The weekly Ocoee Parking Lot Bluegrass Jam.

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Every Friday on the corner of Maguire and Colonial in Ocoee, musicians gather in the parking lot behind the Twisty Treat ice cream shop to perform Bluegrass music. This tradition began 25 years ago. Different musicians show up each week to sit in. Outside this tight circle of performers, locals in the know, stop out with their lawn chairs to watch. A large semi truck cab was parked nearby with it’s loud diesel engine rumbling. He must have been parked there to watch. Children laughed from the windows of a white family van. My bet is this that parents had the heater on to stay warm.

The Ocoee Parking Lot Bluegrass Jam is a well-established, open jam and
has welcomes pickers of all skill levels. People of all ages and
backgrounds enjoy the Jams. It’s very much a place for families, young
couples, retirees, children, pets, and tourists.
Weather permitting the Jam begins every Friday evening at 6:30.

The orange glow lighting under the parking lot lamp was magical. On this night the temperate was down in the low 60’s with a crisp wind to add a wind chill factor. When the musicians took a break to get another layer of clothes, I did the same. With a skull cap and wind breaker jacket, I was nice and toasty. I recognized most of the folk songs and sang along. “Will the Circle be Unbroken” seemed particularly appropriate sung by this tight knit circle of friends. Between songs they might ask about a musician who hadn’t shown. It was clear they look out for each other.

This is one of the few old Florida traditions that remains in a digital age where the world speeds by. There is a comforting small town warmth that comes from watching this parking lot jam. It is like the feeling , had as a child when first watching a small town parade. Musicians and locals would catch up and chat between sets.

I worked on my Wacom tablet since I figured the computer CPU might help warm my hands. A banjo player complained the his fingers were cold. He later told me the he came to watch one of the parking lot jam sessions and one of the musicians walked up to him and asked, “Do you play banjo?” “Why yes, how did you know?” the man responded. “you look like a banjo player”. Since the banjo was in his car, he ended up performing from that night onward.

Locals looked over my shoulder to watch the sketch in progress. “You should show that to Paul.” I was told. Paul has shot about 200 YouTube videos of these spontaneous parking lot jams. Because of these videos, people come from around the world to watch or sit in on a jam. The digital age has made this home grown tradition internationally known. After about an hour, the group began to disperse. I was disappointed because I could have used another hour to help refine the warm lighting in the scene. A sketch by definition is never quite finished however so I had to accept what I could catch in the time I had.

Special Event planners meet on the Orlando Eye.

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The Orlando Eye is a giant Ferris wheel in Orlando, Florida. It carried its first passenger on April 29, 2015 and is one of the newest attractions in Orlando and the largest observation wheel on the East Coast. Special Event planners from around the country had gathered at the Orlando Convention Center. Stacey Paul Barabe organized an event in which planners would go on the Eye and brainstorm ideas on how to improve their industry. About ten people could fit in each capsule and a moderator asked questions to generate feedback and ideas.

In the digital age, it seems that people feel that all ides are in the public domain. One organizer told the horror story of pitching an idea that the client rejected and then they produced the concept on their own.  He learned about this theft when they asked him to pitch ideas for another event several years later. The packet he was given had photos of past events and he saw all his creative ideas had been used without consent or payment. The moderator was from England and there the industry is standardized. She was shocked at how little thought is put into public safety at events in the United States. She suggested that architects have a standard where they are paid up front for their time and that Event Planners should do the same. The issues are very much like the problems faced by illustrators today. People love creativity, the just don’t want to pay for it.

We went perhaps a quarter of the way up, when the wheel stopped, and then went in reverse. We guessed that an Event planner in another capsule
must have gotten claustrophobic and had to get off. When we were 400 feet up, the meeting was put on hold, so everyone could enjoy the view and take pictures. The Orlando skyline was visible to the North East along with a new roller coaster that looks like the Saint Lewis Arch. Epcot was visible to the South West because of that big sphere but the castle was hard to see. I was told that on a clear day you can see all the way to the space coast. The eye does a full rotation in 20 minutes. That meant that I had to rush the sketch. When you get off, the wheel is still spinning, and you step onto an arched ramp back to the platform. You exit of course through a gift shop. Outside the eye, two women in long flowing blue gowns were balanced on long poles. It was another great sketch opportunity but I needed to get to the Tin Roof to get to work creating back up sketches for the lunch meeting.

