A quite New Year’s Eve.

Posted on by Thor

On New Year’s Eve, I ventured out right at sunset to do one last sketch of holiday decorations. I drive past this house every day and the lawn is covered with flaccid piles of plastic. The plan was to go to Drip for New Year’s Eve, so I wanted to get the sketch done early so that I could just be social a the party. Rudolf’s head rotated left and right surveying the scene. There was an inflatable manger as well, but it was partially inflated, y it was hard to figure out who was who. The helicopter rotor kept turning, but sadly the minions didn’t slide down the slide that looked like a high healed shoe.

A woman, whom I had startled on a previous sketch outing walked by with her dog, Shadow, and l presume her daughter and possibly her mother. She asked if I was an artist and when l responded, “yes I am”, she replied, “Well isn’t that nice. ” It was nice to see a family going out for an evening stroll together. A dad and his daughter walked by and he made some remark, suggesting his daughter should fly the helicopter. Fireworks burst in the distance, possibly from Sea World or Disney. Smaller fireworks were also being shot out over the lakes in the neighborhood.  I was actually sweating the entire time I sketched. Winter seems to have forgotten Orlando this year.

Instead of going out, I took a long hot bath to relax. Zorro our pet cockatoo sat on a wicker basket on the bathroom sink counter. When I slipped into the tub, he got curious and marched over. The counter overlooked the tub,and he stood at the edge and bowed his head down looking like he wanted to jump in. Now, a cockatoo isn’t like a duck, they don’t have webbed feet and they can’t swim. He changed his mind, and instead grabbed my eye glasses and threw them in the tub to spite me. I splashed water on him, and he didn’t like that one bit. He backed up, but a portable mirror on the counter got in his way. Trying to back up around it, he slipped and fell off the counter. He flapped his wings to cushion the fall, and ended up flying directly into the tub. I scooped him up before he went under water, but he got soaked. I put him back on the counter, and he marched back to the safety of his basket. When he perched on the wicker handle, he lifted a soaking wet claw and looked at it in confusion as water dripped from his talon. He certainly helped make the final moments of the year unexpectedly entertaining.

Take A Look, And You Will See Into Your Imagination!

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 On Third Thursday, I wandered downtown to see what art exhibits were opening up. On the drive, Terry called me to let me know there was an outdoor concert in front of the Doctor Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. I decided that DPAC therefor was my sketch opportunity for the night. I stopped quickly into City Arts Factory to see how the Square exhibit looked hung. I submitted one square print and it was nestled in neatly among many of he talented local artists. My print hung just inches from the incredibly talented Rebecca Rose, also nearby was Boy Kong, Andrew Spear, Jennifer Payne, and Scott White. I made an impulse buy and purchased a print by Plinio Pinto. It is now hanging in my living room. The curator didn’t want me to take it off the wall right a way. He suggested I return at the end of the evening. 


I started hoofing it down to DPAC to sketch the concert. On the way I ran into Joe Rosier who had grown out his white beard and had on a red Santa cap and a red shirt. His plan was to get some fish and chips at the Irish Pub before he started gallery hopping. We walked past two women smoking outside the pub. One shouted out, “Hey Santa, you should come inside, you would be the life of the party.” Joe turned to her and said, “First let check my list, I have to see if you’ve been naughty or nice.” Since I wanted to get to the concert to sketch, I left Santa as he finalized the negotiation. When I got to DPAC, the concert was over and chairs were being folded up and stacked away. Alright, change of plans there had been a trio performing at Avalon Island. That was my new sketch opportunity. 


As soon as I entered The Gallery at Avalon Island (39 S Magnolia Ave, Orlando, FL) I bumped into Kathy Blackmore. I had worked with her at Disney Feature Animation and at Full Sail University. [ miss the camaraderie, laughter and insanity of those times. The Gallery was presenting Take A Look, And You Will See Into Your Imagination! an exhibition that features children’s book artists and illustrators. Kathy’s children’s book illustrations were part of the exhibit. After a quick walkabout, I started sketching. At two tables there was brown packing tape acting as a table cloth and canvas. Colorful markers in a cup acted as the center piece. I was delighted when Tori Kelly and her two children started sketching on the brown paper. Kids sketch with such confidence, They still enjoy the simple pleasure of putting lines on a page. Children’s book illustrator, Ethan Longjoined the kids and he showed them how to draw on of his characters. The kids were mesmerized soaking in his every pencil stroke with their hungry eyes.

A gentleman and two women sat across from me. He started drawing an intricately branched tree with a purple bird perched way up high. Earlier in the day, a repairman had told me the he let his Moluccan Cockatoo climb the branches in a large tree in his yard. His bird would climb to the highest branches and then come back down when called. Zorro, our Umbrella Cockatoo had never experienced that freedom. Hawks and falcons can sometimes be seen circling overhead. As protective owners we would never risk allowing Zorro to climb beyond our reach. He might climb to the top and never look down, requiring a call tot fire department to get the hook and ladder.

