Mini CityArts

Posted on by Thor

City Arts Orlando Celebrated its Grand Opening In The Historic Rogers Kiene Building In Downtown Orlando. The Downtown Arts District’s gallery marked the opening of its new location with a ribbon cutting with Orlando Mayor
Buddy Dyer and Orlando City Commissioners. When Pam Schwartz and I arrived on the scene the gallery was too packed to get inside. Another artist, Jonathan Stemberger, was already set up across the street documenting the scene on a large yellow canvas. I have seen him at other events recording history much the way I do, so I was pleased to get a chance to meet him. He gave me his card, or so I thought. When I got home and took it out of my pocket, it turned out to be a sticker with a silhouette of a Jackal-ope on it.

I worked from the far corner to sketch the crowd pressing through the doors below the historic spire. While working, Gladiola Sotomayor shared with me photos she had taken of the mural we had worked on together that now hangs in the Orlando International Airport. I have been through the airport multiple time and not seen it yet. At sunset there is a golden column of light that shines down Pine Street only on the Rogers Kiene tower. It was exciting to see, and I splashed down some vibrant yellows and oranges in response.

With the sketch done, Pam and I went inside to explore. This building offers far less space than the former City Arts Factory a few blocks away. Artists still have to pay for the right to exhibit their work. Inside it was very crowded and the music was highly amplified. Violinist Michelle Jones performed all night. I admire how she is turning the violin into a hip pop instrument.


I was most curious about the new gallery space upstairs that had formerly been a screening room for films. The stadium seating had been removed to open up the room. I have seen and sketched so many amazing performances in that space over the years, so it will be missed by me. Now it was filled with artwork created by patients in the Integrative Medicine department at Orlando Health. The program is called Arts in Medicine. I sketched Andrea Canny who was part of a similar program funded by LIVESTRONG. A dancer was in the center of the room, so it was impossible to get close to any of the paintings on display. 

The hall ways upstairs are narrow and a woman knocked into several paintings causing them to slip on their hooks, almost falling off the wall. Another woman slammed her hand against the canvas saving it from slipping further. Together they righted the canvases. Across from them, Heisenberg, from Breaking Bad glared, his portrait covered in blue crystals of Meth.

 Though there might not have been enough space, the people who love visual arts spilled out into the street.

Sustainability Mural.

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LeAnn Siefferman invited three artists to collaborate on a sustainability mural for the City of Orlando and Green Build Media on January 9, 2017. I was a participating artist along with Gladiola Sotomayor, Halsi and Charles Mighty. At our first mural meeting at Henao Contemporary Center, we each talked about our ideas about sustainability and how they might be visualized in the mural. We each created a few rough sketches on the spot, which acted as inspiration for the final mural concept. A second meeting I couldn’t attend, but Gladiola and Halsi worked on a more refined concept. I was sent that concept and layered my own ideas on top. Working in LeAnn’s garage, Gladiola and Halsi blew up the development sketch across four large boards. The next day I added my contributions using large Sharpies. 

On the morning of the sustainability conference in the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, the panels were set up and ready to paint. Large drop cloths were taped down to protect the carpeting. We spent the entire day adding color with house paints and layering on more details under the watchful eyes of conference attendees. There was free coffee all day, which kept me wired. Most of my contributions consisted of showing Lake Eola, the skyline, and the “Patriot Garden” house in College Park. 

As the mural was being painted, LeAnn spoke to conference attendees about how the mural depicted sustainability. Sustainability is not just about making decisions today that prevent negative impacts tomorrow, but about making decisions that improve our tomorrows as well. Sustainability calls for love, respect and justice for the natural environment, for our communities and neighbors, and for ourselves and our families. She said each of you embodied these qualities in your work and in your personal statement, and expressed sincere desire to connect with and improve your community through the arts.

The
mission of Green Build Mediais to effect meaningful, positive change for a better world. As
advocates for sustainability, they provide mind-expanding information
that catalyzes and inspires commitment to sustainable living. Hopefully, the mural helped promote that idea.

Form Structure and Interactions at the White House.

Posted on by Thor

The Timucua White House (2001 Hamilton Ln, Orlando, FL 32806) hosts weekly concerts in their spacious living room that rivals some concert halls. Benoit Glazer built his home around this pitch perfect sound proofed space. This concert featured original compositions for trumpet and electronics. Most of the composers were in the audience. Besides the main performance, an artist usually creates on stage as well. On this evening, a sculptor named Diego Inkusual worked on a life sized bust of a young poised dancer named Megan Crawford. I’m pretty sure I sketched Megan at some dance rehearsal, because I recognized her. I decided to sit down at a back patio table, and my chair tumbled over backwards, thankfully with out me in it. As we all waited to get into the concert hall, Diego kissed Megan’s neck and she smiled at the distraction.

Benoit’s wife Elaine Corriveu, Wendy Wallenberg and others bustled in the kitchen. Guests usually bring a bottle of wine or a side dish, turning the evening into a community potluck. Strange, the program doesn’t list the Trumpet player’s name. That is a strange oversight. Anyway, he was quite good as was the sculptor, also not listed.

Diego had several life sized sculpture on stage, and another in The entry-potluck area. Fabrics flowed from their semi nude bodies. It was impressive work. Diego was quite active as was his model, Megan. He would often ask her to rotate in her seat so he could sculpt her from a different angle. He would often stand and he would gouge deep grooves in the sculpted hair. The facial features had been delicately refined back at his studio. He was feeling the music and it influenced his movements. Megan kept perfect still.

One composer wasn’t in the audience. He was at an inspirational seminar. The concert was being shared with him and another audience with him at the seminar. Most composers got on stage to introduce their original music, he called in to talk to us all. Charles Griffin composed Between Islands this year. He told both audiences, that when he moved to Orlando, his creative urge dried up. He tried to work through it, but he was stuck. He had never experienced this before. The support and contact with other creative people finally reversed the stagnancy. This composition was the first he wrote as he got back on track. He spoke about his mother’s death, loss and the need to remember. It is a theme that has hit home with me many times as I sketch people affected by Pulse. I try to remain in business mode, but often it sinks in. Charles used the sounds of ocean bells clanging quietly on the waves. the somber music hit a chord with me and the pencil stopped dancing on the page, so I could stop to close my eyes and truly listen.

The next White House concert is, Tonight 10/16/16 at 7:30 pm. It is Contemporary Classical, featuring Elizabeth Baker, Toy Piano and electronics, Art is by Gladiola Sotomayor.