Full Sail Student Lounge

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On rare occasions, I get to Full Sail early because I’m coming from an event I sketched and it makes no sense to go home only to immediately turn around to drive to the university. This student lounge is right outside the 2D Animation studio where I work. Though I have a laptop computer, I’m not tempted to crack it open. I would rather crack open a sketchbook to observe all the students staring at  computer screens. There is some interaction as several students show each other a modeling project or a computer animation they are working on, but some students are just zoning out by watching U-Tube videos or checking their Facebook status. Perhaps this is the future, everyone interconnected but staring at screens.

The wall in the background is covered in framed DVD cases. These are apparently films that graduates had worked on.  I was talking to a doctor the other day, whose son had attended Full Sail. He asked if the school motto was still that every student who graduates in the two year accelerated program is guaranteed a job in the industry. I had never heard this before, but it seems impossible with huge visual effects houses like Rhythm and Hues going bankrupt and every movie studio wanting more for less.

The Capen House

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On June 6th, there was a Winter Park City Commission Meeting in which the fate of the Capen House was litigated. The 128 year old Winter Park home was built by James Caspen who came from Illinois. He worked towards making Winter Park a solid community. He was the secretary for the Winter Park Land Company which was and still is the largest land owning company in town. He also served as commissioner on the town council.

The home was granted a historic designation in 2011 but Sun Trust Bank, the mortgage holder on the property had that historic designation revoked.  Clardy Malugen, the owner at the time had registered the historic home during the foreclosure process. The new owners, John and Betsy Pokorny want to demolish the lake front home to erect a bigger mansion. At the June 6th meeting the Pokorny’s attorney granted a postponement of the demolition for 30 days so that options could be considered for preserving the house.

The Friends of Casa Feliz are working on finding a way to preserve the historic home. Casa Feliz had itself once been threatened with demolition. The entire brick building had been moved to it’s new site on Park Avenue next to the golf course. The Friends encourage public dialogue that
is thoughtful, considerate, and inclusive. It is the Friends’ goal to
find a solution to the precarious situation surrounding the Capen House,
not to assign blame.Groups of concerned citizens have congregated on Facebook and other web platforms to advocate for ‘saving’ the Capen House.

Large hedges obstruct most views of the house at 501 Interlacken Drive in Winter Park. Several “Private Property” signs along with a chain blocking the driveway discouraged me from sketching a full view of the home. I sat on the driveway to sketch the best view available. There was a demolition notice on the garage door. A huge live oak spread it’s ancient roots deep. Storm clouds rolled in as I sketched. I worked as fast as I could till rain drops started hitting the page. I packed the sketchbook away in my art supply bag and sprinted the mile or so back to my car. I had forgotten to bring an umbrella. As I write this, on July 6th the 30 day postponement is over. I’ll have to go back and see if I sketch the home or bulldozers.

P.S. As of July 12th, 2013, the historic home might be moved across the lake to the Albin Polasek museum as it’s new home.

2nd Annual Broomstick Pony Derby

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On Saturday May 4th, (Kentucky Derby Day), The Broomstick Pony Derby was held on the street in front of Urban ReThink (625 E Central Blvd, Orlando, Fl). The Broomstick Pony Derby is a season-long celebration of Orlando’s
play-spirited, civic-minded, try-curious, tri-athlete, road racing and
audacious-arts-appreciating community. The Derby route was over the bricked blocks of E. Central Blvd in Downtown
Orlando, roughly between Summerlin and Osceola Ave. These roads were closed off beginning at 2:00pm on Derby Day.

During the Broomstick Pony
Derby, folks of all ages create and race handmade broomstick ponies,
zebras, ostriches, you name it. Where do the ponies come from? They were made during our spring Broomstick Pony Workshops led by local
artists, including Ibex Puppetry and Clay Curiosities. The
festivities celebrate community and creativity and will raise funds,
friends, and awareness for enhancing Urban ReThink’s operations and
programming.

People and ponies danced in the streets to music provided by DJ Si Rajadhyax  Food and drink specials were offered by Thornton Park businesses, there was a Raffle, Pony parade, featuring pony marchers and an all-kazoo band.

