Blank Canvas at OMA

On the first Thursday of every month the Orlando Museum of Art opens it's front gallery for local artists. It is an evening of art, food, drink and entertainment. This evening featured ten artists who would begin with a blank canvas offering patrons a chance to see their creative process. Walking the room, there were several painters, a print maker, jewelry maker and a sculptor working in the center of the room with a model. The model was all legs in a bikini. I circled around the sculptor and his model several times but I couldn't find a place to plant myself so I moved on.

The print maker was using leaves and other natural found objects to begin her multi layered prints. A painter blocking in a traditional portrait didn't appeal to me. A young woman strummed her guitar. I finally settled myself next to a jewelry maker to sketch this group of artists working on three large space themed canvases. The closest canvas depicted a satellite circling Earth. The painter let a little boy put down some bold strokes of blue on the painting. The planets on the central painting began as faintly fogged in orbs on a dark canvas. As I sketched the planets were painted in thick impasto.

Denise Lebenstein a friend from college days was in town and she leaned against the wall behind me. I hadn't seen her in 20 plus years. I interrupted the sketch to give her a hug. I told he I'd seek her out when I was finished with the sketch. She checked out the museum with her friend Patti while I worked. Joe Rosier took a break from selling drink tickets and he shook my hand. Laughing, he wanted to know why I wasn't sketching the beautiful model in the middle of the room. A puppeteer from Pinocchio's Marionette Theater introduced herself. She said she saw me sketching a performance of Aladdin's Magic Lamp. I don't remember ever sketching that show. As she spoke, I kept wracking my brain, confused.

As I finished up, Denise stopped back to check on my progress. I put away my sketchbook and ventured out into the rain with her and Patti to get some Vietnamese food at Viet Garden. We had fun recollecting memories about our times in art school in NYC. It's odd how selective memories can be. She remembered that we once went to a Broadway show on New Year's eve. Watching the play we could hear the crowds gathering in Times Square. The play over, we ventured out into the massive crowd. We tore up our programs and used them as confetti at midnight when the ball dropped. I had totally forgotten about that night. Neither of us could recall the play.

Dandelion

I went to Dandelion Communitea Cafe after work with the notion that I would sketch their weekly potluck dinner. There was no potluck when I arrived so I ordered a chili and a cinnamon apple tea. I sat in the corner and surveyed the main dining room. I had just started the sketch when my chili and tea arrived. The chili was sooo good and piping hot. My iced tea was good as well. I always get intimidated when there are so many teas to choose from. I dread getting some weird hippie blend that tastes like dirt. Not that I have ever tasted a dirt tea mind you. The point being, I was pleasantly surprised.

Beside me a young college girl was talking to her mom about the challenging classes she was taking. She is also a DJ at the school radio station, playing music at some ungodly hour. I sketched the two couples, a child and young man seated around the table in the center of the room. I love the orange and yellow fabric ceiling which slopes up like a tent towards the globe shaped light fixture. I was delighted to see that one of my invitations for models to join the Mennello Museum mural line was up on the bulletin board in the hallway.

All the art on the walls was by Brian MacGregor. There were waves inspired by the Japanese wood prints of Hokusai, and exotic women floated in surreal skys. Brian described his work as figurative surrealism. The paintings looked like oil on a smooth surface like wood. They all had a high level of polish and they were very affordable.

Costume Contest

Terry was at the bar with a co-worker when I arrived at Taste for the Anime Masquerade. When I started a second sketch of the cast of characters at the end of the bar, she decided to head home. Neither of us were in costume, so we kind of stuck out from the crowd. After the burlesque, there was a costume contest on the main stage. There was a cat lady with flaming red hair, that masked guy from Vendetta, some hooded guy who was perhaps a hangman, and some guy who I think was a Cheshire Cat. Lets face it, I don't know enough about Anime or video games to know who was who. There were some choice prizes however from "A Comic Shop." Next time I should make more of an effort.
The evening was a challenge. Everyone was constantly on the move in the tight space. Every sketch swam in a sea of uncertainty. I am starting to realize that I should ask people to pose. Some of the costumes were so complex and beautiful that I am certain that the creator would be honored to pose. I need to stop trying to catch the big picture sometimes and instead go in for the close up.

This was a very crowded and successful event. I've been told that these kind of costumed events happen fairly regularly in Orlando. If you know of such events please contact me here or on Facebook. I would love to keep sketching these types of events.

