pARTicipate: Side Show of the Senses

Posted on by Thor

pARTicipate was an exotic fundraising gala held on April 6th, under the stars and throughout the Art and History Museum’s beautiful Maitland Art Center campus, the stage was perfectly set for this Sideshow of the Senses, an interactive event that showcased local visual artists, fabulous food, and intriguing performances. The campus came to life, with every nook filled with art and activity. Guests could explore the grounds as they enjoyed a progressive dining experience, featuring cuisine by celebrated local chef Jamie McFadden of Cuisiniers. There were fine wines and beers at tasting centers throughout the campus.

Art installation dining tables, created by the participating artists, offered guests a unique dining experience. Select artists created art during the event, as they shared their stories and insights. The silent auction of artworks, donated by popular Central Florida artists, generated some lively bidding. Talented Phantasmagoria entertainers from Empty Spaces Theatre Co(llaboration), under the direction of John DiDonna, performed throughout the evening. Phantasmagoria is a local macabre performing troupe of fire-breathers, musicians, and acrobats.

When Terry and I arrived, I immediately scouted around looking for my sketch opportunity. When I entered a secluded inner sanctum of the Maitland Campus I found this table with a nun standing beside a skeleton. I was certain she was a live model posing as a statue. I approached tentatively until I finally saw that her plastic gaze was eternal. I wandered some more to look at other decorated tables. Dawn Schreiner had set up a tree with play money as leaves. Each bill had one of her paintings on it.

I then bumped into Camilo Velasquez. I told him about my scare with the nun, and he told me that he had decorated that table. A photographer wanted to interview Camilo and that settled the matter. I followed them back to the nun. Camilo had grown up with dominant priests and nuns in New York and he always felt like an outsider. The table design had been inspired by the art of Paul delVaux, a Belgian artist who lived through the atrocities of World War II. As I worked on this sketch, Melissa Mila Marakoff, one of the Phantasmagoria performers, slipped up behind me. She whispered in my ear, “I don’t mean to startle you.” I just about jumped out of my skin. She startled me half to death and I shouted out with a start. Everyone had a good laugh. It was as if death had whispered to call me away before my work was done.

With the sketch complete I grabbed a few morsels to eat. I sat at Dawn Schreiner’s table and after a few texts, Terry found me there. Dawn started disassembling her table display. Two small doves were in a cage hanging from a tree. I hadn’t noticed them until Dawn pointed them out. They were puffed up and snuggled together. Dawn’s play money paintings had a draw back in that some patrons thought they could take a painting if they replaced it with a real dollar bill. Obviously these patrons didn’t know the true value of her work. The pARTicipate Event raised over $30,000 gross, $18,000 net, with proceeds benefiting art and history programming at the Museums. Bats fluttered in the darkness as Terry and I made our way back to the car.

Weekend Top 6 Picks

Saturday June 16th, 2013

9:30am – 5:30pm  Orlando Anime Day $3 International Palms Resort & Conference Center 6515 International Dr Orl FL 32819. One day anime marketplace that brings all your anime/manga needs to you & Features over 2,000 sq ft of dealers, Video/Event room, prize giveaways, raffle drawing, cosplay, & FREE Parking.

www.orlandoanimeday.net

http://animecons.com/events/info.shtml/4139/Orlando_Anime_Day_2013#

1pm – 3pm FREE Plein Air Paint demonstration by Frank Ferrante. Cottage, located on beautiful Lake Lily park in Maitland. The demonstration is FREE and all are welcome to attend. This Plein Air influenced oil painting demonstration is for painters who want to develop a sound understanding of the fundamentals of outdoor painting. The demonstration will focus on the formal elements of painting composition, color values, structure and form. Emphasis will be placed on composition, capturing light and dark shapes, atmosphere and mood while using strong color harmony. We hope to see you at the Cottage this Saturday!

7:30pm – 9:30pm Coupled: The Game Show & Game Night. The Abbey 100 South Eola Drive, Orlando, Florida 32801. Tickets, which are $12.50 per person, can be purchased online in advance as well as at The Abbey. Created by Curtis Earth Entertainment and Great Dates Orlando, Coupled begins with a hilarious interpretation of the classic he said/she said Newlywed Game, the event will invite 6 couples to compete on stage for prizes as they demonstrate how well they REALLY know each other. Of course, Curtis will be mixing in trivia throughout so audience members can win some fabulous prizes too! Immediately following the ninety-minute show, classic board games (Sorry, Connect Four, etc.) will be set up at tables throughout this posh venue so you and your sweetie can continue the fun well into the night. In addition, we’ll be playing Twister, Musical Chairs, and Dance Freeze on the dance floor. Expect lots of prizes, drink specials and more fun than you could ever imagine having on date night.

