Tablet Repair

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My Motion Computing Tablet started running some diagnostic that kept me from writing. The ominous screen popped up every other time I booted up the computer. Naturally I panicked. I called Damon Natch Burke, who is the brother of local artist Tracy Burke. “Tracy got all the artistic talent and I got all the analytical abilities.” He said. Damon used to work, engineering rocket payloads. A poster in his workshop showed a schematic of one of those rockets.  He now works an Embry-Riddle as an Observatory engineer. He came across the same warning signs and decided to attack the issue from the inside out. First he researched on Google to see if any other people had the same issue. I did the same thing, but he always seems to find more in depth reports. Somehow he hooked his computer up to mine and he ran a barrage of tests.

He let me sit in and sketch as he took the tablet apart. The tiny screws were balanced on top of his own iPad. The pressure sensitive screen was popped off and he finally found a way to inspect the heart of the machine, a tiny hard drive. He approached the problem from all angles. If the hard drive was to blame, he wanted to be sure he ordered the right one. When he rebooted and the diagnostic screen came up again, he asked how long I had let the diagnostic run. I had let it run all night and when I saw it hadn’t finished by the next morning, I had assumed it was frozen. As we sat and talked, he let the diagnostic continue. He placed his ear to the machine and listened for movement in the hard drive. I joked that the doctor needed a stethoscope. He actually had one and he decided to use it. “You can’t draw me using the stethoscope however.” He insisted.

As the hard drive continued to click and whir, Damon suggested I go out and get some lunch.  When I returned, it was still working. I went back home to get all my software disks in case the hard drive had to be wiped clean. In the end, the machine fixed itself. I had just not been patient enough to let the program finish its work. The experience was a wake up call. I need to start backing up all my data. I’ll do that soon, when there is more time.

GOAT Actors Studio Annex

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Dennis Neal was conducting his second three week intensive actors workshop at the GOAT Actors Studio Annex, (650 S. Northlake Blvd., Suite 430, Altmonte Springs). The Greater Orlando Actors Theatre class was offered two nights a week with four hour sessions. The invitation stressed that each person would be working on a play of their choosing, as well as
other work. This class was for those WILLING TO WORK and SERIOUS ABOUT
THEIR CRAFT!

About a dozen actors sat at tables edging the corporate training room. The first question Dennis would ask each student was, “Why are you taking this course.” The answers helped define where each artist was on their personal journey. There were far more women than men who wanted to learn. Each actor was asked to bring a monologue they could read. A young woman named Denise was the first at bat. Her mom sat beside her. Denise got up and sat in a lone chair in the center of the room facing Dennis. He stressed that the class wasn’t about judgement or winning his acceptance. Jokingly he warned Denise, “I will  break you down.”  The room grew quiet. There was tension in the air.

Denise confided that she was nervous. She had written her own monologue in which she confronted a boy making  unwanted advances. “You think I’m that kind of girl?” she said. Dennis interrupted her and asked her to delete all the inflections and flourishes. He wanted her to just say the lines like she was speaking. He would then use hand signals to indicate when he wanted her to slow down or speed up a line. She was flustered, thrown off balance. Her eyes welled up. She asked to be excused and ran to the bathroom. Dennis asked another actress to go in and see how she was doing.

Each actor got up in turn to work on their monologue. Alecia traveled two hours to get to the class. Dennis shouted out, “Lets take it to the wall!” He said, “Every scene goes back to love and fear.” The most important thing an actor must keep in mind is, “What do I want.” Even more important, “Nobody is perfect.” Sarah Lockhard had already memorized her monologue. She played the part of a manic receptionist talking at a break neck pace. She was quirky, quick witted and hilarious. When she was done, Dennis asked, “Do you drink coffee?” “Heck YEAH!” she shot back. Everyone laughed.

Dennis asked one actress to just speak to another actress about maturity. Everything she said came from the heart. There was no script. Authenticity flowed. Dennis used the exchange to point out that honesty is the best tool in any actor’s tool box. The young actress, Denise, had returned and she was the last to again take the center stage chair. Dennis said, “I may bark, but I don’t bite.” This time she performed admirably, working hard to accept advice and dig deep inside to express herself with absolute honesty. By the next class, each actor was expected to be “off book.” Then, the real work would begin.

Artists’ Critique & Conversation

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The Art & History Museums of Maitland presented an exciting new initiative to assist in the professional development of local artists. A new series, titled Artists’ Critique & Conversation, will be held on the 4th Tuesday of every month at 6:00 p.m.
The critiques will be held in the Germaine Marvel Building, (210 W. Packwood Avenue, Maitland). The Critique is FREE and the public is encouraged to attend. A bar was available with beer, wine, water and soft drinks.

The critiques will be led by artist, arts writer, and instructor Josh Garrick, along with two additional panelists each month. Parker Sketch offered his insights at the first event. After the panel review, all attendees displayed their work and engaged in discussions and peer reviews.

Artists of every medium and skill level are encouraged to participate. Each critique will review up to 9 artists, and all artists MUST sign up in advance. Each artist can only sign up for one of the nine slots every three months.

