Ed Ruscha – Analog Artist Digital World

On September 8th, I went to the Orlando Museum of Art (2416 North Mills Ave
Orlando, Fl) to see Tall Tales and Huge Hearts: Raúl Colón a show of Children’s book illustrations. Raúl Colón,is a popular award-winning
artist who has illustrated more than 30 books for children. Colón
created the art for a number of acclaimed picture books, including Doña Flor: A Tall Tale About a Giant Woman with a Great Big Heart by Pat Mora, which won the prestigious Pura Belpré Medal; My Mama Had A Dancing Heart by Libba Moore Gray; and José! Born to Dance: The Story of José Limon by Susanna Reich, winner of the Tomas Rivera Mexican-American Children’s Book Award. Raul’s illustrations are, tightly rendered using watercolor and colored pencils. He then
rakes the image giving each image a swirling surreal feel. The artwork was hung low on the wall so kids could see his work at eye level. Arranged chronologically, it was interesting to see his style evolve from early watercolors to the much tighter later work. Mark your Calendar! This show in on view through November 3rd. During the first weekend of every month Bank of America and Merrill Lynch card holders receive free gallery admission. Otherwise, admission for adults is $8.

Also on display was the Contemporary American Graphics Collection which includes more than 150 original, signed and numbered
lithographs, etchings, silk-screen prints and woodcuts by America’s
foremost artists. It is one of the most comprehensive 20th-century
contemporary print collections in Florida. The works vary from realism
to abstraction, reflecting a variety of techniques and styles that
emerged from the revolution in fine art printing that has occurred in
the last 55 years. Artists represented in this collection include Andy
Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, Ed Ruscha, Bryan Hunt, Lesley Dill,
Katherine Bowling, and many other American masters. One piece that particularly impressed me was a huge portrait of Leslie done by Chuck Close using just his finger prints.

Terry was invited to a fundraiser called, “An Evening of Shopping” at The Sanctuary Downtown, (100 South Eola Drive). The Sanctuary is the new building that now houses The Abbey and the Broadway Across America offices. The rest of the building is a luxury condominium. I arrived a little before Terry and took the elivator to the 5th floor. A phalanx of pretty boys were standing in the hall. To their left was an open public area with an open bar. l searched some more to find the apartment.

The apartment which is the home of Ted Maines and Jeffery Miller, was absolutely gorgeous with a fabulous collection of original modern art. There was a glass machine gun sculpture, while Warhols and ironic pieces by Ed Ruscha and Jane Hammond decorated the walls. As a collection, the work has a dark under current yet was inherantly humorous. People crowded around a large table which had expensive David Yurman watches and jewelry. The David Yurman team was lead by Jada Marzolf-Beekman. Funds raised from sales would benefit the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center’s program called, Upstanders: Stand Up to Bullying.

The Upstanders: Stand Up to Bullying program is designed to help children understand the dynamics of bullying. The education begins with a moving presentation of a parent whose child committed suicide in response to bullying. Parallel presentations in the evening help parents and other community members find out how they can be part of the solution. The pledge neatly sums up how we all can help. “I will stand up to bullying. I wont be a bully. I won’t let anyone bully me. I won’t let anyone bully someone else. I have a responsibility to stop bullying in my school and in my community.”