Pre-Pandemic: Planet Smoothie

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I used to take my Elite Animation Academy, Urban Sketching students to Planet Smoothie after teaching them a lesson inn one point perspective. Who knew that one month after this sketch was done the world would be locked down in a pandemic thanks to COVID-19?

On February 15, 2020, COVID-19 had infected more than 67,000 people globally, the vast majority in mainland China. The death toll was over 1,520, including four people outside mainland China. A Chinese tourist who tested positive for the virus died in France, health officials confirmed which was the first recorded death from COVID-19 in Europe. On this day there were 15 reported cases of COVID-19 in the United States.

Meanwhile my student and I were slipping smoothies and sketching totally unaware of the freight train on the horizon.

With vaccines now available I am finally holding out hope that one day I will once again be able to relax indoors and sketch life as normal. However today case numbers spiked up, and in general have leveled off at around 60 to 70 thousand cases a day. With the new B.1.1.7 variant of the virus taking over in Florida it is very possible that the horrors of December and January case numbers might return.

I am teaching my Elite students virtually now and I love the process. I get to sketch along with them which allows them to see my every thought as I develop a sketch. When I taught a classroom full of students they didn’t get that same level of one on one attention. My latest students have been doing some amazing work. Rather than distract or slow me down, the pandemic has accelerated my creative output. I used to sketch everyday events but events of the last year have required sketching the unseen all around us. Elite Animation Virtual Spring 2021 courses are beginning March 29, 2021.

COVID-19 Tinnitus

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Texas Roadhouse CEO Kent Taylor died by suicide last week at age 65 after what his family described as a “battle with post-Covid related symptoms, including severe tinnitus.” Tinnitus can present in a myriad of ways, from clicking and pulsing sounds, to low- and high-pitched ringing, according to the Mayo Clinic.

It’s not known yet how common tinnitus is as a symptom of COVID-19, but earlier case studies have shown a link between the virus and the ailment.

In one case study, published in the British journal BMJ, a 45-year-old man with no history of auditory issues presented tinnitus and sudden hearing loss while being treated for COVID-19. The man was treated with steroids, which resulted in partial return of his hearing. According to the study, “There are only a few reported cases of hearing loss following COVID-19.”

In another incident, reported in the journal PMC, a 35-year-old patient in Qatar reported experiencing hearing loss and tinnitus while suffering from COVID-19 — symptoms which remained after the infection abated. The study called for further research into the link between COVID-19 and tinnitus, and the ailment generally — research which Kent Taylor himself was helping to fund before his death.

“In true Kent fashion, he always found a silver lining to help others,” his family said in the aforementioned statement. “Most recently, he committed to fund a clinical study to help members of the military who also suffer with tinnitus.”

There is no cure for tinnitus, though there are multiple treatment options.

Miami Beach State of Emergency

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Miami Beach declared a state of emergency due to Spring Break. The South Beach Entertainment District has had wall-to-wall people (most without masks) over blocks and blocks. More than 1000 people have been arrested so far due to fight breaking out on Ocean Drive. About 80 guns have been seized. But the true danger comes from so many people gathering without masks or any social distancing.

The B.1.1.7 variant of the COVID-19 virus is spreading in Florida and it is more contagious than the original virus an much more lethal. After instating an 8pm curfew, police officers in bulletproof vests released pepper spray balls to break up the part.

Miami’s tourism arm just spent $5 million on its biggest national advertising campaign in 20 years, seeking a rebound after billions of dollars were lost to the pandemic. Flights to Miami are as cheap as $65. What resulted got was chaos and a surefire superspreader.

March 20, 2021, the Miami Beach City Commission declared the 8 p.m. curfew would be in effect through April 13,2021.
“The goal here is to really contain the overwhelming crowd of visitors, and the potential for violence disruption and damage to and damage to property, whether intentional or not,” city manager Raul Aguila said. The attempted crackdown comes as Florida has thrown open its doors to tourists after a year of coronavirus lock downs and restrictions around the country. Florida Governor Ron DeathSantis has bragged that the state is an “oasis of freedom” during the pandemic.
The Clevelander South Beach, one of Miami Beach’s most iconic hotels, announced March 19, 2021 it would temporarily halt its food and beverage operations because of safety concerns for its employees and patrons. Staff is being paid through the lock down. “Recently, we have grown increasingly concerned with the safety of our dedicated employees and valued customers and the ability of the City to maintain a safe environment in the surrounding area,” the hotel said in a message on its website and on social media. “Therefore, we have made the difficult decision to temporarily close the food and beverage operations” until at least March 24, 2021.

