ODD 4 at Stardust Video and Coffee.

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The October ODD 4 (Orlando Drink and Draw), was held at Stardust Video and Coffee (1842 Winter Park Rd, Orlando, FL). This is y monthly event where artists, well, drink and Draw. There is no model is just artists working together and networking. I ordered a Big Wave beer and started to sketch. About six other artists came out to sketch. The Audubon Community Market was happening in the parking lot outside, so the place was crowded. The clientele at stardust have a layed back vibe. The guy a the end of the bar had waist long Rasta Dreads. I had quite a few beers and then I left the bar and drove home. The problem was, that I started a tab and left my credit card with the bartender. I only realized this when I got back home. It is an hour drive but, I drove all the way back to Stardust. They were still open and several artists were still there.

Doug Rhodehamel builds the Star Wars Universe.

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Doug Rhodehamel is a big fan of Star Wars. He also makes things from junk. He is combining these two passions of his into one big galactic sized project. He has begun building 15 Star Wars vehicles from trash and surplus at 1/10 scale. That’s big. Bigger than any toys you grew up with, but what’s better, they will light up, have sound effects and play music and sound bites… LOUD! But to do so I need to hire electronics nerds and well as machinists. That cost some cash.

To finish this collection I will need your help.

Doug talked about growing up on Star Wars. He is an avid collector, of Star Wars Action figures and models, but they tended to lack quality construction and any sense of a grand scale. He first imagined one of the Imperial Walkers being six feet tall, so that a viewer would be eye to eye with the cockpit. This hasn’t been built yet. Instead he is focusing his efforts on completing the first of three X-Wing Fighters. The photon torpedo tubes will illuminate with sound effects, and the re are lasers at the ends of the wings. Large speakers will be mounted inside the fuselage of the model and the wings will animate open using an actuator.  All of this is being constructed out of plastic corrugated political sighs. Eventually the ships will be painted to hide the politicians names. Finally, here is a great as to up-cycle all these abandon political signs after each election.

Tonight, Friday February 26th at Stardust Video and Coffee (1842 Winter Park Rd, Orlando, FL) Doug will be showing off the progress on the X-Wing Fighter and the Tai-Fighter with lots of buttons for
you to press. This is a Fundraiser. Any funds you can donate will help finish this project. It
will be more than amazing and well worth it!

See you there and May The Force Be With You!

Nerd Nite moved from Stardust to the Geek Easy.

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Stardust Video and Coffee,
(1842 E Winter Park Rd, Orlando, Florida) hosted the 23rd consecutive and first Nerd Nite Orlando event!

The evening consisted of entertaining yet thought-provoking talks across many disciplines, all while the audience drinks along in a casual bar atmosphere. Speakers present for 15-20 minutes each on a fascinating subject of their choice, often in an uncanny and unconventional way. Following each presentation is a brief Question and Answer with the audience.

Quench your curiosity! Come meet up, drink, and learn something new!

The first presentation was “DNA Nanotechnology: A Breakthrough For Us All” by Felix Sosa.

The talk is about the history, development, and possible future of the great breakthrough known as DNA nanotechnology. Felix is an undergraduate researcher at UCF working towards a Bachelor’s degree in both chemistry and computer science. He currently is a part of a large-scale research effort between the Chemistry Department, NanoScience Technology Center and Physics Department at UCF designing, simulating and synthesizing DNA architectures that have vast applications from medicines to computational machines. His talk opened our eyes to the incredible possibilities right around the corner.

My favorite talk of the evening was “Trash to Treasure: Hoarding Demystified” by Heather Grove.  If you are a hoarder, have friends or family who hoard, or just know about it from the Discovery channel, you know it is a serious, life-threatening disease. With 1 in 30 Americans afflicted by the not so uncommon disorder, Heather hopes to shed some light on the science behind collecting shit.

Since she was one, Heather has found value in what most might consider valueless. From rocks to wine cork collections, Heather has been an avid acquirer of things, but with an extreme hoarder in the family, she has fought the genetic proclivity to collect stuff by understanding the science and specifics of the disease…she hopes to help others transform their habits from hoarding to helping re purpose waste and keep it from landfills. By day, Heather turns wasteful lawns into food-growing gardens and she is co-creator of East End Market. Her talk hit home because she had family that were hoarders. This made her talk more personal as she tried to explain her own hording tendencies. I myself seem to be a hoarder. I collected rocks and minerals as a child, coins, stamps and now I collect shelves full of sketchbooks. My studio is a riot of materials and books making it hard to even enter the room. Yet, since I still create every day, I don’t seek a cure.

