Johnny Cash Tribute at Redlight Redlight

Posted on by Thor

Redlight Redlight, (745 Bennett Rd) is a hip bar that often has themed shows of local artists’ work. On this night the walls were covered with Johnny Cash portraits. Plineo Pinto had several sweet watercolor caricatures that I liked. I bumped into Leslie Silvia who showed me the nasty blisters she got on her hands from a recent crewing competition. She had some nice silhouettes of Johnny Cash. American Destitution, was on stage playing Johnny Cash songs. I asked Jared Silvia how long they had been playing to try and gauge how long I had to sketch. The place was packed so I sat on the floor right in front of the stage to get my sketch.

After the set was over, I talked to one of the performers and he told me this was the first time the band members had performed together in a very long time. I still hadn’t ordered a beer so I muscled up to the bar and ordered a Cony Island Mermaid. The beer was dark and strong. I settled into a corner table and started a second sketch. A movie screen was set up on the stage and Johnny played for the crowd flickering and a bit distorted. His music and the swift kick from the beer made me blue. I wondered what lively conversations were flaring up around me. My hand moved over the pages involuntarily. With my second sketch finished, I decided to get home. As I left a group of graffiti artists stopped me to say hello. I had sketched these artists at Frames Forever and Art Gallery as they worked on large mural panels. I was fading and a bit depressed from listening to Johnny Cash for several hours so I didn’t socialize long. Terry was away at some conference in Texas so I could have stayed out much later. But my work was done.

Yow Dance Tech Rehearsal

Posted on by Thor

I went to a Yow Dance Tech Rehearsal at Seminole State College. When I arrived scaffolding was in place on stage and the stage lights were being aimed and adjusted. The dancers had not yet arrived. The scaffold had to be moved each time a new light had to be adjusted. The process became a learning experience for the college age stage hands who took their directions from Ellen Bone, the seasoned lighting designer. She took the time to explain why certain adjustments were made and she even walked a student around to give pointers.

When the dancers arrived, the house wend dark and the only thing I could see was the glow of Ellen’s laptop. I switched to drawing on my digital tablet. Apparently the headphones she was wearing didn’t work since she had to shout out her sound cues to the lighting booth at the back of the theater. The dancers performed and lighting adjustments were made on the fly. Sometime the dancers had to stop and wait while the right lighting combination was found.

One of the dance numbers called “Little Boxes” made a strong statement about how children are taught to behave and conform to societies expectations. The dancers shuffled in a chain gang style line. The dance offered a great social commentary about how our suburban society expects us all to be the same. A life of ticky tacky conformity as we move from one box to the next.

How to Look at Renaissance Art

Posted on by Thor

Karen Love Blumenthal invited me to attend a fun interactive talk about how to look at Renaissance Art at the Cornell Fine Arts Museum on the Rollins College Campus. The workshop was conducted by her husband Arthur Blumenthal the Director Emeritus of the museum. He began his talk by outlining the five steps that are needed to truly look at a work of art.
1. Become fully present and put aside your opinions. Usually when we enter a gallery, we immediately say, “Oh, I like this painting or I can’t stand that painting.” He insisted we curb such opinions until we fully studied the art.
2. Move into the objects “Looking Space” and move around the object while looking. At this point the first impression can be stated.
3. Determine the medium used.
4. Observe and describe the art in meticulous detail offering subject matter, composition, the light source. It is important to describe the art as if no one else had ever seen it.
5. Restate or sum up the main points or total impact.
The 20 or so patrons were then split up into groups and each group was assigned a Renaissance work of art to study. One person from each group was then given the task of describing the art using the five rules of observation. It was fascinating listening to people describe the art. Each person brought their own viewpoints and background into the process. One man truly didn’t like the portrait he was asked to discuss but in the end, Arthur let him know it was a rare Tintoretto portrait and probably the most valuable painting in the collection. It was good that such information did not distort the patrons’ view.
Lunch served at a long table in the front gallery. The scene was reminiscent of Leonardo DaVinci’s Last Supper. The man seated next to me let me know that he spends the five summer months out of each year living on an island in Maine. When we got back to the Renaissance gallery, he had to describe a complex painting of Noah’s Arc. He described the chaotic collection of animals and when he backed up, he was able to see the overall flow of the piece. Arthur went on to describe the umber under painting which was allowed to show through in spots.

