The Day They Found: Poetry, Violin, [De]-Construction

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I went to The Space Station, (2539 Coolidge Ave, Orlando, FL 32804) where Ashley Inguanta and Sarah Morrison build a a [de]construction site relying on glass, paper, a loop machine, violin, and poetry.

During this performance, the audience had the option to give and to receive. They had the choice to hold, to let go, and to find that balance. They were invited to bring all of the angels and ghosts they know.I found a comfy spot on a couch to sketch from. The lighting was dark and moody.

At one point string was handed out to everyone in the audience. they each held on and it tied the group together. Ashley’s poetry was accompanied by the violin music of Sarah. During one reading, Ashley set a small model of a home on fire. The significance of that fire I can only guess at. It was an unexpected bit of theater.

My Queer Valentine.

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I went to the Jack Kerouac House 1418 (Clouser Ave, Orlando, Florida) for My Queer Valentine).  Love is love, and no matter if you’re single or taken, heartbroken or healed, it’s an honor to be able to share stories of love. Just two days after Valentine’s Day, four authors shared there own queer love stories.

Readers , included Sarah Viren, Claire Robin Thorne, Amber Norman and Ashley Inguanta (in the sketch). The evening was sponsored by Burrow Press and hosted by the Jack Kerouac House. The literary scene seems so much more vibrant than the visual arts scene in Orlando. There are literally dozens o reading events in town attended by crowds of eager listeners, yet artists seldom gather and share their work. Parker Sketch hosts a monthly Critique session which helps fill that void but otherwise artists only meet at openings.

Free Meditations with Beautiful Chorus.

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After a solid week of non stop vigils and events honoring the victims of the Pulse Terrorist Attack, I decided it would be a good idea to try and re-ground myself with meditation. I noticed a free meditation at the Panic Healing Center. It seemed strange that a healing center would be called Panic, but I was panicked.  I didn’t notice until just now that it is actually the Pranic Healing Center of Central Florida (619 N Thornton Ave, Orlando, Fl.)

As I approached, I noticed all the shoes near the entry, so I tool off my shoes and socks. The meditation room was packed with beautiful people peacefully waiting. At the front of the room, for woman sat on a fairly large rug which was surrounded by green Christmas lights. One singer looked very familiar with her beautiful chiseled features.  I couldn’t figure out where I had seen her. I couldn’t find a good spot to sit in the crowded room.  A woman took pity on me, and suggested I sit up front next to the stage near a fire extinguisher. It was the perfect spot, since it was close to the performers and could look out over the audience.

Ashley Inguanta a talented local writer made her way to the stage and she lead everyone in healing prayers and stretches. Everyone started with one hand ore their heart, and another over their stomach. Hands were then clasped at the chest with the thumbs pressed against the sternum. From this position the heartbeat and breath could be felt. Ashley pointed on that if events get hectic, we could always return to this place of peace. We are all a bit frazzled from this week events. Ashley herself is being pulled emotions in different directions. She finds she keep forgetting things. I have had the same affliction all week.


Beautiful Chorus began to sing. Their voices resonated in perfect harmony. The music reflected peace and love. On the night of June 11th in Orlando, FL, in another LGBTQ friendly
venue, less than five miles from where the atrocities at Pulse nightclub
took place, the Beautiful Chorus sang “Pulse“. A line from the song reads, “But we know better, we’ve sacrificed too many nights to violence, and too many days to shame.” It seemed as if the song were predicting events to come only few hours in the future. The music resonated in my bones. I had to hum along. I was still humming the music long after the meditation and performance was over. The line between meditation and appreciating the beautiful music was subtle.  Alexandra Love was the lead singer. She had a monk like visage. Mila Bella was the performer I recognized. She is also a visual artist and I sketched her once working at a group studio night. I had no idea she had such a beautiful voice. After the performance Milla let me know the she heard me humming in the corner. I was mortified. I hope I didn’t interfere with anyone’s appreciation of the music. She rather liked the deep notes added however. The song is like an anthem for a city that has lost it’s innocence.

The In-Between Series where you can expect the unexpected.

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The In-Between Series takes place every month on the Monday before each Third Thursday at The Gallery at Avalon Island (39 S Magnolia Ave, Orlando, Florida). Thad Anderson’s Sextet performed in January 2015 to kick off the monthly series of New Music. When I hear sextet, I imagined classical musicians with violins, cellos and flutes. This sextet however was all about pure primal new age drumming. A large Critique computer screen was set up in front of the phalanx of drums to display the sheet music.

Ashley Equality Inguanta created an installation stage set that had a small porcelain Virgin Mary with a small vile of perfume or holy water, and rose pedals on the alter and floor. A small rug was set up in front of the alter so that anyone could kneel down if they wanted to. Unfortunately no one stopped at the alter long enough to be included in the sketch.

La Empanada Food Truck was parked in the alley next door, so there was plenty of good food available along with drinks from the Avalon Bar. Sketching to the drums beat loosened up my lines and made me throw washes down with much more vigor.

