Love by Design in the Milk District.

Posted on by Thor

In response to the tragedy at Pulse, AIGA Orlando created Love by Design, an event that sought to inspire and empower us all to stand against discrimination.  Love By Design was for civic leaders, creative professionals and anyone else who cares about the future of our city. Representatives from the LGBTQ and Muslim communities shared their stories as we all begin the process of healing from our collective heartbreak. Together, we will determine how to move forward as a city that lives with more love every day.

Even more than a reflection on this tragic event, Love by Design was an all-day celebration of The City Beautiful’s talent, diversity and resilience.

Local artists and designers donated original work for sale and auction. Food and entertainment was be provided by local musicians and food trucks. Proceeds will benefit OneOrlando, the fund formed by the mayor’s office to respond to the needs of our community in the wake of the Pulse Tragedy.

AIGA Orlando is a professional association for design and creative professionals. Formed in 2000, the association currently has about 250 members, and grew 68% in 2015 alone. Their mission is to nurture a thriving creative community and serve as a hub for creatives in the area.

When I arrived, Beemo was the first band to get on stage. It was a scorching hot day and [ ordered a pear cider to quench my thirst as I sketched. Anna McCambridge Thomas helped organize the art available for sale. A tent helped keep the small audience coo in the parking lot behind the Milk Bar. Partial proceeds of all drink sales went to the One Orlando fund as well. “Is there light? Is there time? To set our world to right?”

PechaKucka Orlando

Posted on by Thor

I usually write a commentary about events I sketch. This time I felt that Darren’s entire talk from the Friday September 20th  PechaKucha needed to be shared. 20 slides, 20 seconds a slide, a wide variety of presenters.

Imagining Real

By Darren McDaniel

“Over the past two years, a particular image has played a prominent role
in my life.  It’s the wallpaper on my phone, the art on my kitchen wall,
the sticker on the back of my laptop, and the ten-foot tall mural high
on the wall at 625 E. Central.

I’m
the founding director of Urban ReThink, a community workspace and
programming hub in Orlando’s Thornton Park. When I got the news a few
weeks ago that we’d be losing our space, the thing that hit me the
hardest, of all things, was the thought that I’d no longer have daily
access to this mural that I know as GoogliAnn.

I
teach Digital Storytelling to designers at Full Sail, and I preach the
power of symbols—how a simple icon or graphic could be loaded with
meaning, representing far more than its collection of marks, or—in this
case—scribbles.

In
the 18 months it’s been on the wall, the mural has been a fueling
station for me.  It reminds me of why I do what I do.  The artwork came
from a self-portrait my niece, GraciAnn, had given me on her 5th birthday. 
It’s come to embody my immense affection for my nieces, for our
community, and for all that’s been accomplished under GoogliAnn’s over-lordship.

Here’s
how it happened.  Upon returning to Orlando, I crudely Photoshopped
GraciAnn’s art on the wall and shared it with my sister, asking her to
get GraciAnn’s reaction—a reaction that turned out to be all-too
matter-of-fact: “It’s not real.”  I took this as a challenge.  And I
thought, “Yeah, but imagine if it was…”

And
I shared the notion with Dina, and Pat, and Kitty, and Kim, and Fiona,
and Ryan, and Julia, and Anna, and dang near anyone else who happened
through.  “What if?”  What do you think?”  “Can we do it?”  “Surely, we can do this.”  And thanks to their affirmation, support, and resourcefulness, we made a way.

Karen
Rigsby helped me figure out the eyes.  Anna McCambridge-Thomas said she
knew the perfect artist, and she wasn’t kidding.  Carolyn Schultz was
every bit as impressive as the art she produced. In a day and a half,
she swept in, climbed up, and made the magic happen, one grid-square at a
time.

As
it neared completion, I got giddy and sent a picture to Cris
Phillips-Georg with the caption “the audacity of play,” and she said
that’s what you should call it.   “The Audacity of Play.”  A dedication that marked the first anniversary of Urban ReThink…and a bold new theme for the year ahead.