Garrick, who has spent his career in the arts, discusses the judging and critique of art, “From my years as a teacher at New York City’s School of Visual Arts, it has always been important to me – when ‘judging’ art – to create an environment in which my students and colleagues may expand their abilities, and not to insist on a style, or change an individual’s personal voice,” he says. “Rather, the most important consideration for me, as an aesthetic judge, is to seek out those persons whose work exhibits a unique and personal form of creativity. “Other important considerations include: composition, use of color, technical ability, control of the medium, and use of light and shading. While judgments of aesthetic value may be linked to emotions or cultural conditioning, I’ve found that I have the ability to put those aside and find – when judging – that my initial response to a work is my finest barometer.

“Having ‘judged’ well over 1000 student portfolios and Art Festivals throughout the Eastern US, I put aside my personal ‘interpretations,’ and allow the work to ‘sweep over me,’ as I was taught by Silas Rhodes, founder of the School of Visual Arts. Meanings and symbols mean little to me in the judging process. My senses, emotions, and training – or some combination of these – mean much more.

“When I participate as a juror, I ‘see’ from an artist’s point-of-view, and from a teacher’s point-of-view, and as a person willing to be public with an honest opinion. Jurors must be willing to voice their opinion … and stand by it, with everyone understanding that it is one man’s opinion – no more and no less. When my considered opinion of a student’s work was negative, I would tell that person, ‘It is one man’s opinion. It is an educated opinion, but it is one opinion.’ If there is a constructive lesson to be learned, that point is worth remembering.

“Finally,” Garrick concludes, “it is up to each Artist to maintain his or her own choices and opinions. This is YOUR work, and the most important judgment is how YOU judge your work.”

The next Artist’s Critique is Tuesday July 24th starting at 6PM in the Maitland Art Center’s Germaine Marvel Building, 210 W. Packwood Avenue, Maitland.

Tango Dance Class

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The dance class began in the Zebra Room (2609 Gower Street), at 2 A.M. Tango Productions run by Amy Allison, featured Victoria Sarquisse and Federico Jorquera, for the first time teaching workshops in Orlando. Victoria and Federico were both born and raised in Argentina and have been teaching Argentine tango in the Tampa area for the last 5 years.

Students arrived slowly, socializing and changing their shoes. The workshop began with Victoria leading everyone in warm up exercises. They all faced the mirrored wall stretching along with Victoria. I only had enough time to sketch Victoria with her hands stretched over her head. Men and women then separated into two groups. Frederico showed the men how to lead and the women were shown their embellishments.

Victoria explained that walking with dignified intention can be the most beautiful aspect of any Tango. The movement is initiated from the chest. She plucked the fabric of a participants blouse to demonstrate. Every step had deliberate confidence. The first important thing in Tango is a good embrace and the second is walking. There are many nuances built around every deliberate move. When men and women danced together, with volcadas in close embrace, they were instructed to feel the connection. In one exercise the men were instructed to take a small step back and the women would lean forward into his chest. Even though there was often space between them, every nuance needed to be communicated and felt. Victoria stressed that they needed to enjoy the journey. With the lessons complete, everyone danced with abandon, learning from each new partner.

Blues Dance

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After repairing my computer, Damon Natch Burke and his wife, Amy Davenport were going to take a Blues Dance Class at the Zebra Room (2609 Gowen Street, Orlando) . Damon suggested I meet him there so he could give me my repaired tablet. Of course I asked if I could stay and sketch. Damon talked to the instructors and they were fine with the idea. Cars drove inside what looked like a residential backyard and parked on the lawn between orange trees. I arrived at the same time as a petite girl from Knoxville Tennessee.

 Unfortunately the air conditioning in the Zebra room was broken. That didn’t stop this group of dancers. People kept arriving with fans and one couple showed up with three huge industrial fans. It was bliss when the breeze hit. With all the fans on however you couldn’t hear the instructors talk, so the fans were turned back off. I liked the premise that dance is an intuitive dialogue, or conversation between couples. Simple exercises started with couples facing each other and touching palms. They needed to stand close and move as one. They stepped together forward and back to the beat of the blues. When a lead dancer would spin his partner, she could go with the flow of his up beat pace or slow down the spin at the apex and dip in slow motion. Her desire for a slow sensual movement could then be followed up by the lead. The sensual dance conversation could continue without a word.

Broomstick Pony Workshop

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Preparations are underway at Urban ReThink for Orlando’s first ever Broomstick Pony Derby. Megan Boye, from Ibex Puppetry, brought along a wide assortment of materials for people to use to create their own broomstick pony. I was most impressed when she lugged in a huge military knapsack that was bulging at the seams. It turned out that the knapsack was full of fluff which would be used to stuff each horse head.

I followed a mom and daughter team as they created their red striped pony. In the conference room all the supplies were spread out on a long table and people were free to pick anything they wanted for their creations.  The room was a constant flurry of activity as head patterns were cut, hot glued and sewn. Every horse head was unique.