Renaissance came from the Italian word rinascita meaning “Rebirth.” This rebirth came about as ancient Roman and Greek statues were being discovered. Michelangelo sculpted amazing forgeries early in his career. There was an astonishing confluence of artistic genius in that era. There was also powerful banking families like the Medici who appreciated and paid for art. Ahhh… Those were the days. Of course there was also the plague, inquisition and plenty of wars, but that is a small price to pay.

Mediterranean Deli

Posted on by Thor

If there is one thing I love, it is a juicy Gyro or stuffed grape leaves and a salad with feta cheese. The Mediteranian deli (981 West Fairbanks Avenue in Winter Park) is a true New York City style hole in the wall. It doesn’t look like much from the street being a tiny store front in a small strip mall just West of I-4 on Fairbanks. At the order counter there are hundreds of business cards shoved in a slot in front of the mouth watering salads and sides. I couldn’t resist. I pulled out an Analog Artist Digital World card and slipped it in. The owner is very friendly often asking about friends and family while offering up a free sample as I wait. I decided I would eat light for once, maybe some humus and pita. But after tasting the club wrap I ordered the club with a side of humus. I have had the gyros before and they are amazing, stuffed so full that you have to wrestle it into your mouth. Mediterranean music is playing constantly tempting the occasional amateur belly dance. Posters from Greece try to catch some Mediterranean warmth. A sign announces, “Americas #1 Gyros” and I do believe these are the best gyros in Orlando. I stop by anytime I am on or near Fairbanks Avenue. There can be a line during the lunch time rush since anyone who has been here always returns.

LiveStrong

Posted on by Thor

Patricia Charpentier informed me that she was going to participate in MD Anderson Cancer Center’s new Artists-in-Residence program. Her goal will be to enrich cancer patients lives by showing them the importance of telling their life story. She asked me to go to a press conference at the hospital. Around the podium artists’ works were set up on easels. Dr. Clarence Brown III MD, the President and CEO of MD Anderson, introduced Margot Knight, the CEO and President of United Arts. She spoke about how art enriches our lives. Children sing, dance and create with abandon. In many ways, creativity is as important as breathing. She introduced the five or so artists who are spearheading this brand new program. I was surprised when I saw Andrea Canny, a singer and photographer I had met just the night before at a cabaret. Cory Warren of United Arts had done tireless work to make this new program possible.

The LiveStrong grants were awarded to MD Anderson last fall. The LiveStrong organization was founded by cancer survivor Lance Armstrong. The objective being to serve people affected by cancer by empowering them to take action. The Artists-in-residence program will empower patients by becoming absorbed in their own creativity as they meet the challenges of diagnosis, treatment and survorship.

Elaine Person’s Writing Workshop

Posted on by Thor

Elaine Person runs a writing workshop every Wednesday at the Winter Park library starting at 7pm. She also teaches at Saint Lukes for a program called Page 16 0n Tuesdays. Saint Luke’s has a 17-year-old School of the Arts. Registration is required. 407-876-4991. This is a separate group. On Sundays at Unity Church, she teaches once a month at 1pm, with no registration required 407-295-9181. The next class is April 10.

She asked me to come in and share a sketchbook and talk about what I do each day, acting as a prompt to help spark the evenings writing session. I always get excited when I get to talk about the amazing stories that cross my path every time I sketch. The writers were then instructed by Elaine to pick a sketch to use as inspiration as they wrote. The room grew silent. No one used a laptop. When it came time for everyone to read what they wrote, I was delighted by the variety. Here was an amazing group of talent. Elaine brings an infectious enthusiasm to the group. Here is just one sample of the work produced that night.

Perspective

Sketching events as they happen
Tom captures the essence of things
He’s perched as a careful observer
To give the happenings wings

He’s also at times a participant
As the action begins on the stage
He’s then a part of the drama
His effect may be tricky to gauge

The concert hall is quiet one moment
There’s tension and hopes for the best
The musicians have drilled and have practiced
They’re hoping their playing seems blessed

A poet is reading her first line
Tom senses the pause in her voice
She’s trying to calm her frayed nerves
So she can continue with poise

A wedding is joyous and crowded
The couple has planned for a year
Tom sketches the concert of vendors
A symphony the couple holds dear

The directors are sharing their visions
Their images, their focus, their light
Will they succeed in condensing a story
And make their vision seem bright?

So what is the role of observer?
He might cause rewriting and changing
Is he audience or co-creator?
Creation is now rearranging.

