ODD 17 at Dexter’s in Winter Park

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Orlando Drink and Draw (ODD) invites artists to go to a new bar or restaurant each month to sample food and drink and sketch. I was living in Winter Park at the time so I decided to go to Dexter’s (558 W New England Ave Suite 100, Winter Park, FL 32789). My roommate went to this place religiously. There are often bands that perform but on this evening it was quiet. I usually go to ODD events a little early so that I get a good jump on my sketch before I start socializing with other artists. I ordered a beer and got to work.

As I was finishing the sketch, I realized that I had not seen any artists enter. The door was at the right of my sketch so I was looking towards the entrance and should have noticed and welcome any artists. I decided to put extra time into the watercolor on the sketch to pass the time but decided after a while that no one was going to show up. I  paid, packed up and walked back to my car. 

On the drive back to my studio, I got a text, “Where are you?” from an artist. I explained that no one had shown up and I left. What I didn’t realize was that daylight savings time had just ended, so I was at Dexter’s well over an hour before anyone else, and I left before the start time of the event I had scheduled. I had to apologize. I hope anyone who did get out to Dexter’s got a decent sketch that night.

49, 53 and Beyond Kids Mural

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Susan Gromala Crary helped home school students design and then execute a Pulse themed mural in the stairwell leading up to the studio where Michael Pilato and Yuriy Karabash painted a pule mural that now hangs next to a  laundromat on Washington Street across from Dexter’s in Thornton park. Chimene Pindar Hurst asked Michael and Yuriy to come to Orlando to work on the mural. I do not believe that the mural is permanently installed in Thornton Park and I am not sure of where it will finally reside.

The children’s stairwell mural however is a permanent fixture at the Colonial and Mills Avenue studio above the pizza joint. While painting the mural a can of yellow paint was spilled, and rather than get upset, they incorporated the yellow paint into the overall design. Yellow hand prints and puddles of yellow can be found  all  the way up the steps.

The home school students sang as they worked. One student used a tiny brush to paint in her section of the mural. Susan said that was her style. Inspirational phrases swirled around the myriad of rainbow colored hearts. It was inspiring to see the community come together to help make this studio pace livable and to paint bright colors to try and help the city heal.

Soul Function at Dexter’s.

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I used to hang out at Dexter’s (558 W New England Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789) to hear the musicians who would perform there. It was a good way to unwind at the end of the week. Soul Function kept the energy up all night. The male lead singer was joined by two gorgeous female singers and they worked the harmonies. Before long couples got up to dance.

Soul Funktion is a diverse commercial dance band based in Orlando, FL. Fred Badalli, the band leader, has been a professional drummer for
over 30 years. Throughout his career, he has played in the orchestras of
18 different cruise ships and played numerous musical styles including:
Rock, Funk, Soul, Jazz, Blues, Country and Broadway.

The band performed a fun and energetic set primarily of covers. The primary colored stage lights divided up the band members into blue and red groupings. Several female singers joined front man Travis in delivering the vocals. it was a fun night, with the music adding life to the lines and values. I am slowly learning to let go.

Mike Quick Band at Dexters.

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I once had a friend in Winter Park who liked to hang out at Dexter’s (558 West New England Avenue Winter Park FL 32789). She liked to sit at the bar and read. Men would always approach to find out what she was reading. It was her form of a Venus Fly Trap. The printed page was always more interesting. She was a very private person who liked being out in public. She also liked to hang out and listen to live music. On this evening, the Mike Quick Band was performing. During the performance a few people would get up and dance. Once a few bodies were moving on the dance floor, others could follow. It was a lively night.

Mike Quick performed on guitar and vocals, Annie Piper was on bass, Juliano Rosa was on drums and Paul Brandenburg was on Sax. Their website stated that they are searching for new ways to express themselves, through the instrument of soul. Isn’t that what we all are trying to accomplish? Tips went in a bucket. It is fun to sketch when the beat is right because the lines dance
on the page often falling where they should without any thought. After a beer or two, and a complete sketch, I was willing to get up and dance alone in the crowd with my eyes closed, forgetting everyone around me and moving to the beat. The room was hot and the music oozed through my pores. Movement and self expression are always good, be in on a small scale or on a dance tight floor.

