Visual Fringe

Posted on by Thor

The Orlando Fringe Winter Mini-Fest is January 9-12, 2020 inside the Lowndes Shakespeare Center at Orlando’s Loch Haven Park.  I saw several Facebook posts about the Visual Fringe tent and had to head out to see it for myself. The Visual Fringe is headed up by the incomparable actress, Melanie Leon whose comedic prowess has livened up several of the shows I have sketched at Fringe and around town. In front of the Visual Fringe tent were about a dozen orange lawn chairs so that an audience could sit of they liked to watch all the at happening.  I was happy to sit in a chair (theater seat) and started sketching. Melanie and George Cudo were seated in front of me. She joked with me and made me feel very much welcome.

I sketched Warren Hart (Famous After Death) who was working on a bold robotic image painted on a board covered in newspaper clippings. I loved the Famous After Death tag an wish I had thought of it. Also working was Osha Awesome who was doing a mixed media piece with melted crayons. Famed beside her were several framed Yin and Yang symbols with rainbows of melted wax.

After sketching Famous After Death, I checked out his portfolio on the table. It was a thick book full of gorgeous bold poster imaged from movies and other themes. I heard that he produces the work in Illustrator but he also explained that the iPad and Procreate have changed the way he works. He is desperately hoping that Procreate eventually gets vector based features which means images created could be blown up to any size. Since I have fallen in love with the program as well, we had much in common. It was awesome to meet another artist who is embracing technology in their everyday creative process.

Tonight is the last night of the Fringe Winter Mini Fest. To see a show you need to buy a $3 Mini Fest Button. Show tickets are separate and prices vary. Some shows I had sketched before during the 2019 Fringe.

The remaining shows…

12:45am Staged Reading Series: Gertrude Stein’s Do Let Us Go Away, a play.

12:45am Staged Reading Series: Spider Queen.

2:15pm Winnie’s Roch Cauldron Cabaret.

2:30pm 90 Lies an Hour.

2:45pm The Myrtle Sisters – Out of Time.

4:00pm St Kilda

4:20pm Danny Darkly’s California Screaming.

4:30pm The Dissection of a Mixed Heritage Woman.

5:45pm Six Chick Flicks. (SOLD OUT)

6:15pm Eddie Poe.

6:15pm The Lightweight.

7:30pm How to Really, Really, Really Love a Woman.

8:00pm Larry.

8:00 My Left Tit.

9:15pm Becoming Magic Mike: An Action Adventure Comedy.

9:45pm Flori-DUH.

Central Florida Camellia Society 72nd Annual Show and Festival

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Pam Schwartz and I went to Mead Gardens (1300 S. Denning Drive Winter Park, Fl) for the The Camellia Society of Central Florida’s annual flower show featuring award-winning blooms from Central Florida and the southeastern United States. Of course all the beauty was to be found in the microscopic details in each individual bloom on display. Each vibrant bloom was in a tiny glass vase with a label to note what type of bloom it was. Larger place cards with capital A, B, and C grouped the blooms together.

I was more interested in capturing peoples’ gestures as they admired and photographed the blooms. Some men were stoic with crossed arms, while women might lean forward to get as close as possible. More flowers and plants could be found outside on this gorgeous day.

74th Annual Camellia Show and Plant Sale is coming up on Saturday, January 18, 2020 at the Orlando Garden Club Clubhouse at Loch Haven Park (710 E. Rollins St., Orlando, FL (between Advent Health and US 17). The event is free and Open to the public.

Camellia Show from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Plant Sale  from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

2020 Camellia Show Activity Schedule

7am – 10 a.m. Enter camellia blooms (ANYONE)!  Volunteers available to assist with registration. (Location: Orlando Garden Club)

10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Camellias plants for sale.  (Location: Clubhouse Area)

10 a.m. – 11 a.m. Camellia 101 Class – Robert Bowden, director of the City of Orlando’s Harry P. Leu Gardens (Locations: in Clubhouse Library)

1 p.m. – 4 p.m. Camellia Show is officially OPEN to the public.  See thousands of competition blooms up close! (Location: Orlando Garden Club

4 p.m. Camellia Show closes

German Lemus at Artlando.

Posted on by Thor

Artlando is coming to Lock Haven Park in Orlando on October 1, 2016. They are looking are looking for innovative, interesting, talented visual and performing artists to take part in this all day event.

SPACE COST $125

WHAT YOU GET:

• 10’x10’ space for you to set up your tent, table and art!

• All the art you sell is commission free! You keep 100% of your profits!

• Entry into our competition (if you create on-site).

WHAT’S THE COMPETITION?

ARTLando is an immersive experience for our attendees where they can see art being created.

• We want you creating your art LIVE! Bring your paint, canvas and anything else you need to create your art.

• All artists that paint/create during the event will be judged and
booth fees will be used exclusively in production of the event and to
award $3000 in cash prizes to artists who place in the competition.

Winners will be chosen from a combination of judges panel and popular votes!

SUBMISSIONS DUE BY: AUGUST 31ST

At the 2015 Artlando I had to stop and watch as German Lemus painted y brand new Scion live on the lawn. He was getting close to be done when I arrived, so I sketched frantically, afraid he might put the spray can down and walk away. The car’s surfs was richly textured making a bold statement. I don’t know who drives it around today.

I participated in the first Artlando, but it rained all day long. I am debating about giving it a try again this year.

Living room Theater takes the Fringe Festival by storm.

