24 Hour Embrace (after Young Sun Han)

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On Father’s Day, conceptual artist Brian Feldman vowed that he would hug his father for 24 hours straight. “24 Hour Embrace” was first performed by artist Young Sun Han at Swimming Pool Project Space in Chicago, Illinois on December 31, 2008. “24 Hour Embrace (after Young Sun Han)” marked the first time that Young Sun Han had granted permission to re-perform this piece, as well as the first time that Brian Feldman had re-performed another artist’s work.
I arrived at Orange Ave Gym (1616 North Orange Avenue) just before midnight on the eve of Father’s Day. Brian was a nervous spinning dervish. He kept knocking over his “Best of Orlando” award plaques as he adjusted them. He coached volunteers David Mooney and Christin Carlow on admission prices and the media press comp list. I was thankful that I was on that list. Admission was $10 for an all day wristband. Christin slipped the wristband snugly around my wrist. I asked where the boxing ring was and she directed me to a cavernous back room to the left. When I entered the back gym, Brian’s dad Edward was getting changed by a locker. He asked me to shoot several photos on his iPhone when he and Brian first embraced.

This was going to be one of Brian’s last major projects of 2011. I felt a sense of urgency and wanted to fully document this piece. I considered doing 12 to 24 sketches, staying with Brian and his dad through the whole embrace. After talking to Terry, I altered my plan, deciding to just sketch the beginning and end of the hug. As I was filling my watercolor brushes with water in the bathroom, Brian and his father entered the ring. Edward opened his arms and said, “I love you Brian.” and the hug began.

The event rules stated that I could enter the ring at anytime. I took off my boots and crawled under the ropes. I set up my stool and leaned back in the corner. Brian and his dad shifted their weight leaning back and forth into each other. They twisted and rotated always searching for a new more comfortable angle. David shouted, “Good night!” and soon Al Pergande came in and shot some digital photos. Orlando Live had a video camera set up to record all 24 hours. Two videographers shot cutaway shots constantly during the first hour. Halfway into my first sketch I was alone with father and son. One of the rules was, “No talking inside the ring.” The embrace continued in silence.

I began my second sketch around 8pm on Father’s Day. Brian looked green and exhausted, relying of his father’s blocky solid stance for support. Omar Delarosa and his mom Virginia Brown sat and watched for a while. Then they crawled into the ring and embracedfor perhaps 15 minutes before leaving. In the final hours, a crowd began to gather. A rowdy young man put on some boxing gloves and danced around the ring like a gorilla to his girlfriend’s delight. His antics actually caused Brian to laugh. A freelance photographer shot endlessly. With my second sketch finished, I exited the ring and laced up my boots. I didn’t need to see them exit the ring. The drama was not in the smattering of applause but in the long tedious moments of pain and reflection that happened when there was no audience. I was a proud witness.

Sam Flax Grand Opening

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Sam Flax moved into a new building just a few blocks east of the old store on Colonial Drive. The building was painted to look like the paintings of Piet Mondrian. The bright red, blue and yellow painted building looks like it is built from Legos. Andrew Spear and business partner Chuck Marklin executed the colorful conversion. To help commemorate the opening day, three mural artists were asked to paint murals on the side of the building in three panels that faced the parking lot. . Since I have to paint a mural myself now, I decided to go to the opening and talk to the artists.

There seems to be less parking available at the new store. I drove around the block to finally locate a spot right on Colonial Drive in front of a martial arts facility. Swamburger was working on a bold panel with a distorted circular fish eye view point. His under drawing was done with bold green brushwork. The face resembled an African mask. Andrew Spear was working on a crosshatched vision of an elephant. I was fortunate that Andrew introduced himself while I was still working on my sketch. I asked him what he used to do the bold line work on his murals. He handed me a Krink marker and explained that he had to order them online since few people carried them locally. I found it ironic that Sam Flax doesn’t carry them. Mother Falcon sometimes has them.

I went to Mother Falcon the next day to locate the markers. They had a much thicker marker than the one Andrew showed me but I bought it to try out. I inked in the largest figures on the Mennello Museum mural using that fat marker. I decided to order the thinner marker online and I used that for the next few figures. I am continuing to experiment and play with the ways that work best for me.

