Orange County Regional History Center Auction

Posted on August 18, 2019February 7, 2022 by Thor

The Orange County Regional History Center is getting a major redesign in the next few years with modern digital interactive displays and is basically being overhauled from head to toe to improve the experience. Several months ago the large ceiling mounted display in the lobby was dismantled. Alligators, manatees, huge mosquitoes, and other Central Florida flora and fauna came down. The manatees were sitting in the loading bay for the longest time.

The History Center decided to hold an auction to sell off items from the old displays to help raise money for the multi-million dollar renovations and improvements they are planning. This was a sketch opportunity I could not miss. The room was packed when The History Center’s chief curator, Pam Schwartz, and I arrived. I immediately tucked myself away behind some tables set up to hold items in the auction. To my right was a large steam engine train. To my left was a Conestoga wagon, some camping vehicles, a mermaid, some mastodon tusks, and a model of a theme park water slide.

I had seen this auctioneer in action before, he was highly polished and kept the action lively. The bidding was fast and furious. In the aisles were people who would yelp whenever someone bid. The guy closest to me had a thick New York accent and he was hilarious and gracious. The lots wold be sold as groupings, for instance, if you wanted a manatee you needed to buy three manatees. If you wanted a pink flamingo, you would have to buy 5 flamingos. The museum for some reason had quite a few antique toy robots. The cheapest item of the day was a set of golf clubs in a bag for only a dollar. Patty Sheehan bought a hilarious looking green frog wearing a crown modeled after a character at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park. Brendan O’Connor brought home an antique robot.

After the bidding on the larger items, everyone who was left gathered at a back table to bit on smaller items. It was fun to watch as people struggled to take home the large items purchased. A wife scolded her husband for trying to carry a five foot model space shuttle all on his own. The women who brought the manatees, gators, and some large metal leaves were planning to create a Florida themed back yard pool area. The leaves would function as decorative access block for an outdoor shower. She and her partner were just out running errands at 7-11 when they decided to go to the auction. Having never been to an auction before they were surprised with all they brought home.

As a fundraiser the auction turned out to be a huge success. Pam pitched the idea as a joke at one of the meetings since they thought most of the items should have been thrown out. Now they are being tenderly refurbished by their new owners. Two large Corinthian columns and the 4 foot high flamingos remained behind as the auction space quieted down. People must have planned to pick these items up later when they had a large enough truck to transport them.

Ivanhoe Park Brewery Mural Unveiling

Posted on March 18, 2019February 7, 2022 by Thor

Tuesday, March 19, 2019 at 7 PM – 10 PM will be the the official unveiling and signing of my City Beautiful Mural at Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company (1300 Alden Road, Orlando, Florida 32803.) Gentry’s BBQ will be on site for food options. No cost to attend but drinks and food will cost.

I have been working on this mural for the past 39 days, usually from sunrise until noon when the sun floods the wall taking away my cooling shade. The last week was accelerated with me working all day long because Charles Marklin from Metro Finishes let me borrow some scaffolding. When I stood on the scaffolding it would shake violently side to side. I braced my hand against the wall and steadied my breathing to continue painting the sky. I only painted one 5 foot section of sky and then Pam Schwartz took over. When she stood on the scaffolding she was steady as a rock. She ended up painting all the rest of the sky.

I was introduced to Glen Clossen of Ivanhoe Park Brewing by Brendan Bunting O’Connor of The Bungalower. Brendan knew I had pitched this mural design for the Fringe offices back in 2014, but that building was torn down before painting started. I adjusted the same sketch for use on the Brewery. Years before this same design was used to paint a large canvas at a Downtown Arts District fundraiser at the Sonesta Hotel Downtown. That painting was executed by the drunk party goers and the results were as might be expected. It looked like it had been painted by non artists. That canvas hung over the admissions desk for a while and then quietly disappeared. I am not sure of it’s fate, if it went in the trash, or is in someone’s private collection.

My process on this mural is well documented on Instagram showing a photo at the end of each work day. Line work was a challenge. I considered using Krink markers but was told they do not last long in the Florida sun. Instead I used black acrylic paint and the same water brush I use every day to do my on location sketches. I tried to maintain the same quirky line quality of the original sketch on the much large wall surface.

Come on out, grab a beer and say hello.

