Pandemic Dining Expererince

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FusionFest hosted a Diversitastic Dining Experience at Veggie Garden (1216 E. Colonial Drive, Suite 11 Orlando, FL 32803)

which offers Vietnamese food. You’ll receive a full meal, chef talk about the food and eating customs, entertainment, presentation about the culture and more.
Each month FusionFest will offer patrons a chance to immerse themselves into exploring the tastes, sights, sounds and mindsets of another part of the world.
Each experience is approximately $50 all included.

Earlier this day the World Health Organization had announced that the Covid-19 virus was a pandemic and to avoid the spread of the disease we should  practice social distancing.When I arrived I just kept thinking that crowding together on a deck next to Colonial Drive might not be a great idea. Until Pam arrived I sat a a distance of a bout 20 feet away on a cement bench in the courtyard. The DJ was busy adjusting lights and rubbing his nose with his hand. The music was LOUD to blast away and threat the virus might have had.

The tables were about half as wide as any other table I ever sat at. My knees almost touched the person across from me and when I leaned over my plate and blew on my soup, I just about butted heads with the person across from me. This was not the 6 foot distance that the World Health Organization had advised. Regardless the food was delicious, being cooked by a Buddhist monk.

The appetizers to begin consisted of Bò Bía (Summer Rolls) consisted of rice paper, sauteed carrot, jicama, tofu, fresh lettuce, herbs, peanut sauce. Also offered were crispy Chả Giò (Spring Rolls) which had crispy deep fried roll with shredded vegetables, mung bean, tofu, plum sauce. The main meal was served inside buffet style. That meant I would have to use the serving utensils everyone in the crowd was using, a fine way to transmit a virus hand to hand. There was some hand sanitizer on a counter and I squirted some on my hands after getting my servings. A main dish was, Mì/ Hủ Tiếu Xào which consisted of Sauteed noodle, Soy protein Ham, Tofu and Vegetables. Another dish was Cơm Chiên Thập Cẩm which was Fried rice with mixed vegetables. Everything was vegan.

Terry Olson introduced the evening and a couple performed music which was oddly Italian in theme. Italy has experienced 15,000 cases of the virus as of March 13. 2020. World wide as of March 13, 2020 there have been 200 deaths in Italy as of March 14, 2020 and 5,429 deaths world wide due to Covid-19. Those numbers will be exponentially higher by the time you read this. At my table someone reached out to shake my hand and I offered an elbow bump. It became a joke, but that is how we all greeted each other. The gentleman next to me had just flown back to Orlando From California. He practiced the only social distancing that evening by covering his nose and mouth with a bandanna while he was in the serving area. I respected him for that.



The most impactful and emotional moment of the evening came when Cindy Pham told her story of escaping from Vietnam as a child. She had to travel in a small sail boat and was sea sick for the entire voyage. When in America she had to start life over, not knowing the language. A family in Colorado took her in and she worked her way through college becoming an electrical engineer. She visited Orlando and loved the weather which reminded her of Vietnam. She volunteered at a Buddhist temple and now volunteers at Veggie Garden. The chef came out and spoke for a bit but she knew no English. Cindy translated.



The piano player also performed on a string instrument, walking among the crowd and offering some people the microphone for karaoke. Ugh, three separate people sang into that mic without it being cleaned or disinfected between performances. No one seems to be taking the warnings from the World Heath Organization seriously.  Egon Schiele, one of my favorite artists died at the age of 25 from the epidemic of 1918 right after the First World War. I always wonder what amazing things he might have created had he lived longer.

On a more positive note, the food was delicious and the performances were a delight.

Fusion Fest Open House

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A FusionFest Open House was held at City Beautiful Church, (1220 Alden Rd, Orlando, FL 32803). The primary goal was to gather the interest of volunteers and to share with the community what this new cultural event which is a celebration of diversity.

Terry Olson explained that Orlando is a melting pot and as a city we have never shied away from celebrating our roots. He said he has been to 62 different cultural events in central Florida. “I know, because I have been to all of them.” he explained. An international festival of this scope would have to be large and this meeting was the first step on spreading the word. Signs on each of the tables outlined ways that people can share their heritage.

