Oktoberfest

Posted on by Thor

The German American Society of Central Florida (381 Orange Lane, Casselberry) holds an annual Oktoberfest. This fall I have attended a plethora of “fests” but this is the real deal not some homogenized commercial knock off. We knew we were getting close when we saw cars parked on lawns and every business parking lot was full. A tiny Smart car managed to find a parking spot by driving on the grass around some SUV’s his tight turning radius was enviable. Women and men walked the sidewalks in authentic Tyrolean outfits. The German Society building resembled an authentic Alpine lodge. I could hear the German music out back and the place looked packed. We had to buy five dollar tickets to get inside. We both realized at the same time that we had no cash. I pulled the change out of my pocket and started counting pennies. We had to leave and find a cash machine. We found an ATM at a 7-11 and went back. This time we got in and I started sketching the musicians immediately.

Germans are strict disciplinarians. Children were crowded on the dance floor running, screaming and dancing. The German singer kept shouting, “All children off the dance floor! We will stop playing if the children do not get off the dance floor.” In time, order was restored. Terry was nice enough to bring me a cup of beer which I sipped while I worked. Lesley Silvia had suggested that I had to get some potato pancakes. With my sketch finished, I got some food tickets and sought out my pancakes.

We stood in line to get potato pancakes for one and a half hours. In the line in front of us a tattoo artist was trying to talk a chipper blond out of getting a tattoo on the inside of her index finger that looked like a mustache. She wanted to be able to raise her finger to her face at parties as a joke. He told her he would never do such a tattoo and that it would make her look trashy. By the time we got to the front of the line, Terry was getting annoyed. My plate had been served yet she still had to wait. I gave her a taste of my pancakes and she calmed down. I tasted several beers but many people were staggering drunk. I was told that this was the largest crowd they ever had for Oktoberfest.

Gay Pride Day

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Sunday October 10th was Gay Pride Day in Orlando. I went down to Lake Eola about two hours before t he parade was to begin. As I walked towards the park, I saw a man struggling to get a horse carriage out of an 18 wheeler. Around the lake tents were set up and vendors were quickly arranging their wares. I walked past all the tents with a personal mission in mind. I wanted to sketch the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. I had sketched several sisters putting on make-up months ago yet never had the chance to sketch them when they were fully made up. I never found them. I finally found a shady tree with a view of the tents set against the skyscrapers in the distance. Activity around the beer tent was constant.

Terry texted me several times to try and find me. I texted back, “I am behind the rainbow.” She responded, “Which rainbow? There are so many. ” Several more texts were needed. When I finished this sketch there was just 5 minutes till the parade began. I thought I might just relax and watch the parade, but the urge to sketch kicked in. As I blocked in the second sketch, a police motorcycle pulled up in front of me. I suddenly had a center of interest, something stable in the changing sea of humanity. Terry pushed her way to the front of the crowd and fought hard for the necklaces, trinkets and candy that was being thrown from the floats. A box of candy landed next to where I was seated. They were called “Nerds” and they were tasty. Scantily clad men and women danced on the floats. Through it all the police officer stood stoically , never changing his steely gaze.

When the parade was over Terry wanted to look at all the tents around the lake. The narrow walkway was jam packed now and I had already seen the tents earlier. I convinced her to leave the crush of humanity and sit on a grassy hill while I ate a slice of pizza. A woman walked by with a sign that read, “I may be straight, but I am not narrow.” That pretty much sums up why I like to come out on Gay Pride Day and document this fun event with my sketches.

Harbor House Breakfast Fundraiser

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Harbor House held a fund-raising breakfast at the First Baptist Church (3000 South John Young Parkway). I was invited by the second Vice President of the Harbor House Board of Directors to attend and sketch. When everyone filed into the room and sat down at the circular dining tables, the first order of business was the screening of a news story about domestic violence. The facts presented were staggering. Between 2009 and 2010 there was a 20% increase in domestic violence cases in Central Florida. As the economy gets worse, the violence in Central Florida is on the rise. Twenty six people died in the last 12 months due to domestic violence. 759 women and children were sheltered from the brink of deadly violence at Harbor House. There is a pandemic of violence by men against women and children in our state.