Jorge Estevez DNA Test

Posted on December 11, 2018February 7, 2022 by Thor

Jorge Estevez, a WFTV Channel 9 news anchor, was invited by Pam Schwartz, the Orange County Regional History Center Chief Curator, to take an Ancestry DNA test to learn more about his family history. She also researched the family histories of other well-known Central Floridians, including
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer;
journalist Brendan O’Connor of the Bungalower; Toni Pressley, Orlando
Pride soccer team defender; and Geraldine Thompson, state
representative and senator and founder of Orlando’s Wells’ Built Museum.

Jorge met Pam at the History Center Research Library where she asked him about what he did know about his family history. To do the DNA test he had to spit into a test tube which was a great photo opportunity for Melissa Procko, History Center Research Librarian, who was documenting the moment with video and still photography.

A line of Jorge’s family tree comes from Cuba which turned out to be problematic for online research since Cuban records must be researched from the courthouses and archives on the island. Pam was afraid she might have bit off more than she could chew, but she enlisted the help of a genealogist who specializes in Cuban research. This genealogist also does research for a TV program called Finding Your Roots.

It turns out that Jorge comes from a family line which is renowned for being public servants who notarize documents. Being a notary in those days was a position of high honor. She even found their notary stamps. The family line was researched way back into the 1500s. Jorge joked that he has never had a tattoo, but he is considering getting a tattoo of one of those ancient hand-drawn stamps since it means so much to him.

Genome VIP Opening

Posted on October 28, 2018February 7, 2022 by Thor

Genome: Unlocking Life’s Code opened at the Orange County Regional History Center (65 E Central Blvd, Orlando, FL 32801) with a VIP opening reception in the lobby. The traveling exhibition from the Smithsonian Institution is presented by Orlando Health and is open through January 6, 2019.

This special exhibit examines the complexities of the
genome—the genetic or hereditary material of a living organism—through
cutting-edge displays, animation, and fascinating real-life stories that
reveal the links between generations and how our histories begin long
before we are born. The exhibit also examines both the benefits and
challenges the study of genetics presents to our society.

The exhibit also contains a special area, custom designed by History Center staff, that
explores three genomic ties to Central Florida – in the fascinating
findings at the Windover Bog archaeological site in Brevard County, in
the development of citrus, and through the family histories of some
well-known Central Floridians, including Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer; Jorge
Estevez, WFTV Channel 9 news anchor; journalist Brendan O’Connor of the
Bungalower; Toni Pressley, Orlando Pride soccer team defender; and
Geraldine Thompson, former state representative and senator and founder
of Orlando’s Wells’ Built Museum.

At the VIP reception all the participants in the family tree project were given time to discuss their feelings about the project. Buddy Dyer took time to thank Pam Schwartz for her contributions in spearheading a collecting initiative of memorial items after the Pulse Nightclub massacre. Geraldine Thompson gave the most moving testimony as she described her feeling after discovering that she had a close relative that she didn’t know existed. A man who was searching for his biological father contacted Pam and she was able to prove through DNA and family history who his father really was. Unfortunately the father had died a few years prior. But the man and Geraldine are both seem excited to meet one another.

The exhibit features large interactive displays with projections and video. You can literally spend hours learning about DNA and life’s code if you read every text panel. The evening was winding down before I could finish my explorations.

Genome: Unlocking Life’s Code

Posted on October 21, 2018February 7, 2022 by Thor

The Orange County Regional History Center (65 E. Central Blvd. Orlando, Florida 32801) has installed and opened a new exhibit called Genome: Unlocking Life’s Code.

This special exhibit from the Smithsonian Institution and the National Institutes of Health examines the complexities of the genome – the genetic or hereditary material of a living organism – through cutting-edge displays, animation, and fascinating real-life stories that reveal the links between generations and how our histories begin long before we are born. The exhibit also examines both the benefits and challenges the study of genetics presents to our society. The exhibit runs from October 13, 2018 to January 6, 2019.

Pam Schwartz, the History Center’s chief curator, along with her staff, have added to the exhibit to make it tie into our Central Florida human history. As part of the project they asked five local Orlando celebrities to take DNA tests to track their heritage through Ancestry.com. She then began the painstaking process of researching their family trees.