100 booths are planned to be set up in Seneff Arts Plaza in front of the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts (Orange Ave and City Commons downtown). Outside City Hall and in front of the arts Center entrance there will be performance stages.

Food vendors were encouraged to serve small affordable dishes so that people attending the event can sample food from many different cultures. FusionFest is free, but you can purchase food tokens at the food and drink court. Fusion Fest is scheduled for November 24 and 25,  2018 the week following Thanksgiving. The festivities begin at noon each day.

Mark your calendar.

FusionFest

November 24 and 25, 2018

Noon to Sunset

Seneff Arts Plaza 445 S Magnolia Ave, Orlando, FL 32801

Free.

Painting Demo

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Winter Park Paint Out Artist Steve Andrews gave a painting demonstration in Downtown Orlando at the Orange County Administration Building Sculpture Garden (201 South Rosalind Avenue Orlando FL). He set up on the lawn facing the Orlando skyline. This was a free event so anyone was invited to attend. As I arrived, Rachel Frisby and several assistants were setting up the Albin Polasek Museum banner and a tent. I paced around an tried to figure out what I should sketch as they set up. I finally realized I should sit back a bit so I could include the sculpture of a man trying to fly with I-beams and very non aerodynamic wings. It seemed fitting in that it implied to me that most of man’s aspirations though well intentioned can be futile. I had every intention of doing a good sketch but it always seems that circumstances are always set in place to keep me from the task of taking flight.

Several people approached as I set up the scene asking well intentioned questions that stole time as the sun raced towards the horizon. Terry Olson who heads up the Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs stopped to say hello. He then checked out Steve’s progress and headed on his way, probably to another cultural event. I see him everywhere I go. A security guard from the Orange County Building approached and asked if I was with the County. It was clear he was looking to stop my sketch in progress. I told him I was, to buy time, and kept working. My mistake had been to say hello to him as he did his rounds. He approached a second time and asked to see my credentials. I showed him my Winter Park Paint Out badge and told him that this was an event that had been approved with a permit. He told me he had not been informed and I assume he went back inside to call around to see if he could get the artist/anarchist off of the city property. I must have seemed an easy target since I sat apart from the crowd. His main concern was that this would be an isolated event. We don’t want artists running amok downtown, now do we?

Steve began blocking in his painting as everyone sat on the lawn to watch. The biggest challenge was looking straight into the setting sun. Instead of using line, he boldly blocked in the shapes in oil always being able to refine a shape as the painting progressed. He told a story that his father had been a doctor during world War II and he was one of the few doctors who stayed in Orlando during the war effort. Orange County Regional History Center curator Pam Schwartz made arrangements to get his fathers oral history.

The crowd gathered to watch Steve paint broke out into laughter. I didn’t understand why at first. Rachel later explained that her dog had taken the moment to squat in front of the artist and take a lingering dump right in the scene he was painting. “Everyone is a critic!” Steve mused.

Today is the last day of the Winter park Paint Out, so it is your last chance to see all the paintings that have been created this week in the “wet gallery”. Admission to the Albin Polasek Museum (633 Osceola Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789) is free for the paint out until 5pm. Tonight is the Paint Out Garden Party from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. This is the big blow out gala which showcases all of the art from the event. Over 400 patrons are expected to attend dressed in cabana chic garden attire. Tickets to the Garden Party are  $100 in advance or $125 at the door. Each ticket enti­tles the buyer to $50.00 off the pur­chase of a paint­ing dur­ing the Gar­den Party! (Limit one ticket per paint­ing val­ued at $300 or more)

Bus Ride to Tallahassee Florida.

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I went on an organized bus trip up to Tallahassee in an effort to convince state legislators to not cut funding for the arts. The bus cost about $1800 to rent for the day and Terry Olson
collected money from each passenger to cover costs. We left before
sunrise from the Orlando Rep parking lot. The sun began to rise as we
approached the Florida Capital. Passengers split up into group and we
were each assigned different Senators and Representatives to visit. I decided to memorialize my breakfast banana in x sketch.

In 2015 Governor Rick Scott
vetoed 17 million dollars that was slated to help the arts. In Orange
County there are 3,993 Arts related businesses that employ 26,792
people. I am looking for a job in the Orlando Arts Community this year,
so hopefully I will be among that number. I’m searching for a reason to
stay in the sunshine state other than the sunshine. The creative
industries account for 4.3 percent of the total businesses located in
Orange County Florida.

