Bookmark It is Orlando’s Best New Bookstore

Posted on by Thor

Bookmark It (3201 Corrine Drive Orlando FL) was the editors pick in the Orlando Weekly “Best of Orlando” issue. Located on the second floor of the East End Market, this bookstore offers books by local authors as well as books that further the markets mission of offering locally grown produce for restaurants and shoppers. While I was just starting this sketch, Adonal Foyle, an Orlando Magic basketball player stopped in to sign some of his books. He wrote a children’s book titled  Too-Tall Foyle Finds His Game (Volume 1) along with, Shiyana F. Valentine-Williams and illustrated by Toni Pawlowsky. Too-Tall Foyle has trouble finding a sport that fits his abilities
and the other kids keep laughing at him. He faces give up sports
entirely but hopes to find his game. The book is set in the Caribbean and features
vibrant illustrations, the book is based on the life experiences of the NBA veteran player. Proceeds from sales go to support his Kerosene Lamp Foundation which uses basketball to
engage and empower at-risk youth to grow into healthy and well-educated
leaders in the Caribbean and USA. Foyle’s very presence made the bookstore feel small.His huge meaty hands gave a firm warm handshake.

I decided to take my tablet out to sketch. I worked in a bit of a panic since I didn’t know if the battery would last. The computer offers too many choices which slowed down my workflow. Kim Britt, Bookmark It’s founder, was experiencing technical difficulties with her laptop and smart phone.  Her phone kept turning off and then gave her the “blue screen of death”. She was petrified that she would loose all her photos and contacts. She looked up an Apple Store and discovered she would need to drive up to Altamonte within the hour to get the phone repaired. Although her assistant Moriah Lorraine Russo had the day off, Kim had to call her in because the store was staying open late for a “Sip and Stroll” event. The great thing about the sip and stroll is that I got to sip white wine while I sketched. Moriah told me about Wednesday night figure drawing classes at “The Space” and I plan to stop over there soon. She was going out to dinner, so she was only able to watch the store for half an hour. Patrick Greene came in to fill in after she left. Rather than making life easier, technology caused a frantic panic as it sputtered and faltered. As I sketched I got a warning that the battery was running low. In a panic, I saved my file and sketched faster. Before my sketch was done, my computer screen blacked out. The battery had died. As I researched this article, Facebook crashed. I suspect that relying on technology for answers is not a great idea.

Real Estate Showcase Event at Snap! Space

Posted on by Thor

On April 23rd as my Retrospective Exhibit was still hanging as Snap! Space (1013 E Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL), a Real Estate Showcase Event was held in the gallery. Jim Lussier contacted me, saying, “As the Artist in residence, I think you should hang out with us and take a bow. Please bring Terry with you if she is free. We will have about 100 people in the space from all aspects of the Real Estate industry for a 2 hour Meet and Greet.

I have another idea I’d like to run past you. We want to collect everyone’s business cards and have a drawing for ….a piece of Thorspecken art? I thought one of two things – either identify a piece you already have that you would part with for $300, or create a small piece at our event, and award it “hot off the press.” Third idea – we will award a selected piece that we purchase from you for $300, or, at the winner’s option, we will contribute $300 if the winner wants to purchase a more expensive piece from the collection.

Maybe you have a better idea. We want you and Terry to come no matter what. Please call me when you have a couple of minutes. Thanks! We are very excited to be having our event surrounded by your work.”

I decided to go with the option of awarding a print done from the sketch done that night. The event did get rather crowded and the sketch was presented with a flourish. I made the print the next day and dropped it off at Snap. The exhibit was financially more successful than I expected.  Enough originals and prints were sold to cover the framing costs and there was a profit of about $8000. Having the frames has made it easier to showcase my work at other venues as well. I exhibited a series of paintings based on Emotions Dance rehearsals and sold over $2,000 worth of originals and prints. This is the type of collaboration I need to be doing more often. Snap founder, Patrick Kahn, arranged to exhibit my work is now on display at East End Market (3201 Corrine Dr, Orlando, FL) through August.

East End Art

Posted on by Thor

On Wednesday May 14th many of the pieces from my retrospective show were moved to East End Market (3201 Corrine Dr, Orlando, FL.) I was on hand to make sure all the labels were with the right sketches. Most of the hanging was done by volunteers, Halee Sommer, Livia Morgane, and Emily Jourdan.

It started to rain heavily just as we all removed the art from Patrick Kahn‘s SUV. We all made a mad dash to the stairwell and found cover just before the deluge. The artwork made it inside without getting wet.

 22 original sketches were hung upstairs in the Community room.  Each was leaned up against the wall where it would be hung. Someone didn’t lean one of the frames back enough, and it crashed forward to the floor. The glass didn’t break, so no harm done. Some sort of morning Brunch had just ended so all the tables were set up. We decided to hang one piece over each stud in a sort of rural woodwork that covers the lower half of the wall. This resulted in even spacing between each piece and an airy well curated look to the whole room. Halee and Emily worked closely together to get all the measurements right. Emily held the hammer choked up by the hammer head.  Part of me wanted to coach her on how to hold the hammer right, but she got the job done so I let it go.  Every measurement was accurate and level. Even when mathematically accurate, each piece was checked by eye to be sure it looked level. The show was hung incredibly fast.

