49 Portraits, One Night.

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Once a month I host an event called Orlando Drink and Draw. After the tragic event at Pulse, I decided to ask artists to come together to produce 49 portraits in one night. I was running late and managed to leave the list of victim’s names back in my studio. When I got to the Falcon Bar (819 E Washington St, Orlando, FL), Melissa Marie quickly helped me set up a method of assigning names to artists so we could get to work. A chalk board was used to write the artist’s name and then the name of the person they were to draw. Everyone had cell phones, so they did a search on Google Images to find the needed photo reference. 

After all the artists were assigned, I was assigned, Cory James Connell age 21. I knew nothing about Cory, but he was an athletic looking young man with a warm smile. His T-shirt said, “Built Not Born.” As I was starting to add color washes, a man stood behind me and said, “That’s Cory. My daughter knew him in high school.” He was a graduate of Edgewater High School and was studying at Valencia College while working at the Publix in College Park. Cory hoped to be a firefighter some day.

At the funeral, Orange County
Fire Rescue firefighter/paramedic Lori Clay told the crowd that Cory  was a regular at the firehouse and was interested in pursuing a
firefighting career when he left college, even after he was warned that
the profession wasn’t the most lucrative. Cory told her,
“I don’t care about money,” Clay told the gathering. “‘I want to do it
because I want to save lives. I want to help people.'” Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs made a proclamation during the service that officially made him a firefighter. After friends and family carried the casket carrying Connell out, three fire engines followed a procession of more than 20 cars. When that was all clear, nine motorcycles pursued the caravan as they transported Connell to the cemetery.

According to the man standing behind me, Cory Connell went to Pulse that evening to dance with his girlfriend Paula Andrea Blanco.  When the gunman went inside he fired off several rounds one of which
struck Paula in the forearm area. Her teammate managed to grab her arm
to apply pressure and pull her down to safety. They patiently and
quietly waited to get out to safety. Little did they know that Paula was
not the only member of the group injured. Paula’s boyfriend Cory
Connell was also gravely wounded. With the help of her teammate Paula
got up and ran outside holding her wrist where she was met by an officer
and the teammate who was outside trying to get to the other members of
the Anarchy group. Her forearm bone was shattered. From that moment onward I felt sorrow and intense gratitude for all the artists who had gathered to do these 49 portraits. I experienced heart break and joy all at once. The bar as full of love and hope as we all rushed to complete the work at hand. These faces all had stories and since Orlando is a small town, those stories were close at hand. 

Javier Jorge-Reyes, age 40, was a salesman at Gucci which arranged for the body to be transported and for the family to go back to Puerto Rico. Jorge-Reyes had a flair about him and went by the name Harvey George
Kings on Facebook. It’s an English translation of his Spanish name. Friends knew him as “Javi” and on Facebook recalled his smile, sass and energy.

 Juan Carlos Nives Rodriguez, age 27, started working at McDonald’s at the age of 15 to help support his family. He was recently made a manager at a check cashing store. He purchased his first home this spring so that his mother could live there too. A friend called him a big teddy bear who was most happy when everyone depended on him. His funeral was in his hometown of Caguas, Puerto Rico, June 20, 2016.

The last portrait I did was of Franky Jimmy Dejesus Velasquez, age 50. He was the oldest of the

victims. As I did the sketch, I could not shake the idea that he looks just like me. Fearing it was turning into a self portrait, I turned the sketch multiple times to try and view the features more abstractly. Franky worked at Forever 21 as a visual merchandiser, a crucial role for a retail store. He joked that he was older than the store’s demographic. In his younger days In his younger days, he traveled the world as a professional Jibaro folk dancer. Velazquez lived in Orlando at the time of his death. But his original
home was in Puerto Rico, more specifically San Juan. A native Puerto
Rican, according to his Facebook he attended Josefina Barcelo High
School in Guaynabo. From there he returned to San Juan for university,
attending the Inter American University of Puerto Rico, at the Metro
Campus.