The state wide request was for $45 million which would fully fund 532 qualified matching Division of Cultural Affair
(DCA) grants. 50 of these grant requests were from Central Florida.
74.9% of visitors to Florida participate in cultural activities.
Cultural tourists spend 137% more than residents. DCA grants leveraged
over $5 million in other private and matching grants. 7.4 million
children benefited and 194,849 artists participated.

2016-2017 Arts Advosacy Day in TalIahassee.

Posted on by Thor

I went on an organized bus trip up to Tallahassee in an effort to convince state legislators to not cut funding for the arts. The bus cost about $1800 to rent for the day and Terry Olson collected money from each passenger to cover costs. We left before sunrise fr the Orlando Rep parking lot. The sun began to rise as we approached the Florida Capital. Passengers split up into group and we were each assigned different Senators and Representatives to visit.

In 2015 Governor Rick Scott vetoed 17 million dollars that was slated to help the arts. In Orange County there are 3,993 Arts related businesses that employ 26,792 people. I am looking for a job in the Orlando Arts Community this year, so hopefully I will be among that number. I’m searching for a reason to stay in the sunshine state other than the sunshine. The creative industries account for 4.3 percent of the total businesses located in Orange County Florida.

The state wide request was for $45 million which would fully fund 532 qualified matching Division of Cultural Affair (DCA) grants. 50 of these grant requests were from Central Florida. 74.9% of visitors to Florida participate in cultural activities. Cultural tourists spend 137% more than residents. DCA grants leveraged over $5 million in other private and matching grants. 7.4 million children benefited and 194,849 artists participated.

Senator Dantzler gave a reassuring speech to the arts advocates at the end of the day. Bright day glow green caps were issued to attendees in the audience. There was bright optimism. Orange County was ultimately awarded $3,066,198 for a total of 38 grants. That is down from the
$4,578,946 grants given in 2015. That was a loss of $1,512,748 for the local arts community.

Art in the Chambers & Sculpture Lighting Party.

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Terry Olson invited guests for light refreshments to celebrate the Judy Albertson–Louis Peterson Galleries Art in the Chambers opening, part of Art Legends of Orange County.  Art Legends is remembrance of distinguished artists and patrons of the arts who made
their mark between 1932 and 1982, critical years in local development of
the visual arts. The chambers show features Judy Albertson and Louise Peterson all year, with others like
Grady Kimsey and Steve Lotz being featured for shorter exhibitions. Later that evening there was a lighting ceremony on the lawn for the Temporary Sculpture Exhibition at 201 N Rosalind Ave, Orlando, FL.

I arrived as the sun was setting and wanted to catch the orange glow on the Christian condominium or retirement home. I found it ironic that the was a red light on top of the cross. Perhaps they were worried it might get hit by a low flying aircraft. In the foreground was a wooden sculpture by Julia Ousley titled Skyline I I. As it grew darker, the lights came on to illuminate the sculptures. One artist, walking y the Chambers Opening joked with me saying ” You could get arrested for doing that.” I laughed, but as a matter of fact he was right. I could be mistake for a panhandle outside my designated blue box. It was a cold night for Orlando, so I had on my wood cap and put up my hood to conserve heat. the tablet processor helped keep my fingers a bit warm.

I never did get inside, since capturing the light in the cold was challenging enough. Gradually people wandered outside to take pictures. Then everything went black for the official lighting ceremony. Banks Helfrich and his wife stopped to say hello. They asked if I as going to SAK Comedy Lab after m sketch, and ironically, I was. I’ve been bumping into them all over town. My plan was to meet Terry for a night out, but she had to work late. The huge blue wind chimes remained silent.

Dickens by Candlelight

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On December 14th I went to a dress rehearsal for Dickens by Candlelight at The Cross (1300 Brookhaven Drive Orlando FL). The Cross is in Ivanhoe Village and it is in a neighborhood of warehouses. When I arrived it was dark so I waited under a street lamp out front. After maybe ten minutes I saw a Prius pull into the parking lot next to the building and Terry Olson popped out and quickly rushed behind the building like the white rabbit. I followed, but when I rounded the corner he was gone. There was a small glass door at the back of the building and through it I could see a woman in turn of the century period dress. I entered the dark room.