The Special Event at the Tin Roof.

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Stacey Paul Barabie asked me to help out at a event lunch held at the Tin Roof (8371 International Dr, Orlando, FL). The lunch us for Special Events planner who had gathered at the Orlando Convention Center. My role was to execute a sketch that highlighted key concepts from attendees. The day for them started with a trip on the Orlando Eye which is a brand new huge Ferris Wheel which just went up on International Drive. About ten attendees would get onto a capsule on the eye w a moderator who would as them questions about how them questions about how they feel they could improve the event planning industry. 

I got to the Tin Roof around 10pm.  The band, Sweet Bea and the Boys was busy setting up their sound equipment.It decided to do the sketch digitally and the signal w then transferred to all the flat screen TVs that lined the room. I just had to plug the HDMI cable into my tablet and then I relaxed to draw the stage. I had to wait about an hour before I got on the Eye to sketch one of the meetings. Buses arrived full of conventioneers who then crowded in to a waiting area at the base of the Eye. There they were served champagne an cookies. Albert Einstein from Madam Tussuad’s Wax Museum was also there for photo opportunities. 

Willer Newman performed at the Current Galleries in Sanford.

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The Home Show at the Current Galleries (202 E.1st Street Sanford Florida)  was the debut event in the new galleries. The venue welcomes new artists and edgy space for professional seasoned artists as well. Frankie Messina curated the show. He has an amazing ability to bring together talented artists of all disciplines. Wheeler Newman performed an earthy set of his original music. Abstract 60s patterns were animated on the screen behind him. His wife came up to sing one song with the solo acoustic guitar as back up.

In the background is a small conference room. Every wall had art on it. In the conference room one conceptual piece consisted of a blender filled with free water and a live gold fish. This piece made me uneasy and rather annoyed. It reminded me of the Japanese practice of self in small plastic key chains with live animals, like turtles and fish trapped inside. Once the oxygen runs out, the animals die. It is incredibly inhumane. In another way it reminded me of Sea World’s killer whales who have to live in enclosures rather than the open ocean. Art is meant to elicit an emotional response, and on that level, it succeeded

In front of the stage was an old fashioned type writer and some books. This hinted at the fact that the evening also featured some poetry. There were several chairs throughout the venue and once occupied, there would be an impromptu poetry reading. Naomi Butterfield sat down and read one of her poems. There was performance art and art installations in the back hall. There was something happening at every turn. , could have stayed all night, but the was already my second sketch, and I decided to call it a night.

On Saturday January 16th, The Current Galleries featured Paper Trail. The opening was from 5pm to 11pm. Frankie explained, “This is the first Installation, (a 4 month work in progress) of 27
year plus years of collected history of Central Florida’s growth in
Arts, Music, Writing, Film, Nightlife, Business, and all Culture as
captured in print media, newspapers, circulations, zines, newsletters,
chapbooks, novels, club flyers, art show posters. A cultural history
that you can touch! ” Featuring in the (soon to be) famous “round room” a special collaborative installation by newly married couple Kimme and Ededron.

Other upcoming shows at Current Gallery.  

January 23rd solo show. 

January 30th solo show. 

February 6th solo show.

February 13th solo show. February 20th Swan Song.

The Trojan Rabbit.

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Jeff Ferree created this life sized Trojan Rabbit. He works in the scene shop at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater, so he’s good at building stuff. He based his design on the Trojan Bunny in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. The Bunny popped up all around town, to promote the Orlando Shakespeare production of Spamalot. First Thursday

This sketch was done at Earth Day which also happened to fall on the Same day as the World Wide Sketch Crawl. I put out an invitation on Facebook to host the Orlando Crawl and about 5 or 6 artists showed up during the course of the day. As we sketched the rabbit, most of the crawlers Sat on the retaining wall to my right. I sat leaning back against a palm tree, and right next to me was a water bowl for dogs Which was used quite often by parched over heated dogs. The smoothie truck was quite popular among the humans who also wanted to cool down. I believe it was The Art Reach people who started blowing bubbles that floated in to the scene.