Carol Wick, the CEO of Harbor House said, “The city beautiful may be considered the happiest place on earth…until you go inside Central Florida homes.” She told the story of an event that happened in a quiet neighborhood apartment complex. Neighbors began to hear the screams of a woman calling for help inside an apartment. There were the brutal sounds of her body hitting the walls. Everyone knew what was happening, yet no one called 911. The next morning an elderly woman went to the manager and said, “You better check in that apartment because I think a woman was murdered.” The woman had indeed been murdered. This story makes me angry and outraged. Outrage is nothing without action. Some people simply say, “Well why didn’t she just leave?” In many cases women were trying to leave an abusive partner when they were killed. Had anyone in that apartment complex called the police, that woman would be alive today.

Carol talked about a new program called Project Courage which engages every member of the community to help stop the violence. This program creates support for survivors of abuse, holds abusers accountable for their actions and teaches all members of a community to recognize abuse, respond to it effectively and refer people to assistance. The glimmer of hope I clung to when confronted with the staggering facts about domestic violence was the idea that none of us is alone, as a community we can help stop the violence. By recognizing how we can help others, we become part of something much larger than ourselves.

Sultana Ali got up and said, “Batterers are the stealers of dreams. Not on our watch will this be allowed to happen anymore.” Everyone was asked to vizualize a world in which children do not have to fear going home, a world in which every member of the community actively helps stop the violence. Gifts donated at this fundraiser saved lives.

“So I fight with one hand and love with the other. In my dreams, I love with both hands and the fighting is over.” – A Survivor

Britt Daley

Posted on by Thor

I had just finished up a Doctor Sketchy’s drawing session at Tatame Sake Lounge (223 West Fairbanks Avenue, Winter Park.) As I packed up my supplies, a woman walked in carrying various band equipment. After she leaned the equipment against the wall, she stood in the doorway. I recognized her, but I couldn’t place her in a recognizable context. I must have been staring because she finally pointed to me and said, “We met at Evan and Christy Miga’s house. The light bulb flickered on. Her name is Britt Daley and she helped Evan out by singing backup vocals for the hilarious, Dog Powered Robot.

She and her drummer Scott Christy began setting up on the small Tatame stage. I threw my backpack over my shoulder and started for the door. I planned to sketch at Tanqueray’s where Kaleigh Baker was performing. Britt caught me and said, “Your not leaving are you? You haven’t seen me perform.” I told he I had been sketching when she was interviewed on Orange TV. Then I agreed to stay and watch one set. Britt has been writing songs for years. Many deal with heart ache and not being able to let go. Her voice is silky smooth and the songs left me quietly sad. She shouted out, “I am dedicating this song to Christina, it is called ‘It’s Too Late’.” This song about a couple at a crossroads left me truly sad, there was only a faint quiver of hope that could only be found in the harmony itself. I was caught off guard. I didn’t expect to find original music with this much emotional depth to be sung in a small sake bar. I was struck to the core.

Between sets, James, the guitar player and drummer, sat next to me. He checked out the sketch and I explained that I didn’t have the time to get him in the sketch yet. He assured me that they would perform again. As “Sunlight in Her Hair” performed, I took the time to add color washes in the background. When Britt Daley took to the stage again, she noticed me sketching. She asked, “Are you sketching us?” When I nodded my head, she turned to the audience and said with childish delight, “Thor is sketching us!” Then she turned to me and said, “I want to see that when I get off stage.” The second set was just as good as the first. I felt emotionally drained when the sketch was complete. I did show her the sketch before I left, and she seemed pleased. I asked her for her cards, so I could learn more about her music. Listen to her songs online, you will be glad you did.

