Southern Fried Sunday

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Southern Fried Sunday organized by Jessica Pawli was an all day music festival and more with ticket sales going to benefit the Mustard Seed. It was Jessica’s birthday and she celebrated by giving back to the community. The benefit featured 17 musical acts at 3 venues on Mills Avenue. The Mustard Seed is a furniture and clothing bank that helps rebuild lives of individuals and families who have experienced a tragedy, disaster or homelessness. When I arrived at Mills Avenue I decided I wanted to draw Wally’s Mills Avenue Liquors. Women in bikinis were holding signs that read, “Free beer” and some were hula hooping. There was a long line of black Harley Davidson motorcycles parked in front of the bar. I sat down and the second I opened my sketchbook it started to rain. I rushed up the street to Will’s Pub.

I was issued a tan armband. I walked into the dark room with a stage. People were seated all around the edge of the room and there were no empty sects left so I sat on my camping stool up close to the stage. Bartender Brian Hanson was performing. I didn’t know if he had just started or if he was almost finished so I worked quickly. He closed his eyes lost in the music. His deep raspy voice filled the room. Sure enough he had only one song more to sing. When he got off stage he spoke to the woman seated beside me. Her name was Mech Anism. He didn’t think it was one of his better performances.

“Greenland is Melting” from Gainsville Florida was the next group up. Their lively act had everyone clapping and swaying. The guy on the cello bobbed his head up and down violently, his hair a flowing mad mess.The guitarist and banjo player harmonized the lyrics. I was having so much fun sketching to the music. I could have listened to these guys all day.It was over way too fast.

“Kitchy Kittens Burlesque Dancers” wandered through the crowd asking for donations for Mustard Seed. They looked amazing in their 1940’s Pin Up Girl themed costumes. They were on stage for only a minute so I didn’t catch them in a sketch. I couldn’t stay all day. I had time for one more sketch before meeting my wife Terry, Amanda Chadwick and Matt Simantov at the Food Truck Bazaar.

Bar Louie

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After a fun evening of comedy, Terry, Amanda Chadwick and I went to Bar Louie which is in the same complex of restaurants and clubs on Sand Lake Road, a neighborhood referred to by some as Sandlando. The place was packed and the music was loud. Terry and Amanda went out on the dance floor and I started sketching. There were no seats available so I stood behind an empty table that was reserved. As I worked a group of women in gorgeous dresses and men with their hair slicked back sat at the table. It must have been a retro night since some men were dressed like John Travolta in “Saturday Night Fever.” They had long pointy collars and vests. I started to think that some guy dressed to the nines would take a swing at me as a way to impress his girl.

When the band stopped, Terry and Amanda went outside. I finished applying washes to the sketch. I never found out the name of the group playing. I closed the sketchbook and went to join Terry and Amanda outside. A huge plate sized beetle was scurrying awkwardly across the pavement. It looked like it was gasping for breath through its neck. Amanda was skyping Matt in Seattle. I waved to the video image of him but couldn’t hear anything he said over the crowd. We didn’t stay much longer. The band was about to start another set as we walked out to the parking lot.

Big Man Little Bike Fringe Fundraiser

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Jeff Ferree is no stranger to the challenge of working small but thinking big. He is known for producing a Fringe show in the smallest venue imaginable, a closet in the Orlando Shakespeare Theater, which housed his puppet theater and an audience of up to 14 people. On Saturday September 24th at 8am, he has vowed to ride this tiny red bike ten miles on the Cady Way Trail to raise funds for the Orlando International Fringe Festival. 100% of the money raised will support the Fringe. His journey will begin at the entrance to the trail at the Fashion Square Mall and will end at the Cady Way Trail bridge which crosses over 436. I asked Jeff if I could sketch him at the bridge.

The tiny red bike is incredibly difficult to ride. I tried riding it on the sidewalk and my hiking boots kept getting in the way. I took my boots off and managed to bike a short distance in my bare feet, but the tiny handlebars wobbled the whole way. My knees stuck out making me look like Ichabod Crane. Jeff will have to do some serious training if he is to go the distance.


