Champs Sports Bowl Parade of Bands

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The Parade of Bands took place in Winter Park on the Great Lawn of Central Park. The two bands were from rivaling college football teams that would be playing the next day at the Citrus Bowl. There was a huge crowd of people on hand to see the parade. While walking toward the event I found myself behind a man with a walkie talkie and from his conversation I overheard that the bands were late.

I sat myself down and decided to sketch the waiting crowd. An area of lawn had been staked off with orange tape which I assumed would be he final staging area for the bands. An old man probably in his late 90’s was lying on the ground wrapped in a green blanket. Now this must have been a lifelong die hard fan. Many of the fans were elderly in walkers and wheelchairs. Children were also on hand running around and tossing footballs. In the sketch you can barley see a band as it marched down Park Avenue. I sketched in a hint of the tubas.

By the time the bands got to the staging area, I had finished the sketch and I started walking back to my truck. Throngs of football fans started flocking to the staging area. I had no desire to fight the growing crowd to sketch the bands proper. As I walked away, the battle of the bands was in full swing. I went home to warm up.

Christmas in the Park

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A free concert in Winter Park’s Central Park was the perfect way to get in the Christmas spirit. It was a very cold night for Orlando. I arrived maybe half an hour early and already the great lawn was packed with families who had come out with picnic baskets, blankets, wine and even fine china and candles for the occasion. I felt a bit unprepared with just a sketchbook, pen and some watercolors. After I set up my stool on the sidelines, Ken Sperduso walked up and said hello. Ken was a former Disney colleague and a wonderful painter. I hadn’t seen Ken in ages, it was a pleasant surprise. His whole family was camped out not far behind me. Ken said he recognized me from behind because of the sketchbook in my lap.

Large shadow box containers were arranged on stage and around the lawn, housing original Tiffany stained glass windows which were created for a church in NYC in the early 1900’s. At the start of the concert they all were illuminated from behind. The instant they blazed brightly, the crowd burst forth with applause. It is rewarding to hear people applaud for visual art. These amazing works had iridescent colors that only Tiffany could perfect in molten glass. This display was made possible thanks to the Morse Museum which houses the world’s largest collection of Tiffany’s work.

The concert featured the Bach Festival Choir and Brass Ensemble. As I sketched, I pulled my hands up into the sleeves of my sweatshirt to try and keep them warm. Periodically I had to blow into my cupped hands for added warmth. It felt like Christmas time. When I finished the sketch I walked around in the crowd for a while looking for a possible second sketch. I walked under a streetlamp so I could see the colors I had just painted for the first time. Mr. and Mrs. Claus were handing out candy to children. They were dressed in vintage 1900’s red wool and white fur outfits. They looked warm as they calmly posed for family photos. I considered a sketch but my fingers were cold, and the jolly couple were constantly on the move. The Park Avenue store windows glowed warm and inviting. With all the families huddling close together for warmth and the angelic voices of the children on stage singing, I started feeling out of place, alone, with only my obsessive compulsion to sketch as company. As I turned away and walked down Park Avenue towards my truck, I pulled the sweatshirt hood up over my head and felt instantly warmer. The children’s voices were still harmonizing behind me and I let the warmth spread as I walked briskly back toward home.

Poetry in Motion

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Emotions Dance Company held two performances of Poetry in Motion at the Winter Park Playhouse (711-C Orange Avenue, Winter Park). Local poets recited their work as the dancers bought the words to life with expressive dance. I asked Larissa Humiston the dance company’s choriographer and founder if I could sketch in the sound and lighting booth. She agreed and escorted me back through the dressing rooms and up a crude ladder made from nailed together two by fours. I knew it would be dark up there so I got out my book light. The entire show was dimly illuminated with simple spot lights on the poets and the main stage.

Tod Caviness recited a fabulous poem about a Punch and Judy puppet show in a park. “Everyone went home happy. Even the kids with swollen knuckles like wedding rings.” When ever Dion Smith performed, I had to stop sketching and just watch. She has the delicate features of a ballerina but fully embraced the modern dance she performed. Curtis X Meyer’s poem about a disfigured photographer was amazing when accompanied by dance. I had watched this piece in rehearsals and knew that Larissa had to step in to dance the part of the photographer since the male dancer kept missing rehearsals. She had an amazing ability to get completely lost in the music and she immediately made the role hers.

The whole cast did an amazing job. I am so happy I live in a town where such cutting edge, collaborative, expressive work is being created and performed.

