Margret Sleeps

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Mary Hill has been caring for her ailing mother for the last five years. Her mother has pulmonary fibrosis, among many other problems. Margaret Hill is at home, bedridden and under the constant care of her daughter along with private duty help. Recently, she is also under the medical direction of a local Hospice. I met Mary at a writing workshop and it was with a refreshing openness, curiosity and acceptance of the beauty of this thing we call life and death that Mary told me about her mother. I expressed an interest and love of sketching people in diverse scenarios. It was then with a tremendous leap of faith and generosity that Mary invited me to her mother’s home to meet and sketch her Mom. When I was introduced to Margaret, she clutched my hand with a surprisingly firm grip the whole time we talked. A CD was playing soothing Christian music by Ruth Fazal and when we weren’t talking Margaret would close her eyes and hum to the songs. She falls asleep every night to this same music and at her request listens to these same songs many times a day. “They are my favorites,” she shares with a smile. I asked her if I could sketch and she gladly agreed. A rocking chair, and a great source of pride, as it is the same rocking chair that Margaret had rocked all 5 of her children and many grandchildren to sleep in, sat at the foot of her bed. I sat down in the seat of honor and quietly blocked in the scene and before long Margaret was fast asleep. Mary felt my presence and attention had a soothing affect on Margaret. Mary left the room to afford me quiet, focused time to sketch. Her mother breathed evenly with fresh oxygen being supplied by a noisy oxygen concentrator that was down the hallway in the living room. The machine made a constant sound much like a scuba diving apparatus.

From where I sat at the foot of the bed, I could see Mary down the hall at the kitchen table writing in her journal. I thought she might be curious about my drawing so once I had the features of Margaret’s face set down in ink, I got up and quietly walked down the hall to show her. I tapped her on the shoulder and showed her the early stages of the drawing. She was moved to tears at the startling reality and solemn beauty of her mother. She said I had captured the essence and expression of her mother right down to the slight worry lines that often furrow her brow. I had never had someone cry when they saw my work before. I felt I was doing something important by documenting this fleeting moment. When I returned to work I proceeded with quiet deliberateness. Drawing and listening to Margaret’s breath left me with a sense of peace and a certainty that this was an important drawing.

Unity

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I was invited By Sultana Fatima Ali to attend Unity Church of Christianity (4801 Clarcona – Ocoee Road). She was going to be singing two solos this Sunday and I was looking forward to the performance. The church was modest in size set back a way from the road. I pulled into the dirt parking lot up front and made my way to the sanctuary. I felt a little trepidation as I entered but those thoughts were quickly set aside. Unity is not your average church. Their Christianity embraces ideas from Buddhism, Native American Culture and Metaphysics. This more open minded approach is unexpected and illuminating.
The sermon by Robert Marshall was inspiring in ways I didn’t expect. His whole sermon centered around the idea of light. As an artist this is one thing I am thinking about all the time, and his sermon offered up the subject with creativity. I liked the idea that we are beings of light, that we radiate light into the world and affect others. He stressed that light is all about motion while darkness is stagnant. Darkness is a manifestation of the world’s physical limitations that bind us and hold us back, whereas light brings us peace, joy and illuminates our pure creative potential. When we are filled with light we can experience enthusiasm and we discover and embrace our unlimited potential. He touched on the idea that light can act as a sort of armor that casts away fears and the inevitable thoughts of “I can’t”. There is an unlimited part to our inner being that just needs to be illuminated. When the sermon was over, I was fired up and ready to unleash my full creative potential. I was of course sketching the whole time he spoke and I worked with a renewed sense of energy and urgency.
Near the beginning of the service people were invited to stand and greet their neighbors. Everyone was hugging and I soon found myself hugging strangers as if I had known them for years. The first song Sultana performed was “Coming out of the Dark” by Gloria Estefan. This tied in perfectly with the days theme of light, joy, enthusiasm and infinite possibilities. After her performance the congregation gave her a standing ovation. This sort of excited outburst was unheard of in the Methodist church of my youth. Sultana’s second song, “Just Around the River Bend” from Pocahontas came about from a conversation I had with her once where I pointed out that life can present you with a crossroads and she concurred. She knew also knew that I worked on that film.
At the end of the service everyone joined hands and sang together. I left feeling a warm glow of fellowship. In a back room of the church food had been prepared and I was invited to have some lunch. The amazing scents filled the hallway as I went back. My spirit and body were recharged and ready to take on the world. I actually stayed for the second service since I needed more time to finish my sketch. I had just enough time to finish up.

