Red String at Fringe Art Space

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Red String was a new musical written by presented at Fringe Art Space. This is a charming Romance where two 20 something woman travel Europe in the hope of finding love. Nessa has been having dreams about a man who could have been “the one'” When she discovers he is in Europe, she decides to follow in the hope of accidentally bumping into him. Her best friend Sami enjoyed the ride until the dreams became a bit to much of an obsession. Sami broke off to travel on her own while her friend pursued her fever dream.

Sami decided to wash away her problems at a bar and struck up a friendly conversation with the bartender. There was a natural chemistry between the two of them. Meanwhile Nessa did indeed meet the man she had come to find in Berlin. Unfortunately he had married a beautiful German woman, who decided to take Nessa in. In a late night conversation Nessa discovered that the chemistry was indeed still there.

The lyrics to the show kept the themes of love and friendship moving right along. There were always three doors on stage with red strings wrapped like spider webs across each portal. I took these doors to represent the past present and future. Nessa had woven such a tight web around one hope and dream and in so doing left part of herself behind.

The friendship between Sami and the bartender blossomed int a fast romance. Sami and Nessa’s friendship grew even stronger after the trails of travel. This show has so much potential. The musical orchestrations could still use refining but the story had heart. Writer Amanda Scheirer of Without Feat Theater, is bringing some amazing original productions to Orlando.

COVID Dystopia: Enough is Enough

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Tomorrow I am flying to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for the Pittsburgh Shorts Film Festival. I will spend a day watching short films and then attend the awards ceremony in the evening. I know that I will be the only one masked on a plane full of mouth breathing zombies. Even a mild case of COVID, fuses and destroys brain neurons. No wonder zombies eat brains in movies, they are trying to get back what they have lost due to COVID.

The height of the 9th wave of COVID infections was in August of this year and Florida is now in the trough with cases just beginning to rise again. New Mexico is the one state that is on fire right now. Though I keep track of the rising and falling cases, I just keep the same simple precautions, I mask indoors. Masking isn’t perfect. I can’t be 100 percent sure the seal on my KN-95 mask is tight. Masking and HEPA filtration has kept me COVID free so far, even when the virus attacked a former roommate and her niece.

Repeat COVID infections destroy the immune system similar to the how HIV attacks the immune system. It is a vascular disease effecting every organ in the body. Once infected, people become vulnerable to every known pathogen. When out in public sketching there is always someone coughing up a lung.

Traveling to promote COVID Dystopia is probably the most dangerous thing I do each month, but it is my way to convince people that was and is dangerous. Politicians always downplay the effects of the virus because claiming victory is the only way to get elected. In Trumps first term over 200,000 Americans died from COVID. Over 700,000 Americans died under Biden’s time in office. It is hard to pick a side when both parties promote mass infection as a way out of an ongoing pandemic.

COVID Dystopia: An Earthquake Took Out Canada

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This scene had depth maps, a camera move and the animation consists of waving the flag.

I was starting to feel like we were free from these crazy times, but Donald J. Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States on November 5, 2024. I honestly can not believe that Americans would elect a convicted criminal to become president. I am stunned and in mourning.

The first thing I did this morning after seeing the news was start looking for countries that are great places for expatriates to live. Spain has the highest number of Americans who have moved there. I was thinking of moving to New York State to set up a studio but New York would be target number one for the presidents “enemy of the people” campaign. New Zealand and Australia handled themselves well at the start of the pandemic.Australia would be as far as I could get from America.

H5N1, or Bird Flu, has killed millions of wild birds, and caused sporadic outbreaks among poultry and an ongoing multi-state outbreak among cows in the United States. While there has been no known person-to-person transmission of the virus, there have been 39 reported human cases in the U.S. in 2024. If H5N1 starts to spread from human to human, we will have the worst leader imaginable at the helm, downplaying the exponential spread. COVID had a mortality rate of about 1.4% which resulted in well over a million deaths in America. H5N1 has had a mortality rate of about 50% among mammals infected. I woke up dreading the next 4 years of life on Earth.

COVID Dystopia is available to be seen at the Virtual Pittsburgh Shorts Film Festival happening now through November 24, 2024. COVID Dystopia can be seen in the Eventive – Chiller Theater Block 2 – Shorts online. It can be seen anywhere in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. After you start watching the films, you have 48 hours to complete watching them. Tickets are $18.

Fable

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Urban Sketchers Orlando hosted a morning coffee and draw event. Since my mornings are the best time for me to get out of the studio and draw, I decided to head on over.