Months
later, GraciAnn was coming to town, and, much to her surprise, we
staged a grand unveiling.  Kathryn Neel even made the eyes work.  And
Thor was there sketching and my family and friends, and the moment I’d
dreamed about since “It’s not real.”: the big reveal.  From astonishment to head-burying embarrassment on GraciAnn’s end; from triumph to tears on mine.

Then:
discovery.  The mural was complete, and the eyes moved.  Regulars would
jump when they caught a first glance.  When kids would come in, I’d
point up to it and watch their expressions turn from perplexed to
wide-eyed.  I’d tell them “Somebody your age drew that,” and I’d see the
possibility swirl around them.  “Can I put my art on a wall?”

One
of my favorite pastimes became juxtaposing the events and speakers with
the googly-eyed girl.  The PBS Newshour’s nationally-televised debate
panel.  The chief data scientist from bit.ly.  Business meetings.  Coworking. Highfalutin parties. And, of course, Gloria Steinem.

Less
than 2 weeks from now, the doors close on Urban ReThink, and—unless I
can find a way to liberate a ten-by-ten-foot piece of drywall from its
well-secured perch—her always-welcoming arms will be waving goodbye, her
eyes will close, and she’ll forever lurk behind who-knows-what paint.

But you know what, Orlando?  Symbols carry their meanings.  And we’ve still got ours.  And
we’ve got high-res pictures, and we’ve got printers, and the
Transformation Village in Bithlo ready to become GoogliAnn’s next home
in some form or fashion.  Beyond that, we’ve got the legacy we’ve built,
and we’ve got each other.

I
moved back home to Central Florida a dozen years ago and made a feature
film. When it was over, I wanted to do something to give back to this
community that helped make my dream possible—something that could make
many more dreams possible through gathering and cross-pollenating
enterprising creatives from all walks of life.

Forty
months ago, an opportunity finally arose to make that real. The time
since has seen scores of collaborations and hundreds of cultural events.
It’s brought the majority of tonight’s presenters and so many other
treasures into not just my life but each other’s.  It’s inspired
visitors to shift their Mickey-Mouse views of Orlando and even move
here.

At
the surface, there’s something rather ridiculous about a googly-eyed
vision.  Untethered, quixotic, not always on the same page…  But it’s
also a vision with broader perspective and heightened possibility—one
that honors imagination and contributions from even the most unlikely of
sources…

My
mission continues : To gather and showcase Orlando’s
independent-minded, community-spirited doers for economic, community,
and intellectual growth. Why?
Because we have treasure in our midst: from the talent pool of recent
graduates, transplants, and the underemployed on one hand to the
creative, the curious, and the volunteers-to-be on the other. I call
them gappers. I’m one of them.

And
I’m minding the gap because our support structures haven’t kept up with
the societal change that’s creating more gappers by the day.  Yet, it’s
gappers that will ultimately generate our solutions.  After all, we’re
the entrepreneurs, innovators, and enhancers.  It’s in our collisions,
conversations, and collaborations that imaginations become real.

One thing is certain: There’s a need for
an Urban ReThink and for opportunity structures like it.  There’s a
need for a new social institution—something that fuels gappers by
combining elements of work, play, family, school, church, and library.  We’ve pioneered that—right here in Orlando. But we’re not finished.  And I’m not stopping.

As Urban ReThink, we’re losing our space and our scope, but not the
audacity of our play, nor the tenacity of our purpose. GoogliAnn. 
She’s the spirit of our future.  And she’s looking to us to get her
where she needs to go.  People say things happen for a reason.  Let’s
make that reason.  Imagine the possibilities.  They’re real.  And
they’re spectacular.”

Darren’s talk had me in tears. I felt a warm glow knowing so many family and friends who create and inspire change. I hunt for collaborators and creatives, and the resources found in Orlando are unlimited. ReThink was a creative epicenter that fueled my daily sketch habit. I have over 50 sketches that were done there. The bricks and mortar might change ownership but the people who see and bring about change are still here.