East Orange Shooting Sports

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Katie Windish’s friend Arden Monroe suggested I come out to a shooting range to sketch. It was a crisp clear fall morning. I arrived at the East Orange Shooting Sports (7210 Gardner Street, Winter Park) perhaps fifteen minutes early since there was no traffic on the East West Expressway. Entering the parking lot my heart started pounding. I have never touched a gun in my life. The parking lot was almost full with perhaps twenty vehicles. When I killed the engine I suddenly heard the distant popping of the guns being fired. There was a bench next to the entrance and I sat next to a man wearing a Magic jersey. His exposed deltoid, biceps and triceps had a New Zealand style sharp spiraling tattoo that snaked down his arm. The American flag waved in the cool breeze beside me.

Toby Monroe walked up with a rifle case and several other smaller cases with hand guns. All the windows were barred. Hand guns and rifles decorated the walls behind the register.We all had to fill out release forms. Questions such as, “Have you ever been arrested? and, Are you an American Citizen?”, I quickly checked “No.” One question read, “Have you ever been depressed?” caused me to pause. Who hasn’t been depressed at some point? I decided to lie and checked “No.” We were given a quick five minute lesson on how to handle the guns on the range. The most important point being to keep the barrel of the gun always facing into the range. Katie and I got ear phones and protective goggles. When we entered the range the noise was deafening and constant. Katie was the first to fire and Toby showed her how to hold the handgun. I quickly blocked in the sketch. Her first shot was so loud that other shooters looked around with gun envy. The Luger spit out the empty bullet shell which ricocheted off the side barricade and flew back hitting me in the shoulder. I jumped and the line I was drawing swerved.

When it was my turn, Toby explained how to use the safety and how to hold the gun. Toby works for Kel-Tech designing and testing rifles and handguns. Many of the weapons we were shooting were new designs. I fired the Luger and was blinded and surprised by the muzzle flash and kickback. Araden let me shoot her grandfathers Sears revolver. I emptied the spent shells and reloaded. This gun had less of a kick and I felt a bit more confident with my aim. When we pulled back the target, clothes line style, I could see how I did. Arden said I had a good grouping most of my shots were in the area of the right lung. She said having a tight grouping is more important than hitting the bulls eye. I took comfort in that. I was glad I had even hit the target. I returned to the sketch adding color washes.

Toby pulled out the rifle which unfolded neatly. I had to take off the headphones and goggles to use this weapon in order to press my cheek up against the stock looking through the cross hairs. I emptied the entire clip into the target with spent shells arching to the floor all around me. Over lunch after, Toby said that countries that require all citizens to own a gun had less crime than any other country. Apparently there is a town in Texas that also insists that everyone must own a gun. For me, shooting guns at a range is a bit more exciting than bowling. Since I never bowl, I will probably never shoot.

Bullets cannot be recalled. They cannot be uninvented. But they can be taken out of the gun.
– Martin Amis

Winter Park Farmers Market

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I ran across the Winter Park Farmers Market as I was looking for a writing and yoga workshop. I never found the workshop so I returned to sketch the market. It seemed like every other person in the market had a dog. There were pugs, poodles, greyhounds and this furry beast who lunged forward whenever he saw another dog. The owner pulled back hard on the leash. An older man walking by said, “That is no way to treat a dog.” The yuppie just went on shopping.

Across from me there was bamboo for sale along with garden plants. The proprietor fingered his iPhone. There was local honey in the booth behind me. A little girl walked up to me and asked what I was drawing. I had met this child just a week before at a political forum. Small world.

When I finished the sketch, I began my search for some lunch. I found a small booth that served omelets. When I got t he omelet, I settled on a park bench to eat. The Winter Park historical society was on my right. A woman sat across from me and she must have noticed that I was studying the architecture. She said, “I can’t believe the building isn’t open when the market is open. They are missing a chance to get some foot traffic.” She then started to tell me all about the history of peacocks in Winter Park. The Tiffany’s had a large property where they let peacocks roam. Peacocks are in Winter Park to this day.

Britt Daley

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I had just finished up a Doctor Sketchy’s drawing session at Tatame Sake Lounge (223 West Fairbanks Avenue, Winter Park.) As I packed up my supplies, a woman walked in carrying various band equipment. After she leaned the equipment against the wall, she stood in the doorway. I recognized her, but I couldn’t place her in a recognizable context. I must have been staring because she finally pointed to me and said, “We met at Evan and Christy Miga’s house. The light bulb flickered on. Her name is Britt Daley and she helped Evan out by singing backup vocals for the hilarious, Dog Powered Robot.

