OMA Director Fired after FBI Raid

Posted on by Thor

Orlando Museum of Art (OMA) director Aaron De Groft was apparently missing in action as FBI agents raided his museum. He has been on the lamb ever since. In a bold move of incompetence or malicious greed, he mounded an exhibit of 25 works that were claimed to be by Jean-Michel Basquiat. The authenticity of that work quickly came into question.

The New York Times reported on the shady provenance of the works with one painting done on Fed Ex cardboard with the company logo being done in a typeface created nine years after the artist’s death.

De Groft did nothing but defend the work citing the flimsy excuse of a poem as proof of authenticity. The misguided OMA board also defended the work noting OMA gift store sales had gone up.

In an email, De Groft threatened an academic (subsequently identified as University of Maryland art historian Jordana Moore Saggese) who was seeking to distance herself from a report she was commissioned to write assessing the authenticity of the works in Heroes & Monsters: Jean-Michel Basquiat, The Thaddeus Mumford, Jr. Venice Collection. Saggese, who was reportedly paid $60,000 for her report, requested that her name not be tied to the exhibition, De Groft wrote, “You want us to put out there you got $60 grand to write this? Ok then. Shut up. You took the money. Stop being holier than thou.” He added, “Do your academic thing and stay in your limited lane.”

The clueless board in an effort to protect their own asses fired De Groft on 28 June 2022. No one seems to be able to admit they dropped the ball and failed with this misguided show. The work had never been clearly authenticated. The board’s  clear incompetence and complicity in what could be a criminal attempt to raise the value of fake art works means that if they have any morals, they will resign from the board. Orlando is now the laughing stock 0f the art world, internationally. More heads need to roll if this crippled institution is ever to recover. In a press release the board said that the museum is not under investigation, but the FBI is still investigating. The museum very well might face criminal liability.

On 24 June 2022, the FBI swooped in before the work could be shipped over seas. As the FBI investigation plays out we will get to see just how clueless or greedy OMA’s board and director were. Besides seizing the cardboard scribbles, they also seized “any and all” communications between the museum’s employees and the owners of the artworks “purported to be by artist Jean-Michel Basquiat,” including correspondence with experts regarding the artwork.

Did the Orlando Museum of Art commit fraud in an attempt to raise the value of forgeries? The work was slated to go on exhibit in Italy next. A week ago one of the owners of the work walked into the museum lobby hoping to walk away with five of the works on cardboard. You would have to think he hoped to sell the fakes for millions before the gauntlet fell.

The OMA Board:

Chair of the Board
Cynthia Brumback

Officers
Ted R. Brown
Carolyn Fennell
Patrick J. Knipe
Francine Newberg
Sibille Hart Pritchard
Winifred Sharp
Andrew Snyder
Robert Summers
Lance Walker Jr.
Michael Winn
Nancy Wolf

Trustees
Leslie Andreae (Ex Officio)
Shari Bartz
Dustin Becker
Caroline Blydenburgh
Jeffrey Blydenburgh (Ex Officio)
Kathy Cardwell
Allison Choate
Earl Crittenden Jr.
William Deuchler
Mark Elliott (Ex Officio)
Elizabeth Francetic (Ex Officio)
Chase Heavener
Joan Kennedy (Ex Officio)
Amelia McLeod
John Martinez
Zakir Odhwani
Jennifer O’Mara
Paul Perkins Jr.
Valeria Robinson-Baker
Daisy Staniszkis

First Thursdays at OMA

Posted on by Thor

Noga Grossman arranged for Orlando Urban Sketchers to have a table for First Thursdays at the Orlando Museum of Art (OMA). As part of  our presentation, I agreed to do a sketch on my iPad, which was connected to one of the large screen TVs above our table. With that arrangement people could see my sketch progress in real time. Getting the connections right was a challenge, so we arranged to get things ironed out the week before. My possible sketch opportunities were limited to my view from the table since I was tethered to the screen. Pam helped me with a new wireless connection that worked great, which might mean sketching from anywhere in a venue without worrying about wires. It is a brave new world.