Zombie March

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At the last minute I was told by Paula Large that there was going to be a zombie march in broad daylight on International Drive. The starting spot was at Uno’s pizza right across from Ripley’s Believe it or Not. Driving down International Drive the sudden appearance of hundreds of zombies wandering around the Uno’s parking lot was unsettling. I drove around the block making my way back to the mayhem. My pulse quickened. I parked at the Indian restaurant next to Uno’s.

As soon as I walked into the crowd, I was surrounded by pale, lifeless, brain eating zombies. A stage was set up at one end of the parking lot for a band that I assumed would be playing later. I was immediately drawn to this Hurst parked in the corner of the lot nearest the street. I stood on a small island covered with dried out dead vegetation. Little Red Riding Hood seemed out of place until I saw that she had slit her wrists. A young woman in a tight black leather dress had a cross tattooed between her shoulder blades she walked with a limp. With her nose ring and studs, I suspect she wasn’t really in costume. She must live Goth.

Loud music blasted from the two speakers strapped to the roof of the Hearst. A guy in a black leather vest got on the roof of the Hearst and shouted into the megaphone, “Do you want to see some blood?!” He fired up a chainsaw and the crowd of zombies went wild. one zombie never broke character, he just swayed side to side with his eyes rolled back in his head. A foam manikin was thrown on the roof of the Hearst and he started cutting off limbs to the roar from the crowd. When he thrust the chainsaw blade into her chest blood began to fly and spill everywhere. A pizza was delivered from the restaurant . He began attacking the pizza with the chainsaw with shards of crust and tomato sauce raining down on all the zombies. He threw large chunks of pizza into the crowd where I assume they were devoured.

0n the sidelines citizens with signs protested the march, demanding that the undead return to the graves they came from. When the march began I stayed behind frantically throwing blood red washes onto my drawing. The Goth girls limp must have been real since she remained behind as well, seated in one of the two wooden chairs near the Hearst. A female zombie asked to see my sketch. Her eyes had a strange metallic blue shine. She complimented me and thanked me for sharing with a sweet voice that seemed very out of place since her skin had decomposed rather horrifically. I am sure the party would continue late into the night, but I had to get to class back in the world of reality.

Orlando Psycho City Derby Girls

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I rushed from an art opening in Winter Park to the Universal Entertainment Skating Center (866 S. Goldenrod Road). I managed to arrive just moments before the match began. Admission was $13 which is pricey for me but I had never experienced a whole derby match before so I fumbled for a $20 out of my wallet. On the entry door to the rink was a poster for the movie “Whip it.” Three steps into the rink and my hiking boot got stuck to the floor thanks to a wad of bubble gum. I circled the perimeter of the rink counter clockwise searching for my vantage point. I ran into Carl Gauze, a writer for the Orlando Weekly, and he explained I could sketch from anywhere so long as I stayed outside the bright green rink line. I setup on a table at the far end of the rink. Skaters were warming up doing leisurely laps.

The Bellevue Bombshells were competing in a rematch against the Sunnyland Slammers . Players were announced one at a time and they did a lap around the rink soaking in the roar of the crowd. Skaters names are part of the reason roller derby is so fun. There was, Anita Priest, Phoenix on Fire, Ellen Rage, Hit Girl, Sister Mary Mayhem, Brooklyn Deck Her and On ya knees.

I honestly don’t understand all the rules and through the first half, I concentrated more on the sketch than on any jamming, blocking or scoring going on. At the half Sunnyland in the blue and gold had the lead of 62 to 26.

A fan who wanted to check out my drawing, explained some of the rules and the game started to make sense. Each team had a girl with a stripe on her helmet called the pivot. The pivot’s job was to set the pace of the pack, no one could pass the pivot. Each team had a skater with a star on her helmet called the jammer. The jammers job was to make her way through the pack to get points. Skaters were blocking and falling down constantly. Number 187, Ellen Rage took a very nasty spill and she lay on the rink floor. Team mates skated up to her getting on their knees. After an agonizing wait she managed to get up and the fans clapped and whooped.