 It turned out that the sketcher across from me was the husband of  Zebo Ludvicek, one of the artists whose work was on exhibit. She asked to see my sketchbook when I had finished sketching the trio. She took her time flipping through the pages, she seemed to truly like what I do.  Her husband reaffirmed her sincerity saving, ” She means it, she doesn’t usually like anything.” We chatted for quite. a while about art, both digital and traditional before I decide to get a beer with a day of the dead skill on it which was laced with Taquilla. It gave me an immediate headache.

Kathy was in a conversation with artists Anne Jewett, and Janeen Mason. Janeen said she would give me the name of a friend of hers who lives in Saint Augustine. That city has a law that make creating art in public spaces a crime punishable with a fine of $500 and or 60 days in jail. There is a demonstration in Saint Augustine on December 21st against this insanity and I plan to drive over that way to sketch the demonstration. Janeen’s friend is on the Saint Augustine historic preservation committee and she might help get me out of jail if I am caught sketching. Anne told me about a unique crowd funding source for artists called something like Patrion. People pay a small sum, like a dollar to see sketches for a project as it progresses. It is an ingenious idea and I plan to research it more. It could bring what seemed lit an impossible dream to life. I also have I say that Anne’s illustrations were magical with a old world classical glow. If you happen to be walking by Avalon check out her work in the front windows. It will amaze you.

The only other artists that I didn’t meet were, Fred Koehler,  and Loreen Leedy.The Avalon exhibit was clearly my favorite discovery for the evening. The show will be on display at the gallery until January 16th. The children’s books are available at Bookmark It (3201 Corrine Dr #109, Orlando, FL).

Fireworks

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In the week between Christmas and New Year’s day, all the large tents on Colonial Drive are converted from selling Christmas Trees to selling fireworks. Dry Christmas Trees and fireworks are both explosive with a simple spark. The proprietor of this fireworks tent actually has a little pup tent set up inside where he sleeps at night. You can buy anything from firecrackers to large mortars. Boxed sets are arranged on most of the shelves offering a wide variety of bangs for the buck. A bus stopped, dropping off passengers. They narrowly avoided getting hit by oncoming traffic as they crossed Colonial. A busted strip mall sign was naked allowing the wind to blow through the rusty frame.

On New Year’s Eve, Zorro my pet cockatoo raised his crest in surprise and concern every time a rocket blast echoed down our suburban street. New Year’s Eve isn’t his favorite holiday.  I sat watching a Twilight Zone marathon until minutes before midnight and then I switched the channel to watch the ball drop in Times Square. Years ago I was in that crowd with friends, and we ripped up our Playbill programs from the play we had just seen, creating confetti. In downtown Orlando, a beach ball sized ball was suspended from a flag pole above Latitudes bar. Illuminated with orange Christmas lights, it didn’t pack quite the same punch as the Times Square ball.

Milk Carton Superstars

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The third band I saw as part of I-4 Fest, inside Austin’s Coffee (929 W. Fairbanks Ave. Winter Park) on July 4th was Milk Carton Superstars. They had gone the extra mile by having an American flax covering the speakers. They also had their own LED lighting although it wasn’t needed since it was really bright outside. Milk Carton Superstars are a couple guys shaking riffs and rhymes out of thin air and turning them into rock & roll songs.


The band formed in early 2007 when longtime friends
Guy Larmay (guitars, bass, other) and Jim Myers (vocals, drums, other
also) began writing songs together again for the first time. They are
based in Mt. Dora.

The music was hard hitting rock and roll. My wife, Terry, hadn’t finished her crossword puzzle yet because a coffee had been spilled on it. We decided we had seen enough local music for one day.  I drove near Lake Eola where streets were already blocked off for the July 4th fireworks display. I didn’t want to deal with the inevitable traffic, so I drove to Boston Market where we had a holiday feast. After that, we drove straight home, where I watched war movies for the rest of the night as fire crackers and bottle rockets exploded around the quiet suburban streets. Zorro, an umbrella cockatoo, didn’t much like the noise. He raised his crest every time there was an explosion.

Thanksgiving

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For Thanksgiving, Terry and I drove down to Port Charlotte to visit my sister Pat Boehme. The two hour drive was surprisingly care free. Terry slept most of the way down as I drove. We were surprised we didn’t hit traffic around Disney or near Tampa. Zorro, our umbrella cockatoo, made the trip as well, hanging upside down from the bars in his travel cage most of the way. When we arrived, Pat told us that the turkey was ready. She had prepared a delicious traditional feast. I love those crunchy bits she puts on top of the green beans. After several servings of turkey and stuffing, we all started to slow down.

I did dishes while Mike Napolitano showed Terry some of the new plants in the backyard. Then we all retired to the living room. Mike watched football games on TV. Terry reclined on the couch opposite me and drifted off in a tryptophan induced sleep. Zorro was happy as he could be perched on her knee.

