BASE Orlando: Beach Bash Body Paint Art Show

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BASE Orlando founder, Mandi Ilene Schiff celebrated her birthday at the10th BASE show, at DRIP (8747 International Dr Suite 102, Orlando, Florida.) Painting for over a decade, BASE brings together the talents of renowned
Face and Body Painter Mandi and Photographer Robert Johnston.

From humble beginnings of face painting at princess parties, Mandi was
inspired to see the entire body as a canvas and potential work of art.
Since then, she has won multiple face and body painting awards, painted
across the state, on cruise ships and in the Bahamas and currently does
face and body painting in Orlando. Mandi and her dynamic team now bring
their work together at BASE Orlando for an imaginative experience unlike
anything else. After her community of body painters spent years
gathering in bars or homes to practice and exhibit their art, Mandi
founded BASE in an effort to reach out to a wider audience and produce a
complete art show. After many wildly successful events, Mandi and her
team continue to offer visitors a remarkable experience through their
one-of-a-kind collection of local artists and performers.

Over a dozen body paint
artists came together to showcase their unique work and channel
their inspiration for the Beach Bash Body Paint Art Show. BASE guests
experienced live body painting while watching talented artists transform
models into living works of art right before their eyes while getting
the unique opportunity to glimpse behind the scenes of professional body
painting.

BASE attendees get up close and personal with live
body art like nowhere else in Florida. While awaiting the final reveal
of the body paint masterpieces, they can browse artist vending tables,
enjoy food and bar specials and live entertainment from the area’s top
burlesque acts, dancers and more. For me, it is always a great sketch opportunity. I have been sketching BASE events for years and the final creations always amaze and inspire.

Robert Johnson performs at his Wedding Reception.

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Robert and Maria Johnson‘s wedding reception was an informal home grown community effort at Kimberly Buchheit‘s Farm in Sorrento, FL. Robert’s mother made delicious Filipino food, and a few other award winning “chefs” added to the menu. Kim’s garage functioned as the bar and a large tent covered all the picnic tables. A bonfire was lit after the sun set, an the hard core guests settled around the flames late into the night.

The stage was cobbled together I believe from former mushroom planters thus being known as the Mushroom Stage. The stage was just the right size to be covered by a single tent which was illuminated by strings of lights. Robert performed solo and then was joined by other musicians on strings and drums. One song that rang true for me was about an artist painting his masterpiece. Another rather funny original song, had to do with getting stuck in I-4 traffic. Between the fiery blaze and , music, it was a magical night.

Many guests were staying the night, laying sleeping bags in the grass, or finding shelter on Kim’s floor inside.  Some people simply stayed up all night, watching over the flames. The next morning there were muffins and mimosas at sunrise. As the day heated up, the stage tent was turned into a misting parlor to keep cool. I set up an outdoor lounge chair and enjoyed the wet spray. We all chipped in a bit with the basic clean up work but a crew would later rewove all the tables which were rented. The wedding couple had camp in Robert’s van and they looked so happy on their first day as a married couple together.

Guests could take home candles nestled on sand inside mason jars. Each candle had a saying tied to it with a ribbon.

“For small creatures such as we, the vastness is bearable only through love.” – Carl Sagan,

“Have courage to trust love one more time and always one more time.” – Maya Angelou

“Love must be as much a light, as it is a flame.” – Henry David Thoreau

“Come on baby light my fire.” – Jim Morrison

“All you need is love!” – John Lennon

Frankie mixed the vinyl at the wedding reception.

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The wedding of local singer, songwriter Robert Johnson to Maria happened during a beautiful golden sunset at Playa Linda Beach. It is a place where they find peace and center themselves; to look to a new future, one far beyond earthly desires and wants. This stretch of pristine, protected beach is also where man has reached for the stars since NASA started. It is one of the longest stretches of undeveloped beach on the East Coast of Florida (24miles) and is breathtakingly beautiful. Robert has made a tradition of watching the sun rise on the new year for over a decade and shared this experience with Maria in 2014. Maria came to love this place when Robert was still only “this cool musician guy” singing Rainy Day over the stereo at her host family’s house.

The wedding reception was a home grown community effort. It took place at Kimberly Buchheit‘s Farm in Sorrento, Florida. This celebration of the couple’s love on the first day of their marriage was meant to kick off the rest of their life in a manner that hopefully will set the tone for all their future endeavors. They want to invest in experiences rather than objects and most importantly, experiences they can share with the people they love. The DIY party relied on the talents of everyone. Frankie Messina mixed the old school vinyl all night long a people danced on the grass. Early in the evening , h huddled under the tent with the support legs half retracted. It made an intimate compact music fortress. He taught others how to mix from one record to the other seamlessly.