As the evening wore on the his of names grew smaller and the art began to pile up on several tables inside the Falcon Bar. Melissa who we handling the artist assignments signaled that we were getting close and she gave me an air high five. Much of the magic that evening came from walking around and seeing the wide variety of artist styles. The evening gave me faith that art do have the power to bring people together and to heal. Orlando is a vibrant city with so much talent and this collaboration among 18 of Orlando’s best artists.

Contributors included:

Andrew Spear

Betsy Brabandt

Bob Hague

David McWhertor

KC Cali

Charles Richardson

Colin Boyer

Jamie Gibson

John Hurst

Lauren Jane

Lisa Ikegami

Mitch Scott

Plinio Pinto

Shelaine Roustio

Thomas Thorspecken

Tony Philippou

Wendi Swanson

Yuki

Now I need to find a place to exhibit these 49 portraits. If you have any suggestions or know a curator who would be interested, please let me know. Three of us are pursuing leads to get this amazing work viewed in public.

Beautiful Together, An artistic journey toward hope at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.

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Through a variety of art forms, over 50 local Orlando arts groups joined together to honor the lives and sacrifices of those involved in the tragic events in Orlando. Proceeds go to OneOrlando Fund. I stopped in early to sketch the rehearsal. Getting so many acts onto the stage in such a short amount of time must have been a monumental undertaking.  Cole Nesmith helped bring together all the arts groups at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. of course it takes a small army to pull together so much talent in one place. 

The most emotionally wrenching moment of the rehearsal came as the orchestra played a mournful symphonic piece I have heard before, but as not name. As the soothing notes fill the large empty theater, someone began to read all the names of the victims of the Pulse terrorist attack tragedy. White flower pedals fell from the rafters into a cool pool of a spotlight. One pedal fell for every name. It was impossible not to become emotionally overwhelmed. Afterwards, a beautiful ballet dancer performed in the pool of light. Her thin form stretched and reached yearningly for answers.

The gay chorus performed an inspired rendition of “True colors”. The attention to detail was in itself amazing. A huge chorus was high above the stage on rafters. Every chorus member wore a bold shirt that was one color of the rainbow. Two chorus members in red shirts were asked to separate to create uniformity. It became clear that I was witnessing a historic collaboration that might help bring hope and healing to a grieving community. I had hoped to write up an artist by midnight and post it the next day, but all me nerve endings are fried. I collapsed as soon as I got back home.

All of the flowers and candles from Lake Eola were moved to the memorial outside the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. The History Center is collecting items from the memorial to preserve the history. I was told that all dead flowers would be returned to Lake Eola as compost, but I’m not so sure that is true now. The memorials were removed from Lake Eola to make way for the July 4th fireworks.

Angel Action Wings for Orlando

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Experienced volunteer seamstresses were needed on Friday, June 24th at Orlando Shakespeare Theater

(812 East Rollins St. Orlando, FL), to build “Angel Action Wings” for the upcoming Pulse Benefit at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday evening, June 28th. After the concert, 49 angels (one for each of the fallen) will be standing in tribute on the lawn of the Dr. Phillips Plaza.

The Orlando Shakespeare costume shop coordinated the effort. Volunteers brought their own scissors, seam rippers, rulers, etc. Sewing machines, sergers and materials were provided by the costume shop. 

 Jeannie Marie Haskett coordinated the effort while also getting children setup for the first day of theater summer.I arrived straight from work and Jeannie gave me a warm welcome. The scenic shop was ablaze with activity. Several dozen Disney Voluntears were busy ironing, folding and putting final touches o the wings. 49 PVC structures were built to hold the wings on people’s shoulders. the completed wing span is about six feet. H will be an impressive sight when these 49 angels stand in front of the performing arts center.

On June 28, the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando
will host a special “Beautiful Together” event to benefit the OneOrlando
fund for the victims of the Pulse shooting. Over 50 local arts organizations have signed on to perform or present, including the Orlando Gay Chorus and the UCF Choir. The event will start at 8 p.m. in the Walt Disney Theater. Tickets start at $15.

Latin Night, Pulse Fundraiser.