– Holly Mandelkern

txt at the Telephone Museum

Posted on by Thor

As part of ArtsFest, Brian Feldman held a performance of “txt” at the Telephone Museum in Maitland (221 West Packwood Avenue). The very first time I sketched Feldman, he was performing “txt” at the Kerouac House. Brian specifically grew his beard back for this one performance. I found my vantage point in the front row before anyone else arrived. I also set up my video camera which recorded the performance from the back of the room next to a telephone booth. Ancient phones loomed above Feldman’s head and photos of switchboard operators were on the walls. There were perhaps thirty or so folding chairs set up in front of the large oak desk where he sat.

The idea of “txt” is that the audience supplies every line of dialogue that is spoken. Fifty protected Twitter accounts are set up so that each audience member can send a tweet directly to Brian’s show account, all of which are redirected to his phone thus keeping every entry completely private. Before the performance space was opened, Feldman crawled under the desk to wait for his entrance. When the fifteen or so people were seated, he crawled back out and sat in the leather chair causing laughter.

The young couple across from me immediately started tapping on their phones. The girl resembled actress Julianne Moore. She kept glancing at her boyfriend’s phone, not sure what she should type. She kept laughing at his entries. Brian’s phone vibrated and he picked it up. He read, “Football may be America’s pastime, but basketball players sweat much more.” I glanced around thinking I knew where the text came from. For this performance, Feldman acted out and dramatized his readings. One text read, “The man in the front row blushes whenever he laughs.” I was one of three men in a front row seat. I was certainly laughing. Was I blushing? Could people see emotion and expression just from the involuntary rush of blood through my veins?

I focused more intently on the drawing. Remarks were made about the corporate looking portrait above Feldman’s head, and about a creepy mannequin dressed as a telephone repairman. An early text warned against using profane language since women and children were in the audience. Surprisingly everyone complied. I consider “txt“ to be Feldman’s signature performance piece and it would be great to see it performed in a larger venue. There is something interesting in clandestine, anonymous communication that indicates where we are moving as an interconnected society.

Foil Muse Receptor Caps

Posted on by Thor

The Silver Fern Writing Workshop held the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month is approaching its second anniversary. To help celebrate this milestone, Janna and Geoff Benge decided to mix it up and have some fun by having the authors create their own thinking caps, which they would then wear to tune in to their creative muse. My wife Terry planned to attend and I decided this was a sketch opportunity which could not be missed. When I arrived Janna started telling me that she had just gotten a text from a friend who was in Roswell and he wanted to know if she knew where to find the aliens. This was rather fortuitous, a sign.

Muse cap supplies were scattered about on the dining room table. There was plenty of tin foil, tin pie pans, buttons, rubber bands, straws, soda cup tops, tape and a glue gun. The first author to arrive, already had his tin foil cap made. It had two large handles and a large satellite disk. He explained that tin foil is usually used to deflect the forces of mind control. The disk however was a conduit for pure creative inspiration. Rachel Kapitan designed an elegant Victorian looking bonnet that resembled a peacock when it spread open, fan like, perched on her head. Karen Price used a pie plate cap with a central antenna with a disk and button to catch her signal. Another author used a simple foil cap with foil flames flowing out behind his head. He claimed the design was based on the classic mullet hair style. One author crafted a very accurate Mickey Mouse aluminum skull cap with two buttons that made it look eerily life like. I made some very simple viking horns for my baseball cap to assist in my sketching.

Soon everybody put on their caps and got down to the serious business of writing. The room grew quiet and the pencils, pens and keyboards clicked and scratched out the messages caught by the twitching antennae capturing inspiration from the ether. Twenty minutes flew by as I sketched furiously trying to capture the quirky moment.

Everyone was then asked to share their musings. As Rachel read her story, I became infatuated with the way the potted Mother in Law tongue plant flamed up beside her. I enjoyed Geoff’s story about an author’s dependence on his foil cap. He claimed the cap allowed him to go where no mind had gone before. He experienced such a high from the creativity generated by the cap, that he started wearing it to sleep and in the shower. It slowly became clear that this man’s addiction to creativity bordered on insanity.

Terry managed to press the wrong button on her computer and she lost everything she wrote. Several authors helped her search the hard drive with no luck. This is another advantage of analog over digital, things don’t just disappear. After everyone had read their stories, the serious business began of drinking Funky Llama White Wine and enjoying the conversations about art and literature in the internet age. The stories and laughter lasted late into the night. Rachel gave Terry pointers on how to incorporate more dialogue in her stories. As I was walking to my truck outside, I glanced back through a window and noticed the warmth of the light as the remaining authors talked around the dining room table. One author was on the front lawn using his cell phone, the foil cap still on his head.