Orlando Drink and Draw

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I have been hosting a monthly art event called Orlando Drink and Draw (ODD) for the past year. Artists gather at a new bar each month to well, drink and draw. This ODD event took Place at Ollie’s Public House (3400 Edgewater Dr, Orlando, Florida 32804). There is a social aspect to the event and artists get to share their experiences and sketches. I am fascinated by other artists hands. Some are slender and delicate with thin skin showing every sinewy tendon and veins. My hands seem bulky in comparison.

I have artists do quick five minute sketches of each of he facing across the table. With the Sketch done, all the artists change seats to face off against another artist. My thought is that this is a quick way for artists to meet and interact, much like speed dating just with sketching. I like that couples come to ODD as a unique date night. Once everyone has been sketched, we share sketchbooks, and the artist who was sketched, signs the portrait. That way everyone has a record of the artists they met that evening.

With all the portraits done, we went on to play, Truth or Sketch. An artist would be asked to tell the truth or do a sketch. Basically every artist chose to do a sketch  rather than tell the truth. My challenge was to sketch a woman riding a pterodactyl. I was also challenged to draw a garden gnome carrying in a life size girl. I will not bother you with that sketch, you are better off using your imagination.

ODD 17 is happening tonight, Monday November 7th at 7pm to 10pm  at Dexter’s in Winter Park (558 W New England Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789).

The Mardi Gras Soiree at Dexter’s of Winter Park.

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I got to Dexter’s of Winter Park (558 W New England Ave, Winter Park, Florida) fairly early to get a table with a decent view of the band. I explained that I needed to sketch and the Maitra d’ set me up front and center.  Fat Tuesday was being celebrated in grand style with a fantastic celebration of life and music. The Brown Bag Brass Band was already playing New Orleans standards loud and proud. I had received a text from Frankie Messina earlier in the day about the Mardi Gras Soiree. A friend from my past who I worked with over 30 years ago at Zip Mailing, is snow birding in Winter Park for several months. I told her about the Soiree and she had to weight her options between a Condo Association meeting or Mardi Gras. She arrived as I was finishing up my first sketch.

One of the patrons at the table next to me had a decibel reading app on his smart phone. He pointed it out to me and the needle kept spiking to over 103 decibels. The woman with him liked my sketch and I typed my site URL onto her smart phone. She said she could set me up with new clients. I really should always carry business cards A woman seated next to my friend shouted in her ear. The two of them were the first to get up to dance as I kept sketching.

The second act was Louisianna’s own Beth McKee and the Local Brass Band Heroes.  Fat Tire Beer was offering specials all night, so that is what I drank to loosen up the line work. Beth’s band got everyone in Dexter’s on their feet. With my second sketch done, I had to get up and dance as well to “When the Saints Go Marching In“. Beth asked the Brown Bag Brass Band to join in and we were all dancing only inches from the musicians. Frankie got on the dance floor and gave me a high five.

When all the festivities died down, my friend and I got a chance to talk at length. Catching up on 30 plus years of history takes time. I had no idea that she had become an artist since the last time I saw her, and I scrolled through her art on my cell phone. She creates intricate worlds with flowing volumetric forms. Some feel like intimate looks inside of living organisms. Colors were vibrant and though abstract, the work seemed familiar and alive. Round canvases give some of the paintings a calming appeal. At Zip Mail in Tenafly NJ, we were trained to become machines who collated, tied and moved a constant stream of junk mail. From that industrial crucible it is amazing that art managed to take root and thrive.

Thornton 2nd Thursday Wine & Art Walk

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On the 2nd Thursday of every month, Washington Street just two blocks East of Lake Eola burst alive with color for the Thornton 2nd Thursday Wine Walk.

$10 cash gets you a wine glass and a map of all the locations where you will be greeted with a complimentary pour of wine. Glass pick up is at Mother Falcon (819 E. Washington Street). The walk proceeds go to the Thornton Park District Non-Profit. Many Thornton Park restaurants and bars, artist vendors are set-up throughout Thornton Park.

