The Dishwasher.

Posted on by Thor

Brian Feldman’s first-ever job was as an actor with Orlando
Shakespeare Theater. His second was as a dishwasher at a fast-food restaurant
chain in Winter Springs.

Award-winning performance artist Brian Feldman brought his
one-of-a-kind “Dishwasher” performance back to Orange County.

This performance, which I sketched, was at Flying Horse Editions (500 W. Livingston Street,

Orlando, FL 32801)

at the downtown UCF Center of Emerging Media building across from the future site of the Creative Village. 

Brian hand-washed the dirty dishes in the print shop’s sink
using the hottest water he could endure. A friend of Brian stood behind him to keep a close eye on his dish washing techniques. 

Once completed, he was given
a monologue by Sarah Segal which he cold read on the spot for the small audience gathered at the print shop.
Finally, Brian asked a simple question of the audience: “Am I a better actor or
dishwasher?” After receiving the answer, he posted the verdict on social media. His friends were rather harsh on his performance saying be was a better dishwasher, but everyone else in the audience decided he was a better actor. 

The Blue Boxes are disappearing but the law requiring their use is still on the books.

Posted on by Thor

27 Blue Boxes are painted on sidewalks in Downtown Orlando. These
boxes are for panhandlers and buskers. Busking is possible only during
day light hours. Although set up for panhandlers, police often insist
street performers must use the blue boxes. Performing outside the boxes
can result in 60 days in jail and a $500 fine. These Boxes represent the only places downtown where
theoretically there is freedom of speech. They are Orlando’s First Amendment Zones.

On February 29th Mandi Ilene Schiff offered to do a body painting in Blue Box number 6. On the map, the box is located near the Bob Carr Theater on West Livingston Street. Because of construction this street can only be approached from the West off of Parramore Avenue. Mandi arrived before me and was waiting in front of the UCF Center of Emerging Media. Her model, Yvonne Clar, hadn’t arrived yet. I began searching across the street for the blue box. The problem was that half of the street and sidewalk was ripped up and now fenced off due to construction.

A guard from UCF came out and asked if he could help us navigate the construction to get to downtown Orlando. My experience with people who say, “Can I help you?” is that they will be an obstruction to my completing a sketch. Though he went back inside the UCF lobby, I knew we were on his radar. Our search for the blue box was out of the ordinary. Mandi and I decided to settle in front of a large blue banner that was the logo for the construction company that was digging up this prime real estate. Mandi’s idea was to camouflage the model, so she disappeared against the Blue sign. As she unloaded her paints and brushes, the guard came out and shouted “You can’t be setting up over there!” I thought it odd that he didn’t cross the street to speak to us. He was like a dog who barked at the edge of its property. I shouted out, “Why is that?” He shouted back that he had to protect the high school kids. That is odd, I thought, UCF is a college, there are no minors. I contacted a UCF instructor I know, just to verify that this guard has no idea of the age of the students he sees everyday.

Since I was getting over a cold, I decided to walk across the street so I didn’t have to shout. I told him that I was documenting the 27 blue boxes and explained what they are for. I showed him the location of blue box number 6 on the city map figuring he might help me in locating it. “I don’t know anything about no blue boxes, all I know is that you can’t set up over there. I have to keep these kids safe. There are pimps, prostitutes and drug dealers who are always hanging around this area.” Now, If I was a prostitute I wouldn’t work this abandoned stretch of road, I thought. Did he think Mandi was a prostitute? He would definitely have a heart attack if the model took off her shirt in front of the school. This was a loosing battle, since we didn’t have the security of a blue box to stand in, I decided we needed to move to the next blue box which was half a block East near I-4. I shook the guards hand, thanked him for his help, and we headed East.

Blue Box number 7 was also torn up by construction, but there was a hint of several blue dotted lines remaining on a curb. Yellow caution tape separated us from being able to stand in the patch of dirt which had once been the blue box.  We decided instead to set up outside the rented fence near the Orlando Centroplex sign. Yvonne showed up just as Mandi was settled in. I was in the midst of blocking in my sketch, and I didn’t want to spread my cold, so I kept working. This was the first time that the performers were not protected by actually standing inside a  blue box. The stakes were high, but Mandi and the model bravely took the chance. City codes on indecent exposure had been researched, and the model could have legally been painted in nothing but pasties and panties, but Nix Herrera another body painter, had advised Mandi against taking the chance. It could have resulted in regulations for an art form that has so far stayed off the city commissioners radars.

