IMMERSE: The Art of Athleticism

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Pam Schwartz and I explored IMMERSE on Friday night. We started at the north end and walked our way down Orange Avenue towards the Dr Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. The first stage had a monumental Red Bull truck parked behind the stage pumping out the tunes. Red Bull BC One Cypher dance performances didn’t start until 7pm so we continued on our way south. In the former entry to City Arts Factory, Ha’Ani Hogan had set up a tall wall of paper flowers which made a great photo backdrop. A mom was photographing her son as we walked by. Quite a few artists were working on free standing 6 foot tall walls creating murals.

The next block had the large Massey Stage with an exuberant dance company which I believe was the LMHS Unity Step Team.   As we walked behind the stage the dancers moved to the loud drum beats of The Mood Designers. I noticed a volcano belching flames and smoke a block further south so we kept moving forward. The volcano seemed like it should make a good sketch subject but it was fenced off on all sides, keeping any people out of the scene and possible sketch. Since I had sketched Architect of Air the day before we headed that way. An aerialist was spinning on some silks in front of City Hall but it seemed like a rehearsal not drawing any crowds as of yet.

I had sketched the inflatable structure that housed The Art of Athleticism the year before but noting was happening inside. There fore I was extra curious to see what it was all about this year. When we entered we saw a crowd of people dancing in front of a large screen. Each persons silhouette could be seen on the screen in bright colors like orange and blue. When they moved their arms, arcs of brilliant blue, orange and magenta would be drawn on the screen following their moves. If they moved fast enough blue sparks would shoot across the screen along with vibrant yellow splatters. This was a great opportunity to people watch. Most adults lost interest rather fast but the young at heart and kids could be entertained for an  extended time. As I sketched Pam watched the Dr Phillips Stage which had a Raymi Dance Company. She had never seen anything like it so I was a bit sad that I didn’t catch that performance. When I finished the sketch the Orlando Ballet was performing a lively modern dance routing along with fast paced turn of the century french tunes. Robert Hill has done an amazing job of transforming the dance company so that they appeal to a younger audience. There was sass and attitude that I loved. Vampires ball is coming up at the Dr Phillips Center for the Performing Arts and the ballet director let the crowd know that it is a show not to be missed.

It was dark by the time my sketch was done so we explored Immerse by waling our way back north, seeing each staging area a second time but now in the romantic mysterious night. Between Jackson and Church streets, there was a black structure covered with chalk drawings done by everyone passing by. Every square inch was covered in brightly colored chalk drawing. Inside was a series of rooms that were intending to explore the senses. The first room smelled like a camp fire. We ducked under a black cloak into the next room that was filled with sounds. Another room was covered in mirrors and had bright Chinese lanterns. Then a final room had spices, fruits and various farmers market items each of which could be touched.

We waited for a dance performance to begin at the Church street stage but there were technical difficulties that kept the dancers just stretching on the stage. Further down Church street there were several areas set up like live TV recording studios. A band was set up and playing really loud so the broadcasts must have been on hold. A narrow alley way was set up with collages by Christie McLennan that seemed to be a statement about pop culture. Butterflies spread their wings and took flight from this collage world spreading up the walls. The title of this piece was Wasteland. Despite spending several hours exploring IMMERSE, I know we only got to see and experience a fraction of what was there.

Architects of Air at Immerse

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This huge Luminaria appeared on the Dr Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Seneff Plaza for this year’s Immerse. To me it looked like an odd space craft had landed or it looked like a spiked Madonna of Katie Perry outfit. Regardless they were colored like bright balloons. Since 1992 more than 3 million visitors in over 40 countries across 5
continents have been welcomed into Architects of Air’s monumental Luminaria, immersed in radiant color that comes simply from daylight
shining through the fabric.

Designed by company founder Alan Parkinson, the Luminaria is inspired
by natural forms, geometric solids, Islamic and Gothic architecture.
Each new creation is a maze of winding paths and inspiring domes where
the visitors may lose themselves in sensory bliss. Each section consists of opaque area and then translucent area that act like stained glass that glows bright in the strong Florida Sun. I imaging the set up must have resembled the raising of a circus tent.