The next concert at The Gallery at Avalon Island will feature Chris Corsano and
Bill Orcutt on Monday December 28th. The doors will open at 7pm and the
concert will begin at 8pm. All ages are welcome. Click here to check out the event Facebook page for more information.

Marriage Equality Eve at Lake Eola.

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January 5th of 2015 was the Eve of Marriage Equality in Orlando. Ashley Inguanta organized a Marriage Equality Celebration and Reading which were to take place in the green across the street from the Lake Eola Panera Bread. She advised everyone in the invite to bring a blanket or chair. The evening would be a literary celebration of the arrival of same-sex marriage with a series of readings by LGBT writers. Readers on the bill included Dianne Turgeon Richardson, Tisse Mallon and Ricardo Williams. Ashley Inguanta was the host.

I arrived early and started sketching the green across from Panera’s. The plan was that I would populate the scene with the crowd as they arrived. The event was going to start at 7pm and as that time grew near, I was surprised that no one had yet set up on the lawn.  Tisse Mallon arrived with a microphone and speaker and she advised me that she planned to set up in the small amphitheater right next to the field. I quickly added color washes to this sketch resigned to the fact that there would be no huge crowd. This happened once before in this same field. Jessica Early organized a human cinnamon roll hug. This hug works great with a large crowd with people spiraling outward in a nautilus or Cinnamon bun pattern. The people in the center of the hug are completely enveloped. Anyway on that occasion I sketched the same field and only three girls stood together and hugged.

Eventually close to a dozen people did show up for the Marriage Equality Celebration. I finished this sketch and then joined them for the readings. Perhaps I am naive to have hoped that thousands of people might show up to celebrate love. I wasn’t disappointed with the readings however because it was a heart warming and uplifting on an otherwise chilly evening.

Ashley Inguanta hosted a Marriage Equality Celebration and Readings at Lake Eola.

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On the evening before the ban on same sex marriages was lifted, Ashley Inguanta hosted readings that were a celebration of love at Lake Eola. I arrived a bit early and did a sketch of a big grassy field thinking that it would soon be filled with hundreds of supporters. Tisse Mallon arrived with some equipment on a dolly. Although the invitation said to meet in the field, Tisse realized that a small staging area nearby might have an outlet where she could plug in an amplifier and a mic. Sure enough there were plugs right behind the stage. She covered a small TV tray table with a black cloth and set the speaker up in front of that. The final touch were small candles that acted as foot lamps.

Perhaps a dozen people gathered on the wooden benches. Ashley took the microphone and introduced herself. She explained that on this chilly evening, we were celebrating the arrival of same-sex marriage with a series of readings by LGBT writers. Readers on the bill included Dianne Turgeon Richardson, Tisse Mallon and Ricardo Williams. As Ashley read the first poem about love, a policeman on a bicycle stopped to shut down the performance. It is rather ironic that poems about love should be considered subversive while people shout out hatred of hell and brimstone on street corners downtown. Ashley asked if she could continue to read without the mic. He allowed that and rode off. Ashley advised everyone to huddle together in the front row, for added body warmth and to hear her over the traffic. She got off the stage and moved close to the audience.

Tisse read an intimate poem about her first love. Other poems were by Dia Davina and Adrienne Rich. Ricardo explained that he wasn’t LGBT but any injustice is an injustice to all. Dianne’s story was similar. She was recently married and hadn’t been writing much poetry while she was happy. The poems she used to write were always dark. On this cold evening there was a warmth and joy in every poem shared. Ricardo read a second poem, but I couldn’t hear him over the passing traffic.

Ashley had recently moved to NYC where she hoped to find her soul mate and get married. She reminded us all that there were only four hours left until there would be marriage equality in Florida. Now it will be possible for anyone to find a committed lasting love in the City Beautiful.

Sin is in at the Venue.

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7 Deadly Sins is an original work that combines contemporary dance, visual art, performance art, poetry, music and culinary art to examine topics of temptation and sin. Lust, pride, gluttony, sloth, wrath, envy and greed come together to entice audience members through an interactive art gallery setting.

Featuring performances by Emotions Dance Company, visual art by award winning body painter and Skin Wars Season 1 2nd place finalist, Shannon Holt, visual art by award winning body painter, Brit Lytle artwork by Patrick Fatica, Amanda Panacea, Scott Sharky Hodges, Thomas Thorspecken, Adrian Calle and others, spoken word performances by E.J. Younes, Jesse Bradley, and Ashley Equality Inguanta, aeral performances by The American Circus Arts Academy, and a variety of refreshments from local food vendors to satisfy your inner glutton.

Performances are on:

Friday October 17

Saturday October 18

Friday October 24

Saturday October 25

7-10pm 

at The Venue (511 Virginia Drive. Orlando FL)

Tickets $25 at The Door.
This program contains some mature themes and may not be appropriate for children under 13.