Spring Awakening

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Jerehmy Seghers directed Spring Awakening, a Children’s Tragedy at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater. I sketched a reading of Spring Awakening many months ago in the Broadway Across America offices. Much of the cast had changed since those initial readings. Sarah Villegas who had read the roll of Wendla Bergman, now had a roll in “9 Parts of Desire.” I am sure this conflict was the reason she no longer played this lead roll in Spring Awakening. At this rehearsal she sat right under the large oval shaped theater light. She laughed and applauded the work of her fellow actors.
There is now a musical version of this play but Jeremy went back to the original German translated script for this show. All of the sexual repression and the difficult transition from child to adult have strong relevance today. The play was written back in 1891 but remains very much relevant today. A scene where Melchior rapes Wendla in a hay loft is brutal and unexpected. In another scene Wendla asks a friend to hit her with a stick since her parents never beat her. I am reminded of a Eurythmics song that shots out “Some of them want to use you, some of them want to get used by you.”
Unrequited love and uncertainty about sexual identity causes major tragic events to unfold with authority figures flapping their lips about moral order. Children are expected to discover their sexuality while blind folded.

Third Annual Job Fair

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Congresswoman Corrine Brown from the third Congressional District of Florida, helped organize this much needed job fair for Central Floridians. A job fair is an opportunity for participants to meet and possibly interview with potential employers from a broad range of industries. This year there were over 63 employers participating. This fair was held at the Amway Arena (600 West Amelia Street.)
When I arrived I was handed a slip of paper that required me to fill out all my personal information. Since I wasn’t actually participating in the fair, I decided to write in typos for every bit of information to avoid getting inundated with political mailers. Once the form was filled out I was given an orange armband and I was ushered into the arena along with everyone else arriving. The ushers filled up an entire section of the stadium seating. I started a sketch from this vantage point but then more people started marching in, blocking my view and leaving me no elbow room. I moved to am empty section to the left but then that started filling up as well and an usher told me I would have to squeeze up front. I got up and started walking back up the stadium steps. Ushers kept shouting at me telling me to sit in my assigned area. I finally found a manager at the top of the stadium level. He told me that to sketch I would need not an orange arm band but a yellow arm band. He pointed me in some direction and I started to wander.
I finally picked a spot to sit on the opposite side of the stadium away from ushers and job seekers. I never bothered to get my yellow arm band but I did cut off the Orange arm band since it gave the ushers an excuse to tell me where I could and could not sit.
The Star Spangled Banner started to play and there was a long pause before the participants realized they should stand. This was followed by the pledge of allegiance. A woman took to the podium and shouted out OK everyone go get them! Everyone in the section I had been seated in stood up and started to move towards the ramp to the stadium floor. Ushers started to shout out, “You can’t go down right now. Have a seat!” A participant shouted back, “But she said go get them!” The usher had to explain that only one section at a time was going to be allowed on the floor. There were about 5 sections filled up at this point and another section was filling up as well. Many hundreds of people if not thousands were waiting for their chance to show their strengths to prospective employees.
Directly in front of where I was seated, Aflac and the Social Security Administration were busy talking to people. Forms were being filled out frantically at a table in the foreground. Each of the theme parks were represented as was the major branches of the military and police departments. Most of the participants wandering the floor were dressed in their Sunday best but I was also surprised to see some people dressed in tee shirts and shorts. From my quick glimpse of this event it seems obvious that the recession is far from over.

Gift of the Magi

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As part of 4th Fest, on July 4th, Thunder Hag and A_Scissors will present a puppet show titled, “Gift of the Magi.” Hannah Miller is the artist who is designing and building all the puppets and set flats for the show. The performance will be at 8Pm to 9PM at Lake Ivanhoe. This will be an ambient marionette show where you can see the puppeteers.
CrocoGirl who is a gator that was partially transformed into a human is on of the major characters in the show. Hannah Miller explained that when she was drilling holes in the gator head, she was treated to the most horrendous smell. The set flats Hannah was working on had a blue sequin sky with light blue wisps of clouds. As I sketched she was working on adding a wood grain look to the tree trunks ising golden string held in place with hot glue.
The story begins with a girl who lived in the Everglades. She looks out over the glades and falls in love with a pair of eyes that are always watching her. She performs for the eyes and grows to expect that constant loving gaze. One day the eyes disappear. Distraught, the girl petitions the moon to help her find the loving eyes again. To help her on that quest, the moon transforms her into a bird. She flies over the Glades searching for the eyes she loved.
The eyes belonged to a Crocodile and she was transformed as well becoming part human but retaining her animal instincts. The bird settles on a branch just above the Crocogirl. Crocogirl still desires the bird but that desire has more to do with hunger rather than high minded ideals of love.
Hannah has only has 4 days left till showtime and there is so much that she needs to finish before showtime. Jack Fields and Jessica Earley will be helping with the performance on show day and Brian Cunningham will be performing music he wrote specifically for this show live.