With a liberating flourish, the model took of her shirt and her black bra defied any notion of indecent exposure. The race was on to complete the sketch and body painting before we were caught. Mandi began by painting a blue box on Yvonne’s belly, then she began painting iconic Orlando imagery, like a swan, the fountain, an orange breast, and the skyline wedged in Yvonne’s cleavage. Ten minutes into the sketch, I felt that art had won. I had enough on the page, so that even if police or security stopped us, I could finish the sketch back at the studio. A construction worker asked what are were doing. I discussed the blue boxes and explained that we would be done within an hour. “I don’t mind.” he said with a smile.  Theo Lotz, the Flying Horse Editions director from UCF also asked about our project and I quickly explained the Blue Box Initiative. I get excited, having the chance to explain the need for free artistic expression. His bus arrived and he had to run off mid sentence.

We were right near a bus stop and each time a bus stopped you could see a dozen passengers with then noses pressed against the windows. A driver honked his approval. My quick rough sketches don’t do Mandi’s amazing work  justice. Be sure to check out these photos her fiance Robert Johnston took. It certainly felt like we were tempting fate on this day, but some amazing art was created.  Yvonne became a gorgeous living postcard that celebrated the City Beautiful.

Base Orlando Pin Ups Pose with Hot Rods.

Posted on by Thor

After sketching all the body painters and models inside the Majestic Event Center (801 North John Young Parkway, Orlando, FL) I walked outside and ordered a hot dog from the food truck and settled in to sketch the hot rods on display. I was then rewarded as the models came outside to pose next to the cars. Rosie the riveter was the first, and she showed off her biceps. Her  tattoo on her muscular arm read, “We Can Do It!” The model with the heart shaped glasses had a yellow bikini painted on. She feigned surprise as she pursed her lips as if to say oooh!

Mandi Ilene Schiff the Base Orlando organizer has volunteered to be part of the Blue Box Initiative next Monday. She will setup a body painting station in one of the side walk boxes and work for several hours. Her blue box is near the Bob Carr Theater. That entire block is under construction, so there is little foot traffic except for UCF Center of Emerging Media Students. Body Painting on the streets of downtown Orlando should push the limits of what is considered to expression in the City Beautiful. To date, I haven’t seen a single police cruiser while doing a blue box sketch. Perhaps this will finally be a case that catches an officer’s attention.

Mark your Calendars! The next Base Orlando event is Pop-Art themed and is tonight, on March 3, from 8pm to 11pm at the Majestic Event Center (801 North John Young Parkway, Orlando, FL). Tickets are $10 to $25.

Dancers Improvise in Blue Box #5.

Posted on by Thor

27 Blue Boxes are painted on sidewalks in Downtown Orlando. These boxes were put in place for panhandlers and buskers. Busking is possible only during day light hours. Although set up for panhandlers, police often insist street performers must use the blue boxes. Performing outside the boxes can result in 60 days in jail and a $500 fine.

These Boxes represent the only places downtown where theoretically there is freedom of expression.

On February 22nd, Corinne Mele from Red Right Return Dance Company encouraged a group of dancers to utilize Blue Box # 5 as their stage. They had just rolled off of a performance of Guard Down at the Orange Studio on February 20th. They had also rehearsed the night before, but that didn’t dampen their enthusiasm to perform on the streets of Orlando.

I was the first to arrive and anxiously searched for the box with map in hand. The last one had been spray washed away but this one was pristine, looking like it had been painted yesterday. I got a text from Corinne. Construction had blocked access to this street from the East. I redirected her to let her know that the street was still approachable from the West from Parramore. Soon dancers started to arrive. Corinne drove a cute little car that was covered in an ad for hint which I believe makes flavored waters. The dancers came prepared, with water and sunscreen.