If you would like to pledge to the Bikeathon here is the contact info.
Orlando Fringe

398 W. Amelia Street

Orlando, FL 32801

Attn: Bikeathon

Happy Memories

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Jack Fields is working on a short film titled “Happy Memories” which combines puppetry and live action. He told me that Brian Feldman would be hatching from an egg on the day I went to sketch. John Regan III was behind the camera. Digital SLR cameras shoot quality video these days. Brian was perched on a crate covered with foam and a blue blanket. The wall behind him was painted as a blue screen so he could be composited onto another background in post production. He was dressed in long johns that had googly eyes pasted all over the surface. Whenever he moved the eyes wobbled. Jack was trying to get an eyeball hanging from an ocular nerve to look like it had popped out of Brian’s eye socket. The adhesive didn’t want to stick so the eye kept dropping off.

With costuming and makeup done it was time to shoot. Brian tucked his knees up to his chest in a fetal position and then Jack started wrapping him in aluminum foil. Jack stood back and shouted “Action!” Brian slowly extricated himself from the aluminum foil egg. Jack shouted “Cut!” He felt Brian had moved too slow, so he explained the pacing he needed. Brian was wrapped in aluminum foil for another take. This time the timing was perfect. They shot one more scene where Brian looked at a puppet held by Jack in shock and horror.

I don’t know the story behind “Happy Memories” but I can’t wait to see the final product. Jack’s puppets are an intricate banquet for the eyes.

txt at Urban ReThink

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Conceptual artist Brian Feldman has one more performance of txt tonight, July 25th at 7pm at Urban ReThink (625 East Central Blvd.). I sat in on the first of three performances to sketch. I have seen txt performed several times before and was entertained every time. For the first time, I signed into the proper Twitter account and was prepared to send Brian a txt during the performance to be read aloud. Brian walked out and sat at the spindly desk waiting for his cell phone to vibrate. He read, “Let’s get started with a couple of ground rules.” Terry was busy munching on a bag of potato chips. I wrote my first txt, he read, “Rule number 1. No eating!” He shouted it out, pointing at Terry. I placed my phone on the floor and forgot about it as I lost myself in the sketch.

“Thor is wearing a shirt he bought in North Carolina.” Terry must have written that, I thought. I looked at my shirt. Funny, I don’t remember buying it in North Carolina. Tod Caviness walked in late. “This guy is late,” Brian announced. I raised my hopes thinking Tod would offer some literary subtlety to the strange meaningless flow of ideas. As always, the unfiltered thoughts turned to sex. “Raise your hand if you want to have a 3 or 4 way later.” “Oh, there are swingers in the room?!” “Rule number 16, if no one laughs I’m going to stand on Thor’s shoulders and fart in your face.” Who on earth wrote that? I thought. Do I know that person. Do I want to know that person? “Rule number 237. No sex in the champagne room with Thor.” What?! I blushed. Alright, who wrote that? More important was it a man or woman? I looked around for a guilty face. Where on earth is the champagne room? I need to go sketch it now.”Sex in the champagne room at Hue. See you at 8.” Well that answers that question anyway, Hue is a night club. “I would totally rock Thor’s hammer.” “OK, who mentioned sex with Thor? It wasn’t his wife and if she finds you she will scratch your eyes out.” “Why is everyone talking about Thor, lets chat about Green Lantern! He is great too!” Thank Odin, the conversation wasn’t about me at all. I’m so vain.

Across from me Peter Murphy was sitting next to Colleen Burns. She wore a blue dress. “Hey girl in the blue dress, don’t wear a bra next time.” I looked up at Colleen her mouth was open, aghast. “Awkward.” Brian announced. “Later on I’m going to get down with that lady in the… (my eyes are bad)… The Blue dress!” “My boyfriend is obsessed with the girl in the blue dress.” “The girl in the blue dress is taken.” Well that settles that, I thought. “Imagine me planking on the lady in the blue dress later. Ha!” Colleen seemed to take all the attention with humor. “I am NEVER wearing a blue dress ever again!”