The final talk, “The Cosmetology Cosmologist” by Derek Demeter. Derek has been Planetarium Director at Seminole State College of Florida since 2007. He writes and produces new shows that explore the astronomy and history of numerous cultures from around the world. He serves as Vice President of the Central Florida Astronomical Society and sets up telescopes at local shopping centers to give the public a truly “out-of-this world” experience.

After this evening, Ricardo Williams took the helm to lead Nerd Nite into the future. Now the events are being held monthly at the Geek Easy ( 114 S Semoran Blvd Suite 6, Winter Park, Florida). Mark your calendar! The next Nerd Nite is Ladies Nite and it will be tonight, July 9th from 7pm to 9pm.

The romantic glow of digital devices at Stardust illuminates interactions.

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Once again I found myself at Stardust Video and Coffee on the evening of the Audubon Community Market. As I ate dinner, I sketched people absorbed in the glow of their computer screens. Since I was sketching on my computer, I fit right in. Outside tents were going up in the parking lot for the weekly Audubon Market. The couple in the foreground remained focused for the duration of the sketch. Eventually a conversation fired up and the gentleman moved closer to talk. I was surprised that people could meet in person and have face to face conversations. She was an actress who had just arrived in Orlando. He had her laughing much of the time. They agreed that they should stay in touch before they both returned to their screens.

I was pleased with the warm glow of the sketch. I would never get such pure rich color with watercolor washes. As I was finishing up, my Coke bottle fell from the wobbly round table I was sitting at. It crashed to the floor making an insane racket as it bounced repeatedly, yet thankfully it didn’t break.  I must have been beet red as I picked it up. I walked around the market and stopped for a moment to listen to a local musician but I decided against doing another sketch and I headed home. I keep selling the idea that sketching helps me become part of the community, but it also isolates me, making me an impartial outside observer. I’m fully engaged and alive as I’m working, but when the sketch is done, my mood slips and it feels like life is slipping by.

Sketchy Broads offered fun sketching options for Orlando artists.

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Sketchy Broads are two models, Jenny Coyle and Lindsay Boswell, who love to come up with quirky costumes and pose for artists and photographers. The prices for an evening of sketching were, $10 for anyone who wishes to take reference photos. $7 for the full 2.5 hours of sketching (30 minutes of short poses and 2 hours of long poses) and $5 for just the long poses.

This particular evening the event was at Stardust Video and Coffee,  (1842 Winter Park Rd, Orlando, FL). They always have quality lighting using photographers umbrellas. Personally I prefer a single spotlight to get strong shadows but I tend to focus on only one sketch while everyone else is doing the short poses.

The group had been meeting at Austin’s Coffee (929 W Fairbanks Ave, Winter Park, FL) but I do believe that the modeling sessions haven’t happened lately. Austin’s is a crowded spot to hold the events. I suspect that the turn out at these events might not have been enough to keep the event happening. I also know that Jenny was planning to start work on a film project and certainly once production began on that there would be no time left over for modeling. The last event I notice on Facebook was on December 5th of 2013.

Nerd Nite Orlando XIII

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On March 13th, I went to Stardust Video and Coffee (1842 E. Winter Park Road, Orlando, Fl.) to experience Nerd Nite Orlando XIII.  I arrived early, ordered a Humus plate and a Coke and found a table with a sweeping view of the room. As people arrived, I populated the sketch. Nerd Nite Orlando is an evening of entertaining yet thought-provoking
talks across many disciplines – all while the audience drinks along in a
casual bar atmosphere. Speakers present for 20-25 minutes each on a
fascinating subject of their choice, often in an uncanny and
unconventional way.

It’s like the Discovery Channel – with beer!

Josh Manning, the founder and “Nerdboss” of Nerd Nite Orlando was the first speaker. His presentation was about “Chindogu: Unuseless Inventions” which translates to “really weird” (chin) “tool” (dōgu). This is the noble Japanese art of eccentric invention. Often causing more problems than they solve, chindogu ultimately serve no real purpose. Neither useful nor useless, they are therefore “unuseless” (similar to how “undead” means not dead and not alive). So what’s the point then? Unbridled creativity, of course! Chindogu are like anarchists that have broken free from the pragmatism of traditional invention. Come discover the wonderful world of unuseless creations that include baby mops,  a tissue dispenser cap, and umbrella ties! Josh is always interested in new ways to think differently, he also co-organizes a group of employees at Kennedy Space Center called the “Spaceport Innovators.” In the 2nd grade he even entered an invention contest by submitting his “fishing backpack” creation, which was just his school backpack outfitted with a car air freshener so that he could carry around all the fish he caught minus the stink. He didn’t win any prizes, not even an honorable mention.

