Feels so Good!

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I’ve been feeling disconnected from friends and family lately, so on Monday night I decided I needed to treat myself to a sweet taste of jazz at the Grand Bohemian downtown (325 South Orange Avenue.) Jazz is performed every Monday night starting at 8pm, and there is no cover. A collection jar is kept out and any tips go towards the needy in the community. When I entered the bar, Yvonne Coleman, who organizes the jazz jams, gave me a warm welcoming hug. She is such an amazing champion of my work. Between sets she introduced me to the crowd. I ordered a Blue Moon and got to work.

The performers I sketched were Joey Pegram on the drums, Joseph Jebanni on the sax and Don Black on the keyboard. The spontaneous flowing riffs swept over me and caused the lines of my sketch to dance and vibrate. I didn’t have to second guess or worry, the music allowed the lines to flow with simple spontaneous joy. Miss Jacqueline Jones got up to sing. As the sax screamed it’s pleasure, her body vibrated electrically to the sound. Several minutes passed as the sax continued its joyous conversation. The crowd shouted back and Jacqueline shook harder. The place erupted. This was my first time seeing her perform and I wish I had caught her in a sketch. I am sure I will be seeing her again. Outside a firetruck pulled up in front of the hotel. Its red lights flashed in time to the music which flowed unhindered.

A performance of “Feels so Good” had me swaying to the beat my spirit lifted. Dr. Otto Gomez stepped in and livened the performance with his awesome trumpet playing. One of the final songs of the evening was, “This Masquerade.” I was completely lost in the moment. I left after this set, my sketch complete. The beat stayed with me affecting my walk back to the truck. I didn’t turn on the radio on the drive home, instead I hummed and tapped my foot to the beat that was stuck in my head and like a heart beat wouldn’t stop. When life offers no resolutions, jazz is my anchor and joy.

Miami International Book Fair

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0n the second day of the Miami International Book Fair, Elayne Pines, our hostess had one more author interview to do for her syndicated radio show “The Book Report.” I did this sketch from outside the authors lounge which I had been denied access to. In this courtyard near the children’s area, authors would sit at tables and sign books for the lines of people who gathered. Some people would arrive really early and sit on the pavement to wait. This book festival has grown quickly over the years but it maintains it’s grassroots simplicity. Authors love coming to the fair because for once they are treated like rock stars.

Later that day I got a text from Brian Feldman who wanted my help to get into the book fair. I won’t go into the details of that clandestine mission, which involved a homeless man, a sketch and hiding from security behind a CNN TV broadcast truck. When Brian arrived, Terry and I were waiting outside an auditorium to see Salmun Rushdie. Brian waited in line with us for a while working his iPhone the whole time trying to get me in to sketch a Spanish singer that night. He didn’t have any luck getting tickets and he wandered off to look at all the tents full of books. He had to leave before the book fair closed to get to another “Going Green” performance at the Adrienne Arsht Center. Brian had arranged another performance in Miami where he willautograph 1500 head shots for anyone who wants one.

While walking the book fair I paid close attention to every graphic novel I saw. I finally had to buy a graphic novel by Nicolas De Crecy called “Glacial Period.” I have been talking to an author about collaborating on a graphic novel, so I am opening myself up to the possibility.

Miami International Book Fair

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The Miami International Book Fair is a huge event that sprawls taking up four city blocks. Elayne Pines who host a radio show called “The Book Report” was conducting interviews with authors all during the day. She lead us to building one of Miami Dade College where she would conduct her interviews on the second floor. Terry was her assistant for the day. I was left on my own to wander the booths and sketch. The fair was in part sponsored by the Mexico Tourist Information Association. In the center of the sketch there is a Red Mariachi Clown who wandered through the crowd. Later that day, Salman Rushdie, the well known author of Satanic Verses, was walking in the same intersection towards the authors lounge in building one. Wide eyed fans approached him, letting him know how his writings had affected their lives. Since Elayne wanted to interview him, we ended up becoming part of his entourage following him into the building.

After the sketch was finished we went to an authors panel discussion on “The Facebook Effect.” David Kirkpatrick has been writing about Facebook since it began as a college meeting site. He pointed out that this is the only company to go from 0 to 600 thousand users in 6.5 years. He pointed out inaccuracies in the recent movie. The founder, Mark Zuckerberg, did not form the site after loosing a girlfriend, he had a girlfriend the whole time. More importantly David was highly impressed by Mark and he felt Mark was inaccurately portrayed as an asshole. Marks friend didn’t walk away from the company empty handed but became an accidental billionaire.