With no filters, no social niceties, people don’t have a need for polite meaningful conversation. The Internet has unleashed an age of unrestricted self-expression and the results are often brash and ugly. Tapping out every thought that pops into our heads isn’t art. Having contributed to this performance by tapping out my one tweet, I felt a little dirty. I was complicit in the crime of random expression. This show shocked and amazed me every time I saw it. It is a guilty pleasure. Several evenings later I saw Colleen at another event. She was wearing a blue dress.

The Little Black Dress Fundraiser

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Blue Martini located at the Millenia Mall hosted the Little Black Dress Fundraiser to raise funds for Dress for Success. The mission of Dress for Success is to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. Wendy Wallenburg brought the event to Terry’s attention and she was excited to sport one of her little black dresses. She told me as we got ready, that I was a very lucky man, since I would be escorting three beautiful women. I dressed all in black for the occasion.

When Terry and I arrived at Blue Martini, we had to stay outside at the bar since they hadn’t opened the doors yet. The bar was packed. We did two laps searching for a table with no luck. We finally asked to sit with an older couple. A women at the next table waved to me and let me know they were leaving soon. We joined them. Terry leaned in and gestured to the couple we had just left. They were making out, hot and heavy. “Sheesh, get a room.” she joked. Donna Brooker Connors, a friend of Terry’s from Book Club, joined us. A thick dark blanket of storm clouds were rolling in. Lightning flashed on the horizon. I could smell the ozone.

Just before the rain hit, it was time to go in. We slipped in the back door and Terry rushed to a table at the far end of the place. I lingered behind, sitting at a spot where I could sketch the band and dance floor but then I decided to just go with the flow. I joined Terry at her chosen table. Sarah Austin joined us. She is another Book Club friend of Terry’s. All the women looked amazing in their little black dresses. The women got free champagne. I couldn’t hear the conversation at our table, I could only hear the roar of the room. I dashed off my first sketch as the place filled up getting louder. When the band started to play, Terry and I got up to dance. Musicology performed an eclectic blend of very danceable music. Then they played a slow song and we danced cheek to cheek. It was a blissful moment.

Back at the table, Donna had to leave since she was getting over a cold. Wendy sent Terry a text saying she couldn’t make it. She was stuck up in Winter Park in the rain. Sarah and Terry compared notes on the men in the room. Sarah shared a picture of her boyfriend who has a ponytail. Then we realized there were men everywhere in the room with ponytails. A group of very busty women piled into the table next to us. A woman hugged her girlfriend from behind cupping her breasts and shaking them. Some women had impossible Disney Princess figures supplemented with silicone. There was a chocolate fountain and designer handbags. Every woman had a raffle ticket for the big items being given away at the end of the evening. Sarah had Terry and I laughing all night.

Put a Cork In It!

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Amanda Chadwick invited Terry and I for a night of Absent Minded Improv Comedy at Put a Cork In It (7339 W Sand Lake Rd). One wall was stacked with fine wines and patrons are encouraged to pick their own bottle from the racks. Amanda and Terry sat in the front row in some thick leather arm chairs. I found those seats too restrictive so I found myself a table in the back. The comedy was lively and entertaining. The Absent Minded Improv Comedy Troup performs here every Saturday evening from 8pm to 9:30pm and there was a $5 cover charge that was tagged onto the bill at the end of the evening.

I drew Elisabeth Drake-Forbes and Mike Besaw as they performed a piece in which then had to say, “If you know what I mean,” after each statement. Terry yelled out that the routine should incorporate a Llama. Elisabeth said, “I need to go outside and shear the Llama, if you know what I mean…” The sexual innuendos flourished and everyone laughed. The quaint space was packed seating about 20 people in plush seats arranged around coffee tables.

