Artists sketch at the Orlando Skeleton Museum.

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Artists gathered at the Museum Of Osteology

(near the Orlando Eye, 8441 International Drive

Suite 250

Orlando, FL 32819)

from 5:30 to 10:30 pm to sketch skeletons.

Using the skeletons collection of over 500 REAL skeletons as inspiration, they spent time exploring new skills or perfecting figure drawing in the museum. Event sponsor, Sam Flax of Orlando, provided sketching materials that artists could experiment with, but all artists were encouraged to bring your own pens, pencils, and sketchpads.

For this, the second installment of Sketching with Skeletons, the museum extended the event by two hours to allow for more sketching time! Tickets were offered at a discounted price of $12.00. If you brought a valid student or teacher/educator ID, there was an extra discounted price of $10.00.

My plan was to work digitally on my iPad but when Pam Schwartz and I arrived at the Orlando Eye parking lot, I suddenly realized that I hadn’t brought my art supply bag! That has never happened to me. Well, the event said that there were some supplies on hand, so, I decided to go regardless and make do with the materials provided. Sure enough, each artist was given a clip board along with several sheets of 11 by 17 inch paper and bulldog clips. I did have pencils in my pocket and around the venue there were some boxes full of colored pencils.


After walking quickly around the museum, I settled on this view of two artists sketching the big cat skeletons. I quickly penciled in the composition and then Pam found me a ball point pen to finish the line work. I actually liked the ball point pen and might work it into my everyday supplies. Coral Dixon, the museum marketing associate introduced herself to me.  She is heading off to college soon to study to be a museum curator.


I was very pleased and surprised with how many artists were on hand to sketch. Coral is clearly doing a great job marketing the event. She contacted all the local tattoo shops, which quite frankly is a stroke of genius. Once the sketch was done, I walked around the exhibit with Pam to catch the highlights. A skeletal dog still had his collar on, and a raccoon skeleton was rummaging through a box of Milk Duds. The sea otter was lounging with his paws neatly tucked behind his head. Former Disney animation artist Woody Woodman was there with his wife, and we got to catch up briefly. Museum founder and owner, Jay Villemarette and Samantha Tutor introduced themselves and Jay gave Pam and I a personal tour. Since Pam is a curator, she had an amazing conversation about the care of the museum which is just 2 years old. Jay was proud to introduce us to the two glass cases of flesh eating beetles. The spongy cotton bottom of the case was swarming with beetles covering several small animal skulls. Jay went back stage and added some water to the tanks which sent the beetles into a real frenzy. They become most active when moisture is added. I started to itch.

I was highly impressed with the event and the museum in general. Orlando is lucky to have the world’s top collector and distributor of skeletons right here in town. Jay pointed out that no animal was ever killed for the collection but that each animal died of natural causes. Sea World handlers sometimes return to the museum to pay their respects to the animals once in their care. Humans also donate their skeletons to the collection. Jay is often asked during interviews if he would want his skeleton donated someday. He gives the answer that the interviewer wants, but honestly he doesn’t care what becomes of his skeleton. I am hoping that these sketching events continue.  The first one was highly attended with over 75 artists, but the attendance dropped for this second edition to maybe 25 to 30 artists. I hope to introduce the Orlando Urban Sketchers to the venue when I host the Orlando 10 x 10 workshops starting in August.

Orlando Traveling Mural Meeting.

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The Orlando Traveling Mural meeting was held on the second floor at Sam Flax. Colleen Ardaman moderated. I arrived a bit late and the meeting was well underway. Several news stations were there along with survivors, and family of victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting. Some of the painting s of victims were hung on the wall behind a panel of people involved in the project. The fact that this mural will help memorialize the people lost was stresses by Mayra, the mother of Amanda Alvear who was tragically shot that evening of June 12. Colleen mistook the portrait above Mayra’s head for Amanda, but it was Amanda’s best friend Mercedes who also died that night. Amanda may have been able to escape that evening but she went back for her friend according to Amanda’s brother.

Much of the meeting was an opportunity to express the good will surrounding the project. People directly affected by the tragedy will be adding hand prints to the panels to allow everyone to contribute as a community. Coleen handed out sea shells to everyone in the room. She explained that the shell was a reminder of the living being that once inhabited it. The mural would act as a similar reminder.