Long-time mayor John “Buddy” Dyer has several generations of roots in Central Florida, so he was a natural choice. Research lead Pam to discover his family’s roots in colonial America. In 1758 his fourth and fifth great grandparents were in Fort Seybert, a frontier fort in the Allegheny
Mountains in what is now Pendleton County, West Virginia. They were caught by surprise by an Indian raid. The fort fell and those inside were lined up in two rows, one to be taken captive and the other to be murdered and scalped (at least as the European settlers story goes). Buddy’s distant grandfather was tomahawked in the mouth by a Shawnee warrior, sending his teeth flying. He died instantly. His daughter fainted, her life was spared as she was taken captive. 20 settlers died that day. By a stroke of luck, a small boy from the Dyer family was away at a distant village when the massacre happened. This is the boy who kept the family lineage alive and why Buddy is here today. Pam was also able to prove that Buddy and his sons are eligible to apply for the Sons of the American Revolution status since the Dyer family was actively engaged in the Revolutionary War up several branches.

Jorge Estevez, a news anchor from Channel 9 News, discovered that his family was a prominent part of Cuba’s early history. Documents contained signatures and seals from his distant relatives who were very prominent notaries in Havana. Cuban documents are not available online so a possible trip to Cuba could further bring this research to life. Channel 9 is considering sending Jorge there

to dig deeper into his family’s past.

Geraldine Thompson, a former State Senator, may be united with a close relative she has never met before. Pam was contacted by a man who has spent his life – 47 years – searching for his biological father. The man he had been told was his father took a DNA test, but the results confirmed that he wasn’t this man’s biological father. Through her research, Pam was able to confirm the father was, in fact, the Senator’s brother. Though he passed away in 2003, Pam was still able to unite the man with this new-to-him side of his family

Other family histories were for Toni Deion Pressley from Orlando Pride, and Brendan Bunting O’Connor the editor of The Bungalower. Each participant will receive a binder showing the breadth of what has been discovered so far. The rainbow colored tabs are a gateway to an amazing vibrant multicultural past. Each family tree will be part of the Genome Exhibit at the Orange County Regional History Center, check it out for more fascinating stories from these individual’s families.

If you are curious about finding out about your family History, you should stop out to Lunch and Learn, which will discuss Genealogy on November 2, 2018 at Noon at the Orange County Regional History Center. Guest speakers will include Elaine Hatfield Powell of the Central Florida Genealogical Society and Allison Ryall of the Orange County Library System’s West Oaks Branch and Genealogy Center. Bring a lunch or let them order one for you by calling 407-836-7046 – lunch orders must be made at least 24 hours in advance. Members are free; non-members $5. With lunch: Members $8; non-members $13.

Corporate 5K.

Posted on March 16, 2017February 7, 2022 by Thor

While driving through the Milk District, traffic backed up due to a corporate 5k run. Rather than get inpatient or upset, I decided to park my car on a side street and walk over to watch the racers run up Bumby and turn onto Roseland. Police were at the intersection with a motorcycle to keep the peace. Several racers shouted out to thank them for their public service. As I sketched the sun sank in the west casting ever longer shadows. Runners slowly dwindled until there were only walkers and the final staggerers made their way towards Lake Eola. Such runs happen fairly often and signs warn locals about the road closures.

Hoods Up is an abandoned gas station and auto repair shop. With huge development happening in the Milk District, this corner lot is sure to become something new soon. My guess would be a luxury apartment building. A tiny birdhouse was perched on the stop light pole. It is likely the work of local artist Brendan O’Connor. I’m surprised the police weren’t shimmying up to take it down. It must be against code.

ODD 8 at Ten 10 Brewing.

Posted on February 6, 2016February 7, 2022 by Thor

The tenth Orlando Drink and Draw (ODD) was held at Ten 10 Brewing (1010 Virginia Dr, Orlando, FL) . I arrived a bit early, because I had done one of the 27 Blue Box Initiative sketches earlier in the day and it made no sense to drive all the way back to the studio. When I entered, David Charles, who used to run Blank Space across from the Orlando Public Library, was working on a new brew that was simmering over a burner. He enjoyed how one of my articles shook up Orlando’s arts community. We had a laugh about how some artists get so upset when other artists hit the mainstream. I prefer to celebrate the accomplishment. David had organized a Ten 10 Brewing Art Market, but after a lackluster turn out of interested artists, he has decided to put the market to rest for a bit while he lives his life. When I asked his advice on a new beer to taste he made me a beer sampler with four shot glass sized sips of beer tucked into a wooden stand.

The beers I tasted as I worked on my sketch were, Dinkey Line, which is an original light brew dedicated to the exercise trail that runs past the Brewery. Westphalia Alt was a German beer which is what I drank for the rest of the evening. Chronically Mismanaged was a coffee flavored dark beer that I rather liked, and Havakow was a dark beer that didn’t suit my taste.