The Orlando Urban Sketcher’s table was adorned with a roll of paper, allowing anyone the chance to add to a sketch that developed over the course of the event. It was a popular spot for artists to come and relax with a sketch. Each Orlando Urban Sketcher was asked to bring in a sketchbook. My sketchbook had sketches of the strip in Las Vegas from a recent trip. What is great about having Urban Sketchers exploring an event is that each artist has their unique way of seeing and interpreting  the scene.

The theme for this First Thursday event was Art and Architecture. This show is a discovery into how art informs the built environment.
Artists were encouraged to submit all types of media, from photography
to 3D models, to showcase the beauty found in the built world. First Thursday is an opportunity for patrons to discover local artists, listen to live music, and mingle with an eclectic mix of people. There are cash bars serving wine, beer, soft drinks, and water, and cafe offerings from area restaurants. 

A giant pink sculpture by Carlos Betancourt dominated the back gallery area, while The Smoking Jackets performed live near the Chihuly sculpture in the atrium. Trevor Fraser was telling me a story of a reporter asking Chihuly what the hardest lesson was that he had learned as an artist. The two were walking through the artist’s glass-making workshop and an apprentice was finishing up a gorgeous piece of glass. Chihuly took it from him and threw it violently against the wall. It shattered into thousands of pieces. “Nothing lasts,” he said.

The next First Thurday is June 6, 2019. The theme for the evening will be Indigenous Futurism, which will will focus on the indigenous and tribal origins of art. From Africa,
Australia, North, South and Central America, and beyond. They
will explore the influence and fusion of tribal art from the past and
into the future. Admission is $15.

Girl at Fringe

Posted on by Thor

Beth Marshall is directing, Girl, written by Megan Mostyn-Brown, a hard-hitting drama at this year’s Fringe. When the audience entered the Gold Venue there were three black boxes on the stage and a blue suitcase. Girl consisted of three intimate stories which create a compelling account of the female adolescent experience and what it means to be “home.”

The play opened with a young girl, Hannah (Chloe Shaw), seated on the center box. Hate and ugly were scrawled on her legs. Her sister had recently died and she was trying to come to terms with this harsh reality. Days of the week flashed on the screen above her head and we watched as she spiraled downward. She had become numb and the only reality was the feeling she got when began cutting herself. Her sister might not have lived the most exemplary life, but she began to emulate her, going so far as to buy a red-haired wig to look like her.

The second scene introduced a tom boy, Lucy (Alexa Carroll), with a Polaroid camera around her neck. She didn’t try and blend in with the upper crust snobbish girls in school, preferring to keep to herself and document the moments of her life with the camera. A group of students began talking about sex and asked, “Where is the strangest place you have done it?” Well, she hadn’t actually had sex yet, but when confronted with the question she said, “In a tree,” and was shocked that they believed her. a classmate, Isaac (Matthew Gray), later called her out in private saying she was better than that. He walked her home and they began talking as if they had been friends for years. The girl’s mom, (Sierra Vennes), sat house right and began talking about the mistakes she had made in life and how she hoped she could protect her daughter from making the same mistakes.  Ultimately, that goal is impossible.

Lydia (Rachel Comeau) performed the final scene alone. Her performance was stellar. Without going into details, I will say her story had heartbreak and pain, with hope in the end. She brought the entire audience on her emotional journey and we were faced with the harsh reality of what she had to face. She cried and laughed and tried to stay strong through it all. She is the one actress I didn’t sketch, but I just had to stop and watch her performance without the interruption of glancing down at the page. She held new life dear and close to her chest, discovering what it meant to be at home.

This was heart-wrenching theater at its best. A tour-de-force of emotions.

Girl is in the Gold Venue inside the Orlando Museum of Art, 2416 Mills Ave N, Orlando, FL 32803.

Tickets are $6 along with the $10 Fringe button.

The remaining show dates are:

7:00 PM

6:30 PM

7:00 PM

Before I die at First Thursday

Posted on by Thor

The theme at 1st Thursdays at the Orlando Museum of Art (2416 North Mills Ave Orlando,
Florida) was “Before I Die:
Ultimate Celebration of Life”. This theme invited artists to submit their
version of a life well lived. On the “Before I Die, I want to…” wall, guests
could write their aspirations. Quotes I saw on the wall included, “Visit the Holy land”, “Become more ambitious”, and “Repeat all the good
again.”