When I got there, the DJ was getting set up. There was a threat of showers and when I felt a few drops, I took cover under the ReThink awning. Necole Pynn assured me that there was no way it could rain on Pony Derby day. People’s broomstick ponies were all lined up along the fence. The rain never came and by the time I finished sketching the DJ the street was crowded. The pony parade involved all the racers gathering in a large circle and passing the pony’s around so everyone got to see the handiwork. A couple was dressed as salt and pepper shakers. One horse rode a broomstick human. There were Unicorns and a sea horse. Some kids were in costume with cowboy hats, frilly dressed and a Bo Peep outfit. In the relay, the Hot Llama Mamas and the amazing kids from Misty Forest were hard to beat.  Contestants were told not to run, but in the heat of the race the fine line between a fast skip and a run was blurred. The youngest contestants, trailing the pack often got the most boisterous cheers as they approached the finish line.

Mysterious Muses

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On Tuesday June 4th, at 7pm Frank Holt, the  Director of the Mennello Museum of American Art, (900 E Princeton St Orlando FL) conducted an intimate tour of Mysterious Muses: A Selection of Southern Folk Art, and the companion exhibit, Southern Folk Art Masters. This was a chance to hear Holt speak about the pieces in both exhibits that he’s drawn from the permanent collection.

Perhaps 20 to 30 art loving patrons gathered to hear Frank’s insights. They moved throughout the galleries and I decided to catch Frank in the main entry to the museum as he spoke about this large totem covered in words and crows. Apparently there was a myth among southern blacks that crows would spy on the white community and report back. I was reminded of the not very politically correct crows in Dumbo. I liked the crows angular forms blocked out in wood. Their long yellow beaks made them resemble Toucans. This column is actually covered with words but I ran out of time and only wrote the one line. The upside down copy at the top said something like, “I wrote this upside down because it was easier.” A thunderbird is a legendary creature in certain North American indigenous peoples’ history and culture. It is considered a supernatural bird of power and strength. It’s name comes from the common belief that the beating of its enormous wings causes thunder and stirs the wind. A large crow at the top of this totem stands in as the thunderbird. Artists in the show include, Alyne Harris, Brian Dowdall, Sybil Gibson, Kurt
Zimmerman, Ronald Lockett, Jesse Aaron, Benjamin Perkins and Gary Yost. The exhibit will remain up through August 9th.

In the back room of the museum was an exhibit called “Crackers in the Glade” with sketches by Rob Storter.  These simple pen and ink with watercolor drawing really resonated with me. Here was an artist doing exactly what I love to do, documenting his life and times with line and tone. These sketches were done to preserve the artists’ memory of a side of Florida that is now long gone. Storter was a humble fisherman, but he has an eye for detail and his sketches help bring the past to life. Things he is intimately familiar with like fish and boats jump off the page with bold and confident line work. This exhibit is well worth a visit and I know I’ll be going back. I left an umbrella in the museum as a subconscious reminder that I must return.

Weekend Top 6 Picks

Saturday July 6th 2013 

10am to 5pm FREE: Bank of America Museums on US! Orange County Regional History Center (65 E. Central Blvd. Orlando FL 32801.) BA’s Gift to you this weekend, free admission for Bank of America or Merrill Lynch cardholders. Present your Bank of America or Merrill Lynch Credit or Debit Card and a valid photo ID and the cardholder receives free admission!

INFO (407)836-7010

www.thehistorycenter.org

1pm to 4pm $2 Donation: Summertime Music Series, The Ladyz and the Boyz. Lakeridge Winery and Vineyards, (19239 US Hwy 27 Clermont FL 34715.) Ladyz and the Boyz is a tribute to American music starring two dynamic sisters from Rochester, NY on vocals and keyboards. The Howard Sister’s, Kaimi, Quin, and Casey’s soulful voices give the band spirit that has audiences giving standing ovations at every performance. Lead male vocals and guitar of Louie Velez, drummer George Mitchell, and Band leader, bassist Paul Lovizio.

8pm to Midnight FREE: Dark Arts Art Show. The Falcon (819 E Washington Street Orlando FL 32801.) Art featuring witches, warlocks, vampires, werewolf’s & anything that goes bump in the night!