Orlando used to host fun quirky events like the Cumquat Parade. The Broomstick Pony Derby is  attempting to bring back that fun, civic minded, artistic sense of community. Folks of all ages will create and race handmade broomstick ponies, zebras, ostriches, aliens, you name it. Spectators will enjoy light-hearted races with whimsical outcomes. The Derby celebrate community and creativity and will raise funds, friends, and awareness for enhancing Urban ReThink’s operations and programming.There is one more pony making workshop on August 16th at 6:25PM to 9PM. There is a Broomstick Pony Showing, TONIGHT from 6:25PM to 9PM. The Derby will take place on Saturday, September 22, 9:00 to 11:00 am on Central Boulevard outside of Urban ReThink. May the best horse win. Broomstick pony galloping to local businesses will continue after the big race!

Milk Carton Superstars

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The third band I saw as part of I-4 Fest, inside Austin’s Coffee (929 W. Fairbanks Ave. Winter Park) on July 4th was Milk Carton Superstars. They had gone the extra mile by having an American flax covering the speakers. They also had their own LED lighting although it wasn’t needed since it was really bright outside. Milk Carton Superstars are a couple guys shaking riffs and rhymes out of thin air and turning them into rock & roll songs.


The band formed in early 2007 when longtime friends
Guy Larmay (guitars, bass, other) and Jim Myers (vocals, drums, other
also) began writing songs together again for the first time. They are
based in Mt. Dora.

The music was hard hitting rock and roll. My wife, Terry, hadn’t finished her crossword puzzle yet because a coffee had been spilled on it. We decided we had seen enough local music for one day.  I drove near Lake Eola where streets were already blocked off for the July 4th fireworks display. I didn’t want to deal with the inevitable traffic, so I drove to Boston Market where we had a holiday feast. After that, we drove straight home, where I watched war movies for the rest of the night as fire crackers and bottle rockets exploded around the quiet suburban streets. Zorro, an umbrella cockatoo, didn’t much like the noise. He raised his crest every time there was an explosion.

(the parentheticals)

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Every hour or so a new band would lug in their equipment and set up on the indoor stage at Austin’s Coffee (929 W. Fairbanks Ave.

Winter Park) for I-4 Fest. The second group I saw was (the parentheticals). I was enjoyed sketching the performers from my spot right next to the stage.

They played with energy and abandon. Luckily my sketch flowed with just the right amount of structure and looseness.

(the parentheticals) were born when three friends, all longtime  

singer/songwriter musicians but who had never worked together, decided 

 to collaborate for the first time on an original project. Despite the

distinctly different styles of writing, singing, and playing each brought to the table, they quickly found that their individual talents blended and complemented each other perfectly.  Creative bursts of  writing and jamming followed, and soon (the parentheticals) had crafted their unique laid-back, underground indie-rock sound.

Bill Massey was on bass, guitar, harmonica, keyboard and drum machine, Matt O’Grady on guitar, melodica and mandolin and Kristen DeAngelis on guitar and synths (when allowed). Everybody sings.  They are currently in the studio   working on their first collection of recordings while also playing live whenever possible.

I-4 Fest

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On July 4th, Terry and I went to Austin’s Coffee (929 W. Fairbanks Ave.
Winter Park) where I-4 Fest was being hosted. For $5 you could listen to local musicians perform all day long. There was a band playing on the outdoor stage, but since it was so hot outside, I ordered an Orange Blossom beer and went inside to enjoy the air conditioning. I sat on a rickety old kitchen chair. Chopper Stepe was performing on the small stage in front of the entry window. It was a simple acoustical performance in the intimate setting. Terry sat at a back counter doing a crossword puzzle while I sketched. Patriotic children’s art decorated the walls. A primitive Abe Lincoln stood in front of the American flag. A gun was being pointed at him and someone was telling him to “Look out!” Beer bottles decorated the stage. The music was simple warm and inviting.  My July 4th was off to a great start.

Science Center

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The Orlando Science Center is open late on Friday and Saturday evenings in the summer. The Cosby Observatory is open till 10PM. The first time I went to the Science Center to see the observatory, it was raining. Well, of course the dome wasn’t open, so I decided to wander and find another sketch opportunity. I was tempted by a transparent woman but then couldn’t resist the dinosaurs. The room was completely empty the whole time I sketched. Only one family entered and they seemed to know instinctively, how to stay out of the sketch.

Every once in a while I would hear a dinosaur snort and roar. It wasn’t until I was about an hour into the sketch, that I noticed the T-Rex was moving his jaw as he made noise. It took me by surprise and I waited the longest time to see if he would do it again. I started looking over my shoulder anytime I heard noises behind me.

The excavation pits were well worked with sand scattered on the floor. Many paleontologists had been busy uncovering the bones.  This really is the best time for adults to play among the science exhibits free from bus loads of school children. Giant screen films are shown as well in the CineDome of Tornado Alley and Rescue. The Friday and Saturday evening hours continue all summer through August 18th. Night time tickets are just $13 for adults and $8 for kids (age 3-11).