On the first
Thursday of each month, you can discover local artists, listen to live music
and mingle with an eclectic mix of people. There are cash bars serving wine,
beer, soft drinks and water, and café offerings from area restaurants.

There
was music by DJ Atnarko Bear, Food by Hawker’s Asian Street Fare, and a Time-lapse
by Chalk Whisperer Kim Panella. Admission for museum members was free and $10
for visitors.

Van Gogh Find Yourself at the Orlando Fringe Festival

Posted on by Thor

Van Gogh Find Yourself can be found in the Gold Venue inside the Orlando Museum of Art (2416 N Mills Ave, Orlando, FL 32803.) A woman in line had said that she thought Van Gogh would be sketching everyone in the audience. I let her know that would likely not be the case. No artist works that fast. He sat on the stage sketching as the audience filtered into the theater. I sat in the front row to sketch him, and he immediately started to sketch me. He really does look like Van Gogh with the thick red beard and furrowed brow. He invited members of the audience to join him on stage, saying, “people kept a distance from me my whole life.”

He invited someone on stage to be sketches by him and the comedian Polly Esther, from Dammit Jim, I’m a comedian not a Doctor took the seat offered. He stood at the easel and sketched her. She pitched her show as she was being sketched but then he explained that silence while creating is alright. He started talking about his life as a minister in a coal mining town. When he saw the suffering around him, he gave up his possessions to live more like the people he was preaching to. His father intervened and told him to stop being so dramatic. Ultimately this was not to be his life’s work.

His brother Theo suggested Van Gogh learn to paint. This he picked up with an equal passion. Theo helped support Van Gogh’s painting obsession and ultimately he settled in the south of France. He had dreams of starting an artists colony and Gauguin took Theo’s several hundred dollar stipend to join Van Gogh painting in the south of France. The two artists had totally different views on art and were soon fighting.

Van Gogh said that many of his best paintings were done in the insane asylum. Starry Night was projected on the screen. He found peace away from people. The towns people tormented him. He dispelled the notion that he cut his own ear off saying Gauguin cut him with a saber. He did admit to giving the ear fragment to a prostitute. He also dispelled the notion that he committed suicide. He claimed he was shot by a boy he approached in the fields where he painted. He didn’t want the boy to be in trouble so he kept the incident to himself. After he died, a doctor took some of his best paintings. Theo died shortly after wards of a broken heart.

When the artist on stage announced his true name was Walter DeForest, the illusion was broken. Walter was born on the day Van Gogh died.  Surprisingly the original Star Trek doctors actual name is DeForest Kelly. I had  learned many alternate truths about one off my favorite artists. As an artist this was a fun show to watch and sketch. I give it 8 of 10 sunflowers.

Tickets are $12 plus a Fringe button needed to get into any show.

Remaining show dates are:

7:15 PM

2:30 PM

My Pal Bette at Fringe

Posted on by Thor

Tammy Kopko returns as Bette Davis, the chain-smoking, tough-talking, Hollywood DIVA and unlikely guardian angel and mentor to awkward 5 year-old Tommy Klein, (Rhyse Silvestro) in the this special anniversary production of the Fringe and NYC hit comedy by John Ryan.

Tommy, smothered by his needy mom, (Janine Klein) finds he needs more guidance as her grows up and he finds it in Bette Davis. Tammy’s performance as Bette is spot on, her every nuance is inspired by the ballsy disdain of this Hollywood DIVA. She is truly a force to be reckoned with. Her mission is to earn her wings guiding the young Tommy towards adulthood. Demonic puppets act as the young boy’s inner demons but they fall flat as guiding voices.

A date goes horribly wrong when an attention starved girl (Melanie Leon) throws herself at the young boy. Her performance is wide eyed, manic and over the top funny. As she freezes in mid kiss, Tommy gets up from the couch and turns to his diva for advice. She advises him to follow his inner voice and that doesn’t lead him to want to pursue women.

The young Tommy grows into a teen, (Clark Levi) ready for college. He ends up rooming with a misogynistic dude as a roommate and Bette earns her wings when the sensitive Tommy stands up for himself. As she says, she gets her wings any time a frat boy screams.

Tammy Kopko as Bette Davis was fabulous. Every moment she was on stage was pure gold. This was a fun romp and the few moments that fall short are easily forgiven for just one more moment of the DIVA’s attitude. Look no further for your next Fringe Crush.