Sunday July 7th 2013

Noon to 2pm Order lunch: Broadway Brunch at Hamburger Mary’s! (110 West Church Street Orlando, FL 32801.) Show tunes and a juicy burger.

6pm to 8pm FREE: SHUT YOUR FACE! Poetry Slam by Curtis Meyer! La Casa De La Paellas (10414 E Colonial Dr Orl FL 32817.) The only current ongoing slam in Orlando officially certified by Poetry Slam Incorporated, IE. Send a team to Nats as well as poets to The Individual World Poetry Slam and Women of The World Poetry Slam! $50 to the winner! If you’ve never seen or been in a slam before, it’s definitely worth checking out!

INFO: curtisxmeyer@hotmail.com

www.casadelaspaellas.com

7:30pm to 9:30pm  FREE: Concert! 3 world premieres by Richard Drexler, Keith Lay & Ralph Hays!!! The White House (2000 South Summerlin Orlando FL 32806.) This fine clarinet quartet is going to Assisi next week to perform at the International Clarinet Association’s conference. New music by three living composers, two of whom will be in attendance (one from NYC). The Ralph Hays piece is entitled Divertimento, and can be described as a neoclassical multi movement work that is quite charming. With sometimes surprising harmonic twists. The Keith Lay pieces are entitled, Even and Sawtooth, and will challenge the audience to rethink what they know about tempo and rhythm. The Richard Drexler piece is entitled Five South American Dances and will transport the listener to very different parts of the world without the jet lag. Donations welcome (to help pay for their trip). Kevin Strang, Keith Koons, Jessica Hall, Jennifer Royals

Don’t forget to bring food & wine to share!

www.timucua.com/calendar.html

The Sketchbook Project Mobile Library

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The Sketchbook Project Mobile Library rolled into Orlando on July 2nd and 3rd at The Gallery at Avalon Island (39 S. Magnolia Ave.
Orlando, FL). The library was open from 5pm to 9pm. It is an interactive art exhibition on wheels, featuring a rotating selection of work from The Sketchbook Project installed in a custom-crafted library trailer filled with 4,500 sketchbooks.

The event was free to attend. Steven and Sara Peterman, co-founder of the Sketchbook Project and the director of Brooklyn Art Library were inside helping people check out sketchbooks. The sketchbooks were cataloged by theme, material, mood,  artists names, tags, city, country and more! “It’s like a taco truck but with sketchbooks.” Orlando is one of 30 cities that the Mobile Library will visit in 2013. There were three steps to participate. 1 you get a library card, 2 you check out books using a computer to pick a theme, city or artist, 3 you’re given a sketchbook to flip through.

I submitted a sketchbook to the Brooklyn Art Library in 2009. All of the sketches from that sketchbook were posted on this site. Because I visited the Sketchbook Project when it came to Full Sail and Urban ReThink in past years, I already had my library card. I just had to laser scan it and pick out some sketchbooks.

First I searched by city, looking for sketchbooks from NYC. I was given, “Into the Forest” by Lily Feng. She had precise photo real pencil renderings of women in forest settings. She had to have spent an eternity getting the wide range of values right. I was given a second, arbitrary sketchbook of sketches done in Saint Marten. This sketchbook was part collage and part sketchbook documenting an island vacation. As it grew dark more people showed up to check out sketchbooks. Part of the fun is to see what quirky sketchbook a friend is flipping through.

Patrick Greene, the new curator at Avalon Gallery interviewed TrezMark Harris as I sketched. By the time I finished my sketch, dark grey storm clouds had rolled in. The warm light inside the truck illuminated the threatening gloom. An E-Z Up pop up tent was leaned up against the truck in case it rained. I checked for a sketchbook from Orlando and was given one by Lilah Shepherd. It was full of abstract pen line drawings with light watercolor washes. A second arbitrary pick was from Kelly Zarb from Melbourne Australia. She sketched some of her favorite things like terrariums and owls. Spreads highlighted inspirational sayings like, “Don’t hide your beauty, let the world see you.” And, “See the beauty in the everyday.” I can relate to that. As I returned the sketchbooks, it began to rain. I popped up my umbrella and headed home.

