been doing large painting based on sketches from sketchbooks. He likes having control over color and form which he can experiment with not feeling the need to slavishly recreate every detail. Watching him work made me itch to start attacking large canvases myself.

Move It or Loose It

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On Saturday September 14th there was a rally for The Capen House in Winter Park’s Central Park, adjacent to the rose garden. The citizens responsibly for trying to save the Capen house have a short window to make this happen, and they need the community behind this effort.This is a BIG , monumental,task  to move a home built in 1885 across Lake Osceola to the grounds of the Albin Polasek Museum and Gardens where it can be enjoyed by Winter Park residents and visitors for years to come! 

As of the date of the rally, $200,000 had been raised towards the project. An additional $450,000 would need to be raised by the end of November to save the house from demolition and reserve the contractors for the move. The house will have to be cut in half and then the parts will be floated across the lake on barges. The committee is hoping that the actual transport would happen on December 14th to coincide with the Winter Park Boat Parade.

In the tent, past Winter Park mayors voiced their support for the project. If funds aren’t raised, then the home will face demolition as it is replaced with a much larger McMansion. If it finds it’s way to the Polasec, it will be used for celebrations like wedding receptions and community fundraisers. It would become a place of celebration for many future generations. Relocating the Capen House to the Museum property is a mutually
beneficial solution for the current owners, Winter Park residents, and
the greater Central Florida community,” says Debbie Komanski, Executive
Director of The Polasek. The Polasek Museum property, with a sweeping
lawn to the water, can easily accommodate the 6,000 sq. ft. house which
will be used for public events and education offices for the Museum.
Moving the home by barge, not an unusual event in Florida simplifies the
relocation effort and significantly reduces project costs.

A small model of the home floated in a small plastic pool. Kids were encouraged to save the home by scooping up small balls with a net. Kids won prizes for scooping up the most balls. The Winter Park Owl wandered around like a Disney theme park character. He leaned over a small girl in a stroller and she began to cry. Orange infused water parched hot lips. The speeches continued and the homes future still remains uncertain.

DiVerse Word

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On September 10th I went to Dandelion Communitea Cafe for DiVerse Word hosted by Shawn Welcome. DiVerse Word is a weekly spoken word and poetry event that has been going strong for seven years. Three random individuals in the audience are picked to be judges. They score between one and ten with decimal points for subtlety. The competition begins at 8pm and goes till 10pm.

Sasha recited a poem about the excitement of the touch of a hand. Robbie Ramirez spoke of Star Wars. Tyler Conradi gave an astonishing performance of his poem “I Am” that had a dark Max Ginsberg universal reach. Tyler got my vote for the best poem of the evening. A police helicopter hoovered over the neighborhood with it’s spotlight blazing. Periodically the search light would flash over the crowd gathered in front of Dandelion and people would wave to the night sky. Shawn Welcome joked that we should all scatter the next time the spot light illuminated the crowd. Someone stated that when a chopper was in the air, there would also be a K9 dog unit searching on the ground. He wondered out loud what he would do if a criminal ran down the street in front of Dandelion. It would be best to let the police do their jobs.

Curtis Meyer closed out the night with his usual flair. Everyone was asked to share something they haa learned. Tim spoke of the long journey he and his wife took in their 40 years of marriage. They went from knowing EVERYTHING at age 21 to knowing NOTHING at age 61. Shawn closed out the evening with his salutation, “Peace, Love and Poetry”. As I walked to my car I saw two young poets kissing in the shadows of the building beside Dandelion. They were faintly illuminated in the setting moonlight. One shouted out “Good night Thor!” I smiled, and shouted back, “Good Night!”

Mark your calendar! DiVerse Word is every Tuesday at Dandelion Community Cafe (618 North Thornton Ave. Orlando FL) starting at 8pm. Share your thoughts or just listen and learn.

Ting Pagoda

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In 1987 Mayor Bill Frederick added the pagoda style gazebo from Shanghai to Lake Eola park. The gazebo is 18 feet acres and 30 feet high, built by Nelson Ying who ran the China pavilion at Epcot. Ying also organized a trip for the mayor to China. Although the structure resembles a pagoda, it isn’t an official pagoda because it doesn’t have a second story. The total cost to add this structure to the park was $100,000. The pagoda hides a pollution control device in the lake.

The pagoda was fenced off when I sketched it because it was being pressure washed and wood was being repaired.  The pagoda was then repainted and new LED lights were installed for night time viewing. All of the storm water in downtown Orlando drains into Lake Eola where it is treated and pollution filtered.

A group of joggers gathered on the benches around me. It should be noted that the benches were designed to be too small for transients to sleep in them. One joggers chronometer showed that he was running 5 minute miles but he had only been jogging at a relaxed pace. The application must have just wanted him to feel good about his performance.