Jeff used the rabbit to attract peoples attention and then inform them about Spamalot. As I did this sketch,  I realized that there was nothing inside. I later contacted Jeff, and suggested that the bunny could be a good art gallery. When the bunny was moved outside the Shakespeare theater during the International Fringe Festival, Jeff allowed me to mount a show of Fringe related sketches inside. After Earth Day someone actually stole the bunnies tail. Who would steal a bunny tail? It makes for an odd useless trophy. Jeff let me use a scene shop drill which made it easy for me to mount the frames to the walls using brackets which made it near impossible to take a frame off the wall much like paintings in hotel rooms. The bunny was retired after its last appearance outside the Orlando Museum of Art for an animal themed First Thursday, which is a bit of a meat market for singles with some art. Once again I mounted prints inside. I don’t think many people ventured inside.

Weekend Top 6 Pick for January 16th and 17th.

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Saturday January 16, 2016 

 8am to 9pm All weekend. $20 in advance. $25 at the gate. Scottish Highland Games. Central Winds Park 1000 E. SR 434 Winter Springs, Florida. The history and culture of these events are centuries old and we are
honored to represent that heritage at the Central Florida Scottish
Highland Games. Experience traditional highland athletics, dance, art,
music, culture, food and a Gaelic spirit that will we hope will awaken
your soul!

The Scottish-American Society of Central Florida was founded in 1976 to
celebrate and carry on the Scottish traditions here in the U.S. The
purpose of this organization is to provide education to the Central
Florida community through schools, churches, civic lectures and
demonstrations, as well as organizing and hosting the annual Central
Florida Scottish Highland Games held on the third weekend in January.

 10am to 10pm All weekend. $19.95 for adults, $17.95 for students and seniors, $13.95 for youth (ages 3–11), and free for children 2 and under. Otronicon Orlando Science Center | 777 E. Princeton St. | Orlando, FL. Now in its 11th year, Otronicon is the premiere technology event that you can’t afford to miss!

At Otronicon, guests walk on the cutting edge through state-of-the-art simulation and gaming technologies, including military and medical simulators not typically available to the public. Experience simulators, expert speakers, panels, robots, virtual reality, video games and more.

Learn about STEM careers and Interact with technology created by local companies including Lockheed Martin, EA SPORTS, Disney, and more! The event will also include an art gallery that fuses tech and art together, an indie game developer showcase, gaming competitions, and a variety of speakers and workshops designed to excite, engage, and inspire our future workforce.

Regardless of your background – whether you are in the tech industry or just have a passion for learning – Otronicon engages guests of all ages to imagine the possibilities of the ever-growing and diverse digital media industry.

5pm to 11pm Free. Paper Trail Exhibit. Current Galleries 116 E. 1st street Historic Downtown Sanford. Main room installation by the current gallery directors and open collaborative mixed works show by YOU.

“First Installation (a 4 month work in progress) 27 year plus years of collected history of Central Florida’s growth in Arts, Music, Writing, Film, Nightlife, Business, and all Culture as captured in print media, newspapers, circulations, zines, newsletters, chapbooks, novels, club flyers, art show posters. A cultural history that you can touch! ”

Featuring in the (soon to be) famous “round room” a special collaborative installation by newly married couple Kimme and Ededron.

A Collaborative Art show. – all styles of art, no theme, and all subjects welcome. This is an open show with no rules.



