Cocoa Beach

Posted on by Thor

Sunday is the one day that I do not teach virtual art classes. On this Sunday I decided to drive straight East to Cocoa Beach.

It was a challenge finding parking, but I finally found a lot by driving north on the side streets close to the beach. I figured any parking spots that had numbers in them must be assigned parking for condos. When I located un-numbered spots I took one.

I had a sandwich packed and some water. I have a small pup tent style umbrella. Unfortunately several of the supports have warped which make it open a bit wonky and lopsided. I am a vampire so it is important to keep my delicate dead flesh out of direct sun light. After a quick swim, I dozed off in the shade of the umbrella. I succeeded in keeping in the shade on this day except for my feet which became two red lobsters at the ends of my legs.

I spent the day listening to the waves and thinking about where my life should be heading. Those dreams took me to northern climbs which were closer to mountains than beaches. Perhaps a large lake near un-touched forest trails could make a good studio. I need to get as far away as I can from the sound of huge aircraft coming in to land a the Orlando International Airport.

Macbeth Final

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The final version of the poster had MACBETH surrounded by a cast wearing black stocking masks as they lay their hands on the king. The hands on each side of his head imply that the crown had just been placed. it is a bit akimbo feeling not quite set in place yet.

Since the Shakes is under renovation, very few people drive to the theater and therefor they do not see the large posters hanging in front of the theater. I am not sure when plays will once again be stages in the theater.

This production of Macbeth is being staged at Fringe Art Space in downtown Orlando. The cast are UCF masters degree students.  Tickets.

NOVEMBER 1 & 2, 2024

Where: Fringe ArtSpace

54 W Church St Suite 201, Orlando, FL 32801

When:

November 1:

  • Evening: 7:30 – 8:50 PM

November 2:

  • Matinee: 2:00 – 3:20 PM
  • Evening: 7:30 – 8:50 PM

Macbeth First pass

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On my first pass at creating the Macbeth poster, I decided to go with a golden skull with a large drop of blood creating a crown like splash.

This idea avoided me having to depict Macbeth who had not been cast yet. I have a tenancy to express my darkest impulses before finding the concept which has enough appeal draw an audience in.

At the time I also was not aware that UCF students would be presenting the play. Actually younger actors might take more chances and present Macbeth’s darker side.

I like some aspects of this sketch but others I would defiantly want to change. This skull motif would be good for a very tall poster. As it is, the skull seems to float in a vast expanse of black. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I usually populate every inch of space with something to chew on.

These performances are staged at various venues around Orlando since the Shakespeare Theater is undergoing renovations. Tickets.

NOVEMBER 1 & 2, 2024

Where: Fringe ArtSpace

54 W Church St Suite 201, Orlando, FL 32801

When:

November 1:

  • Evening: 7:30 – 8:50 PM

November 2:

  • Matinee: 2:00 – 3:20 PM
  • Evening: 7:30 – 8:50 PM

Macbeth

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The Orlando Shakes will present Macbeth at Fringe Art Space on November 1 and 2, 2024. The play is being performed by UCF Master of Fine Arts students.

In a past production the Orlando Shakes staged this scene in which a darkly clad cast surrounded Macbeth with their faces hidden behind black stockings. In the haunting scene they lay their hands on the king. It is a creepy and inspired staging.

These performances are staged at various venues around Orlando since the Shakespeare Theater is undergoing renovations.

NOVEMBER 1 & 2, 2024

Where: Fringe ArtSpace

54 W Church St Suite 201, Orlando, FL 32801

When:

November 1:

  • Evening: 7:30 – 8:50 PM

November 2:

  • Matinee: 2:00 – 3:20 PM
  • Evening: 7:30 – 8:50 PM

Lake Eola

Posted on by Thor

I did this sketch before going to a lawyers office in Downtown Orlando for mediation. I lived downtown at the time in an apartment building across from the Abby. This was three years after filing for divorce. I figured it made sense to do what I love before going through this difficult chapter of my life. The band shell was painted rainbow colors after the Pulse nightclub shooting. The Pulse shooting happened shortly after I was asked to leave home in 2016.

When the sketch was done I had just enough time to walk over to the lawyers office. I had to wait in the lobby and the place seemed dead. After maybe an hour I was called in and told that my X simply had not shown up. She worked in a building maybe a block away, so it is hard to imagine that the walk was difficult.  The day was not a complete waste since I got a decent sketch.

There would be several more meditations, each more painful than the last. The final mediation resulted in my giving away half of my existing art work just so I could get on with my life. I was working on a mural that depicted the City Beautiful at the time.

Hard Rock Cafe

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In pre-pandemic times, Several instructors from Savannah College of Art and Design were in Orlando and invited me to lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe.

I looked up online that parking was free for Florida residents. The parking attendant however thought my somewhat old drivers license looked suspicious, or maybe he just thought I looked suspicious and he insisted I pay for parking. Instead, I backed out and drive around the block. I approached a second parking attendant and he let me in with no hassle.

