Sheraton Hotel – Analog Artist Digital World

Devin Dominguez invited Terry and I to Evening in the Grove, was an Orange, White and Blue Gala honoring the Orlando Magic with proceeds benefiting the Art and History Museums of Maitland. I wore a blue and white striped shit,with a blue tie and jacket. The event was at the Sheraton Orlando North Hotel in Maitland. I had sketched a wedding reception here once. As soon as guests entered the hotel. they were greeted by Ashley and Amy, two of the Orlando Magic dancers. I wandered around the lobby looking at all the silent auction items but I couldn’t find a spot to sketch. Dawn Schreiner was doing quick portraits for anyone who wanted to sit for a bit. There were several Orlando Magic players, Bo Outlaw and Nick Anderson, sitting by themselves but they
looked bored and so I decided that the chipper dancers were my best bet for a decent sketch during the cocktail hour. They posed with people and waited patiently between photo shoots. They didn’t quite know shat to make of me and they peeked at the sketch in its early stages.

They wandered off and I debated about abandoning the sketch. I figured they were creeped out by the loony with the sketchbook. I decided to focus on features of the room and before long, the dancers were back. Amy peeked again and said, “Moving on the ink, this is getting serious.” This time I nailed down the dancers slender proportions. Raffle tickets were being sold by the arm length. Bidding on the silent auction items involved downloading a program on the smart phone where bids stacked up digitally, and you were even warned if someone outbid you. I tried to limit my palette to blue, white and orange. When I finished the sketch, I found my way to the dining area. The salads had just been served, so my timing was perfect. Speed painter, Tony Corbitt was on stage doing a painting of Paul McCartney of the Beetles. Tony usually takes his shirt off when he paints but event organizers insisted he keep his shirt on. I’m always impressed with the speed in which he nails a celebrity face using just white paint on a black board.

The live auction was lively with one of Tony’s paintings bringing in over $300. Henry Maldonado, president of thee Enzian Theater, acted as the Emcee. Speakers pointed out that the Orlando Magic Youth Fund had distributed over $17 million dollars through the Orlando Magic Youth Fund. Programs like, Journey to the Arts, help bring culture to at risk youth who might never get that experience otherwise. A young woman named Mercedes Beaudoin got behind the mic to talk about her experience as an intern working for the Maitland Art and History Museums. She spoke of how much she learned and how grateful she was. The arts offered a long lasting meaningful purpose. Then she choked up as she said, “especially since my mother died recently.” The room grew quiet as she regained her composure and spoke about how important the arts are in our lives. Everyone stood and clapped as she left the stage. The evening brought in a net total of $48,200. All monies raised will support art and history programming at the Art and History Museums of Maitlnd.

Outside the ballroom at the Sheraton Hotel on Lake Destiny Drive up in Maitland the plaque read, Jordan Martin and Jared Clark Wedding reception. I entered and scouted the room for a spot where I could sketch. Rachel McCurdy, a wedding designer at An Affair to Remember, was quick to introduce herself. She helped me pick a spot, making sure I wasn’t in the way of the wedding cake or bar. I had been commissioned by the brides aunt, Linda Sheftel, to do a large 18 by 24 inch sketch of the occasion. I was a bit nervous about trying to complete such a large sketch in the duration of a reception so I had arrived several hours early to get the stage set lightly in pencil first.

The room was a constant flurry of activity. Tables were set and glasses filled with water. I would sketch the table setting then someone would come along and move all the cups. Rachel and her assistants were unpacking lanterns and a nautical cork float that would be draped in front of the bar. The wedding cake or perhaps the grooms cake was a mountain of donuts. The DJ arrived and began setting up his sound equipment. He was pleased that there was such a large dance floor. The videographer introduced himself and asked me a few questions about my work.

I could hear the reception crowd growing larger in the hallway where hor dourves and drinks were being served. Staff positioned themselves around the room and stood at attention. The DJ shouted, “It’s showtime!” and the doors were opened. As people seated themselves, I sketched frantically getting them in the composition. Throughout the night people walked up to see what I was up to. I would crack a joke or acknowledge any praise while keeping my hands moving. Color was quickly blocked in with a one inch brush.

The wedding party was introduced and groom’s men and brides maids entered with unexpected drama. One groom’s man waddled in like Toulouse Lautrec while a brides maid “wheeled in” her groom’s man like a wheel barrel. Another couple walked in backwards then vogued for photos like Charlies Angels. I knew that the newly married couples first dance was the focus of my sketch. They danced slowly as people crowded around the edge of the dance floor. I focused on Jordan and Jared. They danced slowly, kissing and smiling at each other. Jordan’s sister gave a toast in which she kept getting choked up and crying. She related an incident where Jordan seriously injured her back and Jared stayed with her in the hospital, never leaving her side. The best man’s toast unearthed the groom’s wild side.

After diner the dance floor got packed as everyone did the electric slide. The bouquet was tossed and the garter cinched up. The bride got a special treat when all the groomsmen danced around her doing a strip tease. They piled all their dress shirts on her and one groomsman gave her a lap dance. The women in the room screamed! With the dance floor packed, and the music getting louder, I realized that my sketch was done. I packed up my supplies and left as the bass vibrated the walls.