The survivors sat in front of me at the meeting. A female newscaster crawled close to them so she could hear their names. I write the names down and hope to meet each someday. India Cedeno, a Pulse shooting survivor, said she also survived 9/11 in NYC. She began to recount how she and her son had escaped the club that night. As she spoke, she got choked up. Christopher Hanson another shooting survivor comforted her. As she recovered she explained that she was overwhelmed by the love in the room. I still don’t know if art can heal, the talk rings shallow to me, but it is bringing people together which in itself opens doors and breaks down isolating barriers.

Paint Strong Orlando

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The Orange County Library System (101 E Central Blvd, Orlando, Florida 32801) hosted Paint Strong Orlando which is a collection of original works created in response to the tragedy at Pulse nightclub by local Orlando artists. Local art-supply store Sam Flax of Orlando donated materials to artists who wanted to create works of art dedicated to the victims and collected more than 250 pieces, which were on display at the Orlando Public from September 15 through October 2016.

The Paint Strong Orlando opening reception displayed these pieces, which celebrate the strength of our community. Sam Flax gave a brief talk himself about how he isn’t an artist but he wanted to find a way to offer creative expression in the wake of the Pulse tragedy. Paintings were hung on every floor of the Library. The reception was incredibly crowded. It was tough finding the right angle to sketch. Linda Saracino offered her advice on where I might position myself. The sketch was done to the vertical dimensions of the Library newsletter, because it was considered as a possible cover image. The “Pulse Love” painting was done by Betsy Brabrandt and the eye bleeding a rainbow was painted by Della Morte.

K.C. Cali sat on the library floor beside me as I sketched. She had a painting in the show at though I never picked it out as one of her pieces. She was upset about the loss that the evening was honoring. 49 people lost their lives, and 250 works of art struggled to find meaning in the senseless loss. I have yet to count all the sketches 1 have done in the wake of the Pulse tragedy. The number continues to rise. K.C. wiped away tears and I stopped sketching to talk to her. This was the first sketch I didn’t complete during the course of an event.

Kicked out of Sam Flax. The story of an Otter and the Gun.

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When I got back from NYC several weeks ago, I checked on Facebook to see what sketch opportunities I should pursue in Orlando. One of the first images I saw was a photo of a person posing in front of a Sam Flax event poster that had a low resolution harshly cropped version of a sketch I did at the art store’s grand opening celebration. The original article promoted the store and the artists. The image had been lifted off the internet without my consent or knowledge. Later I learned that the sketch ran as an animated banner on the art store
commercial website, as fliers, ads in newspapers, call to artist forms and the list
goes on. This has happened many times before, with the The Winter Park Chamber of Commerce, The Galley at Avalon Island, the Downtown Arts District, others like Ivanhoe Village District and the Orlando Weekly  ultimately went on to do the right thing, by paying for the reproduction rights. I aired my frustration and annoyance on Facebook at this copyright infringement from a store I had shopped at for years.

What followed was a long thread of comments about similar cases and advice on the best course of action to take. It also however,  opened a dog eat dog divisiveness in Orlando’s tiny arts community. Because of that, I regret making this issue public until it was resolved. Then a troll entered the fray. He was furious that I had expressed my frustration and annoyance publicly before I spoke with Sam Flax.  He used the thread to promote a recent mural he did and then cursed, and berated everyone who tried to reason with him. I thought he was joking so I toyed with him a bit, but he didn’t have a sense of humor. His stance was basically shut up and draw, although he seemed to feel I was too old to draw. Such an angry, bitter person is fascinating for a moment, but then I got bored with his tirades and stopped reading. My apologies to anyone who tried to reason with him.

The troll is a member of the B-side Artists. Asaan ‘Swamburger’ Brooks
who helped found the group asked me to call him since he didn’t understand my frustration. We both discussed our viewpoints and although we didn’t agree on all points, we both shared a mutual respect. I gained insights that will help me redirect my energies with future infringements. We all make mistakes, but what a person does when they realize their mistake tends to define them. Sam Flax and I ultimately talked on the phone. We negotiated some form of compensation for the reproduction rights and he told me the check was in the mail. A sketchbook manufacturer also wants me to do a demonstration at the store, so I respected Sam for putting the incident behind him, and moving forward. I was invited to a workshop on using stencils at the art store, so I couldn’t resist the urge to go in and sketch now that the air was clearing. Danny Rock had given a similar workshop at Blast Studios and I learned quite a bit.