Sunday June 17th 2013.

11am – 2pm Broadway Brunch at Hamburger Mary’s! Hamburger Mary’s 110 West Church Street

Orlando, FL 32801  (321) 319-0600 Show tunes, drink specials, and an amazing
show with Broadway performances by The Minx, Ginger Minj, and special
guests. Seating at 11:00am with show starting at 12pm 

6pm – 8pm FREE SHUT YOUR FACE! Poetry Slam by Curtis Meyer! La Casa De La Paellas 10414 E Colonial Dr Orlando FL 32817. The only current ongoing slam in Orlando officially certified by Poetry Slam Incorporated, IE. Send a team to Nationals as well as poets to The Individual World Poetry Slam & Women of The World Poetry Slam! $50 to the winner! If you’ve never seen or been in a slam before, it’s definitely worth checking out! INFO: curtisxmeyer@hotmail.com

www.casadelaspaellas.com

9pm – 11pm FREE: “Comedy Open Mic” Austin’s Coffee: 929 W Fairbanks Ave Winter Park, FL 32789. Free comedy show! Come out & laugh, or give it a try yourself.

Earth Fest

Posted on by Thor

Before work on Saturday I went to Earth Fest in Lake Concord Park (95 Triplet Lake Drive Casselberry FL). When I arrived I walked towards the sound of music. The Hindu Cowboys were performing and I immediately started a sketch. Next to me a bicyclist stopped and watched me intently. His name was Hector and he came from New York City so we had something in common. He lamented the fact that he seldom sees artists like myself sketching around town. In NYC there are herds of artists in Times Square. He also lamented that you never see musicians performing on the streets of Orlando.

The Hindu Cowboys finished up their first set playing Johnnie Cash‘s Folsom Prison Blues.  While they were gone I added watercolor washes to the sketch. When I was done, I wandered through the sea of tents. I was hungry and looking for a food tent. Someone offered me a health bar that tasted like a Fig Newton. One tent had an active bee hive on display. By the time I was ready to head to work, the Hindu Cowboys were on stage again playing Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd. The music faded away as I made my way across the ever busy 17-92 back to my car. Maybe there is something wrong in this need to sketch everyday. A movie trailer for the next Thor movie, hafd the tag line, “What would you sacrifice for what you believe in.”.

Second Harvest Volunteers

Posted on by Thor

Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida is a private, nonprofit organization that collects and distributes donated food to more than 500 nonprofit partner agencies in six Central Florida counties: Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia. Mindy Ortiz organizes volunteers for Second Harvest Food Bank. I arranged to go in April 18th to sketch volunteers at work. Volunteers work around two shifts one from 8:30AM-11:30AM  and then 1PM-4PM. I got up with the early birds to get my sketch. We all waited in a large break room  whose walls had a brightly painted mural  of Jack and the Bean Stalk Vegetables painted by Disney artists.

Five adolescent boys sat at one table with a young woman who I assumed must be their teacher. There were two other volunteers seated at different tables. I asked the young woman what she was going to be doing and she explained that she would be sorting food in the refrigerated room. CEO Dave Krepcho took me into that huge refrigerated room on a walking tour of the state of the art facility. Some of the food in there had started to spoil but much of it was quite edible so the spoiled food had to be separated out. I didn’t have a sweatshirt or sweater that day and I got quite cold fast. When we exited, my glasses immediately fogged up. Dave had put his glasses in his pocket to keep them warm.

When it was time to get to work, the young men were shown huge pallets of cabbages that had to be put into red mesh bags 3/4 full. Those mesh bags were then put into a cardboard box on another palette. Everyone wore medical gloves. It took well over an hour to get all that produce bagged. When they finished up, I finished the sketch. Feeding the hungry takes many hands. The organization’s name, Second Harvest, made perfect sense watching these boys at work. Should you decide you want to help out, be sure to contact Mindy.

Eating Pasta Off the Floor

Posted on by Thor

Maria Grazia Affinito shared her story of her contentious relationship she had with her mom in the red venue at this year’s Fringe. Her mother actually tries to sell Maria off in the supermarket. Maria’s imitation of her mom’s mannerisms and speech were hilarious. Once while watching a documentary about the atrocities of WWII, her mom grew silent. Maria realizes that her mom must have been raped in the war. She then recounts how the smell of cold cement could bring her right back to a horrible incident involving four boys.

