The Orange County Library System – Analog Artist Digital World

Banks Helfrich organized the Life Screenings: One Minute Film Festival at the Orange County Library System (101 E Central Blvd, Orlando, Florida 32801). Life Screenings in association with the Orange County Main Public Library looked “Outside the Lines” at what happens when a film festival and library mash-up. The purpose was to create a library beyond a library and a film festival beyond a festival.

Preceded by donuts and coffee, one minute films were screened back to back; post exhibit, filmmakers were be on hand to participate in a lively talk back.

Films were chosen on the basis that they show a world we all would love to live in. Life Screenings is a festival that showcases inspiring, uplifting, and thought-provoking short films. It was a festival that showcased inspiring, uplifting, and thought-provoking short films.

The goal was for each of the films to be less than 60 seconds in length. One film showed a Nazi solder entering a home and conducting a search for Jews. His superior office was hard line, but he was just going through the motions. He actually found a young girl and put his finger to his lips as a universal signal to stay quiet. He shut the door to her hiding spot and told his commander downstairs that all was clear. Even some among the villains want to do the right thing.In this fat paced digital age this festival was short and sweet. Offering a wide variety of uplifting stories. Stories connect us, and we need that more then ever in this fast paced digital age.

Mark your Calendar, the next Life Screenings International Film Festival will be at the Winter Park Library (460 E New England Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789) on Sunday, February 17, 2019 starting at 3:15pm.

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.