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Wild Side BBQ (700 E Washington St, Orlando, FL) hosted a Pulse fundraiser. Like the night of the horrific event that left 49 dead and 53 injured, this event will have a Latin theme. The funds will benefit employees, and many of them are expected to be at the event. Performers and DJs from the bar will also be on hand, from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.

I arrived fairly early. Rainbow table cloths covered folding tables that had raffle items in the center of Washington Street. Rainbow flags also adorned every flag pole. The Wild Side slogan is, Peace, Love, BBQ. The crowd slowly got thicker as the sun set. Roxy, a real estate broker, really wanted to get into the sketch. Since the lire word was inked, there wasn’t a spot to place her. My scene was fully populated. She wore a bright pin flower on her shirt and had a matching pink flower  in her hair. People with dog were quite popular, and a photographs staged a photo of children petting 2 dog.

With my first sketch done, I went back to the large stage set up behind Wild Side in the parking lot. The Rico Monico Band was playing. They were playing covers of rock and roll standards. Their set was almost done so I had to rush to get them in the sketch.  I ordered a Bud light to loosen up the lines.

There was a presentation to the owner of Pulse, Barbara Poma, by two openly gay men, Erwynn Umali and Will Behrens, who were the first men to get married while serving in the military.  They had a “color run” at McGuire Air Force Base which they dedicated to
the victims. They brought a rainbow-colored wreath from the run to
Orlando, and a copy of President Obama’s pride month proclamation
signed by all the runners.

More urban Latin acts followed and the sub woofers in front of the stage caused any bones to rattle. Though I didn’t understand the lyrics, the beat was catchy. People were just start: to dance. I walked down the street to Falcon Bar to pick up some art from a show I exhibit in last month. I was pleased to discover that my piece which was a print of an illegal sketch done in Winter Park, had sold. To celebrate, I ordered a lemon infused Shanty beer.

Orlando Strong: A SAK Benefit Show.

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SAK Comedy Lab (29 S Orange Ave, Orlando, Florida) offered a free comedy benefit in the wake of recent events in Orlando. The core values at SAK have always been “Truth, Excellence and Joy”, so wanted to use their strengths as a comedy venue to share those values in support of the community (especially the LGBT and Latino communities) who could really use some joy. This show will featured SAK performers in a variety of fun acts. Admission was free, but donations were encouraged at the door. 100% of proceeds from the door will go to the “OneOrlando” campaign helping the victims and families of victims of the Pulse attack.

The Fringe superstar and fashion diva Pepe acted at the MC to open the show. He wore a gorgeous rainbow feathered boa that looked like, could inspire love, the most hate for person. As he said it was a sexy sold out house. All the mammies and poppies held each other dose as Pepe announced the first acts. Every seat in the venue had a sheet of colored paper. Bob Kodzis invited every member of the audience to write down a message for families of the decided survivors and first responders. There was an artist sketch! in the row in front of me. He held two fingers to his neck like he was checking his pulse. I believe he was sketching one of the 49 who were killed using a photo on his phone as reference.

A video set to the song, “Carry on” opened the evening. It showcased what people used to imagine about Orlando, with photos of Disney theme parks,and I-4 traffic. Then shots taken outside Pulse of the evening of the attack were replaced with photos of crowds coming together in grief an love culminating in the huge 50,000 strong Lake Eola vigil. The point of course is that we must carry on and let the work see that we are more than a tourists cliche. It was an inspiring vision of we could be without ever forgetting.

We were all ready for some laughs and the huge crew of comedians delivered. What the show real I delivered besides laughs, was joy. The comedy lab only held two other benefits in it’s 25 year history. The first was after 9/11 and the second after hurricane Charlie and his two other companions. The founder of SAK told us about his visit to the memorial outside the Dr, Phillips Center for performing arts. He was seated at one of the tables and there was another woman seated at the same table. He didn’t know her. She reached out her hand, and he took it.  They sat holding hands for 5 minutes an then she left. They never spoke a word. What if this was our everyday Standard behavior? What if we all loved more then we have ever loved before? The world would certainly be a better place.

