The Winter Park Paint Out is a wrap

SOLD

On one day of the Winter Park Paint Out each artist is asked to paint on the Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens so that visiting patrons could see the artists at work. I decided to paint the bright Van Gogh yellow building which is the heart of the paint out. Albin Polasek sculptures from the are all over the property. In the entry court yard artist Cynthia Edmonds was painting the sculpture of a woman playing a harp called the Emily Fountain. Water trickled from the harp to create the strings she plucked. Cynthia came over to say hello and see what I was working on. I then realized that she was the face on the Paint Out banner waving in the breeze in front of the museum.

I consider myself a bit of an outlier at this week long event. I am not a traditional plein air painter in that I do not work on canvas with oils. My approach is much more linear, intending to document a moment every day. Most of my work is created indoors in theaters and rehearsal spaces, so it is a change of pace to capture the intense Florida sun. I definitely learned plenty by getting to rub shoulders with so many talented artists. I also learned that I must bump up my schmoozing skills. I am so used to documenting events that it is hard to go into sales mode. This is my blind spot, my kryptonite.

Several other artists joined the ranks this year who added some variety to the mix of work created. Orit Reuben works in pastels and the intense color she can get definitely can result in some vibrant work. John Gilbert is another watercolor artist so I am no longer on my own tacking that medium at the paint out.

Orlando Drink and Draw at Thai Island

Orlando Drink and Draw  (ODD) ventures to a new bar or restaurant 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’m hoping to sketch
in Central Florida’s best dive bars, so suggestions are always welcome.

Wendy Wallenberg suggested we go to Thai Island (2522 S Semoran Blvd, Orlando, FL 32822. Thai Island is a casual spot for familiar and country-style regional Thai dishes in a quaint setting. About four artists showed up and sketched while sampling the dishes. I had a spring roll with the accompanying sauces on the table was good but didn’t  order a full meal. 

Artist Orit Reuben stopped out and worked in pastels which was a colorful alternative the watercolor sketches I do each day.

ReFresh

ReFresh was a two-day art sale giving local artists an opportunity to showcase their artwork as well as providing art lovers with affordable, original art. The event took place at the Orange Studio, (1211 N. Mills Avenue) on Saturday April 21st and Sunday April 22nd from 11:00am – 5:00pm. Food trucks, including KBurgers, Fork in the Road, Yum Yum Cupcake Truck, Gastro-Truck, Fro2Go, and The Flattery will be on site during the event.

The Orange Studio is a cavernous one story building which is used for photo shoots. The last time I was there, Voci Dance was performing a Valentines themed show. There were three food trucks in the parking lot behind the building. The back door to the Orange Studio was open so I walked in. All the walls had framed artwork neatly framed and hung. I had expected an informal fair like setting but was pleased to see the work hung gallery style.

There were large three foot photo prints and splashy serigraph prints that depicted the start of a marathon and the Prix de France. Orit Ruben is the one Orlando artist who’s work I recognized. She does pastels of the nude figure. There were quite a few very large abstracts, both warm and cool. I was surprised I didn’t recognize more of the artists. I didn’t linger too long. I wandered back outside and decided that the food trucks were the main attraction at ReFresh. The Gastro Truck seemed to offer cheesy delights. Some people ordered food and never went inside to see the art. No one ever seemed to order anything from the Gourmet Flatbreads truck. The Fro-2 Go Truck did a brisk business. Even the woman taking orders at the Gastro Truck ordered a Fro-Yo. I hope there are more places that will open their doors to artists like this.