Colin Boyer was the first artist to arrive, and he joined me in sketching the bar as artists arrived. What I love about ODD is that different artists stop out each time, so I get to meet artists of all types. I do my usual Urban Sketch and then I get to learn from other artists experiences. ODD is half sketching and half social. Tom Schneider and his girlfriend Erin Marie Page were the next to arrive. I like that ODD has become a creative date night experience. Erin went to school for illustration and she appreciated getting her feet wet by sketching again. Tom works security but loves to draw.

I was very happy when Brendan O’Connor, who writes for The Bungalower, stopped out with his brother. I had seen pictures of Brendan dressed as a Merman at the Gasperilla Festival in Tampa. Brendan was joined by Godzilla at Gasperilla an he said it was quite the experience. Having huge inflated muscles guarantees that you will be molested all day. When he begged for some time to go to the bathroom, people got insulted. If that is what fame tastes like, he had enough, thank you very much. He had a wonderful Chinese watercolor set with bright vibrant colors. Unfortunately the O’Connors, could only stay for part of the night. They had another party to hit.

To mix things up and get everyone sketching fast, I suggested we do 5 minute ruthless portraits. Artists faced each other and sketched. Since everyone was sketching there was no one posing. If you wanted to catch someone’s eyes you would have to wait for their quick glances up. I don’t really sketch portraits much, so it is new territory for me. There was a change of the guards as Brendan and his brother left and Rob showed up with his posse of artists. They jumped right into the 5 minute sketches. Artists shuffled around the table to meet someone new and sketch. I asked everyone to pass their sketchbooks around and sign any sketches of themselves.This is a good way for me to learn everyone’s names, but so me of the artsy signatures are hard to decipher.

Afterwards, we all settled in to work on our own projects. Stephanie Kell had a wonderful sketchbook full of exotic demons and creatures. She renders these drawing slowly over time adding infinite detail and an incredible valve range. She had a case of art pens that is truly enviable. The sketchbook had grey paper and she worked the lights and darks from this grey base. Some artists came from a cartoon background while others came from a traditional life drawing background. Colin’s drawings sparked to life during the 5 minute sessions. He accentuated the deep shadows on peoples faces leaving detail to the imagination. Rob talked about his recent divorce and how his art remains a constant as he starts all over again. He filled a page with light blue pencil studies of wooden totems and people. At Universal Studios he helped create a large totem pole that was coated in cement and painted to look like carved wood. The studio wants to bring him in full time but he prefers the freedom of freelance. We talked about finding time to discover a personal style and the inner conflicts that tend to hold artists back. As he said, “We are our own worst enemy.” It is refreshing to share a beer with someone who knows that art isn’t easy.

Mark your Calendar. The next ODD will be March 7th from 6pm to 9pm at The Grand Bohemian Hotel (325 S Orange Ave, Orlando, Florida).

The Cardboard Art Festival is bigger than ever.

Posted on July 26, 2015February 7, 2022 by Thor

The Daily City 3rd Annual Cardboard Art Festival moves from the Mills/50 Orange Studio to a retail storefront South of Downtown Orlando (SODO). It is in the Sodo Shopping Center, at 45 W. Crystal Lake Street, store #117, Orlando, FL on the same side as TJ Maxx, across from Gator’s Dockside which just opened this past Wednesday. I went to sketch the media preview event and immediately decided to sit below Doug Rhodehamel‘s huge cardboard submarine. A blue wave animated bulb illuminated the $4,000 sub which was accompanied by a small school of $40 to $60 deep sea fish. One of the fish sold immediately and Doug asked me to help him get an orange (sold) sticker on the fish label. We both stretched diligently on tip toe to get the job done. Doug is about to start a series of cardboard sculptures of Star Wars space craft. He explained that the walker would be about 5 to 6 feet high so that it would be eye level. When I asked how big the cardboard Death Star would be, he said he would consider a collaboration with Planet Hollywood to re-make their globe.