Anime Masquerade

The Anime Masquerade was held at Taste to help raise funds for Japanese relief. At the bar people gathered in costumes to drink. Apparently there is a new phenomenon in which people dress as their favorite video game or anime character and then go places where others do the same. In the back room Anime themed paintings lined the walls. This was a difficult event to sketch since the people in costumes were constantly on the move, voguing for one camera and then another. I sat on the steps to the stage. On the table in front of me, a man and woman in kimonos, named Hai and Nhi, were displaying art work. A sketch that reminded me of self portraits by Egon Schiele was lying on the table along with a tip jar. A woman dressed like Speed Racer wandered the room.

A woman climbed past me to get on stage. She announced a burlesque show. Behind her a blue satin bolt of fabric hung from the ceiling. Honey Malone took to the stage and wrapped herself in the fabric. What followed was an aerial act and burlesque that had me mesmerized. I stopped sketching and just watched. She held herself suspended by just wrapping her legs in the fabric.

The woman dressed as Speed Racer also did a burlesque. She began in a car seat acting like she was driving. She got up took off the helmet and let her long blonde hair flow free. It wasn't long before her blue costume was lying on the stage and she danced with tasseled pasties decoratively spinning on her chest. My reflexes weren't quick enough to catch the action. Actually as I think back, I wasn't paying much attention, since I was engrossed in finishing another sketch. Yes... That's right, I didn't see a thing.

Austin's Coffee

Austin's Coffee (929 West Fairbanks Avenue) has become a spot where I can wind down after work. I often have an hour or two to kill before heading off to sketch an event and it would make no sense for me to drive all the way home. I usually order a Yak which is a cold coffee with caramel and chocolate. 0h, it is so good. That is my coffee with the plastic domed lid and a straw in the lower right corner. I like to sit up on the staging area in front of the front window. The wooden tables and chairs are fancifully painted. Then, as I sip my coffee, I start sketching fellow patrons.

This fellow was using Austin's as his office. There is free Wi-Fi. He complained to a buddy about the job market and he refused to go back to an office where he was asked to work overtime with no extra pay. The odd painting behind him caught my eye. Larvae or grasshopper people were caught in a violent looking copulation embrace. The colors dripped and splashed with few features to define pleasure or pain. Each brick on the wall is individually painted in the entry area. The place is a constant visual feast.

Four Rivers

I am now on a quest to sketch the longest lines in Orlando. I put out a Facebook status asking where I should look. I got thirteen responses and four of those suggested I sketch the line of people waiting for Barbecue at Four Rivers Smokehouse (2103 W Fairbanks Ave.) I had been to Four Rivers before and indeed the line went out the door. Excited, I decided I had to sketch that night. Terry was at a writing workshop in the same neighborhood, so I planned to stop by and visit once my sketch was done.

It was a hot muggy evening. I sat in the shade of a church across the street. Sadly there was no epic line of people waiting. There was a steady stream of people coming and going so I figured the line might develop and grow as I sketched. Dave from the Auto Spa of Winter Park diagonally across the street from Four Rivers took an interest in what I was doing. He said, "You know that place is the best thing to happen to this neighborhood in 20 years. The place was intended to just house a catering business, but people kept stopping by for BBQ. The owner is a religious man and he had a vision of eventually owning 24 stores. He never wants to franchise. So within one year, he now has a place in Winter Garden and another one opening in Altamonte Springs."

When I finished my sketch I decided I had to order something. I got a "Burnt Ends" sandwich with beef brisket and pork together. I ordered a small side of macaroni and a Mountain Dew as well. The sandwich was good with a subtle lingering heat that warmed my throat. The macaroni and Dew helped cut the heat. I was full after finishing half of the sandwich. There were some hot sauces on the counter outside but I'm not that adventurous. Eight picnic tables were arranged out back and they were all occupied. I watched as people came and went from the gravel parking lot. Misters and industrial fans kept things cool.

Dead Men Chase no Tail

I decided to go to Austin's Coffee (929 W. Fairbanks Avenue) to join "Sketchy Broads" for an evening of sketching. It was pouring on my drive over from work. All day there had been tornado warnings across Central Florida. I made sure my sketch books were in plastic bags and then I sprinted through the parking lot to the back door. I ordered a Yak which is a frozen coffee with caramel and chocolate. Sean Moore, Austin's owner and coffee expert, told me he had peaked over my shoulder the last time I had stopped in for a sip and a sketch. He liked what I was working on and invited me to exhibit my work on the coffee shop walls. I always get nervous when my sketchbooks leave my studio but I might take him up on the offer.