COVID-19 Outbreak at Mar-A Lago

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Disease and pestilence follow the ex-president anywhere he goes. Mar-a-Lago the former president’s residence in Florida has an outbreak of COVID-19. It has been partially closed after some staff members tested positive.

The club said in a statement that the Beach Club and a la carte dining room were closed, but did not specify how many people had tested positive. Banquet and event services remain open. It seems insane that banquets which are by definition large gathering of people would remain open.

In January, images surfaced from a New Year’s Eve party at Mar-a-Lago that showed a number of guests not wearing masks. The resort was handed a formal warning by Palm Beach County which said the event had violated coronavirus regulations. The ex-president has always snubbed basic health precautions like masks and social distancing.

Palm Beach neighbors don’t want Trump living at Mar-a-Lago. A demand letter was reportedly delivered to the town of Palm Beach asserting that Trump lost his legal right to live at Mar-a-Lago when he converted the estate from his private residence to a private club in the 1990s.

News of the closure was first reported by the Associated Press.

 

9-11 Memorial and Museum

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Pam Schwartz and I had an opportunity to see some of the items from the 9-11 Memorial and Museum (180 Greenwich Street New York, NY 10007) up close. On the table in this sketch is an American flag which was covered with the names of people who died when the twin Towers fell. It is known as the flag of Honor. I didn’t have the time to write all the names. Versions of this flag are actually available online. Over 800,000 of these flags have been distributed across America and throughout the world.

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum is the country’s principal institution concerned with exploring 9/11 by documenting its impact, and examining its continuing significance. The museum honors those who were killed in the 2001 and 1993 attacks.

The 9/11 Memorial Museum is now open five days a week as a one-way visitor experience with new health and safety measures in place and ongoing operational changes to ensure a safe Museum experience.  All visitors must wear CDC-approved masks and purchase tickets in advance for timed visits that allow for social distancing. Museum capacity is limited to 25 percent.

 

 

Times Square Pop-Up

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On March 12, 2020 Broadway in NYC went black due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. All 41 Broadway theaters shuttered their performances. A solid year has gone by with no live theater on Broadway. This has been the longest shutdown in Broadway’s  history. To mark the one year anniversary, a live pop-up concert titled We Will Be Back, was held in commemoration of the industry’s lost year. Disney‘s Frozen was the first musical to shutter permanently.

The pop up concert provided a sense of hope as the industry and city move forward from the challenges of the past year. Over 97,000 arts workers have suffered during the theaters darkest hours. All the performers at this pop up performance were paid.

“I don’t think anyone of us expected it to last this long,” Brian Stokes Mitchell said. “That’s what’s been so shocking about it. It’s why I’m so happy I’ve been with the Actors Fund and to be able to help people get all through this terrible, terrible time we’re going through.”

The gathering was presented by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, NYCNext, and the Times Square Alliance. It is directed and produced by Holly-Anne Devlin/Kaleidoscope Entertainment, and Executive Produced by Blake Ross. Social distancing, face shields and masks were the norm.

The $17 billion a year theater industry still doesn’t know when it will get back to work, but the feeling is certainly optimistic.

Pre-Pandemic: FusionFest

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FusionFest happens around Thanksgiving in front of the Dr. Philips Center for the Performing Arts. For this sketch I sat at the end of a long row of international flags. Tents were set up for merchandise and food courts.

Fusion Fest in 2021 is scheduled for November 27th and 28th. The goal of Fusion Fest is to celebrate the people and the many cultures that make Central Florida awesome. It is is a free, two-day, festival that draws people from more than 110 different cultures to experience music, dance, food, visual arts, spoken word, games and interactive activities.

It all began when Sam Roberts of the Caribbean American Passport and Yves Bouele of the African Leaders Council wanted too create  some kind of international event. While there are dozens of festivals centered around one heritage or another in our community, we thought, What if we all came together at the same time?

