Flying Horse Editions

Posted on by Thor

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.

Gratefully Dead Again

Posted on by Thor

I got a tip from Mark Johnson via Facebook that Further was going to have a concert at the UCF Arena. This band has many of the former Grateful Dead band members. He suggested I get to the Arena early to sketch as the bad ass aging Dead Heads gathered. Walking through the UCF campus I began to see pockets of brightly colored hippies. I walked all the way around the Arena looking for just the right cluster of individuals to sketch. A parking garage right behind the Arena had Grateful Dead music coming from an upper floor. I saw an open SUV tailgate and two grey bearded men in tie dye. I was tempted to go up but there was little light in the garage. I had to look further.

I finally decided to sit outside Tail Gaters Smokehouse. A fellow with a grey beard looked like he had just arrived on his Harley Davidson. He chewed on a tooth pic and sipped his beer. A couple exited the bar. He wore a hat with flames dancing around the rim and an amazing technicolor coat with a rainbow of dancing skeletons. She wore a vibrant rainbow colored dress and a wreath of flowers on her head. I tried to fit her in the sketch twice but she was constantly on the move posing for photos. One fellow with a Grateful Dead messenger bag kept his hand raised with one finger extended. He was probably looking to buy or sell one ticket. Tickets went for $65 to over $100. I wasn’t tempted to buy. Two college girls who looked like flower children danced to the music flowing from the bar. The lyrics caught my attention, “Every picture tells a story don’t it!” A backpacker wandered into the bar looking like he had just hitchhiked to the concert.

I actually went to a Grateful Dead concert when I was in high school. I didn’t have a drivers license yet so I got a ride from a co-worker named George from Zip-Mailing. I was earning money at this part time job to go to college. George had worked there for years. There were some strange scents at the concert, and I remember an amazing never ending drum solo that had everyone dancing in the aisles. I remember dancing with my eyes closed just letting the tribal beat move me. George got wasted, drinking far too many beers. The drive home was terrifying. He stopped once to puke out his driver’s side door. He wouldn’t give up the wheel saying he was fine. I eventually did get home, grateful to be alive.

Holi Festival at UCF

Posted on by Thor

Last year I sketched Holi Fest at the Citrus Bowl and had a blast. I got a tip that there was a Holi Fest celebration at UCF this year so I had to go. Holi is an Indian springtime celebration that celebrates the triumph of good over bad. Brightly colored ‘gulal‘ and ‘abeer‘ is rubbed on each others’ faces. It was a beautiful spring day and I relaxed as I walked past a large fountain in front of the school’s library. Students were sunning themselves and reading on the grass. I regretted never having attended such a gorgeous campus. The Holi celebration was being held behind the arboretum, I presumed that was because there would be a large open field for the crowds. When I got there, I found three or four families gathered around a garden hose. I almost walked by thinking the larger Festival must be just a little further. Everyone was already splashed with bright colors, I was in the right place.

Holi is a playful fun celebration. The boys chased the girls trying to cover them in powder. A girl shrieked as she ran barefoot through some pine cones. I sat under a pine tree and started sketching. The smaller celebration had an advantage in that it was more intimate and direct, I wasn’t distracted by a huge crowd. Several times couples approached me wanting to see what I was working on. They complimented me but I remained outside the celebration since I wasn’t once tagged with pigment. I was wearing paint splattered jeans and a multi stained shirt I wore to a DRIP dance company party, so I was ready for anything.

After all the colorful powders were thrown, a water fight began. Pigmented water was dumped and sprayed playfully. There is an amazing beauty to this colorful celebration. As I finished up my sketch I considered sketching a particularly brightly pigmented couple. She was coated in bright pink, magenta and purple while he was covered in reds, yellows. Then everyone gathered around the hose and it was sprayed fountain like straight up and everyone took a group shower washing away the colors. My job was done. I waved goodbye to several people who had approached me and headed off to find my next sketch.