I went to a media soft opening a few days before Immerse opened. I assumed that the plastic might not be conducive to the legs of my artist stool, So I sketched the domes from across the street. Media crowed into the yellow entry staging area and they each had to take off their shows and put them in racks for safe keeping while they explored inside. The various room structures seem to be zippered together like a sleeping bag. The media crowds had dispersed so I got to wander around inside with on crowds to add any sense of claustrophobia. Air conditioned air was pumped in to keep the structures full and comfortable. The round halls connected the various larger rooms in flowing lines and bright light. It was tempting to just sit and relax and read a book but I knew that the preview was drawing to a close.

I quickly found myself disoriented and decided to keep turning left figuring it would lead me back to the room I entered.  I didn’t recognize the entry room but  the attendant opened a portal to let me back out into the real world. The attendants outside wanted to see my sketch and were appreciative of my efforts. I later earned that a ticket to wander inside cost $20, so I am more grateful for the chance to experience this structure firsthand. Should Architects of Air ever return I hope to allow time to sketch inside to capture people as they are mesmerized by the light and color of this organic flowing space.

Weekend Top 6 Picks for October 19 and 20, 2019

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Saturday October 19, 2019

All day. $18.85 Architects of Air Immerse. Dr. Phillips Center Lawn, Downtown Orlando. Through October 27, 2019.

10am-1pm Free. Young Artists Urban Sketching Workshop Ink and Twig: Sketching Brutalist Architecture. Orange County Regional History Center, 65 E. Central Blvd, Orlando, FL.  

Learn to sketch with only ink and twig to capture the Brutalist ”raw” architectural style of
The Orlando Public Library. This workshop is part of the Young Artist Workshop series
sponsored by Orange County Regional History Center and Urban Sketchers Orlando.
Workshop includes admission to Orange County Regional History Center, tour of the
exhibit: The Accidental Historian, and materials.
Learn more & register. Instructors: Art Esteban and Gay Geiger.

7pm to 9pm Free. The Orlando Shuffle. Beardall Senior Center, 800 Delaney Avenue, Orlando, FL 32801. The
Orlando Shuffle is always free, family-friendly, and fun. It takes
place the 1st and 3rd Saturdays every month. Come play, learn, or just
hangout. Retro attire is encouraged.

Sunday October 20, 2019

10am to noon, Free. Heartfulness Relaxation and Meditation Class. University, 5200 Vineland Rd, Orlando, FL 32811. The Method of Heartfulness A simple and practical way to experience the heart’s unlimited resources. 

11am to noon. $5 Yoga. Lake Eola near red gazebo. 

Noon to 3pm Donation based. Music at the Casa. George Grosman. Casa Feliz Historic Home Museum, 656 N Park Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789. Members
of the public are invited to visit our historic home museum on a Sunday
afternoon to listen to live music and take a tour of our historic home
museum and the James Gamble Rogers II Studio by trained docents.

Projected : A Creative City Project Special Event

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The Projected event was held at the City Beautiful Church (1220 Alden Rd, Orlando, FL 32803). And was a fundraiser for the Creative City Project which shuts down Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando each year to showcase some of the cities most amazing talent.

Six projection artists came together to create an immersive world of light an sound.
Each artist brought a unique, interactive installation that allowed patrons to experience digital art in a whole new way.There was live music and dance presented with responsive light installations which cropped up throughout the evening.

Live performance elements brought the entire evening together for a compelling art experience unlike any other.

I decided to sit on the edge of the stage to look back at the room full of projections. Green and purple lasers cut through the air and a dual wall installation featured alternating stripes of vibrant color. People stood on tip toe to wave their hands through the bright green laser beams. When Pam Schwartz and I first entered, our eyes were not accustomed to the dark. A long hallway lead to the main room, but a line of tables covered with black tablecloths blocked a straight approach to the room. I had to tap the table tops with my hands to figure out what the best way in might be.

We wandered down a hall illuminated by a projection of thousands of moving points of light. Several children crouched at the end of the hall looking back at the beams of light that caused every wall to flicker with moving points of light. Later that night I saw Cole Nesmith in the hall using a red light bar to illuminate couples who posed for photos in the sea of moving points.  