The announcer let everyone know there was just 30 seconds remaining in the match and suddenly all the players skated full out. “Little mini Poo Poo made a hole for cup cake!” The announcer screamed. Then skaters were ramming into each other and there was a huge pileup. A skater barreled into a referee knocking her down. “Everyone is down, it is a free for all!” The buzzer sounded and even though the match was over, arms flailed and bodies smacked to the ground. The final score was Sunnyland 124 and Belview 76. Roller derby is in Orlando you really have to see it to believe it.

Zombietoberfest

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You know Halloween is approaching when zombies roam the streets of the Audubon Garden district. As Terry and I approached late that night we noticed a few zombies stumbling down Corrine Drive. There was a large crowd of zombies outside Park Avenue CD. We arrived at Stardust Video and Coffee around 11pm. When we opened the door, a loud pulsing rhythm shook us as a band played angrily. Decomposing bodies around us writhed to the beat. Terry clutched my hand as I searched for the right sketching vantage point. Rather than committing to a sketch of the band, I decided to search the other rooms for zombies.
The food and drink order counter had a line of zombies that stretched out the door. Chad Bruce and Dana VanZandt were seated at a small corner table and they waved us over. Chad’s sweatshirt was thickly spattered with blood. Dana was dressed as a huntress. When asked about their outfits, they demonstrated their method of hunting zombies. Dana had a human brain that she dangled from a fishing line off the end of a stick. Her job was to lure a zombie close using the brain as bait. Then Chad would unholster the golf club at his hip and strike the zombie down with swift blows to the head.
A zombie was checking his iPhone as he waited in line. A female zombie held a human brain on a plate. When she turned to me I noticed the bullet hole in the center of her forehead. She said she was one of the models at a Boudoir Bombshells photo shoot I sketched several months ago her name is Tamarie Lang. I tried to recognize her but couldn’t get past the blood and bruising. When the quiet demure woman in the red kimono finally turned around, her face wash ashen and blood was dripping from her lips. It was hard to notice if there was blood on her red kimono. Doug Rhodehamel stopped in front of me, frozen mid-stride in his walk. It took a few seconds for me to notice him and I laughed out loud at his attempt to get in the sketch.
When the sketch was done I considered going in the loud room full of writhing zombies, but Terry was tired so I decided it was a one sketch night . My zombie hunting was complete. The event was supposed to end at midnight anyway so I didn’t have time for another sketch.

Pumpkin Brigade

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The first sign of fall for me this year came when I was driving north on Apopka Vineland Road and I spotted this pumpkin brigade. I was heading out to another sketching location but when I got to the next corner I had to turn around. The 18 wheeler was parked in the grass behind Saint Luke’s Methodist Church. I walked around for a bit and peaked inside the truck to see the hundreds of pumpkins both large and small. I noticed bags of granular ant killer scattered here and there. I considered leaning against a tree but there was a huge fire ant mound at it’s base with granules sprinkled on top. Pallets were arranged in neat rows and the line of adults and children stretched from the back of the truck to the pallets. I chose to lean against a chain link fence that surrounded an electrical power generator.
Halfway into the sketch a man and woman approached me and asked what I was doing. Before I explained, the woman said, “We provide a safe zone for the children.” Wow! She thought I might be a sexual predator, a stalker, a menace! She checked my half finished sketch with little interest, then turned toward the truck and said, “So you find this inspiring?” I countered back with, “Yes, of course how often do you get to see a pumpkin brigade?” I gave her my card and told her to check out the blog. Then she said, “Are you a member of Saint Luke’s?” “No” I replied, “though I have sketched quite a few churches in town.” I doubt I will be going to a service at St. Luke’s anytime soon since the first member I met seemed less than welcoming, perhaps a touch paranoid. Regardless I am happy I stopped and didn’t let this rare moment go unsketched. I am left wondering what moral lesson can be learned from carving pumpkins.