Holi Fest at the Citrus Bowl

Posted on by Thor

I went to the Citrus Bowl to sketch Holi Fest knowing full well that this Indian springtime celebration would touch and color my life. Last year I went to the event in a black suit and that was a mistake. Live and learn. I walked past the Police Mounted Unit Barn and the horses greeted me by walking up to the fence. Across the street the Indian music was playing loudly and I saw that some people were already multi pigmented. I seated myself with my back against a light pole and immediately got to work. A husband, wife and daughter settled in next to me. The little girl was maybe 5 years old and the supersoaker water pistol she carried was as big as she was. She aimed it at me once and I raised my sketchbook up to my face in a joking gesture of self defense. The dad told her, “No!” I was a little disappointed. A few minutes later I was shot in the right shoulder from behind with a bright purple stream. I wiped the stained pages of my sketchbook and kept working. A woman approached from behind and wiped my cheek with a bright blue pigment.

The field wasn’t very crowded when I started the sketch but by the time I finished there had to be at least a thousand people all joyfully throwing pigments and chasing each other with pigmented water pistols. Melissa Kasper from DRlP Dance company came out to do research for Jessica Mariko, DRIP’s founder who was unfortunately out of town. I hugged Melissa who was like a giddy school girl ready to play. I gave her a plastic bag to protect her camera and then she bounded away to put a few things back in her car. The next time I saw her she was covered in pigments and she had met some friends who were swing dancing to the Indian music. When my sketch was finished I introduced myself to her friends who were all brightly colored. They had a bag of pigment and they helped fully initiate me.

For my second sketch I decided to introduce myself to an Indian family that was sitting against a fence. There was constant activity. People tended to keep turning around always on the lookout for a brightly colored shower from behind. In the opening remarks from the stage it was announced that people came from as far away as North Carolina, New York and Nebraska. The word Holi came from Hola which means sacrifice. The festival celebrates the beginning of spring. It asks that we renew ourselves and move forward with love, understanding and compassion. There was no drinking at the event. The family I was sketching offered me several round fried dumplings dipped in a sweet yellow sauce. They were quite good. After finishing my second sketch I bumped into Hannah Miller and Jack Fields. They and their friends were vibrant and bright. When I left the event, I had to go to Loews on an errand. I turned a few heads as I wandered the aisles. The clerk checking me out said, “You must really get into your painting!” “Yes I do.” I replied.

Holi Festival at UCF

Posted on by Thor

Last year I sketched Holi Fest at the Citrus Bowl and had a blast. I got a tip that there was a Holi Fest celebration at UCF this year so I had to go. Holi is an Indian springtime celebration that celebrates the triumph of good over bad. Brightly colored ‘gulal‘ and ‘abeer‘ is rubbed on each others’ faces. It was a beautiful spring day and I relaxed as I walked past a large fountain in front of the school’s library. Students were sunning themselves and reading on the grass. I regretted never having attended such a gorgeous campus. The Holi celebration was being held behind the arboretum, I presumed that was because there would be a large open field for the crowds. When I got there, I found three or four families gathered around a garden hose. I almost walked by thinking the larger Festival must be just a little further. Everyone was already splashed with bright colors, I was in the right place.

Holi is a playful fun celebration. The boys chased the girls trying to cover them in powder. A girl shrieked as she ran barefoot through some pine cones. I sat under a pine tree and started sketching. The smaller celebration had an advantage in that it was more intimate and direct, I wasn’t distracted by a huge crowd. Several times couples approached me wanting to see what I was working on. They complimented me but I remained outside the celebration since I wasn’t once tagged with pigment. I was wearing paint splattered jeans and a multi stained shirt I wore to a DRIP dance company party, so I was ready for anything.

After all the colorful powders were thrown, a water fight began. Pigmented water was dumped and sprayed playfully. There is an amazing beauty to this colorful celebration. As I finished up my sketch I considered sketching a particularly brightly pigmented couple. She was coated in bright pink, magenta and purple while he was covered in reds, yellows. Then everyone gathered around the hose and it was sprayed fountain like straight up and everyone took a group shower washing away the colors. My job was done. I waved goodbye to several people who had approached me and headed off to find my next sketch.