Glitters

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Terry and I drove up to Greensboro North Carolina to attend a wedding on her side of the family. Between rehearsal dinners and other family gatherings, Terry and I had one day all to ourselves to explore the historic downtown district. We explored a number of antiques shops before running across this store front. This five foot high Betty Boop had me transfixed. Several months ago I had driven to Honesdale, Pennsylvania for my step mothers funeral. At the head of her open casket Carol had placed a small Betty Boop figurine. My step mom had loved Betty Boop and had a small collection all around her house. On the morning of the funeral I watched animated short after animated short. The movement is strange and fluid limbs often being rubbery and flaccid.
As I was working one of the sales women came out and said I would have to stop back in when I was finished, so they could all see what I came up with. Inside the store is jam packed with fun trinkets and games. I could have stayed the rest of the day exploring all the intricate shapes. The owner loved the sketch and he asked about my schooling which was in NYC at the School of Visual Arts. Like a sketch I did of my step mothers vacant house this sketch is a rare instance where I didn’t sketch a person into the scene.

Orange TV

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Emma Kruch of United Arts invited me to go to the Orange TV Studio for an on air interview. The TV studio is located just south of the Orlando Convention Center on a small service road. The white metal building looks like an old airplane hanger. When I entered the secretary told me to follow the “Studio” signs back to the green room. I walked past glass walls behind which were the infinite dials and screens of the editing suites. I yearned to sit down and start a sketch but of course all that detail would take hours to complete. The green room wasn’t green. It had a few couches and in the corner a TV was broadcasting a live feed from the studio where Cory Warren was about to conduct an interview. I sat down and then noticed that Emma was curled up in a chair next to the door. I have seen her at arts event all over town but we had never been introduced. She started talking about a recent move she had made which turned into the move from hell. She said she leaned up against a wall in the new place only to have her hand crunch through the termite infested wood. Well she said there were no bugs left but the wooden wall was like tissue paper. It was fun to joke and laugh to relieve some of the anticipation. She realized she was laughing so loud that they might hear her in the recording studio. She opened the studio door, poked her head in and asked the cameraman if he had hears her. She was in the clear but we kept it down from that point on.
With the first interviews over I was lead into the studio and set up with a mic. I felt surprisingly calm like I did this every day. After I sat down make up was applied to my face. Cory and I talked about possible questions and our relaxed conversation resulted in the questions that were to follow. The program by the way is called “Participate – The Cultural Advantage.” The interview will air July 15th through August 15th at different times during the day. Emma explained that a schedule can be found on the Orange TV website. I am also going to get a DVD of the interview so I will post that video her when I get it. From somewhere in the room a voice shouted out, “We are rolling, we have speed, and in 5, 4, 3, 2, ….. Cory read the prompter and the interview was off and running. The interview with Cory was relaxed and simple. I got to explain how this site came to be and how I offer a unique view of the Orlando arts scene as seen through the eyes of an artist. Cory wanted me to recount the events of September 2009 when I reported on an event at Lake Eola called “Push Play.” At this even a group of activists trying to raise funds for free school supplies thanks to “A Gift for Teaching“. At this event participants had MP3 players and they all listened to a file downloaded off the Internet. The audio told them to dance and other quirky behaviors. The problem was the police showed up and the behaviors like lying down on the benches and holding up piece signs looked like a demonstration. Police shouted to find out who was in charge but no one could hear. The participants all laughed as if mocking the police. Everyone was forced out of the outdoor stadium and Jane Thompson the president of “A Gift for Teaching” was issued a summons banning her from the park for one year.
With so many amazing stories collected over the year and a half, the most difficult question was, “What was your favorite event to sketch?” This sent my mind reeling and I finally just decided to relate the details of the post which had gone live that day which was about a fundraiser called Passport to Haiti. I was surprised at how fun it was to relate the stories that I collect each day. If you keep your eyes open and look where the action is there is so much to be discovered right in your own backyard. When my interview was over I sat down behind the cameras and watched Cory interview John DiDonna and Autumn Ames about the red chair project. I worked feverishly to get a sketch to document the occasion.