The meet up was at Fable Coffee and Pastries (11909 East Colonial Drive Orlando Florida.) This was right on the doorstep of the UCF School of Visual Arts Campus which I had been to several weeks before to sketch the Mid-Term reviews fr the graduate program. It is funny how unrelated events often pull me to the same areas of town.

A note by the entrance pointed out that the establishment was protected by a dragon. I of course searched for the dragon when inside. I ordered an iced coffee. Since I don’t know a Latte from a Mocha Chino, I ordered the American Iced Coffee Brew. There were about 3 or 4 Urban Sketchers lined up on a long brown leather couch. Across from them, no one was seated. Since I prefer to have people in my sketches, I sat across from them. I learned that one artist is experimenting with painterly iPad paintings and I certainly would be interested in learning more. But this sketch outing wasn’t for learning the inner working of another artists trade. We were all there to sketch.

I liked that the Wi-Fi password, along with the warning on the staff door, was “You shall not pass!” Listening in to artist conversations, I learned that this Coffee Shop is famous for its board game collection. There is a table up at the front of the coffee house that has a glass top and roll play gaming boards can be back lit on the surface. Some day I hope to sketch that gaming table in action.

While sketching I completely forgot about my drink. As my sketch was nearing completion I got a straw, lifted my mask while holding my breath, and took several long sips. The coffee surprised me, at first I though it must be a tea but then the coffee after taste kicked in and I felt the familiar humming bird buzz. I took another long sip, but didn’t feel the need to finish. I packed up and got ready to go. The Urban Sketchers were scheduled to be there another hour, but I needed to head out.

I shared my work early and there was a mini throw down as people snapped photos.

I heard that this place gets extra crowded in the evenings when UCF students crowd in for caffeine and games. It might be worth returning if there is some sort of gaming event. The Coffee Shop opens at 8am is usually open until 8pm. For any roll ply gamers out there, I am looking for an opportunity to sketch a game in action.

COVID Dystopia: Security

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The barefoot woman in this scene remains perfectly still while the horde of zombies shuffle through the security checkpoint without bothering to take off their shoes. The security guard gently feels between the woman’s breasts to check for any hidden virus.

I am traveling quite a bit to Film Festivals across the country promoting COVID Dystopia. Having to remove the mask for security is probably the most dangerous thing I need to do other than crowding into a sardine can with recirculated air. After a long flight it is a relief to step outside and remove the mask for a deep breath of air. I have had a  cough for over a month. I have checked for COVID and it is not that, but even if is only the remnants of a cold, I don’t think it is wise to spread it around.

COVID Dystopia is available to be seen at the Virtual Pittsburgh Shorts Film Festival happening now through November 24, 2024. COVID Dystopia can be seen in the Eventive – Chiller Theater Block 2 – Shorts online. It can be seen anywhere in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. After you start watching the films, you have 48 hours to complete watching them. Tickets are $18.

 

Pandemic Studio

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I did this sketch of my pandemic studio for one of my online students. Today I find myself doing a similar sketch as I plan for a tight space.

The Disney Feature Animation desk is huge and heavy along with the flat files and a hand made bookcase.

Since I am doing a similar sketch today I will probably do it the same way by adding a bit of depth using one point perspective.

In July of 2020 about 8200 Americans were dying due to COVID-19 each week. Much larger waves of death would follow, and I sat in this studio documenting the vents each day through my surreal paintings. The COVID Dystopia animated short film is doing the rounds at Film Festivals ad the 200 page book with over 600 illustrations is nearing completion. The pandemic is not over and a new virus, H5N1 is spreading in California. That new virus has a mortality rate of 50% while COVID has a mortality rate of an estimated 1.4%. If H5N1 starts spreading from human to human the devastation will make COVID look like a walk in the park.

FAVO

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Faith Arts Village (FAVO), 221 E Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL, is a former motel where each room has been converted into  studios for local artists to rent.

With Christmas coming up there is a big push t buy local art at FAVO.

The studios will be open to see the art work on December 6 and 7, 2024 from 5pm to 9pm. You can find provided parking if you turn off Colonial Drive onto Highland Avenue and take the first left into the FAVO parking lot.

After finishing the sketch I visited the studio of Mirjana Novak Cesar who is married to former Disney Animator Darko Cesar. There were about 5 former Disney Animation artists there so it became a sort of mini reunion. It was good to see some of the old crew. Mirjana does large paintings of weathered buildings along with some very textural found object jewelry. I did do a full round of all the studios. I just held my breath each time I entered each studio space. That kind of limited the amount of time I spent looking at art.