Mystery Sketch Theater

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Mystery Sketch Theater is held every first Wednesday of the month at a Winter Park warehouse, (784 Cherry St, Winter Park, FL). Franki Markstone was the model in June. She wore a delicate blue ensemble with a corset that let her ample bosom pour out. She had to check with each pose to be sure nothing slipped free. The dress was covered in thousands of sequins which she had personally hot glued in place. Now this level of detail is kind of hard to catch in the 30 second and one minute drawings so I let it slide. I ignored her tattoos as well since it conflicted with her Marilyn Monroe image. A fan would have been nice to billow up her skirt. She later came out in a purple, green and black dominatrix outfit. There was a very intricate flaming tattoo on her chest. I wanted to explore it in detail, but that alone would have taken an hour to sketch.

Tonight July 3rd, at 8pm, Scarlett Lush will be returning to Mystery Sketch Theater! She specializes in making
her own costumes out of latex and vinyl. They are both awesome and
shiny. Here is a little bit more about her, in her own words: “I’m Scarlett Lush a dominant fetish model and sassy lady. My job
consists of dressing up and getting paid to play with models or spanking
men. Most of my outfits come from a local clothing company called Suzi Fox. We’ve designed some awesome pieces together and she always makes
sure I’m looking fierce. I’m excited to be a part of Mystery Sketch Theater.”

Event organizers Kristen Pauline and Adrienne Frankenfield encourage artists to feel free to bring any outside food and drink that you would like to this event. Mystery Sketch Theater is bursting at the seams so be sure to get there early, drawing tables fill up fast.The price is $5 which goes to the model and the mystery prize.

Retirement Home for Horses

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Bob Heisler told me about the Mill Creek Farm, Retirement Home for Horses was established in 1984 as an equine sanctuary by Mary and Peter Gregory in Alachua Florida. Over one hundred horses stay in these rolling meadows where they are never ridden or worked again. Terry and I visited the farm on June 1st, and were greeted by Peter, age 83, at the entrance when we arrived. He gave us a tour of the property in one of the go carts that he and volunteers use to get around the huge property’s acres.

Some of the formerly abused horses came from circuses, the military and police forces. One horse has a medal of commendation signed by the president. Some horses from a New York City riding academy had lived in stalls in a basement, and had never seen sunlight. They now roam free in pastures. On the weekends, volunteers come to give the horses a grooming. Horses are taken from their pastures where they get plenty of attention. Voltan stood with regal pride as he was groomed.  One of the first pastures had horses that were blind. A sign explained that if you tapped a carrot against the fence then the horses would come to be fed. One horse literally had no eyes, just empty sealed over sockets. Terry gave them some carrots. Visitors come to the retirement home each weekend to feed and pet the horses.

All the horses that had been formerly abused, abandoned or destined for slaughter, are provided a lifetime of care. Peter drove us through “The Field of Dreams” this is where horses are buried when they die. He explained that about one horse dies each month. The retirement home went for four months earlier this year with out any horses passing away, but last month four died. Each time a horse dies, a tree is planted to mark it’s grave. The Field of Dreams is slowly becoming a forest.

The property is open every weekend to the public from 11am to 3pm. Admission is two carrots.  If you love horses, consider sponsoring one at the farm under the Adopt-a-horse Program. This requires a monthly stipend to help provide care for a noble animal in his or her twilight years. Call or write for details.

Retirement Home for Horses

P.O. Box 2100

Alachua, FL 32616-2100

(386) 462-1001

rhh@millcreekfarm.org

Symphony in HD

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I went to an Orlando Philharmonic rehearsal for “Symphony in HD” at Full Sail University. This is the second time the symphony has joined forces with Full Sail to stage a high tech concert. The orchestra, conducted by Music Director Christopher Wilkins, will be accompanied by animation, film, lighting effects and other visual elements created by students and faculty of Full Sail University. Jay Noble, the Event producer said, “Through this dynamic collaboration, our students and staff are challenged with creating a unique and larger than life visual environment that will become an extension of selections performed by the Philharmonic.”

The concert began with a twilight set by Vilaldi‘s “Spring” from The Four Seasons. There was a bit of a challenge getting the cues straight to be sure the Orchestra and the effects were in sync. “The Flight of the Bumble Bee” by Rimsky-Korsakov had a film that tracked a bumble bee’s flight. Singer Davis Gaines came out much later in the program to sing “Music of the Night” from Phantom of the Opera. Davis had performed as the phantom in the Broadway production by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Davis walked around the room as he sang, interacting with people who had come to the rehearsal. He glanced at my sketch and gave me a thumbs up. I felt bad because I had squeezed him in as an after thought and it didn’t look much like him.

The actual Gala concert was on Friday May 31st. Guests had drinks and hors d’oeuvres along with a silent auction on Full Sail’s Hollywood style film set on the back lot facility. They then had a three course meal in Full Sail live where the concert was held. The William Tell Overture had a guest conductor, Bryce West, who had won the opportunity in an auction. He did a bang up job. Christopher Wilkins will be stepping down as the Orlando Philharmonic conductor. His contract is not being renewed in 2014.

2D Animation

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There is a certain nostalgia seeing a new group of students each month in the 2DA Full Sail classroom. By the end of the first day it is possible to sense which students have the drive to excel. Most of my time is spend helping students navigate how to use the computer software to shoot the drawings they produce at their animation desks. For some students there is a legitimate glee that comes from seeing their drawings move for the first time.

Larry Lauria does a good job of sharing his enthusiasm for the medium. Each lunch break he shows academy award winning animated shorts, to give the students an idea of what can be achieved with a pencil, plenty of paper and imagination. On the first day, students realize the amount of work needed to create just one second of animation. They create a one second animated morph, having one object transform into another.

The students are issued plastic portfolio cases that come packed with the basic supplies needed to create hand drawn animation. They get red, blue and black Prismacolor pencils, an eraser, sharpener, a peg strip and a flip book.  The 150 page flip book is the most creative assignment the students get. They can create any type of animated scene that they like. Some students plan a whole story while others simply play with shapes and forms.

There are several animation projects in each of the ten classes each month. Some students finish with ease while others struggle to keep up. I’m always trying to encourage students to make passable animation
better or more entertaining. This is the hardest thing to pass on, the
fire in the belly, an undeniable need to create. Some sleep walk through
life trying to just get by. Some discover this drive early while others
will find it later in life. Jobs might come and go, but a life fueled with creative ambition will always be full filling.

La Mia Danza

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After sketching a rehearsal at The Venue, I decided to stay and sketch La Mia Danza. This improvisational dance performance featured Michelina Wingerter along with live music by Tacatantán Record’s Abdias Ernesto Garcia. Various lamps were set up on stage. Michelina wished she had a lounge chair so the set would feel like the comfy intimate room she improve dances in at home. Helen, the tech said there was a lounge chair up in the tech booth. The trouble was the only way up there was via a wooden ladder. Several techs and dancers gathered around the ladder. The chair was huge. As several people lowered it from above, the people below reached up. I got up and went over just in case it toppled and more hands were needed.

With the chair onstage, Michelina immediately did a headstand on it. She walked on it’s arms and found creative ways to slither out of it. She loved the chair because it was so stable. She could do anything on it and it wouldn’t topple over. There was a full house for the performance. Abdias began playing his mix of music. Michelina’s performance began as she sat still in the chair. Her movement gained momentum as she danced on stage. She turned lights on or off as needed.

At times she jumped off the stage moving into the audience. She even sat in the front row for a moment to catch her breath. She moved with wild abandon. Movements became more angular and angry. She began to shout as she danced. She looked at me and shouted, “You want to draw me? Why?!”  She eventually removed her top with a flourish and black pasties covered her nipples. It was hard not to watch those twin black holes as they moved on the universe of the stage. She later put on a loose flannel shirt that flowed around her petite frame as she danced. She danced on the razor’s edge shouting in anger and rage. The loud brash performance expressed existential doubts while hinting that the Phoenix could still rise from the ashes.

At the end, Michelina sat center stage completely spent and in tears. The whole audience stood and the applause was thunderous. Michelina bowed with tears still falling. Abdias joined her on stage and they both raised their hands to the tech’s upstairs. Blue Star addressed the audience, inviting them to get their party on after that one of a kind performance.