The way Maria recounted and acted out every incident with her mom was heart warming and humerus.  This was a mother daughter relationship that had endured many knocks. There were times when Maria literally wanted to kill her mom and it took the soothing reassurances of a relative to keep the peace. This relationship stood up to the test of time and trials. There was plenty of laughter and some sadness and when it was all told, the audience stood and applauded.

Orange Street Riders

Posted on by Thor

I didn’t spend as much time at the Fringe outdoor stage as I usually do, but I heard Jessica Pawli did an amazing job booking local bands. There was one opportunity that happened between shows and I was waiting for Terry to arrive. The Orange Street Riders were performing and it was a great set. They performed with an energetic harmonica player, a guitar and drums. Large cans of libations were on the stage. Listening to these guys made me realize that I should make more of an effort to sketch the local music scene. Rick Lane was in the audience bobbing his head in appreciation.

Antony Bolante the writer of this years “Onomatopoeia“, met me as I was working to pick up a sketch. He thought ahead and actually had an 11 by 14 inch portfolio to slip the sketch into. I know that piece is going to an appreciative owner. Anyway two thumbs up for The Orange Street Riders. I’ll be looking to catch a longer set from them sometime in the future. Time to hit the open road.

Burnt at the Steak

Posted on by Thor

Carolann Valentino Productions of NYC, presented a one-woman musical featuring 18 hilarious characters portrayed through song, dance, comedy and audience improvisation at the Orlando Fringe. She reenacted her time managing a multi million dollar steakhouse in NYC. The one thing I learned is that you can earn $200,000 a year managing the service staff at such a restaurant. Unfortunately such a job is all consuming allowing little time to go to auditions as an actress.

One guy got up from his seat in the audience mid way through the show and exited through the fire exit. I was seated on my artist stool next to the exit so I closed the door behind him to keep the harsh sunlight from cutting across the stage. I wondered if he couldn’t stand the show or if he had to pee after drinking too many beers in the beer tent. The fire exit wouldn’t close completely but at least it didn’t set off an alarm.

As an autobiographical piece, the act seemed a bit self serving. The salary mentions came across as bragging and the imitations of the staff she managed seemed comic at the staff’s expense. Carolann called several men up to sit in the restaurant chairs and she had some flirty interactive fun with them. The musical number with audience participation, highlighted all the different cuts of beef using a Sound of Music song as the foundation. Orlando is a service industry town and this show made me realize that I never want to work in a restaurant. Of course in Orlando you are lucky to make minimum wage with no benefits. The premise of the show was sound, but it seemed to run too long.

God is a Scottish Drag Queen

Posted on by Thor

If you have ever questioned how God can do some of the things he does, then the notion that “God is a Scottish Drag Queen” makes some sense. Mike Delamont from Victoria BC Canada was God. Two Colbertesque posters of god in a floral dress pointed at the audience. The second God stepped on the stage with his rain barrel sized Gastronemius muscles bulging, the laughter never stopped. He skewered everything from Justin Bieber to the Pope. I grew a bit uncomfortable as he made fun of the Irish with a photo of an obvious slovenly drunk. I’m half Irish on my mother’s side, but who cares, I laughed anyway.

God called up an audience member to teach her how to dance. She followed along with a practiced line dancers confidence. By the end of the hour, I had been laughing so hard my sides hurt. The buzz on the Fringe lawn that this was a hilarious show was right on the mark.  God was matronly yet always ready with a sharp quip. Thank God that God has such a sharp sense of humor. If he had a prime time news hour show, I most certainly would tune in.

The Dark Fantastic

Posted on by Thor

I had seen Martin Dockery give an amazing performance at last year’s Fringe Festival. He delivers his monologues with explosive expressiveness. A single spot light illuminated him seated at a small table wearing a cowboy hat at the beginning of this performance. I was itching to draw, but I couldn’t see the sketch page. In time I realized the house lights would never come up , “duh, it is called the DARK Fantastic”, so I blindly put lines on the page as Martin spoke about an incredibly evil character. The stark empty stage forced the audience to imagine the depths of the story.