The second presentation was “Digital Heroes: How Video Games Can Save The World” by Carlos Donze  A growing body of evidence suggests that video games play (pun totally intended!) a larger role in brain development than previously thought. In this talk, he discussed their role in tackling some of the world’s seemingly insurmountable problems, such as personal happiness, poverty, and helping the terminally ill. Let Carlos show you how playing video games can translate in to real life power-ups!

Emily Empel presented,

“Cards Against the Future: Generating Possibilities Instead of Predictions” Talking about the FUTURE is old school. All around us, societal “squares” are sanitizing our conversations about the future. These politicians, business leaders and academics rely on forecast models that reduce uncertainty. Some people like to think things progress along a straight linear path, but progress and change happens in sudden unpredictable surges. Let’s be real: the world is getting weirder. Forecasts that discount mystical, immeasurable,  elements limit our ability to fundamentally explore what’s ahead. In other words, exploring the future is a job for societal misfits, and total nerds. In the spirit of Chindogu, Emily showed a hilarious clip of a robotic ketchup dispenser. Obsessing over the FUTURE(S) is where it’s at.  She explores the present and the future according to a new set of rules. She is a trend spotter, marketing disciple, and corporate futurist. She provides executive management with strategic insights to identify emerging developments. Emily earned a Master of Science degree in Future Studies from the University of Houston. Her research has been featured by organizations such as The World Future Society and AlterNet. A former nomad, she’s slowly realizing, thanks to fellow Orlandoans and a lot of imagination, that Orlando doesn’t suck.

Emily wanted to talk after the presentations to brainstorm about a creative project she has brewing. Her pink haired friend Natalie Chandler kept me company as Emily discussed, and sometimes argued the future with people after her talk. Natalie confided that Emily is super busy yet she wants to layer this intricate creative project into her schedule over the next several months. Emily outlined the project that she and others are brain storming. The World Future Society Conference is coming to Orlando this July and she wants to put together a show for that conference. Tentatively titled, “Near Now” the project is aimed at
bringing together intellectuals and creatives who are interested in
exploring how the future of Orlando can unfold in 2030. I agreed to help bring together creative people that could help bring this vision to light. The seed is planted. So far, progress is slow but if it is meant to bloom, it will. The possibilities are limitless.

Stardust

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I went to Stardust Video and Coffee (1842 Winter Park Rd, Orlando, FL) with the plan to sketch Nerd Nite. I arrived right after work and ordered a Crispin’ Glover sandwich and a Coke. I was order number 15. Long tables in this room are made from old doors with an incredibly thick varnish over the surface. The varnish fills in all the doors panel insets. I assumed that the Nerd Night presenters would set up a movie screen in the small staging area framed by red curtains.

The great thing about Stardust is that people come here with laptops and notebooks to work. When you are in a room full of people busy working there is an energy that always motivates me to sketch. Although I might be alone, the activity and energy of the room makes me feel part of a vibrant community. In a digital world, we are all hungry to connect in our own unique way. I sit quietly watching and sketching while extroverts carry on fast animated conversations. The chatty moments as people mingle before an event begins are my most productive time.

I realized half way into the sketch that I was at Stardust on the wrong night. The army of nerds I hoped to sketch never showed. With so many events on my calendar, I sometimes get the date or time wrong. But I don’t care. There is plenty of beauty and drama to be found even in the everyday pace and flow of Stardust, it is what you make it.

Stardust

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I had been invited to the Market Colors Product Launch & Benefit Show at the new Redlight Redlight Beer Parlour (2810 Corrine Dr. Orlando). The event was to start at 7:30PM, and since I got off work at 5PM, I had some time to kill. I decided to get a bite to eat at Stardust Video and Coffee (1842 East Winter Park Road Orlando), which was just a block away. I ordered a humus plate and decided to sketch the Leopard Shark filled room. People gradually filled the bar stools as other patrons worked at their laptops. A group of women sat at a table next to mine and one woman discussed her divorce. As she put it, “Getting divorced is like having a car accident everyday for a month.”

When I was done with the sketch and the humus, I walked over to the new Redlight Redlight. The place was obviously still being refurbished since I could see through the front windows exposed wall studs and gypsum board lying around.  The front door was locked. I checked my watch and it was a little after the event start time. There were supposed to be performances by Chris Burns, The Silver Fleece, Tigerweather, Civil Parish, and Rubox. This was to be the first time people will be able to see, touch, and buy Market Colors products.