The Yum Yum Cupcake truck was there offering free cupcakes to anyone who bought art supplies in the store. A vendor saw me sketching and he offered me several General’s sketch and wash pencils along with an art training DVD and several erasers. Score! Maisy and Ron Mars said hello. She was shooting photos of one of her shirts discarded on the ground. This was supposed to be the end of the world and she wanted to leave photographic proof that she had ascended to heaven. The end of the world never came and the next day I had to face my 50th birthday.

FAAE Leadership Lunch

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After the first summit session all the arts teachers filtered out into the hallway outside the main ballroom. There was just a fifteen minute break before the Leadership Lunch. I pulled out my tablet and began a quick sketch. I use the tablet when I know there isn’t enough time to finish a sketch. I feel less guilty deleting the image from memory rather than throwing away paper. Next to me I thought I heard a familiar voice. I couldn’t quite place his face so I went back to the sketch. He recognized me and started telling a story about how he came to know Margaret Hill through one of my drawings of her. His name is Dario Moore and I last spoke to him when he sat on the review board for the United Arts grants this year. I remember him asking pointed questions that got to the heart of how art could affect and inspire a community.

At the morning session Mrs. Edna entertained the teachers with her puppets. William Shakespeare was the puppet in her lap and a grandma puppet had people laughing as she dozed off between sentences. Mrs Edna’s voice was a bit shaky at first but she rallied. She will be graduating from Full Sail University this year with a masters degree in music business management.

When Jennifer Coolidge got to the podium, I found a place to sit at the front of the room. The tables were full so I ended up using my camping chair. Jennifer is the executive director of the Museum of Florida Art, a trustee of the Florida House in Washington DC, and she was a past Executive Director of the Florida Alliance for Arts Education from 1995-2001. More important she has a face that was designed for smiling and a curious spirit. She was the only person who noticed I was sketching that morning. She introduced Frank Brogan who announced the Leadership Awards. A principal received an award and she talked about how her father now has to live with Alzheimer’s disease. At this late stage in his life he began making art. He was never interested in art in the past but suddenly it became his passion. She stressed that it is never too late to embrace art and she loves that she can help inspire and motivate children, making art important and meaningful to them. I started to well up with a broad smile as she walked back to her table and she was embraced by her staff.

Then Dario Moore was awarded the Doris Lieber award. Doris was an accomplished artist and the award acknowledges artists’ contributions to the arts community. Dario stressed that the community brought him to this place. He stressed that everyone should have the chance to fully express themselves. As a young boy he would excitedly shout “Moma, moma, moma!” and get a slap on the back of his head when all he wanted to express was, “I love you.” It was through art that a poverty stricken boy like himself could rise to a moment like this. He is a choreographer and I have heard good things about his “Sacred Slave Stories” which was performed this year as part of Arts Fest. After the awards ceremony I congratulated Dario and I asked if I could sketch rehearsals for “Sacred Slave Stories.” He said rehearsals are starting up again this August. I left the FAAE Summit inspired and fired up to continue to explore the arts with my humble sketches.

Arts Integrated Learning

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Walking into the Double Tree hotel (formerly the Sonesta) downtown near Lake Lake Ivanhoe, I was greeted with the sight of the collaborative mural I did for a downtown arts district fundraiser. I was here to report on the 2011 Leadership Summit for the Florida Alliance for Arts Education. After a brief welcome and introduction in the main ballroom, the art teachers in attendance split up to attend various learning and inspirational sessions. I went to the Delaney room to listen to Eric Booth speak. I had to finish up a sketch so I entered Eric’s session a little late. I was surprised that everyone in the room was standing as Eric spoke. He then immediately had all the teachers doing pantomime. I couldn’t see anything from the back of the room so I marched down the aisle amidst the chaos and I sat next to Eric looking out at the teachers.