At first, I was mesmerized by every cadence of Martin’s delivery. Faint music underscored his delivery and there was a verse like cadence as he spoke. He would speak fast and then hang on a word, teasing the audience with what might come next. In time however my mind wandered. I couldn’t follow the murderous meanderings of a deviant mind for long. As the story turned to terminal fear, I struggled with finding order in the darkness.

Weekend Top 6 Picks

Saturday June 8th 2013

10am – 6pm FREE Bizarre Buying Bazaar, Ripley’s Believe it or Not 8201 International Drive

7pm – 8pm $10 Boogie Shoes starring Marcy Schwalm at Breakthrough Theater 419A West Fairbanks Avenue Winter Park FL

7pm – 11pm Apartment E “Essentials Saturday” 20 Year Anniversary. Lake Ivanhoe Orlando, Florida. A day of giving back. A celebration of Orlando creativity and community.

Sunday June 9th 2013 

noon – 2pm Broadway Brunch at Hamburger Mary’s 110 West Church Street, downtown. I heard this is an all Disney show. Show tunes, drink specials, and an amazing
show with Broadway performances by The Minx, Ginger Minj, and special
guests. Seating at 11:00am with show starting at 12pm

1pm – 3pm $5 Film Slam. Enzian Theater. Originally a project of University of Central Florida’s Downtown Media Arts Center, the Enzian became the home of FilmSlam when DMAC closed in 2006. Now in its fifth year, Film Slam continues to be a popular outlet for indie and student filmmakers throughout the State of Florida.

3pm – 4pm $10 Boogie Shoes starring Marcy Schwalm. Breakthrough Theater 419A West Fairbanks Avenue Winter Park FL

If you have suggestions for the weekend top 6 Picks, contact us at analogartistdigitalworld@gmail.com or leave comments here.

The House of Yes

Posted on by Thor

At Fringe, I was handed a “House of Yes” button on the green lawn at Lock Haven Park. It was red white and blue so I assumed the show might be a political comedy. The Penguin Point Productions play and its polished production values took me by surprise. It was about a brother, Marty (Justin M.G. Hughes), who returned home with his naive fiance, Lesly (Monica Joyce), from the city. I quickly became obvious that his twin sister, Jacqueline (Adele Papoosha), had suffered a nervous breakdown. She was ecstatic about his return. She fancied herself to be like Jackie Onassis. It became clear that Marty and his Mom (Marcie Schwalm), didn’t get along. Mrs. Pascal’s sarcasm,wit and cold high brow detachment added much needed humor to every scene. The whole family put on airs. I knew nothing about the play or the later film staring Parker Posey. I grew more uncomfortable as the play progressed.

When Jackie-O finds out her brother is engaged her mood sours and it is clear to all that she is off her medications. Late that night she convinces her brother to play a childhood game. They reenact the Kennedy Assassination and she nurses him and her gentle kisses turn to passionate love. Lesly discovers them and slips away disgusted by the incest. Meanwhile the younger brother, Anthony (Max Herskovitz), became obsessed with Lesly and he seduces her with a story of a brain tumor and his virginity. The mom discovers these two and in a comic moment just shakes her head and walks off stage as if nothing would surprise her.

The next morning Mom tries to convince Leslie to leave, blackmailing her with what she had seen the night before. Leslie has much more backbone than anyone in the family gave her credit for and she refuses to leave without Marty. She wants to save him from this strange incestuous family. To keep him home, Jackie-O flushes Marty’s car keys. She convinces Marty to play the KFK Assassination game one last time saying he could leave afterwords. Crying she pulls the trigger. This time the gun was real. Jacky-O held the president’s blood stained head in her lap. I left feeling unnerved and shocked.

Loon

Posted on by Thor

Wonderheads from Portand, Oregon brought “Loon” to this years Fringe.  This life sized puppet acted out every scene in mime. A sad faced aging man stood at the beach with his mothers remains in a jar. He went to scatter the ashes and just got his hands and clothes covered in ash. He is faced with dating and when asked about his favorite person he wrote mom. There was a collective awww… from the audience.

Things look up for him when he falls in love with the moon. He pursues the moon with a child like ambition.  There is one magical moment where he has the moon cupped in his hands and his hands spread apart leaving the glowing orb floating in space between his hands. I still don’t know how it was done. I haven’t experienced that type of wonder and amazement since I saw a planetarium show about beings of light as a child.

Loon was the well deserved patron’s pick for the green venue. It was funny, touching and heart breaking. When the actors came out for a bow after the show, I was surprised to discover that the old man was played by a young woman.