Robert’s mom prepared an amazing spread of delicious Filipino food. A large tent was set up Amish style where everyone could eat drink and chat. The drinks flowed and the party got lively. After the sun set, the forest around Kim’s farm loomed black, and then a large bonfire was ignited, offering a tribal community circle with faces glowing orange in the night. After all the festivities, Frankie went to sleep under the table in his musical fortress. He had other worldly dreams that on the surface might seem scary, but he just went along with the flow.

Robert Johnson tears it up on the Mushroom Stage.

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0n November 29th, Terry and I went to Kim Bucheit‘s 24 hour “Old Sport” or “Black Friday Boycott” party. When it got dark, Robert Johnson set up his equipment on the Mushroom Stage. Blue Christmas lights were strung out on the stage and larger warm bulbs were hung around the periphery of the tent. Solar bulbs illuminated each of the 4 corner supports. About 15 feet from the tent a large bonfire snapped and glowed. For several songs Robert was joined by drummers who set the primal beat.

Robert has two original songs that I absolutely love. One is about an artist painting his masterpiece and the other is an ode to Orlando. Robert draws most of his influence from the road. He is a poet, writer,
producer, and visual artist. For the past 3 years, he has spent his
time recording demos for upcoming projects, and touring through America
and parts of Europe. His solo sound is that of a gypsy-pop folk singer
heavily influenced by American music of the 50’s; soul singers; and Euro
gypsy music. Between sets, Robert offered me some of the good stuff to help me loosen up my line work. When the music died, everyone gathered around the fire to tell stories.

Some partiers had their tents. Terry and I had our sleeping bags and Kim was kind enough to find us some floor space.  The younger crowd stayed up all night keeping the fire burning. In the morning the fire kept us warm as we enjoyed mimosas and muffins By next year this stage will have been taken over by bulldozers to make way for a new parkway. Old Sport and Old Florida are slowly becoming things of the past.

Old Sport

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This year, the Old Sport Champagne Badminton League and Postmodern Literary Society presented 24 Hours of Old Sport – 2013 (First Annual Bonnet Edition).
Saturday March 23, 1 PM to Sunday March 24, 1 PM. Old Sport is a yearly two day party that happens at the Wise Acre Farm in Sorento Fl.

Getting to the Wise Acre Farm was an adventure in itself. Winding country roads gave way to dirt roads. The GPS kept Terry and I on track but the road seemed to stop. We pulled into a horse farm where a suicidal dog kept walking in front of the car.  The dog wasn’t barking but Terry was sure we were in the wrong place. We pulled out and drove through a gate and then drove through a field up a hill towards a gazebo. A bonfire hinted that we had reached our destination.

The Old Sport “Super Committee” consists of
Kim Buchheit (Custodian and Referee)
Naomi Butterfield (Bonnet Judge and Egg Stasher)
Rachel Kapitan (Old Sport Stylist and Mixologist)
and Mr. Robert Johnson (“Token Male”, Live Music and Jam Leader)Terry and I arrived just in time to sample dinner. Everyone sat in a line in their lawn chairs watching the fire. In all there were perhaps 30 Old Sports in attendance. Everyone had been issued lanyards and you could get stickers if you performed stellar deeds. Terry got a sticker for her pink bonnet. Half way through the night she discovered that the hat was meant to be worn inverted inside out. Rachel Kapitan won the egg hunt contest. She knew she had a shot at winning since she was a home town egg hunt champion in her youth. The bar was located in the garage and I sampled the white wine we had brought.

Robert Johnson began performing on the make shift wooden stage set up under a tent. His band “Everyday Ghosts” had split up so he sang solo.  The stage was lit with citronella candles and the fire’s blaze. Electric lights also rimmed the tent’s edge. I was offered a sticky smoors and a milky herb drink as I sketched. People circled up around the fire and the tribal dancing began with drums keeping beat. Dancer, Micihael Sloan, kept the dancing primal and borderline dangerous. He jumped over the flames with grace, and did cartwheels. He wore some pink bunny ears and by evenings end he was christened, “the fire bunny.”



Terry and I had brought a tent but Kim offered up her studio which is where we crashed for the night. Amazingly, the next morning the fire was still blazing. All the Sping trimmings from the farms trees had been burned. A pink blaze on a wooden fence marked the spot where a freeway would one day cut through the property. Robert Johnson’s stage was likely in the south bound lane.

Florida Film Festival Opening Night

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The Opening Night party at the Enzian Theater was a $100 a ticket posh extravaganza. I arrived early and was very pleased to find a parking spot in the theater’s usually overflowing parking lot. Such little things keep me happy. I stood at one of the tables in the bar area and considered doing a sketch of the Peroni Girl who would be handing out free beer all night. A guy behind me interrupted my thoughts by saying, “That is one dumb button you have on your bag.” After I explained where I got the button he pressed my sternum and waited for my response. It took me a minute to realize he had seen the word “Press” on my press pass and was taking it literally. He was pressing my buttons so I decided I had to leave. I located a choice seat at the bar.