Sunday January 17, 2016

1pm to 6pm Free. Ten 10 Art Market. Ten 10 Brewing Company 1010 Virginia Dr, Orlando, Florida. A Visual Art-Centric Market at the new brewery..next to the trail in a big parking lot with live local music (old vinyl spinning during day..set or two from local musicians mixed genres)..everybody promotes & pulls heads..permission from Alden Electric Supply (neighbor) enables tons of visitor parking..maybe get some interactive art stuff going..hopefully create a regular place to be outside & get together, surrounded by great: local art, music, food, & drink…so if that sounds like good times then..please join us! Art..music..food..beer …plus other interesting things…

Every 3rd Sunday

8.45am to 5pm $20 in advance. $25 at the gate. Highland Games. Central Winds Park 1000 E. SR 434 Winter Springs, Florida. http://www.flascot.com/

10am to 4pm Free. Lake Eola  Farmer’s Market. South East corner of the park.

Rise, an Acrobatic Play was rehearsed at Orlando Gymnastics.

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Rise, an Acrobatic Play is a moving, futuristic coming-of-age story about
a group of high school students dreaming of being world-class
entertainers. Under the direction of their new Diverse Physical Talents
teacher, Mr. Sam Simon, each student hopes to achieve greatness and win
one of two paid understudy roles in the Dream Empire, a well-known
traveling circus. As the students improve upon their talents and
performance presence, they struggle to keep love, friendship and rivalry
balanced in their lives. Rise is a new theatrical experience that will
electrify the mind and inspire audiences to overcome all obstacles and
rise to the top. Local Central Florida performers Tiffany Lamwatt and
Felix Betancourt play the lead roles of Max and Courtney, and 2007 World
Gymnastics Champion Shayla Worley makes a special appearance as Julie.

I went to rehearsal of Rise at Orlando Gymnastics (11821 Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando FL).The gymnasium was massive with a cheer leading squad rehearsing in one area and parkour gymnast jumping over hurdles and doing somersaults. The Rise dancers had an area set a side for all the costumes in their show. This was a dress rehearsal so everyone changed before the rehearsal got underway. The cheer leading team had to finish up be for the dancers could take to the staging area.

The first routine to be rehearsed was a Tango which had the male dance in formal black and the  female dancers in pure white and flaming red. The dance incorporated tradition tango with an urban hip hop twist. One dancer had performed with Drip Dance in the past, so I knew he would bring a fresh athleticism to the mix. Most of the routine was solidly set in place, but some spontaneous improve worked it way in as well.

The second routine to be rehearsed was called “Virtual Reality“. A middle school aged brother and sister team practiced martial arts with wild abandon while an aerialist performed in a rotating metal ring. This routine was modern and hip with dancers occupying all corners of the stage. One dancer moved like a mime whose body reacted to the music as if being hit by electric shocks. The younger dancer then moved all around the stage on a hoover board. The routine ended with a hard core first person fist fight that was beautifully choreographed to the music. As the music slowed, the final punches were thrown.

Rise is a bit of a cross between Stomp, and Cirque du Soleil. There was s vibrant camaraderie between the dancers. At any moment, a dancer might try something new, and if it pushed the boundaries, other performers would laugh and cheer.

Mark your calendar. Rise will be performed Saturday January 16th, starting at 7 pm at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts 445 S Magnolia Ave, Orlando, Florida 32801, Tickets are $33.75.

Winter Park welcomes Dogs and bans Artists.

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On December 14, 2015 the City of Winter Park passed an ordinance that makes it illegal for artists to “perform” on Park Avenue, New England Avenue and Hannibal Square.  “Perform” is broadly defined as, ,”acting, singing, playing musical instruments, pantomime, mime, magic, dancing, artistry or the sale of visual art and wares.” The broad definition is because a city can’t discriminate based on content. Any artist caught performing could face 60 days in jail and a $500 fine. To protect our first amendment rights, the city designated Winter Park’s Central Park as a “First Amendment Zone.” This will make the annual Winter Park Sidewalk Art festival happening this coming March, a perfectly legal money maker for the City and Park Avenue merchants. If I try and sketch that festival from the opposite side of Park Avenue however, I could go to jail. It could be argued that taking a cell phone photo could be considered “artistry” or even witchery so keep those phones in your pockets people.