Eric had everyone engaged involved and excited throughout his discussion. He acknowledged the value of anything that was offered for thought. He feels most students are taught to only provide the answer a teacher is looking for. Americans hate not knowing the right answer. He encouraged asking questions that have multiple answers. What matters then is the quality or inventiveness of the answer. Students become more creative after many small successes. Reflection is something that is missing in arts education today. 80% of what you teach is who you are. Passion and really engaging with the students in new and unexpected ways is vital.

He has found that when a student creates something he truly cares about then learning becomes essential. What is taught should have real life relevance for students. He stressed that a prime role of a teacher is as a witness. Every student must be acknowledged and encouraged when they think creatively. The student then can reflect and learn something about how they best learn.

Another activity was offered where teachers were paired in groups of two. One teacher stood and they were given the assignment to convince their partner to give up their chair. The energy in the room soured. There was begging, bribing cajoling and plenty of unexpected fun. There was certainly no room for boredom. When the exercise was over he pointed to several methods that had worked in NYC. One person acted like they might vomit. Another took the seated persons purse and put it out on the sidewalk. The seat was immediately given up. Mean yet creative sometimes works.

Mystery Sketch Theater

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The model at this month’s Mystery Sketch Theater called herself “Arsenic”. She talked about a body painting convention that had happened last month and it sounded like a choice sketching opportunity. When she entered the “Geek Easy” in the back of “The Comic Shop” she was carrying a tray of home made cupcakes. The red haired wig was large and cumbersome. As it shifted around on Arsenic’s head, it made her seem extremely young. The two artists next to me were comic book artists and their work had a polished look.

After finishing off a sketch of all the artists at work, I started doing isolated studies of Arsenic. Her poses were not particularly dynamic since the focus seemed to be on the costumes details rather than any one story point. I began blocking in my sketches immediately with ink. I skipped the tentative spidery pencil work I usually do and I think the sketches were stronger because of that.

There were the usual artist complaints that the drawings were not “on” or that the pose wasn’t working from their viewing angle. I don’t get bothered by the little details anymore. I was just happy she didn’t walk away. Kristen shouted loudly giving us all a one minute warning. Several artists groaned that there wasn’t enough time. I’m slowly learning to let go since sometimes an unfinished sketch has more charm and appeal than a finished piece.

The cupcakes were light and fluffy with no icing. Where else do you get to spend a relaxing evening drawing where the model offers treats? On the way out I thumbed through several graphic novels. I keep searching to see if there is an artist whose work feels like it was sketched on location. I keep toying with the idea of working with a small cast of actors who would be sketched at various locations around town to create the panels needed for a graphic novel. The huge response I got from people willing to pose for the Mennello Museum mural made me realize that my idea might not be a pipe dream.

A Comic Shop

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“A Comic Shop” is hidden in an innocuous strip mall on 436 just south of Aloma. It is located right next to a tattoo parlor. The shop is located right across the street from Full Sail where I work. I arrived early right from work and decided to sketch the humble strip mall architecture. After I finished my sketch I ordered some fried rice at the Chinese restaurant in the mall. The rice tasted old and I could only eat half of it. I come here once a month for “Mystery Sketch Theater” which is held in “The Geek Easy”, a lounge hidden away in the back of the shop. There was an assortment of desks and chairs scattered around the lounge.

Kristen Pauline and Adrienne Frankenfield started moving the model’s stage into place and I helped out. Adrienne had a little map that showed where to place each desk. Ten to twenty artists show up to sketch a model who is usually dressed in a comic themed outfit. This month we were sketching Arsenic Arson…

Jeans & Jewels Speakeasy

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The Jeans & Jewels Speakeasy was a fundraiser put on by the Friends of the Philharmonic at the Winter Park Garden Club. An old vintage Ford Model T was parked in front of the clubhouse entrance. Terry had gone all out wearing a gold sequin dress she had borrowed from Genevieve Bernard. With her gold turban, gold high heels and long gold necklaces and brooches she was a hit. I was not half as flashy in my black suit. I sketched the band before dinner.

After dinner I decided that dancing was more important than sketching. Terry and I mixed it up with all the other flappers on the dance floor. The room was kept mysterious thanks to a theatrical fog machine. Flappers and gangsters mingled and talked. In the men’s room bullet hole stickers punctured the stalls and doorway. There was a wide assortment of silent auction items, the most tempting one being a kitsch oil painting of a monkey dressed as royalty. Many revelers thumbed their noses at prohibition.