 

Pre-Pandemic: The Lucky Lure

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The Lucky Lure is a dog-friendly open-air bar with a long, always changing list of beers and live music nights. The Orlando Urban Sketchers group had a meet up in Ivanhoe Village and I decided to sketch inside the Lucky Lure while sipping a beer. Most artists were sketching a block north at an intersection outside but this spot had everything I needed. Today, masks are required.

On the street the lure has wooden shudders which fold open and are secured to the ceiling.  This allows anyone walking by to see into the essentially open air bar which is an advantage in the pandemic.

When all the urban sketchers had finished their work we met outside the Lucky Lure to compare sketches. The wide variety of styles are always an inspiration.

A large apartment complex called The Yards has been erected behind The Lucky Lure which displaced a number of railroad warehouse artists studios and The Venue which was one of my favorite edgy local theaters. As Orlando builds vertical it is doing it by displacing a once quirky arts neighborhood.

Early Spike

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With COVID vaccines finally rolling out in a timely manner the tenancy of clueless governors is to assume the pandemic is over. The trouble is that the daily cases in America have plateaued at about 50,0000 to 60,000 cases a day which is similar to the case counts during last summer’s surge.

CDC officials warned a far more contagious variant of the coronavirus first identified in Britain (B.1.1.7) will likely become the dominant source of infection in the United States. Florida is leading the country with the most cases of the U.K. coronavirus variant. B.1.1.7 is about 50 percent more contagious than the original strain. This the virus can spread much faster and  cause more deaths than the original virus.

Dr. Fauci warned against early re-openings, he said, “We’re not in the end zone yet. And that’s one of the issues that when you plateau, there’s always the risk of a surge,” the top infectious disease expert added. Despite this warning, states like Texas and Mississippi have dropped mask mandates and opened 100%. President Joe Biden declared that every American should be eligible to get vaccinated by May 1, 2021. If everyone gets the first available vaccine tragedy can be averted. However about 49% the former president’s supporters have said they are against getting vaccinated. The former president and his wife were vaccinated in secret before leaving office. Fauci said he wishes the former President would use his popularity among Republicans to persuade more of his followers to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Bolsanaro

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Brazil has surpassed the United States with 2,000 Covid-related deaths in a single day for the first time, as infection rates soar.

President Jair Bolsonaro has downplayed the threat from the virus from the start. Earlier this week he told people to “stop whining“. Bolsonaro is more of a buffoon and threat to public health than Trump once was.

Across Brazil, intensive care units (ICU) are at more than 80% capacity, according to Margareth Dalcolmo, a doctor and researcher at Fiocruz. In 15 state capitals, ICUs are at more than 90% capacity, including in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.

Reports say the capital Brasilia has now reached full ICU capacity, while two cities – Porto Alegre and Campo Grande – have exceeded capacity.

Brazilian epidemiologist Dr. Pedro Hallal told the BBC World Service‘s Outside Source programme: “If we do not start vaccinating the population here very soon, it will become a massive tragedy.” Brazil is facing its biggest crisis since the pandemic began – but still, it feels like people are trying to ignore it.

The surge in cases in recent days has been attributed to the spread of a highly contagious variant of the virus – named P1 – which is thought to have originated in the Amazon city of Manaus. People who had been infected by the COVID virus and recovered are being re-infected by the new variant. The worry is that the P1 variant is a looming threat over the progress made in the region and the world. Scientists are hopeful that, if necessary, vaccines can be tweaked to work against new variants.

Bolsenaro’s Health Minister, General Eduardo Pazuello, lacks public health expertise and supports Bolsonaro’s push to use unproven drugs to fight COVID-19, while downplaying the need for social distancing. Two previous Health Ministers had resigned because they could not in good conscience promote the use of the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine. Pazuello was unable to secure timely supplies of vaccines for the country. “Having vaccinated too few people, the result has been “catastrophic,” said Dr. Ludhmila Hajjar, a cardiologist. Cheap flights fro Brazil to Florida can be found on Kyack for $162. The first case of the P1 variant was reported in Florida on February 18, 2021. An outbreak of this virus anywhere in the world in an outbreak of the virus everywhere in the world. Happy Spring Break folks.