The goal of Market Colors is to empower crafts women from Kenya and Malawi in Africa by having them make very marketable iPad, cell phone and laptop cases. This creative endeavour should help these women raise themselves from the status quo of prostitution and AIDS. Proceeds from the event, were to be reinvested toward supporting the crafts women. Market Colors goal is to raise both awareness and funding to best support them.  I jiggled the front door handle again. Oh well, I might have missed a great fundraiser sketch opportunity.

CUSS YEAH! A Wes Anderson Homage

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I walked over to Stardust Video & Coffee when I got a text from Terry saying she was there. The cardboard decorations for the Wes Anderson themed costume party were pretty amazing. There was a ten foot long Jaguar Shark and a yellow submarine that had Styrofoam container port holes. Blue fabric draped from metal ceiling rafters offered ocean waves. Pink fish schooled through the room. The entire room was an amazing homage to The Life Aquatic. An entire wall was retro fitted into a cardboard flank of a nautical research vessel. A faux campfire burned warmly on a small stage in the center of the room. I spotted Terry across the room near the bar and I walked over. Having just seen Moonrise Kingdom, I can say I am a true Wes Anderson fan. I felt absolute pleasure from the familiar Wes camera mores and grid structure staging in the film. The story was a hart warming delight. It was a solid 10! Go SEE it, and rediscover the innocence of love.

Terry wanted to have dinner, but I had eaten enough at the craft night prior to the party. She went to order food and I started sketching. I worked fast, but not fast enough. I sipped a beer and sketched while she ate and looked at her iPhone. I blended right in with my hand crafted red skull cap and blue striped uniform. I admired the amazing number of men and women who pulled off the same look, many to much better effect. Many of the women had on fox ears and tails in homage to  The Fantastic Mr. Fox. What woman wouldn’t mind being called a fox? Kathryn Sullivan and Mike Underwood in his blue Speedo underwear strolled in and caused a fair commotion with their lavish and minimalist costumes. Doug Rhodehamel was draped in a giant Royal Tenenbaums banner. Doug had done all the cardboard decorations for the evening. My favorite costume went to a young girl who dressed as a nude Natalie Portman. Her hair was cut just right and her skin tight body stocking was barely noticeable at first glance.

I finished the sketch by the time Terry was done eating. I helped her finish off a few fries. She hadn’t considered a costume, so when she finished eating, she wanted to go. She was overstimulated and didn’t know anyone, so we left.

2nd Annual June Bug Poetry Festival Open Mic

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On the first Monday of every month there is a poetry open mic at Tatami Tea and Sake Lounge, (223 West Fairbanks Ave.Winter Park). The event was hosted by Russ Golata. I arrived a bit late and Russ, dressed in a red Avengers T-Shirt, gave me a warm meaty handshake and pointed out the sign in sheet for me. I found a seat at one of the remaining high bar stools and started lightly penciling in a sketch of the first poet. He read a rather long piece about the gears on a bicycle. I didn’t commit to sketching him since I figured he would be done any minute. He finished and there was warm applause. Then he sat in the seat directly in front of me blocking my view. I’m such a dope, I didn’t consider that possibility. I erased all my pencil marks and moved to the Susi bar right next to the stage.

The next reader was Amy Aviles. Apparently Russ had called her while she was making dinner and he insisted she come down to read. I was captivated by the intricate tattoos on her arm. I cursed my short sightedness because I couldn’t make out the word that was inscribed in delicate swirling detail above a male portrait. She read her poems off her iPhone and the relaxed beat and cadence of her poem had the flow of spoken word. Another poet related that there had been a death in her family. She sat on stage and read a poem about living with pride in spite of illness. Her second poem about knowing a man, related the intricacies of a relationship well lived in spite of life’s demands and limitations. It was bitter sweet. A young poet named Logan Anderson read poems filled with youthful angst. His second poem had a musical backup from his iPhone. Curtis Meyer performed with eloquent speed and fervor, his spoken words sparking at lightning speed. I liked his analogy that poets were like super heroes, their observations being their power.

As I left, Russ let me know that I was welcome back anytime. Curtis announced a new poetry event later that evening down on Fairbanks and another author announced she was having a book signing on June 16th from 1PM to 3PM at Stardust Video & Coffee. The room was filled with new faces. With so much going on, it is hard to keep up doing just one sketch a day. Walking back to my car, the rhyme and flow of poets words still rang through my mind. An event like this demands and inspires creative thought. I seem to only have time for the subtle layering of facts. Who could sit at home passively watching TV when there is energy like this around town? Seize the day.