When I arrived in June, artists were just getting settled in their sidewalk spots. Electricity was available for when it got dark. I liked this wall of abstract art that artist Nick Seyler had set up next to Dexter’s Restaurant.  His tiki totems added a bit of tropical flair. The second tier of paintings was set up on tripods on a table. Several bursts of wind from looming storm clouds toppled paintings over, but there were pedestrians who caught the work and helped him lean it back again.

Dresden Kincaid of Earth Culture had her intricate handmade jewelry set up on a table. Her pieces are “natural expressions of art and positivity.” She uses natural minerals and gem stones woven together by thin wire to create intricate jewelry. I liked that she spent much of her time focused on creating a piece. There were always women stopped at her table trying things on. Dresden showed Nick some of the crystals she had with her. They were stored in tiny one inch clear plastic boxes. I used to collect minerals and I have a bunch of those boxes full of crystals above my desk. Intrigued, I walked over. Nick was holding a cluster of clear quartz crystals with cubes of pyrite or “fools gold.” It wasn’t for sale. She handed me one of her rings and it really was amazing how she used thin wire to weave together various natural stones.

Clouds and a bit of thunder had artist nervous that it might rain. I sketched faster. Nick said to Dresden,that “You will have to duck under your table if it starts raining.” She replied, “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if a rainbow appeared.” Fifteen minutes later a huge rainbow arched to the East over Washington Street. I’ve never before met someone who could predict a rainbow. As I was adding color to Nick’s paintings on my sketch, the sun burst through the tree leaves above his work mimicking the bright colors in his work. The whole sky to the west turned yellow then orange.

Jason L. Lee and Brad Biggs, the Arts Hub founders both stopped by to say hello. Brad had exciting news about some future Arts Hub shows and Jason showed me a ring that Dresden had created for him. As dusk settled in, my sketch was done. I walked West and spoke to several artists. This Wine Walk used to be held on Third Thursday but it conflicted with all the people viewing gallery openings downtown. Melissa Felcman of Mother Falcon moved it to the 2nd Thursday of each month and now The Arts Hub Florida organizes all the artists. When the street lights came on and the artists turned on spot lights to illuminate their work, the scene became a magical nocturne with art glowing warm as the evening cooled. I think I need to return to try and catch that light.

If you want a relaxing event on Thursday July 11th, then mark your calendar and head to Thornton Park to sip and stroll. The Thornton Park Parking Garage has entrances on North Eola Drive and East Washington Street. Street parking is available if you patiently look for it.

Piano Bar Cabaret

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Amanda Chadwick gathered some friends together for brunch at Dexter’s (808 East Washington Street.) Tables were pushed together to accommodate everyone. Everyone ordered Mimosa’s or juice. My omelet was reasonably good but lacking in spices. After we ate some of us went to Parliament House (410 North Orange Blossom Trail) for the Sunday Piano Bar Cabaret that occurs every week from 1pm to 4pm.

When Terry and I arrived, Kelly Richards was still setting up. He draped a black cloth over two small tables and used that to support his electronic piano. A tall tips chalice was rimmed with Mardi Gras beads. Amanda, Denna Beena and Travis Fillmen were already there. Mark Baratelli arrived soon after us. Mark performed early in the line up. He sang a Jason Robert Brown song but he improvised all the lyrics. It was pure genius and hilarious. I was surprised when Terry got up to sing. She sang “Send in the Clowns” tentatively at first then with feeling. It felt as if she was singing to me. I kept tearing around while she couldn’t move. As life throws it’s challenges at us, we are finding ways to laugh and tear up this town together.

Once again I was coaxed up to sing “Somewhere Out There” with Amanda. I’m always surprised when the whole audience joins along with the chorus. Amanda did a little soft shoe shuffle between verses. The most heart warming moment of the day came when Kelly asked all the singers to stand together on the small stage. We all sang “Seasons of Love“. All our voices blended and harmonized beautifully. Terry lowered her head to my shoulder as we sang. It was a simple glorious moment but soon forgotten in the crush and demands of everyday life.