Tickets are $12 plus a $10 Fringe button needed to get into any Fringe show. The show is in the Gold venue inside the Orlando Museum of Art, 2416 N Mills Ave, Orlando, FL 32803.

Remaining show dates are:

8:45 PM 

10:15 PM 

5:00 PM

The Festival of Trees.

Posted on by Thor

The Festival of Trees, now in its thirty-first year, transforms the Orlando Museum of Art (2416 N Mills Ave, Orlando, FL 32803), into a glittering wonderland filled with sparkling trees, vignettes and stunning décor for visitors of all ages. This year’s event was designed with the theme The Gift of The Holidays and took place the week of November 11-19, 2017. The Orlando Museum of Art showcased designer Christmas trees of all sizes, holiday vignettes, custom hand-designed wreaths and table décor, a gingerbread village, tabletop displays and more. Each piece was designed by Orlando’s finest designers and was available for purchase.

The museum was jam packed the day I decided to go to get a sketch.  This was the one room where  the crowd thinned out enough for me to find a spot to sit.  The tree with the helmet and banners was designed by Medieval Times.  To my right, but outside the field of view of my sketch was a Marvel Comic themed tree.  It garnered the most comments with kids shouting to identify the comic characters made even more popular by summer blockbuster movies.

I find it odd that the festival was held the week before Thanksgiving.  The holiday seems to be promoted earlier and earlier each year. 

Weekend Top 6 Picks for November 11th and 12th 2017.

Posted on by Thor

Saturday November 11, 2017

10 AM to 1 PM. Free. Circling the World in a 24hr Sketch Walk! Disney Springs 1780 E Buena Vista Dr, Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830 Planet Hollywood and Coca Cola buildings. Nearly 80 Urban Sketchers chapters around the globe will hold
sketch walks in their cities and towns to celebrate Urban Sketchers 10yrs
anniversary, showcasing sketches from their cities and towns.
Orlando’s Urban Sketchers group is one of them!

 Using social media Instagram network all sketch walks will be followed
starting with the first chapter to see daylight (Auckland, New Zealand)
to the last chapter to see the sunset (O’ahu, USA).
Photos and videos from each chapter will be shared throughout the day.

Where is Orlando in all of this? We are in an awesome place in the middle! With the world’s eyes on us here in Central Florida, we will be showcasing in sketches one of our unique and iconic locations.

The renovated Downtown Disney, now called Disney’s Springs, and the newly added section provide plenty of sketch opportunities. Take a pride in our Central Florida community! Come join us!

2 PM November 10, 2017 to 4 PM November 12, 2017. Free. Sidewalk in front of Lincoln Plaza in Downtown Orlando (300 S. Orange
Avenue). Drum Schtick. As part of Noise, an Art in Odd places production, award-winning D.C. based
performance artist Brian Feldman will embark on his longest project
to date.

For 50 consecutive hours, Brian will remain at a drum kit. Brian has been trying to realize this project since 2007.

Brian is seeking up to 50 volunteers (one hour shifts) to help ensure (1) his safety, (2) the continuity of the live stream (periscope.tv/BrianFeldman),
and (3) answers to attendee questions (to the best of your ability), as
he won’t be speaking during this project. Go to Sign Up Genius if you want to help. Earplugs are provided!

Noon to 4 PM through November 19, 2017. $15 Festival of Trees: The Gift of the Holidays. Orlando Museum of Art (2416 North Mills Ave. Orlando, FL 32803) The Festival of Trees, now in its thirty-first year, transforms the
Orlando Museum of Art into a glittering wonderland filled with sparkling
trees, vignettes and stunning décor for visitors of all ages.

The Orlando Museum of Art will showcase designer Christmas trees of all
sizes, holiday vignettes, custom hand designed wreaths and table décor, a
gingerbread village, tabletop displays and more. Each piece is designed
by Orlando’s finest designers and is available for purchase.

A glamorous gala night will mark the start of the 9-day event.

The
Festival continues with musical performances, fun family entertainment
and delightful programs for all ages throughout the week at the museum.

View the museum calendar to see all of the related Festival events. Festival of
Trees is presented by Council of 101, a non-profit organization. All
proceeds benefit the Orlando Museum of Art.