By next year FB should have a billion users. Zuckerberg doesn’t focus his energies on advertising or marketing, he hires people who do. Instead, all his energy goes into making immediate improvements to the program. This process of making immediate improvements and changing to meet new demands is what is making Facebook an unstoppable force. Another author, Dale Lamanga told hon he built a multi-million dollar business by simply selling tweezers. He stressed the importance of delegating responsibilities and empowering workers. He pointed out how important it is to focus on three things consistently, product, sales and management.

The third author, Larry Kramer discussed the idea of convergence. How all forms of media are now available on one platform. The iPad makes it possible for children to learn in new ways, a book might have a picture of a ball and when touched, the word ball appears and the audio plays. Newspapers that try to only promote the printed product fail if they do not also put their best content online. Consumers are in total control of where and when they will read and watch content. For content creators who embrace the new trends this is a very exciting time to market work in new and limitless ways.

An Evening of Eligance

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Lago is a beautiful restaurant on the shore of Lake Baldwin (4979 New Broad Street Baldwin Park). The Evening of Elegance promised a complimentary cup of wine and piano entertainment featuring songs of Frank Sinatra. How could I resist? Funds raised at this event benefited Fertile Dreams, an organization that embraced hope for couples seeking paths to parenthood. When I arrived the bar was nearly empty except for a business man eating dinner. Slowly as I sketched people arrived and I let them populate the empty chairs in my sketch. One woman showed up with a young girl perhaps five years old. I overheard that this child was born thanks to In Vitro fertalization. The little girl was often the center of attention, often being told how cute and beautiful she was.

The organizer of the evening announced that the piano player and singer both had a cold and would not be able to perform. I was thankful since I was perched on a tall stool next to the piano which was probably there for the singer. I stopped rushing and relaxed into the sketch. This is the first sketch in a new sketchbook. I received the book from the “Sketchbook Project“. Thousands of artists around the country are filling these sketchbooks and then mailing them back to the Brooklyn Museum of art where they will form a permanent sketchbook library. The collection will also travel the country allowing people to check out sketchbooks to view. As I was finishing up my sketch, the little girl waved at me and said, “Good bye.” I smiled and repeated, “Good bye” in a sing song voice. That was the longest conversation I had that night.

Chess in Dupont Circle:

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It was a crisp clear fall day in D.C. and everywhere we went it seemed, couples were getting married. Our intrepid group of sketch crawlers continued down Massachusetts Avenue and stopped at the Islamic Center. I once again had to use a bathroom so I made my way downstairs. The room had a large area dedicated to bathing and then two rest rooms. I was surprised to find the toilet was srmply a hole in the floor with two foot shaped indentations on either side. I was tempted to sketch but without someone using it, I didn’t see the point. Instead I went outside and started drawing the Islamic Center from across the street. As I worked a tall black man in a flowing blue robe walked by. A limousine pulled up and people piled out dressed in gorgeous robes. They were from Sierra Leone and there was going to be a wedding. I cursed myself for being so far away but soon the fluttering crowd of robes and head dresses disappeared inside.

After I finished my sketch, I walked up to the ornate entrance to take a peak inside. As I did, Meredith Nelson, one of the urban sketchers, walked out with her scarf wrapped over her head. I was impressed with how she respected and honored the traditions. Before I could start a second sketch, our group gathered and we all started down Massachusetts Avenue once again. Passing a handsome brownstone, a crowd of people gathered on the steps caught my eye. A more traditionally dressed couple, she in a flowing white dress and he in a tuxedo, exited the building with cheers and a shower of rice. I realized I had lost my group of sketchers so I jogged to catch up.

The last stop on the Crawl was DuPont Circle. Most of the remaining sketchers gathered around the center fountain but I was immediately drawn to the group of men gathered to play chess. Spectators contemplated the game with as much seriousness as the players. As I sketched a brass band started playing on a street behind me. A group of college students were lounging in the grass beside me playing with an awkward large pawed puppy. The puppy kept testing the confines of his leash, bounding forward happily until the leash snapped taught choking him back. The chess game grew serious and a player cursed the stupidity of a move he had made. Check mate. I returned to the fountain and the remaining artists shared their work. So much artistic variety is always refreshing.

Kahill Gibran Monument

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On the 27th International Sketch Crawl I joined a dozen or so artists in Washington D.C. for the day. After regrouping at the National Cathedral, we moved as a group down Massachusetts Avenue towards DuPont Circle. We passed Embassy after Embassy. The Iraq Embassy was deserted. We finally stopped as a group at this small park where there was a monument to Kahlil Gibran. I had read “The Prophet” as a budding adolescent in high school. The book is even more resonant as the years pass and my heart grows mature from its years of work. Seasons and friendships come and go. Orlando is such a transient city, usually a stepping stone to a greater challenge in a much bigger city.

