The Orlando Magic against the Milwaukee Bucks.

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On the day after Thanksgiving, Terry got tickets to the Orlando Magic Game at the Amway Center. She wanted to treat my sister Pat Boehme who was visiting for the holiday. The Magic were going to play the Milwaukee Bucks. Terry had access to the Bank of America Box which could accommodate 16 individuals. The box is usual used to impress prospective clients. This was the first time I was invited. we got there a hour early and parked in Terry’s work lot. I had forgotten my sketchbook, so I did this sketch on the back of the tickets. Kim Buchheit a dear friend was also invited and she livened up the box by cheering shouting and dancing in the aisles. A financial advisor from the Winter Park office had three of his clients, and a co-worker of Terry’s was there with a friend  and his wife. There was also a well dressed Indian couple seated right in front of me. I sat at a counter which was a perfect little surface to sketch on.

There was complimentary pulled pork sandwiches and beers in the refrigerator. I just sipped Pepsi to get my nervous lines jumping. A large indoor blimp circled the stadium as the players warmed up. In the first quarter, the scores stayed rather close. I recall the score being tied at 43 to 43. Then the Magic started pulling ahead. My sketch was finished by half time, so I relaxed in the second half and just watched the game. The stadium was maybe half full and there was a lackluster energy through the whole game. I rather prefer to watch the antics of the Magic mascot who would wander through the crowd every quarter and throw a whipped cream pie in the face of the first fan he saw wearing a Milwaukee T Shirt.  He tended to hit fans in the bad row of the first section. I pointed out two of the unlucky fans in my sketch.

The final score was 114 to 90 with the Orlando Magic winning the game. Last year the Magic only won 25 games with 57 losses. It was an embarrassing season. This year with 8 wins and 8 losses, they are having a much better season. Perhaps if the wins keep happening the Orlando fans might work up some energy. They tended to shout louder for the free T shirt cannons then for the team on the court.

Robert Johnson tears it up on the Mushroom Stage.

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0n November 29th, Terry and I went to Kim Bucheit‘s 24 hour “Old Sport” or “Black Friday Boycott” party. When it got dark, Robert Johnson set up his equipment on the Mushroom Stage. Blue Christmas lights were strung out on the stage and larger warm bulbs were hung around the periphery of the tent. Solar bulbs illuminated each of the 4 corner supports. About 15 feet from the tent a large bonfire snapped and glowed. For several songs Robert was joined by drummers who set the primal beat.

Robert has two original songs that I absolutely love. One is about an artist painting his masterpiece and the other is an ode to Orlando. Robert draws most of his influence from the road. He is a poet, writer,
producer, and visual artist. For the past 3 years, he has spent his
time recording demos for upcoming projects, and touring through America
and parts of Europe. His solo sound is that of a gypsy-pop folk singer
heavily influenced by American music of the 50’s; soul singers; and Euro
gypsy music. Between sets, Robert offered me some of the good stuff to help me loosen up my line work. When the music died, everyone gathered around the fire to tell stories.

Some partiers had their tents. Terry and I had our sleeping bags and Kim was kind enough to find us some floor space.  The younger crowd stayed up all night keeping the fire burning. In the morning the fire kept us warm as we enjoyed mimosas and muffins By next year this stage will have been taken over by bulldozers to make way for a new parkway. Old Sport and Old Florida are slowly becoming things of the past.

Old Sport

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This year, the Old Sport Champagne Badminton League and Postmodern Literary Society presented 24 Hours of Old Sport – 2013 (First Annual Bonnet Edition).
Saturday March 23, 1 PM to Sunday March 24, 1 PM. Old Sport is a yearly two day party that happens at the Wise Acre Farm in Sorento Fl.