For more information, please contact the Council of 101 at (407) 896-4231,
ext. 254 or by email at councilof101@omart.org.

Sunday November 12, 2017 

11 AM to 5 PM. Free. Pagans in the Park. Mead Botanical Garden 1300 S Denning Dr, Winter Park, Florida 32789. A day of connecting, workshops, readers and vendors at
Mead Gardens, Winter Park FL. Please bring a pot luck item to share!

1 PM to 5 PM Free. Family Day on the Second Sunday. The Mennello Museum of American Art, 900 East Princeton Street, Orlando, FL 32803. The make-and-take craft table is open from noon-2:30 p.m., and docents are available to give mini-tours of the museum. Then it’s open house in the galleries until 4:30 p.m.

Noon to 1 PM Donation based. Yoga. Lake Eola Park near the red gazebo. Bring your own mat.

2 PM to 4 PM Free but get a drink. Kelly DeWayne Richards Pop Up Piano Bar. 1212 Country club Oaks Circle 32804.

Artlando in Lock Haven Park.

Posted on by Thor

In 2016 I was asked to participate in Artlando at Loch Haven Park (900 E Princeton St, Orlando, Florida). Over 80 artists cover the lawn with their displays, selling and creating art. Art created on-site was to be entered into a competition with thousands of dollars offered as awards. 100% of revenue from art sales went directly to the artists. I set up my tent the night before. The next day I had to teach classes all day, so I asked Bonnie Sprung to help man the tent for the duration of the event. She did a great job selling quite a few t-shirts. She offered her own art as well which gave some variety to the work offered. I am starting to realize that small ticket items are the only things that move at an outdoor festival like this.

There was a Toyota ‘paint by numbers’ exhibit which asked the community to paint in a mural by local artists, which covered an entire Toyota with art. Local artists also painted Juice Bike racks to be used at Juice Bike locations, which is a way to display art year-round in Orlando. I haven’t seen these painted bike racks yet, if you spot one, please let me know.

The outdoor performing arts stage featured
Orlando’s most prominent performing arts organizations showcased throughout the day and into the night. From Orlando Ballet to Orlando Fringe, programming transitions from kid-friendly in the morning, to general audience in the afternoon, and acts for mature audiences in the evening at Artlando After Dark.

As the host sponsor, the Orlando Museum of Art is an integral part of Artlando. The museum provided an air conditioned environment and housed exhibits from participating galleries.When I got to the park late in the afternoon, it immediately started to rain. Loud speakers announced that a strong storm was heading to Central Florida and that there would be high winds and tons of lightning. We were all warned to get off the lawn. When there was a lull in the downpour, I packed up my tent early. Just as I loaded it into the car, it started to pour again. I returned to Loch Haven Park later that night to pick up my empty tent. Many tents had been mangled in the high winds and looked like umbrellas that had been turned inside out and put in a blender. Oddly my old tent sat serenely alone among the carnage as if a cyclone had decided to stop and spin around it, hitting everything else in its path.

Mark your calendar, Artlando will return to Loch Haven Park on September 30, 2017 from 11 AM to 11 PM.

Mardi Gras at The Orlando Museum of Art

Posted on by Thor

From 6-9 pm on the first Thursday of each month, Central Florida has an opportunity to discover local artists, listen to live music and mingle with an eclectic mix of people. There are cash bars serving wine, beer, soft drinks and water, and café offerings from area restaurants. The event is hosted by the Associates of the Orlando Museum of Art (2416 N. Mills Ave Orlando, Florida). The museum refers to the event as “Orlando’s original art party”.

The February First Thursday’s theme was Mardi Gras. I arrived rather late and settled on sketching the band before they broke down for the night. High-spirited guests were dancing to the music. There was a drag show in the front gallery, but when I walked in they were walking out. I seemed to be one step behind every performance that night. There were plenty of golden masks and opulent dresses. I just didn’t manage to capture any in the one quick sketch I did. Maxine of Maxine’s on Shine offered some gumbo at the end of the night and it was absolutely delicious. It had just enough kick.The taste brought back vivid memories of the crowded Bourbon Street in New Orleans in which you need to learn how to navigate the flow of the crowd not through annoyance and avoidance, but by accepting the weaving and constant contact. It’s glorious when you are in the moment.