While I was waiting for my drink, Orit Reuben introduced herself. She was there to sketch as well. We both had arrived early and both of us were attending the Austin's sketch event for the first time. Sean let us know he would be moving furniture off the front stage area to get things ready. I joined Orit when she started moving chairs. Sean and I moved the Victorian looking purple couch onto the stage as a prop. Soon the models, Jenny Coyle and Lindsay Boswell, arrived. They had a hamper full of pirate costuming and props. When Jenny pulled out an old bottle of rum, an artist remarked, "That's no prop, she goes everywhere with that tharr bottle!" Everyone laughed.

As artists arrived, I added them to my sketch. I did some of the fast poses but then erased them and waited to add the pirates when they took longer poses. Orit had a concerned look on her face when she sketched. She had a large 18 by 24 pad for doing pastels but I think she needed an easel. Another artist arrived with a mini easel and he told her where she could pick one up. He did some very detailed pencil renderings of the pirates faces. I have just the one sketch to show for the evenings modeling session. As I left, I bumped into Swami Worldtraveler and he let me know about the weekly jazz sessions at Austin's every Thursday night starting at 9pm. Sounds like I have to come back for another sketch!

iDignity Fundraiser at Ember

Terry told me about the iDignity fundraiser at Ember. Admission to the fundraising event was $15 which is apparently how much it costs to acquire one Florida ID. I was instructed to slip my drivers license into the lanyard I was given to wear around my neck. Everyone in the room wore their IDs with pride. I sport a full head of hair on my drivers license photo but no one noticed. I found Terry at the end of the bar. She was working the event hoping to find some promising leads. I took the seat next to her and started to sketch.

I had been introduced to the charitable work of iDinity once before by Hannah Miller. They get IDs for the underprivileged. Without an ID it is impossible to get a job so this is the first step in empowering someone. I have seen that crowds of people show up when the IDs are being processed. I hope to get out to sketch the process soon.

The woman next to Terry was talking about how she had once tried out to be a Magic dancer. She didn't approve of the process and she dropped out. The Magic were playing the New York Knicks that night. It was a home game, so there was a crowd at the Amway Center a few blocks away. After a beer and tasting the food, Terry and I decided to leave early to avoid the mad traffic congestion that would happen when the game let out.

Mediterranean Deli

If there is one thing I love, it is a juicy Gyro or stuffed grape leaves and a salad with feta cheese. The Mediteranian deli (981 West Fairbanks Avenue in Winter Park) is a true New York City style hole in the wall. It doesn't look like much from the street being a tiny store front in a small strip mall just West of I-4 on Fairbanks. At the order counter there are hundreds of business cards shoved in a slot in front of the mouth watering salads and sides. I couldn't resist. I pulled out an Analog Artist Digital World card and slipped it in. The owner is very friendly often asking about friends and family while offering up a free sample as I wait. I decided I would eat light for once, maybe some humus and pita. But after tasting the club wrap I ordered the club with a side of humus. I have had the gyros before and they are amazing, stuffed so full that you have to wrestle it into your mouth. Mediterranean music is playing constantly tempting the occasional amateur belly dance. Posters from Greece try to catch some Mediterranean warmth. A sign announces, "Americas #1 Gyros" and I do believe these are the best gyros in Orlando. I stop by anytime I am on or near Fairbanks Avenue. There can be a line during the lunch time rush since anyone who has been here always returns.

Buzzcatz

On Saturday, Terry and I went to the 5th Annual Baldwin Park Art & Jazz Festival. The festival looked very much like every other festival I have been to in Baldwin Park. Vendors arts and crafts tents were lined up down the length of New Broad Street. There are always a wide assortment of dogs being walked in this Celebration like "Leave it to Beaver" neighborhood. Our first order of business was to find some lunch. We decided to eat at La Bella Luna which was an Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria. Terry ordered a chicken Caesar salad and I ordered Lasagna. The chicken in Terry's salad was dry, overcooked and she couldn't eat it. My lasagna was tasteless except for the excessively salty sauce. I however can eat anything, although my stomach sometimes complains. The waiter asked how everything was and he got an earful from Terry. She said she was doing him a favor since the restaurant wouldn't be around for long if this is what then were passing off as food. He would be better off finding a better restaurant to work in.

After lunch we ran into Hal Stringer who was displaying his colorful paintings. He relaxed in the shade of a tree and watched as people examined his bold landscape paintings. He applies the paint thickly with a pallet knife. My favorite painting was an abstract that resembled liquid fire. Hal pointed out the program to us and told us where the two stages were set up. Terry and I wandered to the end of the streets and were drawn to the music of the Buzzcatz. Terry and I spotted Carol Stein, a wonderful pianist, song writer and composer. She grabbed a table and I sat down to sketch. While I worked, Terry decided to shop and explore the arts and crafts tents. