The Weekly ‘Best of Orlando’ Party

Posted on by Thor

On August 30th The Orlando Weekly came out with its “Best of Orlando” issue. I was invited to the Best of Orlando party at The Beacham, so I knew I was nominated. I flipped through the paper that morning while in the last class of the month with my Full Sail animation students. I found myself listed in the “Best Visual Artist” category taking second place. Andrew Spear, who’s murals can be seen all around the Mills/5o District took first place, and Boy Kong, who is also an Urban Muralist took third place. From doing this blog, I’ve met many amazing artists in this town so I’m humbled by the recognition. I’m pretty sure I was nominated because I celebrate and report about all this amazing talent in town. The Orlando Weekly also came up with a new category of “Best Urban Sketcher” and since I’m the only person who is Urban Sketching in Orlando I got a one paragraph write up.

I have family visiting Orlando from all over the country and Germany, but I had to take the time to sketch this blow out party at The Beacham.  Since I would be sketching, Terry decided to visit my family while I worked. There was a short line to get into the club. A group of people behind a barricade shouting in excitement. One of them rushed up to someone in front of me and asked for his autograph. Then one of the excited fans asked for an autograph from the guy behind me. The fan said, “I loved your last picture!” and then squealed when he got the autograph. My last picture, a sketch of National Dance Day wasn’t half bad. How come no one asked for my autograph? Alright, shake it off, they are only actors adding a red carpet sense of excitement to the event. I was tempted to get out of line and sketch the screaming fans, but then decided my focus should be on the movers and shakers inside.

A bouncer actually had to check my ID to be sure I was of drinking age, as if my grey hair wasn’t ID enough for my age. I immediately decided that I needed a slightly elevated view. There was a giant bouncer in a yellow shirt at the bottom of the staircase. I was told only VIPs could go upstairs. I told him I was the media, but he didn’t buy it. I tried the other staircase and was blocked by another Yellow bouncer. I then found Erin Sullivan the Orlando Weekly senior editor and she told me the password which was something like, “Orlando Life”. I shouted the password in the bouncer’s ear and he let me pass. I had my tablet in the bag, but since this was such an expansive view, I pulled out my largest sketch book. As I started the sketch, Graham Jarrett, the Publisher of the Orlando Weekly was one of the first people to say hello. I was surprised he knew who I was.

I should have had business cards because I met a dozen or so interesting people. One woman knew of another event sketcher and she asked me if I would consider sketching her wedding. Since I’ve done this before, I stopped sketching long enough to give her my information. A few people stopped to watch me work. I become slightly self conscious when someone watches, but then get lost in the process again in no time. I tried talking to several people but the music was too loud. A Weekly intern stopped by several times and took photos as the sketch progressed. I spotted Hurricane Maria at the bar and Wendy Claitor on the floor. Andrew Spear found me and we posed for a photo. As he left, he said, “You keep working, I’m going to get drunk.” Someone else told me, “You already won, you should be drinking and celebrating!” All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Next to me a couple started making out as the music heated up. I was rushing to finish the sketch so I could meet my wife and family later that night. Patrick Kahn, and his wife Holly greeted me warmly as I was finishing the sketch. Patrick opened Snap! Orlando this year and already the new gallery won the ‘Writers Pick Award’ for ‘Best New Art Venue, and Snap won ‘Readers Pick’ awards at #2 for ‘Best Gallery’ and #3 for ‘Best Arts Event/Festival.’ I’m so happy my first solo exhibition was at Snap. They took such good care of me and I feel like I’m part of the Snap family. Devin Dominguez said hello and asked, “Where is Terry?” I shouted back, “She’s with family!” “Aren’t you family?” she said. Jokingly I responded, “I used to be.”

As I walked back to my car, I called Terry to see if I should drive over to the hotel. She said, “Your too late, I’m about to leave.” Why can’t I sketch faster? While lost in the precess, it seemed like time stood still, I was catching a fleeting moment, but actually hours had passed.  On Facebook, Suzannah Gilman remarked, “No category, for ‘Best Wife of an Urban Sketcher’?! What is UP with THAT?” She makes a good point. It takes a saint to put up with my daily sketch obsession.

The Holy and Obscene

Posted on by Thor

On my drive to The Falcon (819 E. Washington Street, Suite 2, Orlando, Fl), the skies to the north loomed ominous with lightning flashes and low rumbling thunder. I was on my way to see the first solo show of Morgan Wilson. I’ve seen Morgan’s work a number of times around town, and I’ve seen her paint. This show was appropriately titled “The Holy and Obscene“. Morgan paints beautiful women but each piece has a dark and sensual subplot. I admire the chances she takes by focusing on themes far astride of what is often seen in this homogeneous white bread theme park town. Tod Caviness who was at the bar with his wife Christin, bought me a beer, a Spitzen Oktoberfest brew that quickly went to my head. I hope they weren’t insulted by the fact that I immediately wandered off to sketch.