During the auction, Pepe and another performer said they would match whatever was bid on a dinner for two. The item went for $100 after heated bidding. The event raised $4384.00, SAK matched that amount bringing the total to $8,768.00. After the show, all the performers got on stage for a spontaneous dance party. “I wanna dance with somebody“of course we all got up and joined in. Laughter and Joy bring healing.

Remnants of the Lake Eola vigil.

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After the 50,000 strong Lake Eola Pulse Terrorist Attack Vigil altars of remembrance where everywhere. This statue is the “Muse of Discovery” sculpted by Meg White, of Stephenport Kentucky.  Dead flowers and melted candles lines all the shores of Lake Eola. The wilted flowers didn’t last long in the Florida heat. It seems such a waste of precious life. We in America seem to be trained from birth to be mass consumers. When there is a tragedy, our response is to consume more and leave trash as a reminder. Why don’t people bring live flowering plants to a vigil and then take the plants home where they can be appreciated as they continue to grow? A live plant seems more a symbol of love than a dead bloom.

A school bus can be seen in the distance in the sketch. It was being used by military cadets who began a run in New York City on June 3rd and they will finish their run in Miami on June 24th. The run is called, “Reviresco” which means “Renewal” in Latin. They run about 15 miles a day and are using the run to help improve communication between servicemen and civilians. Hopefully Orlando can experience it’s own renewal. We haven’t healed and we will never forget but there has to be some hope for the future.

Signs left behind on the muse, included…

Love is strong.

One World, One Pulse.

For Love, for Hope, for Pulse.

Orlando won’t loose its Pulse.

We had the choice to keep you, or keep our assault rifles, I’m sorry you lost.

Powerful voices for joy in times of powerful darkness.

The summer solstice occurred yesterday and it brought with it the once in a generation, strawberry moon. These two astronomical occurrences haven’t occurred at the same time since 1967. The strawberry moon was used by Native Americans as a sign that is was time to pick the fruit. Like the rainbow that appeared over Lake Eola on the evening of the vigil, it hopefully signifies a future filled with hope and light.

While discussing the Pulse tragedy with a friend, she mentioned the Buddhist concept of  Meta, or loving kindness. This concept engages the the highest qualities of the mind. It begins with applying loving kindness to yourself. You wish for your own happiness, peacefulness, and ease of mind. Then you extent the concept to a loved one. Then you extent the concept to a benefactor. Then you extent the concept to everyone. A truly enlightened person can then extend the concept of loving kindness to include a difficult person or a person who has done harm to others. This is something I haven’t heard among all the vigils I have attended. Had the shooter been in a happier more peaceful place, he wouldn’t have imagined causing anyone else harm. His was an act of suicide and his hate made him want to take others with him. What in Orlando, the United States, or the World, would drive someone to be filled with that much hate? What can we do about it? I’ve noticed people compliment my sketches more than ever this week. The level of gratitude is overwhelming sometimes. I’m unprepared, and end up having to clear my eyes. At this make shift shrine people seemed kinder and gentler with each other. Why does it take a tragedy of this magnitude to bring out the loving kindness in us all? Can loving kindness be sustained? I go to bed exhausted every evening, because all I have are questions.

Belly Dance Spirit Healing South of Pulse.

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A Magi Temple Belly Dance School (3589 S Orange Ave, Orlando FL). Held a free healing through belly dance class in light of the Pulse Nightclub Tragedy in their neighborhood. Modalities included, healing belly CHI: Transcendental warm-up and stretches, Taksim Chi, Tribal Chi, Joyful Shimmies and Spiritual Chakra Hand and arm Mudras by
A Magi Temple Belly Dance School Teachers: Melanie La Joie, Linda Allegro, Cat Bruce and, Rokaya Mikhailenko. The Magi Temple Belly Dance School is located 1 mile south of Pulse Nightclub tragedy and supports healing through belly dance!

It was only as I drove to the event that I realized how close it was to ground Zero of the tragic Terrorist attack at Pulse. Traffic backed up heading south out of Downtown Orlando. I decided to drive down side streets and it looked like about 5 blocks were shut down around the nightclub. Glancing down the side streets I could see all the blinking lights of the emergency vehicles at the crime scene.  It must be difficult to piece together exactly what happened based on the forensics of so many gun shots.

At the Magi Temple, about a dozen women were ready to begin their belly dance healing. Melanie, the Magi owner said that after a week of vigils, we might be ready for some healing. What better way to heal than through the joy of movement. She lives only a few blocks from the Pulse night club, and she remembered being awakened by the sound of gun shots, the sounds of emergency vehicles and the the ongoing sounds of hovering helicopters. Her voice broke as she told us this. Clearly healing takes time.

The stretches got everyone loosened up and then the dancing began. Every woman was a beautiful goddess each in  their own proportions. One woman is expecting a baby girl and she isolated her hip movements with the best of them. After the workshop, several Magi dancers performed with elegant wings and then with fire. Candles lined the front and back baseboards of the studio.

Afterwards we all went outside to project positive loving energy towards the Pulse nightclub. The flickering blue and red lights of emergency vehicles could be seen in the distance. We all joined hands in a large circle.  Melanie began the chant,” Peace, Love, Pulse.” I joined the chant and immediately started to tear up. The setting sun was so bright I thought. I rubbed my eyes and they stung more. Since the shooting, attendance at the Magi Temple has been way down. People must feel intimidated driving around the crime scene. If you want to heal in a unique way, you should stop by Magi. You will certainly find yourself looser and perhaps feeling more peaceful. I left with a heart full of love yet still saddened inconsolably.

Vigil at the Buena Vista Palace Hotel.

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On Sunday morning around 2am a terrorist shot and murdered 49 men and women, and injured over 50, at Pulse nightclub south of Downtown Orlando. Being trapped in that club must have been a nightmare. This is the worst single gunman attack in the United States history. Vigils have begun around the world. People are rising up to comfort and share. I read that the terrorist had been staking out venues prior to the attack. He had considered Disney World among the possible places to attack. When I saw the there was a vigil on Disney property at the Buena Vista Palace Hotel, I had to go.

There was a Methodist Convention going on in the small convention hall next to the hotel. I arrived half an hour early and thought my information might be wrong, since there was no one in sight. I went inside and asked around. People were simply waiting inside, enjoying the air conditioning until the vigil began.

The vigil began with a gorgeous choir rendition of Dona Nobis Pacem. The title is Latin, for “Grant us Peace.” The overlapping voices make the canon absolutely heavenly. There was a short sermon. The pastor recounted how he loved the Christmas Eve candle light service which would inspire families to come out who didn’t regularly attend church. He then pointed out how we all must be more loving and accepting of all people regardless of their sexual orientation, nationality, religion or gender. I was raised Methodist, so all the choral music was familiar, and I sang along. 


Everyone raised their blue glow sticks in the air as the names of the 49 who died were read. There was a warm feeling of community among the parishioners who had come from all over the country. I’m emotionally drained and focused on the sketch rather than my feelings. I focused on capturing the light. I decided to host an event in which artists will gather to do 49 portraits of the fallen. It is a small gesture in the face of unimaginable horror. 

I began to wonder on the drive home, would it be possible for one artist to do a portrait of each person who dies from gun violence in America? On an average day, 91 people die from gun violence. No artist could possibly execute that many portraits every day.  That is impossible. The numbers are staggering.

The Lake Eola Pulse Vigil.

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Sunday night around 7:30pma vigil was held for the 49 victims and the survivor still recovering from terrorist shooting at the Pulse Nightclub south of downtown Orlando. I drove into Eola Heights and parking was hard to find. The side streets around Lake Eola were closed to traffic. Police, EMS, and Military were on hand to handle the exceptionally large crowd. Over 50,000 people were expected to show up.

At the North East corner of the park, a flower vendor was doing a brisk business. Walking around the park, I had to turn down religious pamphlets from every denomination. John Lennon was singing “Imagine if there is no heaven, it’s easy if you try.” For once, the canned Lake Eola music was right on the money. Shrines were being set up a the base of trees. I was offered flowers, but I wanted to keep my hands free to sketch.