The ordinance, “finds that the existence of street performers … would interfere with
the public health, safety and welfare of the pedestrian traffic … [by]
attracting audiences which congest the prohibited public area” and would
“adversely affect the city’s interests in the aesthetics in a city with
a unique historic downtown district.” To think that a visual artist might attract an audience that could block traffic is ridiculous. Most people don’t even notice an artist at work. I’m also surprised they think artists are a public health hazard and ruin a city’s aesthetics.

The ordinance was modeled after a similar ordinance in Saint Augustine which bans street performers and artists. That ordinance is being contested in court. That ruling is still pending. Winter Park merchants decided they need the ordinance because of some rather loud street performers. One band allegedly used a car battery to power amplifiers that blasted the music so loud that nearby merchants couldn’t hear their own store muzak or thoughts. Rather than come up with an ordinance to ban amplified music or restrict noise above a certain decibel level, the city decided to ban all artists. Visual artists are not street performers. They are no more intrusive than a person reading a book, or an iPad. This is something that city officials and law makers do not seem to understand.

On January 5th, I was invited by a Winter Park merchant to sketch and report on the opening of their new men’s department store. I got to the store a bit early and peaked inside to find the place rather empty. It looked like a boring sketch opportunity.  Instead I strolled up Park Avenue with every intent to break the law. I stopped in front of Bank of America and decided to sketch a group of men having a bottle of wine outside the Wine Room. The scene reminded me of a cafe painted by Van Gogh in Provence. Thank god police didn’t catch him in the act. Flames flickered up in the vertical space heaters at Luma. For once it was cool enough out so that I wouldn’t sweat as I sketched. One person walking by joked that my sketch wasn’t complete, since I didn’t include the bank’s ATM. Another person wanted to shoot a photo of me at work. I allowed it, but now realize that the photo could be incriminating evidence in a court of law.

It turns out, that an old friend, was one of the men at the table. He was seated facing away from me, so I didn’t notice him at first. When he got up to leave he noticed me sketching and came over to say hello. He joked that most of the men at the table were deviants, but little did he know that he was speaking to a hardened criminal practicing his dark and mysterious craft. I love the warm glow of Park Avenue at night, but I was lucky that I wasn’t caught as I tried to capture it. Winter Park is now a place that doesn’t welcome artists, so I will simply no longer consider it one of my sketching destinations, unless there are protests against this insane new ordinance. After finishing a sketch, I usually order a drink or food, but this night I slipped away like a criminal into the night.

Base Orlando keeps pushing the boundries of themed Body Painting.

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I arrived at BASE Orlando “British Invasion” Body Painting Show at the Majestic Event Center, (801 North John Young Parkway, Orlando, FL) a bit early so I could watch the talented body painters transforming models into living works of art. I immediately decided to focus on Nix Herrera who was painting a group of model to camouflage them against a British flag. A camera was set up on a tripod and from the camera’ vantage point the models blended in perfectly with the flag. The artists had to consult the came often to be sure they were on track.

Some of Orlando’s top entertainers also be performed on stage throughout the evening. Entertainment included BalaChandra Belly Dance,
Corsets and Cuties, and
Rock Hard Revue
Team Rush.Vendors were also set up around the venue so there was plenty of art and fashion. For me, the event is always an exciting and challenging sketch opportunity, as I document the models who are transformed as I sketch.

BASE brings together the talents of renowned Face and Body
Painter Mandi Ilene who has been painting for over a
decade, and Photographer Robert Johnston. From humble
beginnings of face painting at princess parties, Mandi was inspired to
see the entire body as a canvas and potential work of art. Since then,
she has won multiple face and body painting awards, painted across the
state, on cruise ships and in the Bahamas and currently does face
painting in Orlando. Mandi and her dynamic team now bring their work
together at BASE Orlando for an imaginative experience unlike anything
else.

After her community of body painters spent years
gathering in bars or homes to practice and exhibit their art, Mandi
founded BASE in an effort to reach out to a wider audience and produce a
complete art show. After many wildly successful events, Mandi and her
team continue to offer visitors a remarkable experience through their
one-of-a-kind collection of local artists and performers.