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Living room Theater has 13 performances at this year’s Orlando International Fringe Festival. As the title suggests, they happen in a living room at 1314 Chichester St, Orlando, FL, a few blocks north of all the main action at Lock Haven Park. When I arrived, there were a few people waiting on the porch. Matt Palm who writes for the Orlando Sentinel pointed out that the paper’s obit section is usually a couple of columns long, but for the past few weeks it has run on for several pages. He guessed that perhaps people just couldn’t face another hot Orlando summer. Another person joked that perhaps they just couldn’t face yet another Fringe festival.

The living room is large and spacious. It had once been used as a ballroom in the homes early days. Banks Helfrich walked back to the green room with a cup of water. His wife wondered why they weren’t out socializing with people like they usually do. Perhaps since this was Fringe, they wanted to maintain the theatrical fourth wall. I have sketched several Living room theater performances in people’s homes and every performance has always been different. Tisse Mallon, Banks Helfrich and Jack Graham have created an immersive theater experience that fosters community while focusing on fun, connection and authenticity. The show consists of a series of short vignettes that are both serious and absurd.

Banks came out holding an orange checkered shirt and he handed it to a woman seated in the front row. Matt Palm tapped me on my shoulder and whispered to me, that’s my shirt. Sure enough, he was wearing the exact same shirt. Was this theatrical magic, or just coincidence? Jack performed a solo on his acoustic guitar. After his performance, birds chirped to mark the transition to the next scene. This chirping gave the scenes a sense of being part of a timeless ongoing tapestry of human interaction. The next scene had Banks and Tisse both texting on their phones. They sat down beside each other, both focused on their phones and it gradually became apparent that they were texting each other. Tisse leaned against Banks and they intertwined while the text conversation grew tense. Tisse finally just decided to call, But, Banks couldn’t bring himself to pick up. This hilarious scene pointed out how we grow further apart as we embrace technology rather than each other. Since every performance is different, you r experience will be unique. I can say that you can expect surprise, wonder and honesty of emotions as the cast interests. Each scene is just a sentence written on a sheet of paper.  The scene then unfolds, being mostly improvised.

Tickets are $10

Remaining Living room theater performances:

May 22,  5pm – 6:10pm and 8pm to 9:10pm

May 26,  7:30pm – 8:40pm

May 27,  6:30pm – 7:40pm and 8:30pm – 9:40pm

May 28,  5pm – 6:10pm and 8pm – 9:10pm

The Inaugural Artlando was held in Lock Haven Park.

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ALL DAY. ALL ART. I was offered a vendors tent at the inaugural Artlando event held September 27 in Lock Haven Park. My plan was to only sell $2 cards in a card rack and leave a tip jar so people could pay on the honor system. That left me free to roam the event and the day became a sketch marathon. All vendors had to arrive early in the morning to set up. You had to unload at a spot next to the Repertory Theater’s parking lot and then immediately drive off site to park. Each artist was assigned a specific area of Lock Haven’s lawn which was marked by a number. Soon there was a tent city. Clouds loomed ominous and gray all day.

A giant inflatable bird was in front of the Orlando Museum of Art. It was based on a painting by Lamar Peterson whose work was on exhibit inside. The brown statues, which were part of an installation titled “Horizons”,  by noted Icelandic artist Steinunn Thórarinsdóttir (pronounced Stay-nun Thorens daughter), were often used by people who imitated the poses for photo opportunities. That installation is on exhibit through 2015. 

Carolyn Moor, with her daughter Mackensey and a friend from out of town stopped to say hello. Carl Gauze jumped in on the conversation and he pointed out that the inflatable bird had a bullet hole in its chest.  I inspected the inflated art up close and sure enough there was a puncture wound.  I imagined a pickup truck squealing around the parking lot at night with a drunk local using his rifle to take shots at any art he could find. Then again the hole might just be there to control the flow of air. Caroline waited in front of the museum for Mackenzie to return from the main stage. On the main stage there were live performance by Orlando Ballet, Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, Orlando Shakes, Central Florida Community Arts, Orlando Fringe, Phantasmagoria and many more.

As I was finishing this sketch, it began to rain. I ran inside the museum for cover.

The Human Heart

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It was Valentine’s Day. A large group of people stood assembled at the edge of the Repertory Theater parking lot for an event called, the Human Heart, an Outright Love In. There were a few Mylar balloons and much excited chatter. Out on the lawn there was a large heart shape created with Doug Rhodehamel’s brown paper bag mushrooms. Nicki using a megaphone asked everyone to form a large circle around the mushrooms. Then groups of people were invited to step in closer to the heart shaped mushrooms. She began by inviting clergy and priests to step forward.

The fading golden sunlight hit the tops of the trees, igniting them with a bright orange glow. Soon everyone on the field was formed into the shape of a heart. They held hands and began to sing, “Seasons of Love.” Earlier in the day, Nicki and Rachel, who organized this event, went to the Orange County Courthouse to ask for the right to be married. They were denied. “You never hear on the evening news that there is too much love in this world!” This event was all about equality and love. Everyone had been given candles, and as it grew dark the candles were lit and the singing resumed.

Terry arrived and we agreed to skip “The Kiss Tones “a Brian Feldman and Britt Daley production at Stardust Video and Coffee. I had my sketch for the day. Instead we went to go to Citrus for an amazing dinner and a bottle of wine. I had a crispy baked salmon with a pomegranate glaze that was mouth wateringly good. It was the perfect Valentine’s date night.