John DiDonna who plays Scrooge had informed me about the rehearsal. Monica Long Tamborello and Robin Olson  played just about every other character in the Dickens tale, The Christmas Carol. This is the 16th anniversary year that Dickens By Candlelight has been performed in Orlando. Robin Olson who first wrote this adaptation is returning to the cast this year. Producer Kenneth Ingraham gave me tips on where I might catch the action in my sketch. Fewer people showed up than expected, and he suggested I sit closer but I was already committed to this sketch.

The warehouse doubles as a church and it turned out that the rehearsal was being staged for parishioners to thank them for letting the space be used for rehearsals.  Ben Hoyer and his family were the first to arrive. Ben is the founder of Credo Coffee Shop and he helped acquire this space for church use. As people arrived, the cast made their way back stage behind barn-like sliding doors. A bare branch was suspended from the ceiling with delicate golden ornaments hanging from it. Each table in the room had a red candle and tiny bells. At one point in the production everyone was encouraged to ring the bells then stop on cue.

The tale cleverly envelops the audience as the characters move through
and around the guests who are seated at treat-laden tables.  The three talented Orlando
actors, portray all of the roles and artfully transform themselves from
character to character and stave to stave.  The best way to witness
visits from the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and  Future is while
enjoying homemade cookies and a pot of freshly-brewed hot  tea.   Since there have been so many film adaptations of Dickens Christmas Carol, I expected to feel jaded. But the cast kept the story engaging and suspenseful. John DiDonna did an amazing job portraying Scrooges greed and then joyful redemption.

When it came time for the ghostly visits, the room was only illuminated by the flickering candles. Scrooge shouted in terror when the huge metal garage door rattled by forces unseen.  I suspect Terry Olson must have been outside rattling the doors on cue but the effect was ghostly and unnerving. This subtle use of sound and candlelight held more dramatic terror than any of today’s special effects laden films. This is theater’s magic as people gather together in a dark room to share a tale. Children huddled close in their parents arms. The costume changes were quick and numerous with every word save one having come from Dickens pen. Audience members became part of the action as they joined the cast in holiday celebrations.

I highly recommend this show to ring in your holiday season. Shows will be in the Patron’s Room at the Orlando Shakespeare Center (812 E Rollins St, Orlando, FL). Tickets are $35 with group rates available.

Wednesday December 18, 8pm

Thursday December 19, 8pm

Friday December 20, 8pm

Saturday December 21 4pm and 8pm 

Sunday December 22, 4pm and 8pm

Monday December 23, 8pm

The Artist’s Survival Guide

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The Artist Survival Guide, organized by Brendan O’Connor, is an Urban ReThink Signature Series event recurring monthly. It aims to provide artists and the artistically curious with the building blocks needed for professional creative careers in Central Florida, and will culminate in a printed Artist’s Survival Guidebook after 12 months of programming. Artists art enthusiasts, and the artistically curious gathered to find out about the building blocks needed to be successful in Orlando and Central Florida.

The first installment was an introduction to the Arts in Central Florida. Panelists included:

Jessica Bryce Young the Arts and Culture Editor at the Orlando Weekly, Devin Dominguez the Director of Development at the Art and History Museums of Moorland, Flora Maria Garcia, President and CEO of United Arts of Central Florida, Donna Dowless, Official Ambassador of Love for the City of Orlando an accomplished local artist and art supporter, and Terry Olson, Director at Orange County Arts and Cultural Affairs, at the Maitland.

Flora noted that the arts in Orlando, tend to be overshadowed by the theme park industry. Private funding isn’t as high as it is in similarly sized cities. The problem is that people in Orlando come from other states so when they invest in the arts they first consider their home state or city. People come and go from Orlando in a constant stream. Donna insisted artists need a stiff spine. If a creative idea is shot down, the artist should realize that “No” is just the first step. Keep asking and pitching ideas until “Yes” is the answer. Jessica noted that since Orlando is a smaller city, it is much easier for an individual artist to make a difference. Terry briefly spoke about a program that Cole NeSmith started that brought the arts to the streets of Orlando every day for a week. Devin restated something Andrew Spears had told her, that an artist needs to be creative daily. Donna pointed out that one thing most artists need, and some never find, is a “voice” that permeates all of their work.