After the performance I sat back up front with Amanda and Terry. Comedian Drew McCalmon stooped baseball catcher style in front of our coffee table joking with Terry. Terry gave him a playful shove and his arms spun up as he tried to catch his balance. He hit a wine glass which crashed to the floor. Amanda gave Terry a time out locking her outside the wine bar. Jokingly Terry pounded on the glass doors reminiscent of the final wedding scene in the Graduate. Amanda couldn’t stop laughing.

Filming Hank Williams Jr. at Full Sail

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Full Sail sent out an e-mail saying they needed extras for the filming of an NFL Monday Night Football theme song by Hank Williams Jr. When I arrived at Full Sail Live there was a small crowd of people outside in their football jerseys. There was a registration tent for media and one for extras. I decided to sign in with the extras. The release basically said that when I entered the film set I would not hold Full Sail responsible for any injuries I sustained. The group of football fans were being lead inside. I quickly signed my life away and ran to get in with them. We all waited in the lobby as a stage hand explained the ground rules. Inside we could hear loud music and screaming. Someone leaned over and said, “Looks like we’re missing the party.” We were told that we could leave the filming area at any time but we wouldn’t be able to get back in. One of the football fans started eating M&Ms from a catering table. Our guide said, “That food is for the paid extras.” The M&Ms were dropped.

Once inside I separated from the group and looked for a vantage point to sketch from. I sat up on an empty stage platform and got to work. Most of the time everyone stood around waiting for the filming to begin. I had no idea if I was in the shot or not. I kept thinking someone would tell me to move closer into the crowd. I must have looked like I was part of the crew as I worked furiously on the sketch. Hank Williams Jr. ambled out with his cowboy hat, cigar and big sunglasses. He posed for pictures with a few people then got on the stage which was painted like a football field. When I sketched him, he had his back to me as he sat waiting for the next take.

Finally the cameras were ready to roll. The drummer started playing and Hank strutted around on the stage as cheerleaders danced. People were moving their lips to the lyrics but no one sang. Then sparks began to cascade from the ceiling. In a second shot everyone was warned that there were loud firecrackers above their heads. They were told they were safe as long as they stayed on the near side of a red line on the floor. I was on the wrong side of the line. I glanced up and there was the pyrotechnic device maybe 10 feet above my head. I can sketch under most conditions but this time I decided to move. The explosions were loud and everyone screamed even louder. The director called, “Cut! Alright everyone it’s time for lunch.” My sketch wasn’t finished but I had no choice, the extras were being ushered out. I had no need to get back to the testosterone fueled NFL theme song war zone.

The Creative Center’s AIR Program funded by LIVESTRONG

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United Arts applied for a grant to LIVESTRONG to bring the creative process to patients at MD Anderson Cancer Center. The Creative Center Artist-In-Residence Program was made possible through a cooperative agreement with LIVESTRONG. This is the inaugural year and I arranged to sketch Andrea Canny as she brought art to patients. I met Katie Dagenais in the lobby and she arranged for patients to sign releases before leaving me with Andrea. Joan Dougherty was the patient we visited with. Joan sat in the tiny room with her friend waiting to get her chemo therapy. Andrea explained all the art supplies she had on her cart and Joan quickly decided she would do a collage on a mat for Nina, her grandchild.

I thought back to when I was ten years old waiting in a hospital in NYC, a woman invited me to create a small mosaic for my mother who had breast cancer. I became so focused on those tiles intent on creating a masterpiece for Mothers Day. My mom died the day before Mothers Day so she never saw that creation. She was just 47 years old. I wonder where that mosaic is now.

A nurse entered and hooked an IV up to Joan’s left wrist. She complained briefly of a burning sensation near the IV site on her wrist, then she started cutting paper in a flurry of artistic activity. She chose a red background with organic swirls rising from the bottom of the page. She then carefully cut out butterflies which she glued in the corners. Her friend said, “I could never do something that artistic, I would rather get a beating!” We all laughed. Andrea started explaining the importance of art in schools and then she had to check in on another artist she was inspiring in the next room. The complex looking IV machine started beeping incessantly. I started to wonder if something was wrong. Joan was lost in her creative process so I relaxed. Soon a nurse cheeked in and the beeping stopped.