They were concerned that this was a rather small stage. All movement had to be linear and having two dancers abreast, limited what they could do. Corinne walked the blue dotted line like a circus high wire performer. She did a pirouette and when she spun out of the box, she abruptly stopped and walked like a pedestrian to re-enter the box from a new location. Dancers soon realized that their extensions would most certainly cut outside the plane established by the blue box stage but with one foot planted inside the box they decided they were within the letter of the law. The dancers had two collection bowls set out. There was however no foot traffic on the sidewalk. We were one block away from the UCF Center of Emerging Media and the Bob Carr Theater. Construction effectively cut off all vehicular traffic. The only hope for a tip might come from a student. Towards the end of the dance company’s improve session, a single pedestrian approached on our side of the sidewalk, Corinne bet the he would cross over to the other side of the street to avoid coming to close to the art. Sure enough twenty yards from us, he crossed over to steer clear. In a town where art is seldom experienced in public, it can be intimidating for the uninitiated. There is no fourth wall to protect the audience. Art in public is a rare beast that must be caged in blue boxes.

Heidi Busher and Corinne were the first dancers to perform a duet on the tight painted stage. They supported can other and negotiated the tight squeeze past each other. Paige Maxwell bent over backwards like a sheet of paper folded in half. Her goal was to grab her own ankles. She grabbed one but the second eluded her. I was absolutely astonished by her flexibility. Kim Matovina displayed incredible feats of strength and balance usually reserved for gymnasts. She balanced on one hand and folded in her limbs balancing with her face inches from the pavement. She then did a headstand using her forearms for support. All five dancers got in the box and tried to duplicate the move for a photo. Not everyone had the strength, but for the flash of an instant they all held the pose.

After several hours of dancing, everyone was sweaty and tired. Paige was unexpectedly hit in the face when another dancer spun with her leg extended, effectively doing a back kick. I heard the smack as if it were a sound effect in a Japanese Kung Fu movie. Paige’s eyes watered and she held her nose. Luckily there was no blood. On a larger stage the dancers would not need to be so dangerously close.

Though no tips went into the tip jars, and not a single pedestrian walked by, it was a beautiful day and I’m so thankful that these beautiful dancers shared their talents to help point out that art should not be boxed in. Winter Park will never experience such a spontaneous outburst of creativity expressed on a sidewalk in public. These aren’t criminals, but highly educated and trained professionals who love their craft and share it openly. Such joyous outbursts of creativity might happen more often if Orlando City Commissioners didn’t create ordinances that effectively treat artists, dancers and performers as panhandlers that need to be boxed in.

Flying Horse Editions

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I had been told to sketch Flying Horse Editions by several readers. When I contacted them, Theo Lotz quickly said, “Yes, come on down!” Flying Horse Editions is located in the UCF Center of Emerging Media building right across from the Bob Carr and the old Amway Arena. For some reason there was an old steam locomotive in the parking lot of the Arena. I was happy I didn’t have to pay to park. Simple pleasures. The hallway leading to Flying Horse Editions had computer workstations for student. Right in the entry there was an old wooden press that could have been used for the Gutenberg bible. I immediately wanted to sketch, but no one was using the press so I went inside.

Theo, dressed all in black, introduced himself and showed me around. The room was immense and immaculate, filled with dozens of presses both old and new. They do limited edition fine art prints here of the highest caliber. They had just finished 2 run of 15 prints by artist Carmon Colangelo. The boxed set was bought by the Saint Lewis Museum of Art. Student Ashley Taylor was working the press right in front of me. She was experimenting on a way to reproduce some spiral patterns by artist Tom Nozkowski using relief printing techniques. Elizabeth Moorefield was in constant motion, talking on the phone and working on her laptop. Larry Cooper was building boxes that would hold prints.

Theo asked me if I wanted a scoop for my story. “Of course I do!” I said. “Well, Ashley just found out she is getting a full scholarship at the University of Florida. We are all so proud of her!” he said. Ashley smiled shyly. I was fascinated by the large trays of old letterpress leads. The typeface was an old western font. I wondered what they had been used for. Theo suggested I come back when there was an artist in residence. Things get crazy when an artist is given free reign and people stop sleeping. This place was a treasure trove of sketch opportunities and I look forward to returning. I congratulated Ashley as I left.