That morning I put on a black T shirt with a sea otter on it. Sea otters are constantly active, very curious, and rather playful. They were hunted to near extinction, and they were decimated by huge oil spills, but their population is making a slow recovery. Sea Otters have been known to playfully climb on tourists kayaks just to see the reactions. At Living Room Theater, actors start off each show by saying to each other, “Can l call you Otter?” with the response, “Sure, can I call you Bear?” I was Otter for the day.

The workshop was at 5pm which meant I had to drive through hellish rush hour traffic on Colonial Drive to get to the store. I arrived about 15 minutes late. I wasn’t concerned though, since I mostly wanted to sketch the students at work. When I entered, an employee shouted, “aren’t you Thorspecken?!” That was an odd welcome. “Yes.” I replied. “Where is the workshop?” I asked. “Have you met?” he asked, gesturing to a man at the far end of the check out counter. I approached the man warily until I realized it must be Sam Flax, who I had never met. We shook hands, but I was distracted since I was late to start the sketch. He asked if I got his email that the check was in the mail. “Yes, thank you.” The only person who understands my distraction as I hunt down a sketch is my wife who has had to live with it for years.

The workshop was upstairs. There were four students and a store employee with plenty of empty chairs to choose from. The instructor was wearing a T shirt with a handgun pointed towards the students. The total number of gun related deaths in the US in 2014 was 12,569 the death toll in 2015 is already 11,811. The US leads the world  in guns per capita with 270 million guns in the hands of citizens according to a 2007 survey. The gun explained that he prefers to paint on walls rather than show his work in galleries. He offered me supplies, but I didn’t want to be a bother, I was already concerned since I had arrived late. “I have my own supplies.” I told him. Then he froze and his eyes darkened.  “I’m alright.” he said. I sat down. “No, I’m allllright.” He said again. “Me too.” I said pulling the smallest sketchbook out of my bag. “No, I have to ask you to leave.” Great, here we go again, I thought. I needed to buy a little time to block in the sketch. “I thought that this was a free artist workshop. I don’t have to sketch you if that is an issue.” In New Mexico in an outdoor public market, an Indian woman got upset when she saw me sketching. She was concerned I would steal her soul if I sketched her. I put a large basket in her place, and sketched everyone else. I don’t think that was the issue here.”Is this my workshop?” he asked the employee.

The staff woman went downstairs to get “the manager.” I threw quick pencil lines on the page. I had only minutes to work. The gun’s face was etched with deep lines of anger. His hands were fists in his lap. “He is here for a reason.” he said. Then he sat mute. Sam Flax came upstairs and escorted me to the store exit. “You have to be kidding me.” I said to Sam. I get it however, Sam was stuck between a rock and a hard place. It was the guns workshop and if he wanted fewer students, he was entitled. Sam explained the the gun doesn’t want me promoting his events. Best to leave him in his cage of anger, although I’ve admired and discussed his work in three separate articles in the past on AADW.  As I left, the female employee said to me,” Thanks for bringing ‘that’ in here to a safe place.” All I had brought in was my curiosity and I sketchbook. “You’re welcome?” I asked. I posted the incomplete sketch just to let you see what I put on the page in the panic of the moment.

The next day, I returned to the art store to complete the sketch. All the empty seats remained. I figured that with the instructor gone, I could relax and study the room. My rough sketch had already established  where I should place the figures. Even before I had my sketchbook out of the bag, an employee came up the stairs and asked me what I was doing. “Oh, I’m just finishing up a sketch.” I replied. “You can’t be up here unsupervised.” he replied. Ugh, he’s just following orders, I thought. “All right, I’ll just shoot a few photos and I’ll get out of your hair.” This is a rare case where the sketch had to be finished back in the studio. 