John Rife, East End’s owner showed us how to aim the spot lights onto the art, and then Halee took on the fearless task of sitting on top of the ladder and aiming each light. I wanted to sketch her high wire act, but aiming each light took only a few minutes. Instead I sketched downstairs in a narrow hallway where the 30 by 24 inch prints were hung. There was constant foot traffic so it was hard to find a spot where I wouldn’t block traffic. I sat near a water fountain across from the woman’s room to get the sketch.

Patrick  offered us all lunch on him. Livia speaks French, so we all ordered Parisian sandwiches. There was only one Parisian left, so I ordered a Tomato, mozzarella and basil salad. These three simple ingredients with a light touch of olive oil makes an absolutely sumptuous meal. Livia is going west on a road trip soon, so the lunch conversation turned to travel. Emily is a photographer, so we discussed the challenges of travel when you want to pause and take in the scene while the tours rush on by.  I related the details of my cross country road trip that I took from Colorado to Florida on the day after 9-11. Amazingly everyone knows where they were on that day. Livia in Europe remembered first hearing the news and Emily had just finished an exam in school when the school intercom told the teachers to turn on the TV. Her instructor disregarded the announcement at first but was eventually swayed. A strange day that few ever forget.

Stop by the East End market to see my art on display. Check out the many events held upstairs in the community room to see 22 of my originals on display.

Running on Local

Posted on by Thor

Julie Norris invited me to attend a free talk with Carol Hewitt, a Slow Money inspired author of “Financing Our Foodshed“, and Lyle Estill, author of similar books, such as “Small is Possible“. The discussion will focus on all things local: from food to fuel to finance to friendship.The talk and discussion were held at East End Market (3201 Corrine Dr, Orlando, FL) on February 24th.

The primary point of the discussion was that we don’t need large banks to finance small businesses in our community. Individuals who have a little money saved can help their neighbors with small loans with  very low interest rates. When the money is loaned directly to someone you know, it is more likely to be paid back since not doing so would be embarrassing. Carol began loaning money in her community with increasing frequency and there have only been a few defaults. Such grass roots financing has resulted in a stronger sense of community.

Carol is a pioneer in the Slow Money Movement. The American financial system is built on the idea of fast money. Computers trade execute trades at exponentially fast speeds in order to bring in fast returns. These quick trades aren’t intended to help the investor or the business. Instead they skim money from both with no value added. Slow money implies lending money locally so that the community you live in can thrive and grow. Since Carol has been practicing this for years, it seems that removing big banks from the financing equation is a viable option for people with vision and a personal interest in seeing their community grow.

Whole Hog Butchery Class

Posted on by Thor

On January 23rd I went to the East End Market, which is part of the Audubon Park Exchange (3201 Corrine Dr. Orlando, FL) to watch chef Tony Adams butcher a hog. Tony is an Award-Winning who founded Big Wheel Provisions and the Big Wheel Food Truck. He offered an in-depth preview of the Big Wheel Whole Hog Dinner that would be served later in the week. In preparation for the dinner, Chef Adams will showed guests how he goes from a whole hog to recipe-ready cut. The live demonstration included the butchering, different preparation techniques, and tastings. Additional hoers d’ oeuvres were be provided, and guests were invited to bring your own beer (BYOB).

Tony noted that this pig didn’t have a bullet hole in it’s forehead so it was likely electrocuted and then had its throat cut so it would bleed out. As a matter of fact he found some electrocution burns at the pig’s neck that further supported that theory. Apparently this is a quick and painless way to die. He stressed his respect for the animal and was grateful that it would offer nourishment. He explained that a good butcher could cut an animal up into its prime cuts within 15 minutes.

The belly, (number 6 on the chart) is where bacon comes from. The loin or New York strip (number 2) is found around the base of the spine just above the hip. Ironically the butt (number 4) isn’t from the pigs butt but rather from the strong upper muscles that support the head. The pigs head was the first thing that he cut off with a few precise incissions with his very sharp knife. The folding table used for the demonstration was a bit wobbly, so it wasn’t the ideal place to butcher the pig.

Tony is actually quite a good artist, because he drew detailed charts that explained the cuts as he did them. He showed how to remove the ribs from the spine with surgical precision. He said, “This looks like a rack of ribs because it IS a rack of ribs.” Hoers d’ oeuvres were prepared in the kitchen by Jes Tantalo using the cuts of meat he had just removed and gusts got to taste the pig even as they watched it butchered. With the sketch done, I stood up and moved in closer with the dozen or so students. I’ve always wanted to sketch a dissection or autopsy so this was the next best thing.