She and her drummer Scott Christy began setting up on the small Tatame stage. I threw my backpack over my shoulder and started for the door. I planned to sketch at Tanqueray’s where Kaleigh Baker was performing. Britt caught me and said, “Your not leaving are you? You haven’t seen me perform.” I told he I had been sketching when she was interviewed on Orange TV. Then I agreed to stay and watch one set. Britt has been writing songs for years. Many deal with heart ache and not being able to let go. Her voice is silky smooth and the songs left me quietly sad. She shouted out, “I am dedicating this song to Christina, it is called ‘It’s Too Late’.” This song about a couple at a crossroads left me truly sad, there was only a faint quiver of hope that could only be found in the harmony itself. I was caught off guard. I didn’t expect to find original music with this much emotional depth to be sung in a small sake bar. I was struck to the core.

Between sets, James, the guitar player and drummer, sat next to me. He checked out the sketch and I explained that I didn’t have the time to get him in the sketch yet. He assured me that they would perform again. As “Sunlight in Her Hair” performed, I took the time to add color washes in the background. When Britt Daley took to the stage again, she noticed me sketching. She asked, “Are you sketching us?” When I nodded my head, she turned to the audience and said with childish delight, “Thor is sketching us!” Then she turned to me and said, “I want to see that when I get off stage.” The second set was just as good as the first. I felt emotionally drained when the sketch was complete. I did show her the sketch before I left, and she seemed pleased. I asked her for her cards, so I could learn more about her music. Listen to her songs online, you will be glad you did.

Orlando Improv Festival

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Mark Baratelli of theDailyCity.com organized the first annual Orlando Improv Festival. I know he has been organizing the event for months so I had to stop by the Winter Park Playhouse and see how the inaugural night played out. When I arrived Mark seemed a little harried but from the start I could see that the event was a success. The lobby of the playhouse is warm and inviting. There are comfortable couches and a full service bar. It has what I consider a Parisian flair. I sketched the box office where Dina Peterson and Ileana “Blue” Johns, were greeting people as they entered. Dina would chime in with, “So, are you here to see a show?” The lobby quickly filled up. Hannah Miller who was also a volunteer sat with her handmade high heeled bunny slippers, working diligently at sidoku on her cell phone. Rabbits that resembled Betsy Die’s wonderful quirky creations were everywhere. I texted Betsy and she explained that Mark had asked her to create rabbits as improv mascots. She didn’t want to spend the 2 hours needed to sew each rabbit. Mark recruited the mom of a friend who ended up sewing the lookalikes. Betsy did have final approval of the final product but some of the demonic charm was lost.
I heard a woman seated at the bar say to her friend, “I think that is Thor.” Since it is a small lobby, I heard her and walked over to say hello. Terry stopped in after work, but she had to get up early the next morning so she didn’t stick around for a show . Hannah and Mike Maples sat at my table and we talked and laughed for the longest time while I finished my sketch. Hannah and Mike went to get some sandwiches and we had dinner before finally heading in to see a show. when we entered the theater, it was pitch dark. I got my iPhone out to use as a flashlight and Hannah shouted out, “Hey help guide us in with your cell phones! ” I believe Sultana or Brian guided us to some seats in the third row.
Mark bounded on the stage and the crowd hooted and hollered . He introduced Boston Improv and everyone cheered. They had me laughing out loud from the start. Scenes changed quickly and the fast pace never slackened. 0ne scene was at a dating service where one woman was training another on how to act when first meeting her date. Someone was pulled from the audience and he was seated next to her. She pushed up right next to him and rubbed her head on his chest like a cat. when she was reprimanded she clutched his knee refusing to give him any space. When she was prompted to say something about herself she said, “I like to drug people while they are asleep.” I couldn’t stop laughing.
The second act I went to see was Droll Academy from Orlando. I was told they perform every week at “The Funky Monkey”. They started with musical improv which had me bopping my head to the beat while I laughed . They too pulled an audience member on the stage. They chose a beautiful Asian woman who they serenaded gently till the lyrics showed the truth, that they wanted to make love to her. As she stood embarrassed one actor writhed on the ground as he continued to sing.
Both performances I went to were packed and people lingered in the lobby between shows. I hope this festival grows and returns bigger and better each year.