Did I have to walk into the lions den? Perhaps not, but at this point in my life I would prefer to try and understand someone who has a different opinion than my own, rather than avoid them. I want to listen and learn and of course sketch. Hatred needs to be stared in the face. When the KKK demonstrated in Maitland, I stood face to face with a grand poo-bah or dragon as he aimed his large mace can at my face. If he sprayed the mace he would be arrested. I’ve seen the look before. I don’t get it. After I got kicked out of Sam Flax, there was an ocean of possibilities. I went to a Base Orlando, Body Painting Circus event where I was welcomed with open arms. Time to play and enjoy the uninterrupted sketching process again. Creativity among the chaos, I was back in my happy place. “Hey, I love you’re otter shirt.” a model shouted.

Sam Flax keeps my art addiction supplied.

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I must stop into Sam Flax, 1800 E Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL, at least once a week for pens, pencils, watercolors or sketchbooks. Doing a sketch every day means I burn through art supplies. I also now use the print department when people order limited edition prints of my work. Murals by local artists decorate the wall next to the entrance. Some of the staff recognize me since I’m in so often. It would be reassuring if they shouted “Norm!” when I walked in. However, since that isn’t my name, I guess that makes no sense.

On Thursdays there are artist workshops which I keep hoping to sketch. On July 16th there is a Metal Tree Art Demonstration by Jessica King.  On July 23rd there is a watercolor pencils demonstration by Tahnee Jane. On July 30th there is painting to music by Leslie Adams. The free classes are from 5-6pm so Mark Your Calendar!

Red Bull presented Hip Art Inspired Water Cooler Conversation

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On July 24th, Red Bull Curates presented the Orlando Canvas Cooler Project in the gorgeous Orchid Room at 122 West Church Street which was once Paris Hilton’s Nightclub. As I arrived, Red Bull girls with backpacks were getting ready to work the venue in their tight shorts and v-neck shirts. They were about to climb a metal fire escape staircase to enter the building. I asked if that was the entrance and she pointed me toward a door around the corner with a Mini Cooper that had a huge Red Bull can on the roof. There were two entrances, one for media and one for everyone else. I decided to walk in the Media door. The volunteer looked for my name on the list and I wasn’t there. I repeated my name several times until she said, “Alright, you must be media.” If you believe you are the media, then you are the media. I had a tablet in my bag because I want to start drawing with it more often. I decided to stick with paper however since the room was so spacious that I felt I needed to work across a large spread in my sketchbook. Digitally, I tend to spend too much time zooming in and out of the program which means I’m not sketching as fast.

20 Orlando artists were picked to decorate Red Bull coolers. Of these artists tow were picked for the possibility of being picked for the chance to have their creation show at this year’s Art Basel in Miami Beach. Judges for the Orlando event included, Sam Flax Owner of Sam Flax Art Supply, Patrick Kahn the founder of Snap! Cultural Events, Inc, Commissioner Patty Sheehan of Orlando District 4 , Coralie Claeysen-Gleyzon the curator of Jai Gallery,and Erin Sullivan the Senior editor at the Orlando Weekly.  

Featured artists were, Brandon McLean,
Andrew Spear, Skippy, Adaro Art, Winkstyles, Soco Freire, Peter Van Flores III, DRES13, Holly Tharp, Chris Rodriguez,
Christopher Reason, Swamburger, Peterson, Sean Hartman, Christie Miga, SPEN and Wolfrich. There were a wide variety of colorful styles. I was a bit disappointed that all the coolers were already finished. I had hoped to sketch the artists at work. They had eight hours to complete the work on the Sunday and Monday before the event. Canvas tarps were spread around the venue and tables so the artists wouldn’t make too much of a mess. Christie Miga claimed she was so nervous about the event that she was considering backing out. She did an amazing job however when the ax hit the grindstone.

Sketching the event was a challenge since the crowd was endless and ever shifting. People stopped to say hello every few minutes, and I was happy to say hello but then got right back to work. I didn’t have the luxury of being able to relax when the sketch was still unfinished. Billy Franchey, from Artsfund introduced himself and he was fascinated by what I do, but he didn’t have a business card and neither did I. He is responsible for these events all over the country. Terry explored the room and was able to interact socially with everyone we knew. The winners for the evening were Marcos Cruz and Gregorii.  Both artists are represented by Jai gallery. Their pieces might end up in the scope art Fair in Miami as part of Art Basel but they are up against 10 other who were winners in cities around the country.  There was also a peoples choice award that was given to G. Lemus. A social media contest in November could put him in contention as well to have his creation shown in Miami’s Art Basel. The next Red Bull Curates events will be in Houston on August 14th and in Philadelphia on September 25th.