Mark your calendars! On January 14th, Base Orlando will present the Steampunk Body Paint Art Show at the Majestic Event Center. Doors open at 8pm. Tickets are $11.54 to $27.37. I’m excited about the Steampunk Show. I can already imagine the women being transformed into exotic mechanized creatures. Since the event features artwork on nude models, all guests should be over 18.

The Little Sketch that no one Loves.

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I have 7 large format prints on display at the Orlando Public Library downtown (101 E Central Blvd Orlando FL). The show was hung on New Year’s Eve and will be on display through February. The prints are on the ground floor just past the book checkout counters to the right. Hanging the work was an adventure in itself.

I originally threw 8 prints into the back seat of my car and secured them with the seat belt and a bungee chord. I was told that a parking spot was reserved for me behind the library in the loading dock area. Unfortunately all those spaces were full, so I parked in the loading dock itself. The entry to the mail room was through those large plastic strips you might find in a meat locker. I tried to keep the strips from slapping the frames. Calls had to be made before I could enter the library through two locked doors. I was offered help bringing the framed pieces inside, two at a time. With the help, we only had to make two trips to my car. Once the pieces were inside I was told I would have to move my car. There was metered parking nearby, but instead I drove about half a mile away to get some free suburban parking.

On the long hike back to the library I started thinking about one of the prints. The sketch in question had been done at the opening of Morgan Wilson‘s first one woman show at Falcon Bar and Gallery. Her work in the show titled The Holy and Obscene, was sensual, edgy and surreal. She has an amazing ability to capture the female form while making you think about America’s prudish views about sexuality.  The fact that I documented her opening made me a bit deviant by association.

The same print had hung in the Winter Park Chambers for several months along with about 25 other framed origin sketches. When that show came down, I was told that The Holy and Obscene piece had been taken down half a through the run of the show because a commissioner noticed the F-Bomb written on a woman’s tiara. I decided that I might have to open the frame and cut a Post-it note and cover the tiara.  Jessica Earley is an artist who also works at the library, and I figured she might be willing to help with the edit. As luck would have it, there was a Post-it in my pocket.

When I finally got back to the library, the piece I had been debating about was turned to the wall. I walked up behind two staff members who where discussing the piece. They didn’t even mention the F-Bomb. What they had noticed was a male phallus. I didn’t even remember drawing a phallus. I imagined the infamous hidden tower in Disney’s Little Mermaid poster. I took a second look, and sure enough, there it was, flaccid, small and Morgan was shooting a cell phone photo of it.

When Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel, he painted the monumental figures naked. After his death, an unknown artist was hired to paint thin fabric over the exposed men. In one fresco next to the alter, Michelangelo depicted Saint Peter willingly offered himself as a martyr. He was nude as both heroes and the humble were depicted, because
he was naked before God. The frescoes were renovated over a 20 year period and in 1994 the Chapel was re-opened. The restorers left the flimsy fabric censorship in place opening an ongoing debate in the art community.

Now I’m wondering if I should have edited Morgan’s work as it was depicted in my sketch. I drew a phallus without a second thought and yet it means that the sketch can never be exhibited publicly in Orlando. As an artist I have sketched hundreds of different nude models in figure drawing classes over the years. The naked human form is something I celebrate. I do, however understand and respect the Library’s policy. For that reason, I decided not to start placing Post-it notes all over the sketch. Instead, I quietly removed the forbidden art from public view.

Across from the men’s room, Martha Merritt was exhibiting mirrors framed with hundreds of shells. She showed me one framed aquatic skeleton that resembled a creature from outer space. Hidden within the structure she pointed out the shape of a crucifixion cross. She went on to explain that sand dollars have religious significance because they have 5 teeth that resemble holy doves.  I found it fascinating that there could be so much hidden religious significance in shells.  The day was a lesson in the Holy and Obscene. I still absolutely love Morgan’s paintings. She pokes fun at a society that celebrates its guns but hides sensuality. If you happen to stop by the library be sure to check out the shells for a taste of the holy, and then see my prints if you dare. You might want to bring along some Post-it notes just in case.