This bronze statue feels light and airy, the doves are off balance as if about to take flight. As I sketched, my heart relaxed. Accuracy was less important than flow. Being in the company of artists all striving to capture and retain a moment always feels important and time stands still. After this day, the Washington D.C. artists formed a group flickr site where they could share their work. I am considering forming a similar Orlando group, but then I need to seek out others who share my vision.

Woolite

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Mona Washington the author in residence at the Kerouac House, hosted a reading of her one act play Woolite. Mona began as the narrator setting the scene. In a laundry room, a male character played by Dennis Neil, is doing a load of laundry when he stuffs something in his pocket. The female character played by Val Gamble enters. The couple flirts and cuddles affectionately. It becomes apparent that they are a loving married couple. As they hug, Val notices the bulge in her husbands pocket. She pulls out a pair of woman’s panties, not hers. What followed was a long argument in which she questions her husbands fidelity. She comes to realize she almost wished he had cheated on her since THIS could not be discussed with anyone. The play was laugh out loud funny at times. For instance she suddenly realized that he must have been a panty thief in college.

The question and answer session after the reading was just as outlandish and funny. As one member of the audience said, “Every rabbit has her habit.” During the argument, the husband counters with the fact that she is very loud in bed. Of course she was getting her freak on within the confines of the marrage while he was sniffing other women’s panties. How men and women vary in defining infidelity is explored with great comic effect.

There was a going away party for Mona with snacks and wine after the reading. Rachel Leona Kapitan told me a bit about the book she is working on. Scott Donald, one of the partners at Neon Forest, arrived after the reading and told me about how the gallery was doing. Mona and I discussed the possibility of working on a graphic novel together. The story centers around a young college art student who moves to Orlando and discovers the thriving quirky art scene. Who knows where this story might lead?

Phenomenal Conundrum

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Back in Orlando, I found I had time to kill between scheduled sketch assignments. I was coming from Baldwin Park where the opening of a French furnishings store turned out to be an uninspiring subject. I drove to College Park where Mona Washington was going to have a reading of one of her plays at the Kerouac House. I was early so I stopped at infusion tea and ordered an Italian Gelato. Sitting on a comfortable couch in the back of the room, I was reminded of a scene in “Eat Pray Love” where the main character sits quietly in a bustling Italian square savoring a Gelato and enjoying being alone taking in the scene around her. As I savored my Gelato, using the delicate little spoon, I noticed Rachel Kapitan sitting at a table near the door, looking a bit corporate yet very edgy, working on a laptop probably writing up a storm.

In the far corner, a guitarist got behind the mic and started strumming. His friend worked the knobs on a speaker and walked into the middle of the room to check the sound levels. When he was satisfied, he sat down and started playing the drum. They had a warm, mellow soothing sound and I moved closer. A group of women had just abandoned the front table, so I sat down and started sketching. I really had to rush the sketch since I only had an hour before the Kerouac house reading. One of the women returned and she jokingly raised an eye brow and pointed at me as she picked up her full cup of tea. I laughed as she quickly made her way to the door to catch up with her friends.

The musicians were Alexander Gunn and Raymond Hussmann and they called themselves “Phenomenal Conundrum.” They hail from Washington D.C. and they had been performing the Pirate Bars along Florida’s coast before sharing their music at Infusion Tea. They had some paintings from a friend leaning against the wall beside them. On the guitar a message was scrawled that said, “This machine kills Fascists.” As I got close to finishing the sketch, I saw Rachel walk past the plate glass windows. I knew she was looking forward to Mona’s play reading, so I knew I was out of time. The Kerouac house is only a few blocks from Infusion. The sketch was finished with a mad flurry of watercolor washes. I left in the middle of a song, fanning the sketchbook to try and dry the washes.

Festival of the Masters

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Terry and I went down to Disney Village to see the Festival of the Masters. Artist who displayed their work in tents had to have won a “Best in Show” ribbon in another festival in order to exhibit here. I parked my truck in the lot behind Cirque du Soleil which isn’t as crowded as the lots up front. As we walked in Terry told me to go find a spot to sketch since I’m not very good company until I have a sketch under my belt. I prowled the festival hunting for the perfect spot filled with color, crowds and contrast. I bumped into Kathy and Eric Blackmore and she showed me some cool brass sculpted bookmarks she had purchased. As I continued my search, I saw a woman sitting on the ground working on a bold ink line sketch of the Disney Architecture. She was about half way into the sketch so I resisted the temptation to find out if she was a fellow urban sketcher.

