East End Market Offers All Things Local

Posted on by Thor

My exhibition of several dozen original Orlando Urban Sketches has been hanging at East End Market (3201 Corrine Dr.
Orlando, FL) for the past several months. The show is slated to come down sometime in the beginning of September. Emily Rankin of Local Roots Distribution Company asked me to keep some cards in her farm store in the front of the market. I left her with a dozen or so cards that were left over from the Emotions Dance performance, Art Evolution. I did a sketch based on each choreographed performance and worked the dancers into iconic works of art. Over time I will be adding cards that have urban sketches of venues around Orlando.

After setting up the exhibit in the community room on the second floor of East End, I decided to stay and sketch the market, which is always bustling with activity. People stay at the juice bar for hours working on their computers making them perfect models. The thin pink haired girl was the reason for starting this sketch. When she wasn’t on  her computer, she was talking to the staff behind the bar. Mason jars are used as light bulbs above the bar. Behind me, the custom coffee bar was always serving up orders.

I’m so happy my work has been exhibited at East End. People keep approaching me to let me know that they liked getting a chance to see my sketches up close and in person. I always say that my sketches are about documenting people and places that make Orlando a stronger community. East End Market is a new venue where those people come together to share similar ideals. It has been the perfect place to share what I do with people that make a difference in this town.

Flat Mountain Men

Posted on by Thor

Every Monday from six to ten in the evening, the Audubon Community Market is held in the parking lot in front of Stardust Video & Coffee. On this particular evening I was going to be able to see the first run of 2012 Ourlando Calendars hot off the press. Julie Norris who did an amazing job designing the calenders had yet to see the calendars as well. A table was going to be set up in the market to sell the calendars. I spotted Julie and her daughter, Maya, at the Big Wheel food truck. I ordered a stuffed avocado dish and then joined Julie and Maya inside Stardust to eat. The avocado was delicious. Emily Rankin entered Stardust carrying a heavy box. She split the tape seal and cracked it open. Inside were the first 50 calendars. Julie and I each grabbed a calendar and started flipping through. I was happy to see the final product but I felt uneasy. The colors were more saturated and darker than I would have liked. I held my tongue, then Julie said, “What do you think?” I had to admit my concern and she agreed.

We were on a tight deadline to have the calendars ready for the holidays. The rest of the printing run was on hold till the morning while the printer ran another job. An employee was at the printer so I drove there to be sure the rest of the print run wasn’t as dark. A sample calender had been printed 10% less dark. I decided it was good enough. I then drove back to Stardust to sign some calendars and enjoy the music. Julie was leaving because Maya was tired. Emily was at the table selling the calendars and I signed a few before sketching the Flat Mountain Men. The parking lot stage consisted of a card table with an inverted cowboy hat and a stool. The music was rustic home spun fun. Folding tables were set up in front of the band where people came to sit and enjoy their food and the music. The two women seated right in front had known the musicians ever since high school. The band played “Walking the Tightrope” as the sky grew dark and the evening cooled.

Grandma Party

Posted on by Thor

This was the ninth Grandma Party held in the parking lot of Stardust Video & Coffee. As I drove past in search of side street parking I could see at a glance that the lot was filled will more tents than ever. As I approached on foot I saw that there were even tents set up in a retention ditch next to the lot. Down in the ditch I saw Patrick Greene wearing a T-shirt with a marijuana leaf boldly crossed out and circled in red. He was selling marijuana free brownies. He joked with me later that some folks were honestly upset by his marijuana free campaign. He responded to them “Chill out dude.” “You’d think they would be more laid back.” he told me.

I did a full tour of all the tents knowing I wanted to pick up a Christmas gift. Dewey Chaffee and Douglas McGeoch were selling handmade bird houses. Dewey and Douglas had left town to bring their unique edgy comedy to larger cities on the East coast so I was surprised and pleased to see them. I found a spot under a tree on a parking lot island and started to sketch. The billboards announced, “Committed” and “My Comfort & Joy” which seemed appropriate for this event which truly celebrated local artisans and talent. It is an event that honestly brings together a tight Knit community of people. Yet there was variety and diversity to the crowds who shopped.

Anna McCambridge-Thomas was shopping for necklaces made from bent spoons. Many were shaped into bells and she tested them to find the perfect ring. Maya Norris was equally enchanted by the sounds and she gazed up and batted a few to listen. Emily Rankin was watching Maya and she braced the display to be sure Maya didn’t play to hard. There was delight in Maya’s young eyes. Across from me was Leah Fairchild’s booth filled with glass Terrariums filled with moss and small woodland sprites. Next to her was Misty Forest which had some jewelry for sale. Doug Rhodehamel stopped in his tracks in front of me. He always jokes about where I should place him in my sketch. We both agreed that this was a perfect warm day for a Grandma party.

I learned about an art party that happens in Winter Park every month so that is on my sketch wish list for next year. While I sketched I got to meet so many people as they shopped. When the sketch was done, I walked up to Leah’s booth knowing I had to have a terrarium. I picked one that was in a flask shaped coffee pot. A bright blue creature was inside but I couldn’t make it out because of the condensation. With the lid on the terrarium is a closed environment. Leah explained that it rains just like the Earth environment. Life and a complete ecosystem on a small scale, the perfect gift. Of course Ourlando Calendars are a good gift too for the new year.

AADW 2012 Events Calendar

Posted on by Thor


Buy Now

This calender is only available through pre-order and at special events.

From Julie Norris on behalf of OurLando,

Ourlando had a brilliant idea that I think you will be interested in partnering with as a fundraiser for your organization. We took Thomas Thorspecken’s brilliant sketches of Orlando area arts & culture events, and used them to create a MUCH needed 2012 Event Calendar. Plus we made it a fundraiser for area organizations with a custom cover = the local arts lover dream gift that gives back to great independent organizations and supports Thor’s work!
We just put the final touches on the the project and are planning to go live with pre-orders as early as this Monday (12/5/11). I wanted AADW readers to be one of the first to see the partnership opportunities to either get your event listed and or have a custom cover.

If you know of a local arts organization who could benefit from this fundraiser, then please have them take a thorough look at this partner’s page, and then fill out this form to reserve a space. Since we are working on such a tight holiday deadline, the sooner the better for this information to be returned to us. We will let you know as soon as your partner info is updated on the online store so you can send an email blast to your list to fulfill pre-orders.

Please note, this is produced as an Ourlando publication and we are asking that all partners become a member of Ourlando and join with us in support of local & independent efforts (if you aren’t already). Please sign up online now if you can, otherwise we just need your commitment that you will join and we can deduct your membership fee from your donation when we pay it out in January.

We know that this is a tight turnaround, but we just came up with this idea mid-November and are so passionate about Thor’s work and promoting all the local goodness we just couldn’t wait until next year to do it. This is a volunteer undertaking by myself and Emily Rankin on behalf of Ourlando and in support of Thor. I will be handling the design and website and Emily will probably be communicating with you about this moving forward.

Thanks for all you do to co-create a better Ourlando and have a fabulous day!

Julie Norris
Consultant, Writer, Adventurer & Ecopreneur
http://julienorris.wordpress.com
Dandelion Communitea Cafe, Co-Proprietor
Front Porch Radio, On Air Host
Gaia Mama, Holistic Blogger
“Be the change you wish to see.” Mahatma Gandhi