Becky Lane had a room set up that was an installation that was built around the experience of her long commute to Tampa. One whole wall had a projection that showed the Florida landscape flying by shot from the side window of her moving car. Palmetto fronds were scattered throughout the room. And when I glanced in at first I saw people waving the fronds in the air. The space incorporated movement, viewpoints and puppetry to give an interactive feeling for her commute.

Outside that room was a projection that used a sensor to track a persons movements. Pam and I were standing in the area looking at Becky’s installation when we were scolded for disrupting the sensors. Only one person could be in the space at a time. Basically that person could create an image on the screen built up from a series of triangles of varying sizes. By waving their arms triangles would appear. I lost interest.

Nathan Selikoff had a projection that looked like a colorful cloud which people could manipulate by waving their hands over a sensor on a table near the projector. Some people couldn’t figure out how to manipulate the cloud because they always had their hands too close to the sensor. Eventually most people figured out the proper distance to get the digital storm to brew.

On the stage wall behind me a series of movies were projected on the wall. The brightest image was of a cloud formed after an explosion. Dancers took to the stage and improvised. One dancer held a laser and projected the point of bright light on the floor. Dancers would follow the light like a cat. The same dancers later dances behind the dual wall of bright striped colors. Their silhouettes wold break up the wall of color dramatically.

The event was very well attended, and I am sure more people kept arriving as the night progresses. This year The
Creative City Project will present their annual event, IMMERSE, on October 19
and 20, 2018. More than 1,000 artists and performers will bring the heart of
the city of Orlando to life! It is possible to book tickets early.

IMMERSE by the Creative City Project.

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On November 21st, the downtown street of Orange Avenue was shut down from just north of Pine Street, down towards South Street.  IMMERSE is an invitation to unexpected creative encounters in the
heart of Downtown Orlando. You’ll find yourself truly immersed in art,
performance, and interactive installations.

With collaborators like Cirque du Soleil, Orlando Philharmonic,
Orlando Ballet, and the Central Florida Community Arts Orchestra, you
won’t want to miss this evening which is unlike any other.

In 2016, the Creative City Project brought nearly 1,000 performers to
the streets and public spaces of Downtown Orlando for more than 20,000
patrons. IMMERSE 2017 continued the tradition of growth and excitement
by bringing you more large scale WOW moments and unexpected, intimate creative encounters.

From Classical to Hip-Hop music, murals, dance, acrobatics,
interactive installations, artists from Orlando, around the country, and
the around the world converge on Downtown Orlando for one of the
largest showcases of innovation and creativity in the performing and
installation arts in the country.

I hosted one of the Orlando Urban Sketch Workshops during this incredible event.   With so much going on at the same time it was difficult to decide on a single subject to sketch.  I offered personalized instruction to each Urban Sketcher and then dashed off to do a quick sketch myself.  I decided to focus on performers waiting to get on the stage next.  This gave me some time to focus on them before heading off to see the twirling dancers on the stage. 

The Creative City Project’s VIP Night of Global Influence.

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This night featured some compelling performances by several Central Florida artists organizations, some of the 2017 partnerships, and an exclusive look at the exciting future of Creative City Project.  The biggest announcement by founder, Cole Nesmith, was the unveiling of the new identity of the annual Creative City Project, to IMMERSE The evening showcased the next steps in fulfilling the mission to “shape the
global perception of Orlando as a city known for innovation and
creativity.”

More than 1,000 artists and performers bring the heart of the
city to life! This year, you will find yourself surrounded with inspiration. Just one example is a
performance by the 100 piece CFCArts Symphony Orchestra on 5 stages, surrounding
the audience with an immersive orchestral experience. Artists will invite you in to become part of the experience. The fusion
of performance and technology extend beyond the stage. The artists of IMMERSE will inspire you to live creatively everyday.

Mark your calendar! The Creative City Project will present the annual event, IMMERSE, on October 21,
2017. Tickets this year range form $10 to $100. There are also a limited number of free tickets available.