Getting to the Wise Acre Farm was an adventure in itself. Winding country roads gave way to dirt roads. The GPS kept Terry and I on track but the road seemed to stop. We pulled into a horse farm where a suicidal dog kept walking in front of the car.  The dog wasn’t barking but Terry was sure we were in the wrong place. We pulled out and drove through a gate and then drove through a field up a hill towards a gazebo. A bonfire hinted that we had reached our destination.

The Old Sport “Super Committee” consists of
Kim Buchheit (Custodian and Referee)
Naomi Butterfield (Bonnet Judge and Egg Stasher)
Rachel Kapitan (Old Sport Stylist and Mixologist)
and Mr. Robert Johnson (“Token Male”, Live Music and Jam Leader)Terry and I arrived just in time to sample dinner. Everyone sat in a line in their lawn chairs watching the fire. In all there were perhaps 30 Old Sports in attendance. Everyone had been issued lanyards and you could get stickers if you performed stellar deeds. Terry got a sticker for her pink bonnet. Half way through the night she discovered that the hat was meant to be worn inverted inside out. Rachel Kapitan won the egg hunt contest. She knew she had a shot at winning since she was a home town egg hunt champion in her youth. The bar was located in the garage and I sampled the white wine we had brought.

Robert Johnson began performing on the make shift wooden stage set up under a tent. His band “Everyday Ghosts” had split up so he sang solo.  The stage was lit with citronella candles and the fire’s blaze. Electric lights also rimmed the tent’s edge. I was offered a sticky smoors and a milky herb drink as I sketched. People circled up around the fire and the tribal dancing began with drums keeping beat. Dancer, Micihael Sloan, kept the dancing primal and borderline dangerous. He jumped over the flames with grace, and did cartwheels. He wore some pink bunny ears and by evenings end he was christened, “the fire bunny.”



Terry and I had brought a tent but Kim offered up her studio which is where we crashed for the night. Amazingly, the next morning the fire was still blazing. All the Sping trimmings from the farms trees had been burned. A pink blaze on a wooden fence marked the spot where a freeway would one day cut through the property. Robert Johnson’s stage was likely in the south bound lane.

Mennello Museum Folk Festival

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Thanks to Arts Fest and United Arts, the Mennello Museum was able to host a full day of folk performers at its annual Folk Festival. It was an absolutely gorgeous day for a festival with blue skies and a cool breeze. Terry and I attended last year and we both decided it is one of our favorite events of the year. There are plenty of tents set up with artists of all kinds displaying their wares. We first stopped at the Kerouac House table where Kim Buchheit and Summer Rodman were having a lively discussion. I became infatuated with a book by Kerouac called “Sketches”. This is an amazing book in which Kerouac describes scenes and places in bold poetic broad strokes. All of the sketches were lifted from small moleskin notebooks in which he jotted down his notes on the spot. With words he recreates scenes very much the way I sketch every day. It is an inspiring read. I am maybe half way through the book now.
Dawn Schreiner had a tent set up with all her wonderful portraits and doodles. She was sitting in the grass with her children and sketching. Next to her tent was an artist who makes elaborate cigar boxes which are encrusted with glued on objects. I stood and watches as he made a space ship themed box with day glow paint a space shuttle and plenty of beads as planets. I wanted to sketch him, but this was Valentines day, and I had decided to stay focused on my wife and maybe sneak in a sketch of the stage if time allowed.
We had lawn chairs and set them up in front of the stage. As Sarah Purser performed, I felt myself become fully relaxed and at peace. I sat back and enjoyed the sun and view overlooking the lake. It was time to sketch. Travis Blaise who is dating Sarah explained that she is classically trained and in fact performs for the opera. Her voice is stunning and she has a lighthearted humor that is infectious. In the foreground I sketched Gordon Spears who was wearing a distinctive red hat and leaning back talking to a friend. Someone told me that Gordon booked all the acts for the event. Later that night I had to take down my display of sketchbooks at the Cameo Theater and Gordon was there helping Louise Bova as she took down her work. I had never met Gordon before, but here I was bumping into him twice in one day. This town just keeps getting smaller.