Andre said that research showed that patients who were creating experienced pain far less than a control group. They never pushed the red pain medication button. LIVESTRONG is a national program but funding will have to come from grants applied for yearly or private donations. Joan cut out individual letters that spelled out NINA and she glued them to the mat. Her grandchild is at a stage where everything is fresh new and unexpected. Everything is a learning experience.

When Joan was finished with her creation, I finished with my sketch. Joan has a true artistic spirit. Faint whisps of hair lay on her shoulders having fallen from under her beautiful head scarf. It was inspiring to see that art could provide strength and meaning even when life is most challenging. LIVESTRONG offers support and resources to help patients face the challenges of cancer survivorship. Andrea gave Joan a book filled with resources and information. She also gave her a blank journal where she could create anytime.

Afterwards I sketched the MD Anderson Cancer Center. It thrusts up like a towering beacon of hope to help fight cancer. A group of three people walked up beside me. I thought they were curious about the sketch but they picked up a few soda cans scattered in my vicinity and shoved them in a large black plastic bag. They then stepped through a hole in a chain link fence and disappeared.

I thought back to the playful banter Andrea shared with Joan and the way that art can always enrich our lives. I hope that LIVESTRONG continues to flourish and grow here in Orlando. Not ready to die we LIVESTRONG.

Atlantis Lifts Off

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A woman had a blue umbrella open and people in the crowd complained. I chuckled that such a small thing could annoy people at such a historic moment. Loud speakers in Space View Park announced the countdown. I considered jumping in the water to escape the pressing crowd but I had long pants on. I stood on my rickety camping chair to see over the crowd. Space Shuttle Atlantis lifted off from launch pad 39A at 11:29am. A blazing light appeared across the river and billowing exhaust cloud crept outward. Everyone cheered and a digital salute began with everyone raising their cellphones and cameras to take a shot. When the roar of the crowd died down it was eerily quiet. Within seconds the blazing light punched through the clouds and was gone. As people turned to leave, a deafening rumble ripped across the water. It shook my chest. The noise took people by surprise. A father explained to his son that light travels faster than sound.

This launch of Atlantis marked the end of the 30 year Space Shuttle Program. This program launched great observatories, built an International Space Station and taught us how humans can live, work and continually learn in space. Terry and I lingered as the crowd cleared. We decided to let the initial rush of traffic go on without us. Terry suggested I do another sketch. I decided to draw the lemonade vendor as Terry relaxed with a magazine.

Some videographer stuck his camera in my face and started waxing poetic about how the artist was capturing the emotional context of the launch. After the initial ink work was in place, I decided I had to have a lemonade. They were out of sugar but had Sweet & Low. I hesitated but still ordered. After mixing in four packets I took a sip and cringed. Yuck! I traded Terry for a water and we were both content.

We decided to drive south on A1A once I finished the sketch to go to a Mexican restaurant someone suggested I visit. The place offered $1 Margaritas when the two minute countdown began. Driving down side streets I was almost sideswiped by a guy that ignored a stop sign. I gunned my engine and he missed me by inches. I was glad when we found a table in the restaurant and settled in for Margaritas and a delicious Mexican meal.

The TV above the bar showed mission control. A man wrapped up what he was doing at his station and he left. I felt sad knowing the shuttle program was almost over. The whole economy on the coast is about to change as all the NASA staff is laid off. We wondered if beach front property might suddenly become affordable. After dinner we took a blanket and relaxed out by the riverfront across the street. I closed my eyes and napped. I was jolted awake by a gust of wind which pelted me with sand. It began to rain and we ran back to my truck. On the drive back we listened to a book on tape called “Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand about World War II POW’s imprisoned by the Japanese. It was a ceaselessly brutal book but it distracted me when we hit traffic which crawled on the Beach line Expressway as we inched back to Orlando. The book is about never giving up and the power of the human spirit. We spent 14 hours or so driving to watch the 40 second launch but it was worth it.