Weekend Top 6 Picks

Posted on by Thor

Weekend Top 6 Picks

Saturday October 5th, 2013

10am to 5pm  Orlando Mini Maker Faire. $19 for adults and $13 for youth (ages 3 – 11). Orlando Science Center (777 E. Princeton St. Orlando, FL). Orlando Mini Maker Faire Celebrates Innovation, Invention and DIY Spirit in Central Florida! www.OrlandoMakerFaire.com


11am to 7pm Festival of Bacon. $25 Orlando Festival Park (2911 East Robinson Street Orlando, FL). This festival is where event goers enjoy bacon inspired treats from Central Florida’s top restaurants, live music from local acts, bacon beverages, and other family and pet friendly entertainment. We will boast 30+ top restaurants creating bacon-inspired samples, and competing to win the coveted “Best of Bacon” award. We anticipate on distributing over 5,000 pounds of bacon to a crowd of more than 2,000 bacon lovers who will travel far and wide to sink their teeth into dozens of delectable samples. (407) 246-2287 


8pm to Midnight The Walking Dead Art Event! $10 cover. Acme Superstore (905 E. SR 434 #100, Longwood, Fl). the grownups can play from 8pm-12am with our Acme After Hours18+ Event!!! Free beer (21+ w/ID)! DJ Maus! Live Body Art! Zombie Cosplay Burlesque by Grotesque Burlesque! Cosplay Belly dancing! Costume Contest! Watch The Walking Dead episodes, Zombie Strippers and more!

 

Sunday October 6th, 2013

7pm to 10pm  Art Under the Stars, The 37th Maitland Rotary Art Festival.Free. Beautiful Lake Lily Park in Maitland, Fl. Florida’s first and only night-time fine art festival. Subtle live entertainment adds to an ambiance that is conducive to doing the business of selling art and creates a date-night atmosphere.  The 2013 show will be the best ever with the return of our TV partners and a Saturday night performance by the full symphonic orchestra!

9pm to 11pm Comedy Open Mic. Free. Austin’s Coffee: (929 W Fairbanks Ave Winter Park, FL). Free comedy show! Come out & laugh, or give it a try yourself.

12pm to 3pm  Alborea Dances Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month . Free. Casa Feliz (656 N Park Ave, Winter Park, FL). Alborea Dances is a multicultural Entertainment Dance Company, created and directed by Jenny and Ernesto Caballero, who have been dedicated to the world of dance for more than 20 years. They have combined their experiences as dance educators, performers, choreographers and event coordinators, to present dances from Spain, Bolivia and Middle Eastern countries.

An evening with Sean Sexton

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On August 17th, The Gallery at Avalon Island (39 S. Magnolia Avenue, Orlando, Fl) showcased a documentary by Heather Godwin about cowboy, poet Sean Sexton. Sean is a fifth generation Florida cowboy.  Before going upstairs to the screening room, Sean read some of his poems which were about cowboy life in Florida. The exhibit at Avalon was art that w as about Florida. A model of a Kennedy Space Center rocket could be seen through the doorway. The still life painting had a cow’s tongue and a human skull.

Woodruff Laputka showed a piece from his micro-documentary series, “Picture Book”.
Robert Bartlett  showed his documentary photos of Florida cattlemen making sugar cane syrup.It turns out that cattle with horns are not prized. The horns are sawed off of male cattle because if they had horns they would fight all the time, goring each other. If you see cattle with horns they are usually female cows. The evening was a look back at old rural Florida which still exists today just a short drive from Orlando. I tasted cane sugar for the first time and it was delicious.

Searching for Beethoven

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On July 29th, Beth Marshall and Aradhana Tiwari held an audition in their ongoing quest to find the perfect actor to play Beethoven at The Venue (511 Virgina Street Orlando FL). The role is for 33 Variations written by Moises Kaufman. This play, directed by Aradahna will run March 13th through March 30th at the Garden Theater. About five actors came out for this audition. Actor Eric Pinder was stuck in traffic. The producer and director waited patiently while periodically getting text updates on Eric’s progress on the road. The conversation took a surprising turn to a cult of Satanists living in Central Florida whose bark was louder then their bite.

The roll of Ludwig van Beethoven requires an actor with a strong domineering presence. Beethoven was quite honestly a bit of an asshole, treating people around him with disdain. Which reminds me, I recently was mentioned in a venomous, anonymous letter, as someone who is an asshole, financially unsuccessful, a wimp, and not much fun. An asshole and a wimp are bipolar opposites so I can’t be both. Perhaps my opinions rub some the wrong way. My single minded drive and ambition could be perceived as not much fun. When lost in the creative process, I am occasionally interrupted by people who are curious about what I do. I’ll offer a quick joke, so they realize I am human, and then I get right back to work. If the conversation continues, I’ll keep working regardless. I suppose that can be considered rude. The narrow window I have to capture a moment requires constant observation. There is an agonizing panic in the need to finish a sketch before the moment is lost. I can identify with Beethoven’s annoyance at the shallow niceties of the Vienna social scene, the chattering crowd. Now, every time I meet someone, I wonder if they are the coward whose life is so empty that they need to write hateful letters to someone they don’t truly know.  Perhaps this is the danger of social media in that some people feel they have the right to meddle in other peoples lives. Perhaps that has always been the case. Part of me thinks I might have over stayed my welcome in Orlando. San Diego is being considered as a new city where Terry and I can set down new roots.

Eric arrived, dusted off the annoyance of unexpected traffic and quickly focused on his craft, reading his lines with a thick Bavarian accent. You have to look past the distractions and stay true to yourself in any creative endeavor. Seize the moment. Ignore and distance yourself from anyone who feels the need to bring you down. Regardless I will be around Orlando jackin’ out sketches every day.