Music at the Casa.

Posted on by Thor

The Orlando Urban Sketchers group met at Casa Feliz Historic Home Museum, (656 N Park Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789), to sketch. I work on Saturdays, and this was the first time the group met on a Sunday. When I got there, I didn’t notice any other sketches, so I went inside The historic home and set up in the parlor where chairs were set up facing the bay windows. Michael Blumer was just setting up his electric bass. A small amplifier was set up behind his seat along with a recorder that played some supporting rhythm and background music. The tracks were all shuffled and his biggest issue was finding the supporting track he wanted.

I’m starting to really like the line quality I am getting from the digital pencil on an iPad Pro. Color is more vibrant than I would get with watercolor a ad I’m starting to get better judging color and value on the tablet. The digital medium seemed appropriate since the instrument was electronic. It kept the general outline of the traditional instrument, but really he could have played just the central column and the sound would have been the same.

 

Mike Bloomer’s world changed recently when an MRI showed he developed
glioblasoma brain cancer. It came as a shock to those near and dear to
him. Mike has already undergone brain surgery to remove most of the
tumor and has started an aggressive chemo and radiation plan, with
positive results. Fellow
musician and friend Stephanie Doucette has created a compassionate
crowdfunding web page at YouCaring.com to raise funds for Mike and his
family while he is unemployed and fighting cancer. A benefit concert was
recently held to raise funds for Mike, but the fundraising efforts are
continuing. Visit the Mike’s crowdfunding site to contribute funds for his
medical needs, to show your support, or find out more information.

Noga Grosman who organized the Urban Sketchers outing, sat several rows behind me. She finished a quick sketch and left while I was still working. When I was done, I we at outside to see how many sketchers showed up. About eight artists were on the grounds sketching the historic home. They all gathered in the courtyard to share their sketches. In the bright sunshine, my digital sketch was barely visible, another disadvantage of the digital world. One artist showed me how to use a simple sketch program that is integrated into Notes which is on every tablet. Had I known about that program I might have taken up digital sketching a long time ago.We all stood for a group photo. As a new chapter to the international Urban Sketchers organization, the Orlando USk group is growing steadily. The Orlando Urban Sketchers group just passed 100 members! If you know of a friend, a co-worker or anyone who loves to
draw, will you mention our Orlando Urban Sketching group and invite them over? Life is short, capture it with a sketch.

Sketch Orlando Workshop at Lake Eola.

Posted on by Thor

I co-hosted a sketch outing with Greg Bryla, a Senior Landscape Architect at Dix.Hite + Partners. Viviana Castro
and Kristen Koehnemann helped organize the event. Every artist that attended, got a small travel size watercolor palette, sheets of watercolor paper, a pencil and water brush. We all met outside the Eola House (512 E. Washington St, Orlando, FL). The newly formed Orlando Urban Sketcher’s group joined with landscape architects for a morning of sketching a the Lake Eola Farmers Market. We met in the open field next to the Eola House and all the supplies were placed a folding table for artists to pick up. A bicycle cop stopped by and told us the table wasn’t allowed in the park, so it was broken down and supplies went on the ground. Artists are all about breaking rules.

Greg and I gave short talks about how to catch a quick scene in a sketch. Then we all scattered to do a 20 minute sketch. I usually take an hour to two hours to complete my sketches so I really had to pick up the pace. Luckily the sheet of watercolor paper was small allowing for just a quick thumbnail study. I focused on the BBQ guy setting up for the morning. He had to stoke the fire and put out all his wares. I just sketched him over a over again to populate the scene. There was only enough time to throw in a few light washes before heading back to the base camp.

We all placed our sketches on the lawn to see what worked and what might need improvement. It is always wonderful to see how different and unique each sketch is. Variety is who makes sketching so exciting. Two artiss couldn’t draw the same scene the same way if they tried. Each sketch involves millions of decisions that make each sketch unique. Any advice is just a guiding suggestion. I would never want to change the way an artist interprets a scene. Instruction is just a way to help artists truly see. Most of sketching is patience and perseverance.

Then it started to rain, so we all ran to World of Beer (431 E Central Blvd, Orlando, FL) where we sipped beers and sketched on the outside patio. I sketched the artists on the couches refining their sketches. The shower was short lived, just long enough to down one beer and pay up. The landscape architects had one more surprise up their sleeve. Across the lake they had a table set up with a delicious Polynesian pulled pork lunch spread.  I must say that landscape architects really know how to organize a sketch outing. Remnants of the Pulse memorial items still surrounded the lake. There were tons of candle holders and dead flowers everywhere. Had it not rained this emotional refuge would have certainly been the topic of my sketch. A bicycle cop once again stopped to inform us that it is illegal to serve food in the park. The table was broken down and the buffet was dropped in the grass. Once again the artist, anarchists were caught trying to picnic in the park. After the mass murder of 49 people I would think the police might have loftier goals.