I figured the Lake Eola band shell would be ground zero for all the politicians, and other speakers. The crowds grew thicker a I got closer. I finally decided to swing wide out to the street an that gave me a clear approach. There was a mulched path that no one used, so that gave me some space to work. As I started, three ducks appeared and they ambled past me, quacking as they foraged for food in the garden. A huge rainbow flag was lying on the grass and that made a perfect highlight to the foreground. It began to rain, so I put the computer away and waited for it to stop. A rainbow appeared over Lake Eola as if the evening was granted a divine approval.

When it got dark enough, everyone lit their candles. The crowd was dispersed all the way around the lake. Candler flames illuminated the entire shore. The crowd became a sea of flickering flames. The Pulse club owner began a chant that spread through the crowd, “Peace, Love, Pulse!” The Orlando community was out in force. I was so emotionally drained that I didn’t have any more tears. The garden gave me a voyeurs cushion from the raw emotions. Instead, I focused my attention on the light emanating from the crowd. The names of the victims were read aloud to the now quiet crowd. Couples of all genders embraced. Love is love, and it should have no boundaries as defined by hate.

After the crowd dispersed, I walked around the lake to see all the candle shrines that were now everywhere. A five foot heard was covered in flowers and surrounded by candles. The stone sculpture of a woman lying in the garden covered by ground cover had hundreds of candles in her outstretched hand along with signs. Plastic red cups with candles inside were arranged in the shape of a heart. All the symbology was there, but the best way to heal would be to bring about positive change. Hopefully someday that change will come. But for now it is easy to pick up an assault rifle any day of the week here in Orlando.

Free Meditations with Beautiful Chorus.

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After a solid week of non stop vigils and events honoring the victims of the Pulse Terrorist Attack, I decided it would be a good idea to try and re-ground myself with meditation. I noticed a free meditation at the Panic Healing Center. It seemed strange that a healing center would be called Panic, but I was panicked.  I didn’t notice until just now that it is actually the Pranic Healing Center of Central Florida (619 N Thornton Ave, Orlando, Fl.)

As I approached, I noticed all the shoes near the entry, so I tool off my shoes and socks. The meditation room was packed with beautiful people peacefully waiting. At the front of the room, for woman sat on a fairly large rug which was surrounded by green Christmas lights. One singer looked very familiar with her beautiful chiseled features.  I couldn’t figure out where I had seen her. I couldn’t find a good spot to sit in the crowded room.  A woman took pity on me, and suggested I sit up front next to the stage near a fire extinguisher. It was the perfect spot, since it was close to the performers and could look out over the audience.

Ashley Inguanta a talented local writer made her way to the stage and she lead everyone in healing prayers and stretches. Everyone started with one hand ore their heart, and another over their stomach. Hands were then clasped at the chest with the thumbs pressed against the sternum. From this position the heartbeat and breath could be felt. Ashley pointed on that if events get hectic, we could always return to this place of peace. We are all a bit frazzled from this week events. Ashley herself is being pulled emotions in different directions. She finds she keep forgetting things. I have had the same affliction all week.


Beautiful Chorus began to sing. Their voices resonated in perfect harmony. The music reflected peace and love. On the night of June 11th in Orlando, FL, in another LGBTQ friendly
venue, less than five miles from where the atrocities at Pulse nightclub
took place, the Beautiful Chorus sang “Pulse“. A line from the song reads, “But we know better, we’ve sacrificed too many nights to violence, and too many days to shame.” It seemed as if the song were predicting events to come only few hours in the future. The music resonated in my bones. I had to hum along. I was still humming the music long after the meditation and performance was over. The line between meditation and appreciating the beautiful music was subtle.  Alexandra Love was the lead singer. She had a monk like visage. Mila Bella was the performer I recognized. She is also a visual artist and I sketched her once working at a group studio night. I had no idea she had such a beautiful voice. After the performance Milla let me know the she heard me humming in the corner. I was mortified. I hope I didn’t interfere with anyone’s appreciation of the music. She rather liked the deep notes added however. The song is like an anthem for a city that has lost it’s innocence.