When the band began playing again after a break, Terry lounged on the steps in front of the group like she was part of the act. A group of people got up and started shooting photos with their cell phones. Terry blocked her face with her black gloved hands but the photographers persisted. She finally had to retreat off the steps. For the rest of the night we danced to the point of exhaustion. Rainbows End played tirelessly. I recognized the saxophone player from sketches I had done at the Monday Night Jazz sessions at the Grand Bohemian. I kept wondering when police would raid the party.

Bay Hill Invitational

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Once a year the Bay Hill Invitational golf tournament caused all sorts of traffic in my neighborhood. Our neighborhood association issued parking permits to residents so they can get into the neighborhood. Policemen directed traffic for people trying to get to the golf tournament. I decided to go for a walk to see what traffic was like at the golf course. The walk there and back was perhaps three miles. Glancing between the quiet suburban homes I could see that there were plenty of cars parked on the green grass of the golf course itself. Some homes charged people to park on their front lawns and they then shuttled fans to the entrance using golf carts.

I ended my walk in front of the Bay Hill Club House. It was late afternoon and there was a long line of Buses waiting to transfer fans back to their cars. I believe a large empty lot near Universal Studios was being used as the overflow parking lot. Since all the buses were blocking the street, event staff and police had to use walkie talkies to be sure that cars could go down the single lane without a head on collision.

Walking home I realized there were several spots where I could have walked on the golf course to do a sketch. It was hot however and I didn’t feel like watching grown men hit a ball with a stick.

McRae Art Studios Open House.

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I went to a McRae Studios open house (904 Railroad Avenue Winter Park). This hallway in the back of the building was full of the quirky art of John Whipple. Built from odd antiques each sculpture has its own unique personality. I really like the mannequin head on a tricycle following a carrot in the foreground. Another head had a megaphone for a mouth. A peacock had a barren wire tail as it waited to roll away on it’s single roller skate.

I stood in a doorway that opened out onto the railroad tracks out back. A small gaggle of girls rushed past me periodically as they played. I joined Dina Mack who was singing as Chip Weston played guitar. Lining the walls of Chip’s studio were luminous seascapes, some large and some shockingly small painted gems. Tu Tu Tango catered the event and I ordered some Tapas. I always like visiting Larry Moore’s studio. I identify with his plein air oil paintings. He had a larger painting hanging outside his studio which was more abstract and playful. It was a hot summertime image and it really caught my eye.

Don Sondag had started a series of nighttime paintings done around Winter Park. There is a quiet mystery to these nocturnes and it made me want to get out and experiment at night. Several musicians had gathered in Lynn Whipple’s studio. They jammed for a while, then talked endlessly. From the quirky and unexpected, to the more traditional art, a trip to the McRae Studios always inspires me.

Casa Feliz

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Every Sunday from noon to three there are performances by talented Orlando musicians at Casa Feliz (656 Park Avenue, Winter Park.) Angela Roark who organizes these Sunday concerts said hello and welcomed me to the Casa. I stopped in as harpist Catherine Way was tuning up her golden harp which she named Elizabeth Marie. The music ranged from “Phantom of the Opera” to “Here Comes the Sun”. Catherine is a huge fan of the Beatles and she pointed out that “Here Comes the Sun” was chosen by astronauts multiple times when they televised space missions. Elizabeth Marie had a golden peaceful tone that filled the room. There were perhaps six rows of chairs set up and quite a few people showed up to enjoy the music. If you ever find yourself exploring Park Avenue on a Sunday, I would certainly make sure to stop in at Casa Feliz for a taste of old Florida history and music.

As I finished my sketch I remembered that Terry was at home being a weekend warrior and pulling weeds in the hot Florida sunshine. Feeling a bit guilty I quickly packed up my supplies. Catherine wanted to see the sketch and then she shared it with the audience. Several people asked me for the name of the blog so then could type it into their cell phones or make a note on a scrap of paper. I never seem to have business cards when I need them. I pass them out faster than I can print them.