Available

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For the entire month of August, performance artist Brian Feldman has decided to make himself “Available” to do anything you need help with. Do you need your car washed? Laundry folded? Lawn mowed? Dog walked? Dinner prepared? Someone to go shopping with? Someone to see a movie with? Kids watched? Help crossing the road? Services of the self-proclaimed greatest designated driver of all time? Just fill out the form and he is available for you. It is like hiring a friend to help out for FREE!
One request caught my eye from the start. Karen Cali (KC), a figurative artist, wanted Brian to post nude for her. As KC wrote, “I do charcoal work from the figure and there’s a shortage of male models in general and my money to pay models in particular.” There was a mad flurry of e-mails as this private sketch session was arranged. Several sketch locations were considered and then discarded, including the Mobile Art Show and Blank Space. Since I was having a sketchbook display at Frames Forever & Art Gallery, we finally decided this would be the perfect spot for a quiet Sunday morning sketch session. Katie Windish, who owns the shop, is still offering huge clearance discounts on everything in stock. She even bought in a whole pile of art books, DVDs and other items from home. She had a tiny digital camera that she wanted to sell and before Brian got to the shop we duck taped it to the far wall opposite from where he was going to pose. We made no effort to disguise the camera, we just wanted to see if he would ever notice it. It took him about half an hour, but when he did notice it we all had a good laugh.
KC had bought her own artist sketch bench and a flood lamp. Brian hung a black drape over the windows of the shop door. KC and I dropped our cell phones off in the back room of the shop with Katie. She was busy working on a framing job and wasn’t prepared to see Brian nude, so she stayed hidden. She did stop out when Brian had a break and was in his bathrobe. I showed her my drawing but kept my thumb over the private parts. KC did a great job of posing Brian and reassuring him as he found his pose. He is actually a really good model since many of his performances involve stamina and patience. KC did two drawings and I worked on this blog sketch. The second pose was a standing pose, and offered the full monty. I decided to stick with this sketch where his clenched hands hide his privates. I have a newfound respect for the lengths Brian will go to for the sake of his art.

From the Heart

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Terry told me about this free fundraising concert to help raise funds to help fight cancer. The concert took place at Trinity Prep Academy (5700 Trinity Prep Lane, Winter Park). We walked in without any high expectations. I picked out a front row seat with a clear view of the piano. As we sat and waited, I penciled in the details of the stage. I figured when the performers arrived I would ink them in. Norah Jones was singing soulfully over the speakers to the audience as they arrived. We had just seen her in concert the previous night and I was smitten. She is following me and haunting my thoughts.
Nassi Brandes sat at the piano and opened the event with a quick piece. Then a series of speakers explained the importance of the evening to the audience. 14 Arab and 14 Jewish children with life threatening cancer had traveled to Orlando from their everyday lives isolated in hospital beds and treatment rooms to get a chance to just be kids and play in the Orlando theme parks. Politics of a war-torn Middle East mean little to these children. I glanced over and saw for the first time that an entire section of the audience was filled with children wearing white shirts. One girl had a gauze eye patch on and and I suddenly realized these were the children. Their travel had been organized by Travel Holdings. Give Kids The World organized a morning at their World Village and the children would also gain access to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios and all of the Disney theme parks.
The concert was fabulous. As Aviva Avidan sang an Israeli song some of the children started to dance. I noticed Terry looking over and when she turned to me there were tears in her eyes, which she quickly wiped away. The final act was a folk-pop-rock band called “The Wellspring.” One of their songs called “Put up a Fight” reminded me that Terry and I need to continue to fight to regain common ground from which we can once again grow together. We haven’t yet lost the war. Their final song had a beat that you simply have to dance to. Suddenly all the children got up on stage and started to dance. They all moved with pure joy and abandon. Celebrate life! Live, Laugh, Love, Sing! Life is too short, so make this and every moment count!

sleepwalk 2: i walk over you

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The week Winter Park hosted the 51st Annual Sidewalk Art Festival, Katie Windish of Frames Forever & Art Gallery hosted the 2nd Annual Outsider Art Fair in the parking lot of her framing shop. I like the sound of being an outsider, so I agreed to exhibit a bunch of my prints from sketches done around town. Doug Rhodehamel also was going to be there making paper bag mushrooms and this was going to be an opportunity for me to get a sketch of him at work.
I got to the Outsider Art Fair a little late and found I had to squeeze in to make some space for my work. I had just exhibited my work in theTheDailyCity.com Mobile Art Show and so I had a pile of prints which had been used to wallpaper the entire inside of the truck. I simply threw the pile of prints down on the pavement and let people who were interested flip through. I think I sold just 2 prints that day but I got to meet so many great artists. Tracy Burke was working on a large portrait of Pete Townsend in bold black and white brush work with just a touch of warmth added for the flesh tones. I was impressed by her work, yet didn’t interrupt her to talk. I have bumped into her several times since and I keep trying to arrange to try and sketch her at work.
Towards the end of the day, I finally went up to the front of the shop to see Brian Feldman’s performance called “sleepwalk 2: i walk over you.” I set up across the street and watched Brian as he stumbled back and forth on the scaffolding that was set up in front of the shop. With the original “sleepwalk,” Brian slept for 50 straight hours while people were allowed to walk over him. This time, the bystanders were under the scaffolding while Brian sleepwalked above them for 8 hours. A small sign read, Shout out, “Why don’t you get a room?” A mother encouraged her little girl to shout this up to Brian in order to get a 1 inch button. He had a face mask on and thus really couldn’t see where he was going. The metal railings were the only thing keeping him from falling to the ground.