Haunted Yard

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Driving back from Lakeridge Winery and Vineyards, Terry and I discovered this amazing Victorian haunted house. We drove past at 45miles an hour and I shouted, “Stop the car! We have to go back.” Terry did a three point turn and parked in the grass across from this amazing display. It is located on Oakland Avenue just west of Avalon Road, west of downtown Winter Garden. I didn’t sketch that afternoon since I knew Terry wanted to get home. It was two days later when I returned alone to sketch. I set up my portable stool on a grassy center median, leaned back against a huge old Live Oak tree and started to sketch. I really needed a bigger sketchbook since the display is so vast. I squeezed what I could onto the pages.
The Live Oak tree’s trunk took up most of the width of the median so I was just a few feet away from the cars that rushed by me. Once in a while a large pickup truck with its knobby mud tires buzzing would honk in appreciation or annoyance. While I worked SUV’s driven by moms would park and children would pile out and begin exploring. A boy shouted, “Look a jar full of eye balls!” The kids loved the place. Soon the mom would round up the kids and the SUV would roar off.
The owner pulled into his driveway and as his daughter went inside he placed the skulls he had with him around the yard. His name is Joseph Williams and his daughter who also helped with the display was named Josette. This display began on a much smaller scale in 1977. Each year he changes the theme of the display. This year “Pirates of the Caribbean” is the theme. The entire porch is planked to look like the broad side of a ship and dead pirates are everywhere. 20 or so of the figures are animatronics. Joseph was nice enough to walk me around demonstrating the figures that moved. The inside of the house is also elaborately decorated. The house is only open on Halloween night. Each year, two to three thousand people walk through. Joseph gives away glow stick bracelets as well as full sized candy bars, no mini bites here!
Joseph walked me inside even though work still needed to be done to finish the decorations. The first room was my favorite. It was Egyptian themed with a gorgeous gold king Tut mask over the fire place. There was a huge sarcophagus and two sinister mummy’s guard the room.
Across the hall Hannibal Lecter strapped to a gurney is threatening in his snakelike oily way. Also in this room Jason threatened with a machete. A butler breathed heavily in the hall with a python coiled around his neck. In the kitchen Dracula stood overlooking a blood fountain. Here guests are offered a beer or soda before heading to the graveyard behind the home. A ton of ice is shipped in for all the drinks. A garish autopsy room on the side of the home was created entirely by Josette. Marie Antoinette cradles her own head on the back porch and this is just a small taste of the horrors to come as you walk out into the darkness.
On the night of Halloween cars park all along the length of Oakland Avenue for two miles or so. In all of the 33 years the display has been put up there has never been an accident. Joseph said that only once was an item stolen. His cell phone disappeared and he simply dialed the number and asked the person to leave it at the 7-11. The phone was returned. The event is free and open to the public. Joseph even refuses to accept donations since he feels it might discourage people from coming out. I certainly hope to return Halloween night.

Interview with Robert Hill

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Mark Baratelli invited me to come out and sketch an interview he was having with Robert Hill, the Artistic Director of the Orlando Ballet. The interview took place at the Orlando Public Library. Mark kept the interview entertaining and funny. This is Robert Hills second year as the artistic director and he is on a mission to make ballet relevant to the world we live in by providing audiences with contemporary choreography, music and subject matter while continuing to preserve classical ballet that have stood the test of time. The Orlando Ballet’s 37th season begins with Giselle which is one of the timeless classics. For the holiday season, Nutcracker will return to the stage and in February Battle of the sexes hits the stage for a second time. The season will close with Carmen based on the opera.
Questions were fielded from the audience . A man stood and asked, “With a stage filled with dancers, how do we know where to look?” Robert said, “Actually that is a really good question, If the choreography is done right, it will lead your eye.” Mark asked a question which bought a laugh from the audience, “Do you let your dancers eat?” Robert responded by pointing out how he encourages his dancers to eat healthy foods.
Conducting the interview in a public place like the library is part of the plan to bring the ballet to a wider audience. After the interview was over, I approached Robert asking him to allow me to sketch rehearsals. He seemed enthusiastic and he said his assistant would call me. I have wanted to sketch ballet rehearsals for well over a year and it looks like I might finally realize that dream.