The road Pat and Mike live on is going to soon be expanded with a traffic circle added to the corner they live on. When all the construction is done, their little slice of tropical paradise will have been decimated. Most of their side and front yard will be gone and the drainage ditch will be right next to the house like a medieval mote. They are afraid that the homes foundation might be compromised. They had hoped the town or county might buy the property so they could afford to move, but no offer has been made. An Orlando lawyer is now involved on the case.

Chief’s Bird Cabin

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I came back from New Orleans before Terry since I had a commissioned painting I had to get started. The painting for Margot Knight, had to be drawn in such a way that I could let people lay in the establishing brush strokes at a farewell party in her honor. I had to supervise as people brushed in colorful washes. It was difficult to give up some control, but I’m finding the painting is progressing quickly as I adjust the final painting around those initial colors.

Anyway, I had to pick up Zorro, our Umbrella Cockatoo, from his vacation at the Bird Cabin. Once Zorro saw me, he started screaming bloody murder until I got him out of the cage. Then he was happy as could be, saying “Hello” sweetly and swinging and dancing. I asked if his travel carrier was around, but it wasn’t. I faced the prospect of trying to drive him home without a carrier. I knew from past attempts that he would crawl up my arms onto the steering wheel and nip and shout for my undivided attention. He would cause an accident.

The woman in the shop let me borrow one of their carriers. Zorro wasn’t used to it, but he went inside knowing he was homeward bound. He chewed on the container with a vengeance the whole ride home. That night I let him cuddle with me as I watched TV in bed. He liked to slip under the covers and when I lifted the covers to look at him, he would make a soft playful hissing sound. He snuggled up against my waist making clicking noises with his beak as I pet his back and under his wings. It turned out he was nibbling at my belt loop with his strong beak and almost had it shredded clean 0ff. As I watched “The Walking Dead“, he was content to sit on my knee. I drew him with my digital tablet and I swear he was posing and smiling, content to have my attention.

Manatee Viewing Center

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Driving North from Port Charlotte on I-75, Terry and I needed a break and some gas. A sign on the off ramp announced a Manatee Viewing Area (6990 Dickman Road) and we decided to explore a bit. The viewing center is near Apollo Beach. Our destination was visible from miles away. We drove straight toward these billowing industrial smoke stacks.We pulled into a fenced in industrial parking lot. Zorro our pet cockatoo was in his travel cage in the back seat, so we decided to go one at a time to the viewing platform. Terry went first. Zorro and I patiently waited in the car. I noticed a “no pets” sign posted next to the gift shop. When she got back, Terry told me I had to do a sketch. She wanted to read a book while sitting on some picnic benches she had found. I carried Zorro’s cage to the picnic table. People kept asking questions about Zorro when Terry wandered off to use the bathroom. “How old is he?” “13.” “Does he talk?” “Yes, he says I love you and hello.” When Terry got back I quickly walked out to the viewing platform.

I didn’t see any Manatees in the murky green water but they were there. Manatees congregate here because the coal burning Big Bend Power Station pumps out warm water, which was used to cool unit 4, into the discharge canal that leads out to Tampa Bay. Manatees gather here when Tampa Bay’s water Temperature drops below 68 degrees. On January 15th and 16th the viewing center will be celebrating its 25th anniversary. Terry called me on my cell phone just as I was starting the sketch. She was being asked by a volunteer security guard to remove Zorro from the property. I had to lug his heavy cage back to the parking lot.

I made my way back to the viewing platform and got to work. A muffled recorded announcer kept repeating facts and figures over a loudspeaker. I couldn’t make out a word of it. I was halfway into the sketch when a female volunteer approached me. She asked what I was doing. My stomach tensed. Something about how she asked the question made me suspicious. I told her I was sketching. She told me that no pictures are allowed to be taken of the power plant for reasons of National Security. She told me there was a security officer at the power plant who kept an eye out for anyone taking pictures. I kept sketching the whole time she was talking. It turned out she was an artist herself. She asked me if I planned to exhibit my sketch. I decided to tell a white lie saying no one would ever see it. She tried to convince me to sketch the mangroves or drive a couple of miles down the road to sketch Apollo Beach. She didn’t stop me from sketching however. When she left she simply reminded me that pictures weren’t allowed. As I sketched I started to wonder if there was someone on the power plant with a sniper rifle and high powered scope watching my every move. I sketched faster. My experience has been, that after a warning, another person would invariably boot me from the property. Sure enough as I was throwing down watercolor washes, a volunteer in a wheel chair approached me. He asked, “What are you doing?” I sighed and replied, “Sketching.” He went on to tell me that one of the volunteers was an artist. I pointed out that I had already met her. He reminded me that no pictures were allowed, then he rolled away, happy. A female tourist asked to see the sketch and after complimenting me she pointed at the power station and said, “Pollution.”

I never did spot a manatee though I did see ripples in the water where the snouts would break the water line for a breath. I dropped the sketchbook off in the car before searching out a bathroom. I didn’t want to give any volunteers an opportunity to confiscate the sketch. Terry and I were happy to drive away. I should point out that I rerouted some of the pipes and I moved the position of one of the scrubbers to confuse any terrorists who might be using my sketch to hatch any devious plots.