Flynn Dobbs – Analog Artist Digital World

Flynn Dobbs invited me to exhibit a few of my painting along with three other artists at the annual family-and pet-friendly event, the Indie Folk Festival on February 10, 2018. The fourth annual Indie-Folkfest was presented by PLR Florida at the Mennello Museum of American Art. Pam Schwartz and I got there around 11:30 AM to get set up. Flynn had the tent ready and there was just enough room for my 6 framed paintings. Sprout, who is Pam’s scruffy pup was excited to experience all the new smells.

The event showcased local, national and regional art, music and culinary talent.

Last past February, in 2017, the event welcomed nearly 5,000 guests to the museum grounds. Guests enjoyed beautiful weather, local music, food, beverages and art.

This annual free event serves as a gift from the Museum’s City-Appointed Board of Trustees in an effort to promote local art and community. A portion of all proceeds benefit the Mennello Museum of American Art’s education and family-friendly programs.

Each artist in our tent was active painting at some point during the day. I sketched our tent to document the day. Loren Berry set up a table and started doing some marbling. She poured multiple colors on the panel and let the colors swim together as she rotated the panel letting the paint flow across the surface. Then she lay the panel flat and used her gloved fingers to create pointed divots in the flow. This was followed by blowing the paint to create even more pattern. It was a fun process to watch and I sketched frantically. Her results, resemble the cloud formations on the planet Jupiter.

Terri Binion opened up the main stage with her unique folk music styling. She was followed by Beemo who got the folks gathered on the lawn warmed up to dance away the afternoon. The musical afternoon was capped off by Eugene Snowden who brought the crowd to his moving gospel of song and a crowd gathered in front of the stage to dance.

I went to the Grand Bohemian Hotel Orlando (325 S Orange Ave, Orlando, Florida) to meet Greg Dobbs who wanted to share a children’s book he had written. I first met Greg when I sketched Santa Claus from a distance at the Millenia Mall. Security chased me off, since apparently creating a sketch at the mall is verboten. I wrote a poem poking fun at the situation, and months later Greg wrote me a poem in response inviting me to sketch Santa up close and personal. I showed up on Christmas Eve to witness the last minute crush as parents waited in line in hopes that their children could sit in Santa’s lap before the Mall shut down. Getting the children distracted and delighted was Greg’s job. Not an easy task give the high stake stress filled situation.

Greg’s story was a delightful tale of a young boy and his grandfather who worked for a fire house. It would be a fun story to illustrate, if I could entrench myself with an old established fire house with the old fashion pole and some historic trucks. I have this idea of casting for the book much as actors are cast for a play or a movie. I would storyboard the book just like a movie and then pose the cast for each scene. Their is no publisher set for the book yet so any work I do would be on spec. The project remains on the back burner.

Greg’s daughter Flynn Dobbs also met me for a drink that day. She is now the youngest curator to ever work at the Grand Bohemian. Both of her parents are artists, so she has grown up in a creative environment. Greg’s wife does monumental figurative sculptures and of four Greg is a photographer and writer. We discussed the possibility of my sketching events at the hotel. It is an exciting possibility. The Grand Bohemian could become my Moulin Rouge.

Tonight on March 7th at 7 pm I am hosting ODD (Orlando Drink and Draw) at the Grand Bohemian. Orlando Drink and Draw ventures 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 have an infinite accordion sketchbook that artists have contributed to since the first Drink and Draw. Also I like to have artists face off for quick 5 minute portraits. Artists change chairs until every artist has met and sketched every other artist. I’ll dress up a bit for this evening among artists.

Indie Folk Festival at the Mennello Museum.

Drinks at the Grand Bohemian.