The instructors were doing the Universal theme parks and even had sketched from inside one of the Harry Potter rides. It would have been fun to join them on those sketch outings but this was the last day of their trip. In the Hard Rock there was a car hanging from the ceiling. That would have been a fun sketch but the food arrived before I had time to sketch. The sketch above was done before everyone arrived. I sent them a photo of the sketch so they would know where to meet me.

 

Thanksgiving

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Thanksgiving is the time that all the Christmas decorations come out. I visited my sister in Port Charlotte for Thanksgiving and she took me to Fisherman’s village in Punta Gorda.

Fisherman’s Village is a small shopping center set out on the docks. It is a Quaint riverfront complex of specialty shops and casual restaurants, plus a marina and lodging on the second level. I never imagined what it might be like to live in a small shopping mall. These deer are made of stiff wire wrapped with fabric. I’m sure there are Christmas light inside of them that make them glow at night. In Florida the richest colors can be seen in the day light with rich green foliage and bright flowers. Winter is the best season to be sketching outside in Florida.

Reiter Park

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I went on a sketch outing with the Orlando Urban Sketchers to Reiter Park, (311 West Warren Ave, Longwood, FL). One of the sketchers Greg Bryla through Dix.Hite + Partners, was involved with the design of the architectural landscaping of the park. I rather liked the sweeping circular motifs. On the top of a stair stepped hill stood a sculpture which features cut out pattern of a flock of birds. Since that patters has hardly visible from the distance I drew it as well across the sky.

The gazebos have barn like roofs which give the childhood drawing impressions of the standard home. Actually a home I am looking at in Upstate New York has a similar roof along with a small widow’s tower.

On October 122, 2020 from 4pm to 9pm there will be a Food Truck Battle and Concert in the Park with Hypersonica. On November 23, 2024 the 48the Annual Longwood Arts and Crafts Festival will be held in the park. That is a two day event starting at 9am each day. March 1, 2025 will be the Longwood Pirate Days Festival from 10am to 6pm.

Pulse: Pablo Quinones

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The director of the Orange County Regional History Center was about to leave her position. She asked me to come to the History Center to do one last sketch for a Pulse related oral history. As she said, this would be the “swan song” that ended the series.

The directors office had a HEPA air filter so this was a rare instance where I sat indoors and did a sketch without a mask. If more venues had HEPA filters I might indeed return to sketching indoors mask less.

Pablo Quinones was a first responder that the Pulse Nightclub shooting. After the shooting he went on to become the personal driver and security officer for Mayor Buddy Dyer. Being the mayor’s security office has to be an adventure since the mayor attends all the best events in Orlando. After the Pulse shooting I remember seeing the mayor arrive at many of the fundraisers and artistic memorials with a large entourage.

Pablo has been a law enforcement officer and civil servant since 2000. He attended Western Illinois University and the College of  Lake County.

Since the City of Orlando purchased the the Pulse Nightclub site for 2 million dollars from the One Pulse Foundation there was no security at the site. A sign in front of the Pulse nightclub was vandalized in February of 2024 with bold graffiti. Sayings on the sign, like “Love is Love”, “Love never Dies, it Transforms” and “Love will always Win” are now obscured under giant spray painted bubble letters. Efforts are being made to scrub away the graffiti, but of course the messages of hope and love will also be scrubbed away in the process.

One Pulse had a gorgeous plan for the site that had a brightly colored fountain and an enclosed seating area. I liked this design and feel it is a shame that it will not be created. The cost for the memorial and a museum skyrocketed beyond the fundraising abilities of the One Pulse Foundation. The city is planning a far scaled back memorial which they hope to complete by 2028, which is 12 years since the tragedy occurred. The club is on an incredibly noisy intersection so the thought that a peaceful site of remembrance might be created with a few coats of paint seems insane. What it attracts so far is urban spray paint.

 

 

COVID Dystopia: Honorable Mention

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I am very pleased that COVID Dystopia won an Honorable Mention at the Charlotte Film Festival in North Carolina. COVID Dystopia screened on the morning after Hurricane Helene ripped through North Carolina.

Charlotte is further east than Asheville, North Carolina which was absolutely demolished by the storms flooding. Charlotte on the other hand only saw a solid day of rain and no power outages. By the end of the film festival the sun had come out.

I was trying desperately to find a connecting flight to Charlotte but my film had screened at 10:30PM on the night before in Reno Nevada. There was no flight that could get me to Charlotte by 10 AM the next morning.

The animated film that did win for Best Animated Film was called, Have You Eaten. The jury liked the narrative, and the nostalgia of the story. For COVID Dystopia, the jury considered the film quite different and very vivid, being relatable with great technique and good pacing. Indeed COVID Dystopia challenges the audience to try and keep up with the insane fever dream.