I finally decided to sit in the shade leaning back against a “Morning Glory” movie poster. Large metal sculptures of a horse, bull and a lion were on display in the center of the square. There was a constant crowd gathered taking iPhone photos and reading the plaques. 0ne man stood frozen a few feet in front of me and he said, “Should I hold still?” He had guessed that I was sketching and he asked , “Can I take a look?” I said, “Of Course.” Rather than discuss art, he asked, “Did you see “Social Network?” I replied, “YES! It is without a doubt the best film I have seen this year!” He let me know, “I have seen it three times.” When he found out I was a blogger he said, “You better watch what you write, you could get yourself in trouble. When I pointed out that , “Zuckerberg became a billionaire.” He said, “Well at the time he wasn’t.”

I started adding color to the Wolfgang Puck signage, “Live, Love, Eat.” I called Terry to find out where she was once I finished my sketch. We held hands as we walked towards the far end of Disney Village where Anna McCambridge and her mom were doing chalk sidewalk art. We found Anna’s panel of a Blue Owl but the image was finished and Anna wasn’t around. Terry and I considered getting a drink at the House of Blues but the slack service convinced us to leave. When we got back to my truck, I was shocked to find the original Carl Knickerbocker magnetic painting that I had on my tailgate had been stolen! The thief should know that for the rest of his life, he will be cursed by the horrible legend of the alligator man. Once a month in an agonizing process, his skin will turn scaly and green and he will return to the primitive, primordial swamp where his empty spirit belongs. I felt like I had been gator tail slapped in the stomach. Another reason I hate going to Disney.

Going Green the Wong Way

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Getting to the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami was an adventure in battling congested urban traffic. Terry and I followed Elaine Pines who was a native Miami dweller. We hoped to get to downtown Miami from Miami Beach in 45 minutes. There were five accidents as we drove down I-95. Traffic slowed to a crawl. We considered scrubbing the whole theater experience since we were running late. Orlando performance artist Brian Feldman was performing in the theater lobby for an hour before Kristina’s Wong’s show. Brian and Kristina had met last summer at Atlantic Center for the Arts in New Smyrna Beach. Terry dropped me off at the theater steps and I jogged inside. I picked up our tickets and then asked the box office assistant where Brian was performing. He looked at me with a blank stare and said, “Brian Feldman? I’m sorry, I don’t recognize the name.” I thanked him anyway and searched the lobby. After I searched in the men’s room (you never know where Brian might perform!), I found him right near the Carnival Studio Theater entrance. Beside him was a 5 gallon gasoline container. Brian lifted the container and took a long drink. Behind him, a large mosaic mural by Cundo Bermudez called “Ways of Performing” decorated the wall. He rested for a bit, coughing between long draughts. The arriving audience patrons that slowly crowded into the lobby never seemed to notice Brian. I, on the other hand, found the image of him sucking down gasoline timely and funny.I knew there wasn’t much time to sketch so I rushed to get lines on the page.

Kristina’s show, Going Green the W0ng Way, directed by Paul Tei, began with an image of Earth projected on a large screen. Hundreds of plastic grocery bags were piled up and toys were lined up along the back of the stage. The show was a no holds barred hilarious experience. She had no problems with self-deprecating humor. Everyone in the audience had a plastic grocery bag on their seat with a water bottle filled with beans that made for a fun alternative to clapping. The first act began with Wong shouting her environmental beliefs into a megaphone to her middle school classmates. She broke into a fast-paced rap that outlined her devotion to Mother Earth.

One of the show’s funniest moments came as she demonstrated the wonders of a reusable tampon called The DivaCup. Her attempts to demonstrate this environmentally friendly product were embarrassingly funny. The story she later told about trying to reduce her carbon footprint by driving a car that ran on vegetable oil was endlessly funny. The car became a money pit, with endless trips to mechanics. She related the inner workings of the LA bus and subway system with so much detail, it became a spoof on how insane the inner workings were. I found it ironic that Terry and I had to battle so much traffic congestion in order to get to the show.

The environmentally friendly messages were driven home with humor. Life’s bittersweet ironies were mined and exposed. The show never missed a beat. I laughed the whole time as I discovered more about Wong and the World she wanted to save. There are two more performances: Saturday, November 20th at 7pm and the same day at 10pm in the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County, Carnival Studio Theater (1300 N. Biscayne Blvd. Miami). Cost is $30-35.