Mark Your Calendar! The next PechaKucha is February 7th at 7pm at The Orange Studio, (1121 N. Mills Avenue, Orlando, Fl).

Collide-Scope

Posted on by Thor

Individuals from various backgrounds collide to confront a community challenge in this signature bi-monthly event at Urban Rethink (625 E Central Blvd • Orlando, FL). Anna McCambridge Thomas started these creative, think outside the box community awareness sessions. I attended the December 10th session. The ten or so individuals sat in a circle to share ideas. In the past, small teams were set up to consider creative solutions to our community’s problems. Unfortunately, there were some clashes of will among participants in one team, so adjustments to the format had to be made moving forward. This session was an open discussion for all that showed up.

 Each challenge will address an issue that is mainly social in nature,
and will focus on our community, but can be adjusted to a broader (even
global) scope in its presentation. The challenge will be announced at
the beginning of each corresponding event. These events are not meant to
solve issues within one week’s time, but to open an interesting,
informed, creative and honest dialogue. It is also meant to promote a
more healthy, vibrant and livable community, and to bring together
people who might not have otherwise met or collaborated. (This includes
both the selected participants and the individuals who join in as
audience members.) Perhaps a spark will ignite in the mind of a visitor
who will help to continue the project, or create something new based on
an idea within it.

One group was assigned the task of considering the homeless problem. They noted that many homeless in Orlando still have cell phones. They came up with the notion of assigning a homeless person a QR code. The homeless person could ask a passer by to scan the QR code and an information page would inform the person on how to donate to a food pantry. Terry Olson talked about an Urban Artist who did a mural under a highway overpass. I didn’t see the art, but it apparently livened up an otherwise dreary area. The city deemed the art to be graffiti and they did a sloppy white wash over it. Now the overpass is more dismal than ever. Terry is looking into ways to make it easier for artists to get permits for public art. Utility boxes are being painted by artists. The artists are only given $100 for supplies and that is their sole commission for the job. It is no wonder that many of those decorated boxes look like they were painted by amateurs. One box on Mills Avenue near the Orange Studio does make me laugh, it reads… “The end was here!”

Winter Park Harvest Festival

Posted on by Thor

 On November 17th, the day after the ice skating rink opened, The Annual Winter Park Harvest Festival was held on the West Lawn of Central Park. The white tent in my sketch is where the ice rink is housed.The festival is the brain child of John Rife who wants to help educate people to the benefits of eating locally grown produce. A community garden demonstrated what plants did well in Florida.

Since the festival was held right before Thanksgiving, people could consider getting some locally grown, whole hearted goodness on the dinner table for the holiday After walking around and inspecting the fifty or so market tents, I was drawn to the sound of music. Several bays of hay and some speakers were piled onto the back of a truck trailer that served as the stage. A bare scrawny tree offered no shade for the performers and it was hot in the sun. I walked around the staging area several times searching for a shady spot with a good view. I finally leaned against a tree quite far from the stage. Austin Miller was performing. People sat on hay bales and families picnicked on the grass as they listened. “Hey, are you a registered voter?” I was asked. “Yes.” I said. “Well then would you like to sign a petition to help preserve our natural resources?” I had already signed that petition downtown. I heard his pitch again and again. The music was just background noise for the fervor. I didn’t care. It was a beautiful day.

Gailanne Amundsen, of Jubal’s Kin stopped to say hello. Her brother Roger Amundsen had started a locally grown business and he had a tent. Unfortunately, Jubal’s Kin wasn’t scheduled to play. There is a deep rooted Appalachian honesty to their songs that I love. I also bumped into Mark Baratelli and Julie Norris with her daughter Maya. Anna McCambridge Thomas offered me several fried crab cakes from the Big Wheel Food Truck. Boy were they good. Several people I hadn’t met before stopped to tell me they follow my work online. One artist insisted I have to get involved in the annual Winter Park Paint Out. I’ve wanted to sketch that event for the past two years but there was always a scheduling conflict. After my sketch was done, I went to the Big Wheel Food Truck and ordered a stuffed Avocado. I relaxed in the shade and soaked in the music.