The gallery scene in Orlando still is a mystery to me. Most paintings I see are on the walls of bars and restaurants. I’ve read of instances where patrons have censored and stolen art on restaurant walls. It amazes me that artists pay to exhibit their work at City Arts Factory. Donna said that the cost to exhibit art work used to be much higher.

Paint the Town

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Orlando Magazine is partnered with Brad Biggs and Jason L. Lee of The Arts Hub Florida to host it’s eleventh annual Paint the Town Art Show at the Gallery at Avalon Island (39 South Magnolia Avenue Orlando, FL) from March 21 – April 11.  I didn’t submit any work for the show because Orlando Magazine said they would have the right to publish any art submitted for the show in the magazine without paying the artist for the reproduction rights.  Ironically the article in the magazine, which is about the sad state of the arts in Orlando, featured a photo of Terry Olson standing in front of the mural I did for the Mennello Museum. From looking at the photo, you would assume Terry was the artist responsible for painting the mural. The magazine didn’t give me any credit in the article, although the photographer got credit for the photo. This oversight is typical of the state of the arts in Orlando.

I got to the opening on March 21st a bit early to sketch. Brad was the only person in the gallery and he was happy to show me around. He gave me a quartz crystal which should with any luck channel good energy. Submissions to the show were not all your typical “City Beautiful” cityscapes. In the front window was a large portrait of a homeless person. A serial number was on the person’s forehead and the ramshackle frame had grocery bags stuffed full of possessions. From where I sat, the photos of Cindy Murray were most predominant. One photo was of the demolished Amway Arena and the other showed a crowd of bicyclists around City Hall.

Brad pointed out the paintings of Stephanie Kern Stanvey. She had two large juicy portraits on display. Brad said she is the daughter of a preacher and she only recently started painting. Shane Malesky was showing some of his Chronic Damage Art in the bar area. His wife Heather is a riot always making me laugh as I’m trying to focus on the sketch. Someone looking over my shoulder said, “You give a whole new meaning to Paint the Town. I suppose you will hang that sketch in next years show.” “Not likely” I thought.

Collide-Scope

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Individuals from various backgrounds collide to confront a community challenge in this signature bi-monthly event at Urban Rethink (625 E Central Blvd • Orlando, FL). Anna McCambridge Thomas started these creative, think outside the box community awareness sessions. I attended the December 10th session. The ten or so individuals sat in a circle to share ideas. In the past, small teams were set up to consider creative solutions to our community’s problems. Unfortunately, there were some clashes of will among participants in one team, so adjustments to the format had to be made moving forward. This session was an open discussion for all that showed up.

 Each challenge will address an issue that is mainly social in nature,
and will focus on our community, but can be adjusted to a broader (even
global) scope in its presentation. The challenge will be announced at
the beginning of each corresponding event. These events are not meant to
solve issues within one week’s time, but to open an interesting,
informed, creative and honest dialogue. It is also meant to promote a
more healthy, vibrant and livable community, and to bring together
people who might not have otherwise met or collaborated. (This includes
both the selected participants and the individuals who join in as
audience members.) Perhaps a spark will ignite in the mind of a visitor
who will help to continue the project, or create something new based on
an idea within it.

One group was assigned the task of considering the homeless problem. They noted that many homeless in Orlando still have cell phones. They came up with the notion of assigning a homeless person a QR code. The homeless person could ask a passer by to scan the QR code and an information page would inform the person on how to donate to a food pantry. Terry Olson talked about an Urban Artist who did a mural under a highway overpass. I didn’t see the art, but it apparently livened up an otherwise dreary area. The city deemed the art to be graffiti and they did a sloppy white wash over it. Now the overpass is more dismal than ever. Terry is looking into ways to make it easier for artists to get permits for public art. Utility boxes are being painted by artists. The artists are only given $100 for supplies and that is their sole commission for the job. It is no wonder that many of those decorated boxes look like they were painted by amateurs. One box on Mills Avenue near the Orange Studio does make me laugh, it reads… “The end was here!”