Cardboard twin towers brought back memories of the horrific events of 9/11. On the back wall, a huge cardboard mural by German Lemus showed a human heart surrounded by howling wolves, clenched fists, a ram and police in riot gear. I was sitting in front of paintings on cardboard of western landscapes by Timothy Thomas. He was born in Connecticut and raised in Maine where he studied film at
Rockport College. He now lives in Orlando, FL with his wife Tina. Since I was painting, I kept being asked if I was the artist. First they would point at Timothy’s work and when I said, “nope” they would assume I was Doug since I was sitting near his submarine. All of the cardboard props from this year’s Fringe hit show, Robyn Da Hood: a Rap Musical were on display. You can pose in the golden carriage or on horse back. Artist Brendan O’Connor who runs The Bungalower, struggled to lift the hammer of Thor.

I spoke with Banjo Bob who is best known for his hardboard T-Rex skulls. He had some skulls on display, but even more impressive was a fully automated cardboard telescope he had created. He wrote a program for a cell phone that would allow a user to move the telescopes position. An image from the telescope was then visible on the phone. The program even allowed the telescope to automatically track a star. Since the earth is rotating the telescope would keep adjusting motors to keep the star in sight. He fabricated the cardboard parts at FACTURE (520 Virginia Drive Orlando FL) a non-profit maker space here in Orlando. The collaborative space is part workshop, wood shop, metal working, crafts, and fabrication laboratory. I have to get over there to sketch. It sounds amazing.

Today, Sunday July 26 the daytime Cardboard Festival Gallery hours, with a suggested $5 donation, are from Noon-5pm. From 1-3pm Kids Fringe will host a Cardboard Matinee ($1 per kid). Kids aren’t the only ones who get to play. There is an interactive cardboard creation corner where anyone can create a cardboard masterpiece.

Public Art is destroyed in Orlando.

Posted on June 14, 2015February 7, 2022 by Thor

I first noticed the ancient light box as I drove to the Orlando International Fringe Festival this year. It was on Mills Avenue just north of the East West Expressway. I must have driven past it hundreds of times before but never noticed it since it blended into the desolate urban landscape on this barren stretch of road. The decades old abandoned light pole was something everyone ignored. But this day was different. It was exotic and beautiful, with porcelain birds perched all over it. Artist Brendan O’Connor had used social media to ask for donations of birds to be added to the sculpture. About 12 people plus the kids at misty forest donated birds. I felt a certain civic pride knowing this was such a community effort. I watched is blossom and grow each day I drove by.

The project titled “Put a Bird on It” was initiated by the Mills 50 District. The next day I spotted Brendan on site in the intense Florida sun with his large straw hat offering come protection as he was adding more tiles to the piece. I desperately wanted to stop and sketch but I had promised to sketch a Fringe show and was running late.

I did get back to the site, but unfortunately Brendan was gone. This sculpture is like a totem to creativity and freedom of expression. Many of the tiles still needed grouting and some pieces were taped in place waiting to be secured. After this sketch was done many colorful plastic flowers were also added to the sculpture. Brendan completed the piece on June 10th and the next day the city destroyed the sculpture under the pretext that it was too close to the street. It had been to close to the street for many decades. They claim to be looking for a new site for the sculpture, but many of the birds were shattered when the pole was felled. Mills 50 had an agreement with the City of Orlando and the Florida Department of Transportation to do whatever they wanted with the light. Some bureaucrat must have felt that the result was too playful and colorful to remain standing. Brendan invested $300 of his own money and volunteered 18 hours of his time over three weeks to create the sculpture that stood for one day before ending up as a pile of crumbs on the sidewalk. The FDOT removed the light box which was put into storage and the ceramic covered pole was left like a body on a battlefield where it fell. Roadside memorials featuring stuffed animals, and flowers ofter remain on Florida roadsides for years, yet this colorful explosion of creativity was considered a threat.

It is far easier to destroy art than to create it. Some people in power are threatened by creativity. As the Nazi party took power, artists, poets and academics were ushered to camps. Free thinking individuals can question policy. Thousands of paintings and sculptures were seized and destroyed because the party didn’t understand them. Works of expressionism were considered deviant. Recently ISIS video taped themselves destroying art to prove that they were a force to be reckoned with. The war against art rages on, but now in our own backyard.

All too often I am documenting art in Orlando that is painted over or destroyed. Murals going up all around Orlando seem to be making city officials uncomfortable. They want to edit and veto creativity. A committee was formed to address the problem allowing officials to take down and remove whatever they don’t like. The first amendment grants us freedom of speech and we all should be upset when creativity is crushed. I’m beginning to think I need to find a more progressive city to sketch and report about. Orlando seems intent on going back to the dark ages.