Ivanhoe Park Brewery Mural Unveiling

Posted on by Thor

Tuesday, March 19, 2019 at 7 PM – 10 PM will be the the official unveiling and signing of my City Beautiful Mural at Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company (1300 Alden Road, Orlando, Florida 32803.)   Gentry’s BBQ will be on site for food options. No cost to attend but drinks and food will cost.

I have been working on this mural for the past 39 days, usually from sunrise until noon when the sun floods the wall taking away my cooling shade. The last week was accelerated with me working all day long because Charles Marklin from Metro Finishes let me borrow some scaffolding. When I stood on the scaffolding it would shake violently side to side. I braced my hand against the wall and steadied my breathing to continue painting the sky. I only painted one 5 foot section of sky and then Pam Schwartz took over. When she stood on the scaffolding she was steady as a rock. She ended up painting all the rest of the sky.

I was introduced to Glen Clossen of Ivanhoe Park Brewing by Brendan Bunting O’Connor of The Bungalower. Brendan knew I had pitched this mural design for the Fringe offices back in 2014, but that building was torn down before painting started. I adjusted the same sketch for use on the Brewery. Years before this same design was used to paint a large canvas at a Downtown Arts District fundraiser at the Sonesta Hotel Downtown. That painting was executed by the drunk party goers and the results were as might be expected. It looked like it had been painted by non artists. That canvas hung over the admissions desk for a while and then quietly disappeared. I am not sure of it’s fate, if it went in the trash, or is in someone’s private collection.

My process on this mural is well documented on Instagram showing a photo at the end of each work day. Line work was a challenge. I considered using Krink markers but was told they do not last long in the Florida sun. Instead I used black acrylic paint and the same water brush I use every day to do my on location sketches. I tried to maintain the same quirky line quality of the original sketch on the much large wall surface.

Come on out, grab a beer and say hello.

Downtown Paper Launch Party

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Volume 1, Edition 1 of the Downtown Community Paper arrived in my mailbox in September. This monthly paper is devoted to keeping downtown residents like myself informed about what is new and trending. A simple article titled “Why would anyone want to live in the heart of Orlando?” reaffirmed all the reasons why I have been living and working downtown for this past year. I contacted the editor Michelle Rocheleau about contributing to the paper since I am documenting the arts scene and lifestyle downtown everyday already.

The paper held a launch party at the Orange County Regional History Center and I decided to sketch. The publisher Debbie Goetz and Michelle were pulled in all directions. Debbie already publishes a College Park Community Paper and when she met Michelle the idea of the Downtown Community Paper took form. The paper is founded on the principles that include bringing the community together and highlighting inspiring individuals who live in the area. The paper doesn’t plan to compete against the Sentinel or The Bunglaower to cover hard-hitting news. They instead  are committed to only positive uplifting news.

At the launch party, singer, songwriter, Justin Kangrga, entertained the crowd performing covers on his acoustic guitar. Tom Petty died this week, and Justin performed one of his songs. It was a lively launch party where advertisers got to meet staff and enjoy a drink and hors d’oeuvres. The paper’s demographic isn’t the 20 somethings hitting the downtown bars each night, instead they focus on the older more established demographic that calls downtown home.

The paper will be delivered monthly to 8,000 homes in the area and is also available at Newsstands downtown. There is a digital version posted on the paper’s website.

Bungalower Bazaar.

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Bungalower Bazaar powered by Cooper’s Craft was held at Factur (514 Virginia Dr, Orlando, FL 32803). Bungalower and Cooper’s Craft joined forces to bring a night
filled with Orlando’s best makers, in a new event space in Ivanhoe
Village, run by Factur. patrons  sipped on fancy cocktails, shopped for local wares, and ate tamales
at this fun, free event.

I was asked to bring some prints to the event and I set them up on  a folding table just as the event got started. I sat down and sketched the booths across from me. Ha’Ani Hogan‘s Lady Day Creations offered floral head bands which was worn my the  seller in the booth next to her. Pink, orange and lavender exploded from her tiny booth. White Christmas lights offered illumination.

Easter was the next day and I was asked to participate in a day long series of events. I opted instead to sketch a directors forum being held at Valencia College. Also happening the next week was a mediation which was an adventure that pretty much sucked the life out of me.

Outside in a separate garage area someone was blowing glass, which would have been a great sketch opportunity. The heat was brutal this night and my nerves frayed. This sketched marked the closing of one door, as I blindly push forward. None of my prints sold. I didn’t expect them to.

The Cardboard Art Festival is bigger than ever.

Posted on by Thor

The Daily City 3rd Annual Cardboard Art Festival moves from the Mills/50 Orange Studio to a retail storefront South of Downtown Orlando (SODO). It is in the Sodo Shopping Center, at 45 W. Crystal Lake Street, store #117, Orlando, FL on the same side as TJ Maxx, across from Gator’s Dockside which just opened this past Wednesday. I went to sketch the media preview event and immediately decided to sit below Doug Rhodehamel‘s huge cardboard submarine. A blue wave animated bulb illuminated the $4,000 sub which was accompanied by a small school of $40 to $60 deep sea fish. One of the fish sold immediately and Doug asked me to help him get an orange (sold) sticker on the fish label. We both stretched diligently on tip toe to get the job done. Doug is about to start a series of cardboard sculptures of Star Wars space craft. He explained that the walker would be about 5 to 6 feet high so that it would be eye level. When I asked how big the cardboard Death Star would be, he said he would consider a collaboration with Planet Hollywood to re-make their globe.

Cardboard twin towers brought back memories of the horrific events of 9/11.  On the back wall, a huge cardboard mural by German Lemus showed a human heart surrounded by howling wolves, clenched fists, a ram and police in riot gear. I was sitting in front of paintings on cardboard of western landscapes by Timothy Thomas. He was born in Connecticut and raised in Maine where he studied film at
Rockport College. He now lives in Orlando, FL with his wife Tina. Since I was painting, I kept being asked if I was the artist. First they would point at Timothy’s work and when I said, “nope” they would assume I was Doug since I was sitting near his submarine. All of the cardboard props from this year’s Fringe hit show, Robyn Da Hood: a Rap Musical were on display. You can pose in the golden carriage or on horse back. Artist Brendan O’Connor  who runs The Bungalower, struggled to lift the hammer of Thor.

I spoke with Banjo Bob who is best known for his hardboard T-Rex skulls.  He had some skulls on display, but even more impressive was a fully automated cardboard telescope he had created. He wrote a program for a cell phone that would allow a user to move the telescopes position. An image from the telescope was then visible on the phone. The program even allowed the telescope to automatically track a star. Since the earth is rotating the telescope would keep adjusting motors to keep the star in sight. He fabricated the cardboard parts at FACTURE  (520 Virginia Drive Orlando FL) a non-profit maker space here in Orlando. The collaborative space is part workshop, wood shop, metal working, crafts, and fabrication laboratory. I have to get over there to sketch. It sounds amazing.

Today, Sunday July 26 the daytime Cardboard Festival Gallery hours, with a suggested $5 donation, are from Noon-5pm. From 1-3pm Kids Fringe will host a Cardboard Matinee ($1 per kid). Kids aren’t the only ones who get to play. There is an interactive cardboard creation corner where anyone can create a cardboard masterpiece.