COVID Dystopia: Someone Died in My Bed!

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This scene from COVID Dystopia has the large bear’s muzzle opening as he roars. It is simple animation done using after effects pins and puppetry tools. With the depth map applied, there is plenty of motion for such a short shot.

This weekend I helped a friend build a large sculpture. It felt good to get out of the studio and work outdoors with my hands. The hope was to get the sculpt finished for an exhibition at the end of the week. Things just didn’t fall into place But the piece will be finished for another exhibition down he road.

I plan to sketch as the sculpture if being fully assembled for the first time.

This weekend I am heading to the  Pittsburgh Film Festival. I am slowly getting used to these fast paced trips. Since I only travel for a day or so, I just bring one change of clothes. I only bring my leather art bag to keep from having to check in luggage.

COVID Dystopia: Canada Truckers Protest

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I am pleased with how the plumes of fiery smoke turned out in this shot. I combined key frame animation that warped the painting and also procedural movement in After Effects. I applied this effect throughout the film to give the rising heat shimmer. Most viewers probably do not know the effect is there but they feel it.

I decided the protestor could be perfectly still. If someone wanted to read the protest sign, I wouldn’t want to be waving it about.

I did the fire animation twice. I still think it could use improved. That is the problem with having so many shots and so many effects. I might learn something on another shot and want to apply it to other shots. At some point I just had to let go. No one is going to be as critical of the shape of a flame as I might be.

Since COVID Dystopia is now screening at the Pittsburgh Shorts and Script Competition. I want to be sure to keep posting these in progress shots in case festival goers look up AADW online. I am also thinking I should probably edit together a making of video which could be included along with the film the back or the COVID Dystopia book which is now being edited. That last sentence just created a whole lot of work.

COVID Dystopia is available to be seen at the Virtual Pittsburgh Shorts Film Festival happening now through November 24, 2024. COVID Dystopia can be seen in the Eventive – Chiller Theater Block 2 – Shorts online. It can be seen anywhere in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. After you start watching the films, you have 48 hours to complete watching them. Tickets are $18.

The Gleaning

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The Society of Saint Andrew organized a gleaning at Long and Scott Farms North of Lake Apopka, Florida. I had actually driven past the farm multiple times this past month.  Mark DeMaio let me know about the event.

Gleaning is the act of collecting leftover crops in the field after harvest. During harvest, there is food that is left or missed because it does not meet store standards for uniformity. The gleaned fruit is shared with nearby families who might otherwise go without fresh food.

Rebecca Brockman coordinated the event. This seemed like a home school field trip allowing the kids to pick unharvested cucumbers. Rebecca pointed out that all over the state of Florida, over 8.7 million pounds of food was collected for the hungry. The organization has served over 5 million  fresh food meals and they have been gleaning in Florida since 1995. We all had to wash our hands with germicidal soup to be sure we didn’t bring pathogens out into the fields. After Barbara’s introduction we headed out to the field. Barbara drove most of the kids in the pick up and I walked over with several others.

Everyone was given large yellow IKEA bags and then the harvesting began. I stated sketching immediately as they leaned over to pick cucumbers and slowly walked down the field away from me. Once the sketch was done, I walked to the truck and picked up an IKEA bag for myself. A mom and daughter were having plenty of luck finding cucumbers in the last two trenches in the filed. Since they were now harvesting experts I took their advice and stayed at the edge of the field.

Cucumbers are hard to see. There is a thick mat of foliage from the vines which is hard to see through. I started harvesting like a blind man feeling around for anything solid. I found a few hand grenade sized cucumbers and then I finally found a full sized foot long. I held it over my head and shouted in delight. I don’t think anyone noticed. It was a personal victory.

The mom had the idea that there might be plenty of unharvested cucumbers back where everyone began. I though that was a great idea so I back tracked to where I had been seated to sketch, and dedicated myself to harvesting down one or two rows. I found plenty of small cucumbers and the occasional thick and long prize. Part of me felt like I wasn’t harvesting like a pro. My IKEA bag was filling up with small fruit.

Regardless I turned in my IKEA bag. And everyone was thankful. In the pick up truck people were packaging the cucumbers in red mesh bags for distribution. I was told I could bring a bag home, but I felt I had only harvested enough to warrant taking one cucumber home. Back at the studio, I cut it up and put it in a salad. It was absolutely delicious. Whenever I am settled enough to start a garden, I plan to grow cucumbers.