As I started to sketch, a fellow with a “Filmmaker” ID around his neck sat beside me. His name was Tony Blass and he had just flown in from LA. He was here because a film titled “The One Man Beatles“, which he is marketing, is going to be screened on the final day of the Festival, Sunday April 17th at 12:30pm at the Regal Winter Park Cinemas. This film is about Emitt Rhodes, a rock star from the 60s who was a huge star at the age of 24 but he grew bitter after his recording company sued him and he disappeared off the pop cultural radar. Tony looked parched, so I grabbed a Peroni for him and myself.

Our conversation turned to a common memory of an old TV series called “Dark Shadows.” I remember being ten years old and lying in bed with my mother who had just returned from a New York City hospital. Tony had actually written several books which expanded on the story of the mysterious house called Collin Wood. He went on to let me know that Tim Burton is planning to make a feature film, starring Johnny Depp, which will resurrect “Dark Shadows.” Barnabus Collins may return from the dead.

I then learned that while he is here in Florida, Tony planned to start filming Venus D Lite, who he said, “Can give Madonna a run for her money.” She was in Atlanta on the night of the Film Festival opening, but Tony will be driving her to Miami for two shows and then driving her back to Orlando where she will perform at Pulse at about 10pm on Saturday April 16th. He hopes the footage he shoots here in Florida will be the start of a documentary about Venus’ ambitious and tireless career. I plan to sketch Venus at Pulse and then at the screening of “The One Man Beatles” the next day.

Robert Johnson, the lead singer of Everyday Ghosts stopped by the bar and got hugs from the staff of three bartenders. The last time I sketched at the Enzian he was bartending, but tonight he was going to be performing on stage. Later Beth Black showed up at the bar in her bright red volunteer’s T-shirt. She is a professional violinist who also volunteers for the Maitland Symphony. Ironically her assignment for the night was to be the “runner” for the band. She was getting drinks. At the time, I thought she was the band’s manager. She let me know that Everyday Ghosts had just started playing, so I rushed inside to sketch. Jeremy Meier played drums. Richerd Becker was on Bass and the lead guitarist, Austin, was the son of the band’s manager, Richard “Snake” Glatt. Someone said, “There’s nobody in front of the band”, but then Beth started recruiting partiers around the room to get on the dance floor. Soon there was a crowd of people moving, jumping and twirling to the beat. Some wore costumes like a pink zebra hat and Viking horns. I had sipped two white wines so the second sketch of the band was done with a loose splashing abandon. The whole time I rocked and swayed lost in the musics flow. Now I need to figure out which films to see. Anyone have suggestions?

My Dog Tulip

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I went to the Enzian Theater to meet Terry and see the animated feature film “My Dog Tulip.” This film was traditionally animated and I had heard great reviews. I went to the Enzian straight from work and arrived before Terry. I got the tickets and then settled in at the Eden Bar for a drink. I ordered an Orange Blossom beer and got out the sketch book. There was only one other patron at the bar and she was seated at the far end near the cash register. The bartender, Robert Johnson, put on some music that I had never heard before. The woman started asking Robert some questions about the music. It turns out the CD was a preliminary mix for his band, Odin’s Den. He said there were still many things he wanted to tweak to bring the sound mix up to par.

I really liked the music. One song in particular struck a note with me called, “I paint a picture in shades of gray.” When the woman said she liked the music just as it was, Robert tried to explain the subtleties he was listening for. At a party at Blank Space following an opening of a Seed Alliance art opening I participated in at the downtown public library, Odin’s Den performed. The sound check was indeed a long arduous process. Robert would lean close to the speaker and turn dials trying to get the sound just right. Blank Space is a rather small venue and the sound was loud and full. Terry told me I should put in ear plugs. I refused deciding to listen to the music’s full force. Just as I refuse to wear sunglasses anymore, I choose to experience things fully and unfiltered.

“My Dog Tulip” had me enthralled. The whole film looks like my rough sketches with no attempt at polishing them to some pristine finish. This was the furthest thing from a Disney film I had ever seen. It made me want to bring my sketches to life. The entire film was narrated giving it a straight forward matter of fact tone. Entirely about the search for the ideal friendship and an Englishman who found that friendship and endless devotion with his dog. There was sincerity to every scene. One scene even had the signature of the background artist. There was a child like joy to some of the roughest animated scenes. I fell in love with the look and sentiment of this film. It felt hand made, the vision of a single artist.