As I walked Terry back to her car, she told me that Patty Sheehan had told her that the Red Bull marketing people might like me to document future events around the country. It is funny that I was working so hard that no one mentioned this idea to me. I suppose people don’t want to interrupt me when I’m in the middle of the process.

Utility Box Art

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While driving home from Sam Flax, I noticed this artist painting a utility box in the Mills 50 District. From an article I read, I know that artists are paid $200 to paint a box. That might be enough money to pay for the paint and brushes. This artist was smart since he had a festival tent which kept him out of the scorching Florida sun. He had to maneuver around all the tax refund and foreclosed home signs. He had painted this box once before, but it was taken down when a new 7-11 was constructed on the site.

The weekend before, the auto air conditioning shop across the street caught on fire. He kept painting as fire trucks showed up on the scene. His box depicts urban buildings at odd angles and a single puppy on each panel. You can’t go wrong with painting cute puppies. The box is on the corner of North Ferncreek Avenue and Colonial Drive. Grab a 99 cent big gulp at the 7-11 if you stop by, or glance quickly to the right up Ferncreek if you are driving west on Colonial at 50 miles an hour.

I can’t believe I didn’t write the artists name on the sketch. I did write it in a notebook, but for the life of me, I can’t find it. If you know this artist’s work, please let me know. I might have to drive by and see if the finished box is signed.

Karen Russell Opening

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I went to the opening reception of Karen Russell‘s solo art show at Sam Flax (1800 East Colonial Drive) on July 9th. I arrived straight from my job at Full Sail. I had to buy a few brushes for my trip to Santo Domingo. I bumped into Karen and her friend George as I was shopping. Karen let me know that she had crackers and that spray on Easy Cheese. How awesome! I haven’t had Easy Cheese since I was a kid. This was turning out to be quite an auspicious  pinky raised affair. Karen had to run out to get a few more supplies for the opening.

Since I was early, I started sketching the room, leaving a few open spots for arts patrons when they arrived. I spoke with the store owner for a while and I’m very happy that he is now stocking quality sketchbooks.  Half of the Stillman & Birn sketchbooks had sold from the floor display that he had picked up from the Namta Art Supply Convention at the Orlando Convention Center about a month ago. He has started stocking the new quality sketchbooks from Canson and Strathmore as well. As he said, “This is the year of the sketchbook.”

Karen was dressed all in black, with oil paint dabbed all over her calves. She returned with a supply of Communion wafers. Gordon Spears tried one and he said it tasted a bit like an ice cream cone or Styrofoam. I tried a small white wafer as well, letting it dissolve on the roof of my mouth. Karen suggested that they taste better with Easy Cheese. I never did try that combo. Being Jewish, my wife Terry wondered if she would go to hell for tasting a wafer. Some guy told her that it wasn’t too late to save her soul. She avoided him the rest of the evening. Terry had Karen paint a nude of her. The angular painting stares at me as I try to go to sleep at night. Terry joked that we should buy all the paintings and then sell them for thousands of dollars more down at Art Basel in Miami. A store clerk talked about how locals don’t buy art. He knew of a couple from Orlando who purchased some art in a Chicago art gallery. The art was by an Orlando artist. They said that they never buy art in Orlando. “For some reason, people only appreciate art north of the Mason Dixie Line.” he said.

People sat in all the black “Darth Vader” studio chairs on display. A friend of Karen’s showed off all the abrasions and bruises she got at a “Sui-slide” party she had been at. Another woman had a broken finger. Darn, I knew about that party and didn’t go to sketch. I could kick myself. The model for one the paintings liked how she looked on the wall with a flower in her hair. Jokingly, she lamented the hunch back and saggy boobs. A couple bought the smallest painting for $65. A green dot went on the label. I love Karen’s work. The harsh knuckled fingers and angular figures remind me of Viennese Expressionistic art prior to the world wars. This show is on display through July 23rd.