I Believe in You! Performance, Art and Dance Party

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I went to The Space (1206 E Colonial Dr. Orlando FL) on August 24th, right after “The Red Chair Affair” at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Center (401 W Livingston St  Orlando, FL). Jessica Earley had organized a one night only performance driven event with a committed group of experimental artists who love what they do and love you too.

Several artists were invited to perform,
they each then curated another artist to show visual works.

 The Space turned out to be a small apartment right above a pizza shop near Mills Avenue. The front door was locked, so I went out back where a crowd was gathered. Mark Baratelli was just leaving. He reported that the event was packed and very hot. Having never been in the space, I had to go up to get a sketch. Admission was $2. The place was more than hot, it was a furnace. My stiff collared dress shirt became semi transparent with sweat. I whipped my brow with my tie.

There was a performance going on when I entered but there were so many people packed in the room, that I decided a sketch would be impossible. I went into a room filled with art and sat with my back against a closet door to sketch.

 Performing artists included, Jessica Earley,
Jack Fields,
Ashley Inguanta,
Melanie Lister,
Stephanie Lister,
Hannah Miller,
Jorgen Nicholas Trygved, and Christin Caviness. Hannah curated art by Winter Calkins. Winter had a fascinating piece that used cigarette butts as a sort of pointillism to depict someones lips and jaw. I was pleased that Winter knew of my work.

The large piece to my left was by Jack Fields. It had intricate crochet work, a sort of wizards hat and eyes peering out from everywhere. Flip-flops were enshrined on red velvet pillows. In the center of the room, letters were torn and re-assembled behind Plexiglas. The one line I could read said, “I hope you can say sorry.” The room itself was painted to look like the inside of a human body. Ribs and muscles were painted everywhere. The room had been used in a film and the walls were painted to show that the character was going insane. The film is now being submitted to film festivals.

Terry stopped in briefly with Matt McGrath. They couldn’t stand the heat and left to go to a bar. With the sketch done, I walked around and said hello to Becky Lane and Tisse Mallon. Jessica Earley had mascara running down her cheeks. She looked like a battered wife or junkie. The disheveled look must have been for her performance piece.  She had been concerned about how many people would show up. I believe she maxed out the capacity at The Space. I know that Christin performed a dance piece in the hot crowded space. Afterwards she went outside to collapse and catch her breath. Ashley gave her last poetry reading before she moved to NYC.  I thought that I didn’t see a single performance. As it turned out, I had sketched Jorgen Nicholas Trygveddoing an adaptation of “The Artist is Present” in which he Skyped in silence with people in a neighboring room. Now I know why he sat there so long staring at his computer. This was the performance that most intrigued me when I read the invitation, because I had been in NYC on the final day of Marina Abromovic‘s “The Artist is Present“.

I soaked up the ambiance like a wet sweaty sponge.

As I left, the dance party was pulsing in the back room DJ’d by
Jorgen. Terry wanted me to meet Matt and her at a bar, but my fancy leather loafers were giving me blisters. I think I over dressed and I was spent.

15 Views of Orlando

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I was asked to exhibit several of my sketchbooks at Urban ReThink. The opening was on the Third Thursday in January and the work will be up through February 16th. Artists include Barry Kirsch, best known for his Murder City Photography, Ashley Inguanta, whose local photography had a surreal edge to it, Lesley Godeck Silvia, who had a bright neon ice cream swirl photo that looked great next to my sketchbooks. All the work depicted scenes from the City Beautiful. The two sketches of mine on exhibit are, Musical Mondays, and There Will be Words. Dina Mack, the curator, explained that she wanted work with a local flavor to accompany a Burrow Press’ 15 Views of Orlando Book Release Party. The book features 15 short stories written by local authors. All of the scenes in the book happen in different neighborhoods of Orlando.

Dina invited me to bring along a box of calendars to the art show opening. Urban ReThink is a bit removed from the downtown galleries that act as the hub of the monthly Third Thursday Downtown gallery hop. Dina and I sat outside Urban ReThink and she had a natural knack for inviting passers by inside to look around. Ashley was there to meet anyone interested in her work. Her pieces were hung clothes line style and they were very affordable. One young man expressed his interest in buying a piece. He insisted that she would have to frame the work however. Quite honestly the frame would cost more than she was charging for the art. I rolled my eyes. He was probably haggling because he was more interested in the artist than the art. In my sketch, Patrick Greene, Dina Mack and Ashley Inguanta were relaxing in the “living room” setting at Urban ReThink. I sketched fast with few interruptions since few arts patrons wandered in.

The gallery was a ghost town. A few people glanced at calendars but they couldn’t afford the $12 to buy one. The highlight of the evening for me was meeting Heidi Behr and Mark Egeland. Mark owns a bicycle manufacturing facility in Winter Garden. He showed me a few photos of the process and it would be an exceptional sketch opportunity. There are seven stations from metal entering the factory until the final product rolls out the doors. These are seven sketches I now want to capture. Who knew that bicycles are being made right here in Central Florida? Heidi is involved in Scooters for Hooters, a breast cancer fundraising event. We talked about how I might get more involved in this cause this year.