Gay Pride – Lake Eola

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Gay Pride Day at Lake Eola is a colorful festive event that I enjoy getting out to sketch. All around the lake, tents and rainbow colored balloons spark color everywhere. As I did this sketch a man next to me kept shouting out information about time share deals. He was offering free water to anyone who would sign up for information. As I tried to stay cool in the shade of a large tree a young slender woman holding a single rose walked up to me and asked for an interview. She was working on a research paper and needed interviews. I gave her the usual information about this blog and how it all started. She thanked me and disappeared into the crowd. She never asked me if I was gay. I was of course gay for the day. Across from me Rangers Doggie Care offered pet sitting and dog training services. The Orlando Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence had a display which had large black and white photos of men who had been killed due to hate crimes against gays. There must have been 40 or so photos and this was just the tip of the iceberg. I wanted to sketch this scene but it was in the direct sun and it was boiling out. I don’t know how the sisters survived in their black robes.
The Gay Pride Parade started on the Northern edge of Lake Eola near Paneras. I focused on this stage coach and tried to capture some of the cross dressers and men in drag that walked by. There was plenty of excitement and men shouting and hooting as they piled onto the floats and waited for the parade to start. I thought I might come across some demonstrators but I didn’t see one person with a sign. All the signs I saw called for pride and unity.

9 Parts of Desire

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Set in Iraq the play follows the lives of 9 women who struggle to keep hope and love alive in an insane war torn country. Directed by John Di Donna, it would be an understatement to say this play is hard hitting. These women grab your heart and then squeeze it inside the tightly clenched fist. I of course was fascinated by the woman who was an artist and who had enough money to flee the country, but because of traditional ties and a bit of fear of the unknown, she remained behind. The fact that she paints nudes is unexpected and quite dangerous considering the countries harsh moral codes especially towards women.
One particularly moving scene involved all the women on their knees crying out in pain using the only American words they know, “I love you.” I do not think there was a dry eye in the house. The play never lets go filled with hope despite the searingly depressing moral codes and love despite oppression against women. So upsetting, I really don’t think I can keep typing.
There are 2 performances left, Sunday June 27th at 2PM and at 8PM. At the Orlando Shakespeare Theater (812 East Rollins Street).

Neon Forest

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Neon Forest Gallery (1741 South Orange Avenue) opened its doors for the first time with a gallery show entitled “Welcome to the Forest.” This show was four months in the making with floors being painted and walls prepared. The gallery partners are Dustin Orlando, Scott Donald, Sean Hartman and Jason Dwarzski. When I arrived, Scott Donald was out back in the parking lot putting finishing touches on the DRES13 piece entitled “Guerrera.” It was decided that it would be nice to match the colors between the pieces DRES13 was hanging in the show . So some washes of green and red were added along with a light dry brush effect of white in select spots.
TU TU Tango was setting up a food tent and there were plenty of drinks on ice. Dustin, one of the partners in the venture walked outside and looked at the looming clouds on the horizon. He said to himself, “Come on God, Work with me. Well at least it’s not windy.” When he went back inside thunder rumbled. He said they were expecting two hundred people to show up to this inaugural opening. Rain could dampen everything. He hoped it would just sweep through quickly and then dry up. A hard wind blew through the lot and lifted up one of the tents sending it into the air like a parachute. Three of us ran and grabbed the legs before it disappeared. Several people worked on strapping the tent down. Then the rain came.
Inside the gallery I discovered the work of Nicholas Gazin, a Brooklyn based artist who does amazing line drawings of people copulating and strange portraits with titles like, I want your Damage, Suicide Bombing Aftermath, and House of Spirits. Disturbing and thought provoking I wanted to see more. I spoke with Scott for a while and checked out his piece in the show called, “Spirit Bear in the Golden Age of Jihad. ” I then spoke to Tanya Dickie for quite sometime and I found out she posts a picture a day on flickr. This common thread of creating something everyday and posting it, I had to follow up on, and in time I convinced her to show me her work using the gallery’s computer. She started one of her series on September 11th because she had been in the World Trade Center a month before the attack. Like many people that day left a scar that has never fully healed. I sat in my camping chair and watched the limitless possibilities found in taking a photo a day. I felt I really got to learn something about each of the artists I met that night. This was one of the more rewarding openings I had attended lately. I felt elated that the arts are very much alive here in Orlando.
It was easy to drive by the gallery without noticing it and being in SODO it might not get the foot traffic of a downtown gallery. Still, the show was exciting and unexpected. I am hoping they have lasting success.