I met Blair Richardson, a dear friend of the artist, who was the model for the center painting in this sketch. She confided that Morgan had asked to take pictures of her. When Blair asked what the photos were for, Morgan explained that it was a surprise. When Blair walked into the exhibition, tears welled up in her eyes when she saw the painting. A crown of  thick nails were driven into the painting.  Morgan was humbled to know that her work could elicit such a strong emotional response. She then joked, that maybe her friend was just vain. I doubt that. Each painting was in an intricate frame that accentuated the sensuality.

As I sketched, the exhibit became increasingly crowded. The Falcon barista, Wendy Claitor let me know that Melissa Schumann, the owner of the Falcon said that my beers were on the house.  Well heck, I’ll have another then! I needed to refill my water brush, so I took out a vile and syringe that I use to get water in the brush handle. I like the fact that it makes me look a bit like a drug addict. I’ve done this a thousand times, but this time, I misjudged and pulled on the syringe plunger too hard. It popped loose sending the pink plastic bottle crashing to the floor and water sprayed everywhere soaking my sketch and pants. Artist Janae Corrado helped me recover the bottle and all the pencils that fell off my lap when I jumped up in surprise. Janae remarked that, “At least the beer didn’t spill!” I really shouldn’t drink and draw. I’m such a lush.

A red dot was placed under the round painting of a woman with a gold tiara that said “Fuck“. Another painting was of one of the Yow Dancers all in blue with golden armor. A huge slug mounted a nude woman on all fours. Morgan posed for photos and discussed her work with patrons. Two guys seated next to me where discussing Morgan’s work. She had decided to work on a sketch at a table outside and one of the men went out to watch her. When he returned, he said you can learn much about an artist by seeing how they work. He was fascinated by Morgan claiming she was more interesting than her paintings. I can’t imagine why anyone would want to separate the two. He felt that many of the paintings resembled the artist. Apparently a painting of a woman with a ruffled collar had to be reworked multiple times because Morgan kept painting the penis too big. The guys joked that she needed to paint many more cocks till she got it right.

Morgan explained, “I tried to avoid being too ‘preachy’ with the theme, but there’s definitely some undertones of religion and royalty! My work is meant to create a meeting place for the elevated and degraded, the holy and obscene. My most recognizable theme, through all mediums, is a pervasive sexuality. At times subtle and sensual, there is always a lurking secret begging to be discovered by my viewers, the incidental voyeurs. Peering into a world meant to mirror every dark velvety desire, even those unrealized or unimagined. I aim to remind the viewer that desire and despair are not deep-buried things: they exist in every detail of who we are. In a way, the things we love and fear are what make us more than simply human.”

Mark your Calendar! Morgan’s work is on display at the Falcon through September 26th. I’m a huge fan of this woman’s work. Don’t miss it.

PORN Art Exhibit at the Falcon

Posted on by Thor

For the month of February, local artists are exhibiting PORN Art at the Falcon,(819 E Washington St
Orlando, FL). This exhibit will be up for the entire month of February. I couldn’t resist doing a sketch that ties in with the shows theme. From the event page on Facebook I found a dancer who was interested in posing for the sketch. He put out feelers to see if a female dancer was also willing to pose. The week before the show, I had the dancers pose naked on a futon in the studio. They posed in an sensual embrace and I sketched them feverishly. The sketch worked well. We had time to spare, so we tried a second pose where they embraced sitting up with her in his lap. Unfortunately his leg turned blue and fell asleep. The second pose was a bit too adventurous to hold. I didn’t mind since the first sketch was acceptable.

The opening for PORN was incredibly crowded.  People spilled out into the street. Tr3 Harris told me he was jealous because he knew the models who posed for my sketch. I don’t know how he found out their names, news travels fast in a small town. My sketch is being exhibited in the front room. An odd sculpted bull with a vagina for a head is above my piece. There was a woman wearing a Wonder Woman dress. I cursed myself for not having the room to fit her in the sketch I had started. Wendy Claitor helped me find a decent German beer to sip while I sketched. Morgan Wilson did a whole series of brightly colored slick oil paintings of women in porn. Two bright green women with magenta hair kissed, a purple woman was in a red blind fold, a middle finger was thrust up near a woman’s panties, a purple woman lay recumbent, her breasts thrust up as if she were pulling her nipples. Karen Russell showed a rather tame woman’s portrait that showed some bare shoulders. There was a magnifying glass to allow people to study a small golden sculpture. A man stood with a huge towel hiding his genitals. 3D glasses were available although I didn’t try them out to see if any body parts might thrust out of any canvases. Bernie Martin joined me at my table and he worked on a sketch of a ballerina using watercolor.

Safe porn themed Hollywood movies, like “Boogie Nights“, were being projected. At one point the guy in my sketch stood up and took off his jacket. He shouted, “Porn!” and started unbuttoning his shirt while shaking his hips Elvis style. He stopped after unfastening two buttons and sat back down. In many ways the show seems to have unbuttoned only part of the way. I was hoping to be shocked that Orlando had an undercurrent of lust and impropriety. I’m as guilty as any artist of keeping things PG in this theme park town. At least the show is a bold first step towards pushing the envelope.