The First Orlando Drink and Draw was a success.

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Usually Mondays are rather slow in terms of events in Orlando. Because of this, I’ve decided to host my own event on the first Monday of each month. Orlando Drink and Draw (ODD) will venture to a new bar each month to sample
beers and sketch. There is no model fee and no instruction. This is just
a chance to get out, meet fellow artists and draw. I’m hoping to sketch
in Central Florida’s best dive bars, so suggestions are always welcome.
Feel free to invite any artists who love to drink, draw, or both!

The first Orlando Drink and Draw was held at Taverna Opa, 9101 International Drive Suite Number: 2240

2nd Level of Pointe Orlando Orlando, Florida. I focused my attention on the bar which has a daily happy hour from 3pm to 6pm. I ordered a Greek Beer called Alfa. It is sharp to the taste at first but is quite drinkable. Part of my hope is that I will refine my taste in beers at these ODD events, but I am a neophyte when it comes to beer tasting. I should have downed the first beer quickly since it was happy hour and I could have gotten a second beer for free. I sipped my drink as I drew as usual and ended up having to pay for a second drink. Live and learn. I also ordered a Humus which was rich with garlic and served in a wooden pedestal with a mortar to crush the chick peas. The humus wasn’t a thin paste, but thick and crunchy. I liked it that way.

Urban sketcher Gay Geiger stopped in as I was finishing the first sketch.  She also ordered an Alfa and drew a view of the dining area. Gay had been to a Taverna Opa in Tampa, so she knew of the dancing celebration to come. Starting at 7pm, a beautiful belly dancer started dancing on the tables. Children loved climbing on the tables with her and napkins were thrown in the air as confetti. The setting sun lit up the storm clouds a bright orange on the western horizon which could be glimpsed through the restaurant windows. Gay did a sketch of the Alfa beer which loosened up our line work.

Bar staff kept stopping by to check our progress. It became clear that, “Where are you from?” was part of their everyday tourist interaction script. I found out that one waitress, Amber Rose Brantley, is a musician that performs on Sundays at Fiddler’s Green on Fairbanks, so that is a future sketch opportunity. That is what makes these ODD outings so exciting. There is so much hidden talent in Orlando and as an artist I seek that talent out. I now define success as, drinking, drawing and meeting fellow artists. “You don’t have to be great to start, but you do have to start to be great.”

Fiddler’s Green was a great spot for Geof Benge’s Birthday Celebration.

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Geoff Benge celebrated his birthday with family and friends at Fiddler’s Green (544 W Fairbanks Ave, Winter Park, FL). Geoff and his wife Janet, both from New Zealand,  are co-authors of 68 biographies of famous historical figures, with over 3 million copies sold worldwide. Their latest book, Triumph- the Extraordinary Life of Louis Zamparini, is timed perfectly to engage young readers prior to the Christmas Day release of Unbroken, a movie of his life directed by Angelina Jolie.

Before the party, I sketched the regular patrons at the bar. The heated discussion was all about soccer. Once Geoff and Janet arrived, I joined them in the back room. Guinness flowed and conversations turned to literature.  Friends got up to toast Geoff. He is apparently known for being able to hold his liquor. On a trip with friends he had a liquor bottle. The group went on an exhausting hike and Geoff kept sipping from his bottle to every one’s amazement. He not only kept up with all the other hikers, but he was sure footed the whole way. It wasn’t until later, around the camp fire that everyone learned that his bottle was actually full of water.

The only time I drink Guinness is when there is chocolate cake to go with it. The sweet chocolate is fantastic to wash down with the thick dark beer. I was in bliss.

Fiddler’s Green Rush Hour

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I decided To go to Fiddler’s Green on the Day after Saint Patrick’s Day. The outdoor beer garden was still set up in the parking lot but otherwise the scene was oddly serene. There was a steady stream of patrons walking in the front door from the parking lot. This pub is located on a very busy intersection so more often than not a bus or car was blocking my view but I chose to keep my eye moving around the scene sketching whatever could be seen at any given time. I was leaning up against a metal pole for some store signage and every time the wind blew, the pole would lurch causing me to be shoved from side to side. This might explain why the line work is a bit looser in this sketch. Shamrocks still were hanging everywhere, and green remained the color of the day. It turns out that there is a Sonny’s Barbecue right across the street and boy did it smell good. I suspect I will be back.

A Pint and Some Music?

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This group was playing when I walked in to Fiddler’s Green. The place wasn’t to crowded yet and happy hour had just begun. They had a warm sound and I quickly got to work, however they only played one song. As a matter of fact I had to draw the guy closest to the window as he was taking his guitar off to put it in the case. I stubbornly kept sketching, filling in details by peeking at the group as they sipped drinks over in a corner table. I never even caught the name of the group. I was surprised that the entire time I was working on this sketch, no one asked me if I wanted a beer. In this economy you would think they would be pushing beers a bit harder than that. I gave the waitress a decent tip anyway since I ordered a beer when I moved closer to the bar and I got decent sketches out of the evening.

Fiddler’s Green

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For Saint Patrick’s Day I went to the most Irish bar in town, Fiddler’s Green. I ordered a cup of Guinness and sat back and watched the patrons. The couple right in front of me were very much in love. He never stopped touching her. Most of the time he had his hand on her knee as they spoke and sometimes he ran his hand through her hair and they would often hug and kiss. Other patrons were more focused on the soccer game on the televisions. But as an artist I was happy to record the public display of affection being exhibited in the center of the bar.
I struggled to see into the darks of the dimly lit interior. Toward the end of the drawing I started taking longer sips of liquid courage as I pushed the watercolor closer to pure blacks. When the loving couple got up to leave, I was surprised to find out that the man was on crutches. I hadn’t noticed the crutches once while I was sketching, he had hidden them well under the bar. I was left wondering what had happened to his leg, was it a sports accident? Had be been involved in a fender bender on Interstate 4? Oh well, I may never know.
“Wrap me up in my oil skin and blanket,
No more ’round the docks, I’ll be seen,
Just tell me olde shipmates,
I’m takin a trip mates,
and I’ll see ya some day in Fiddler’s Green”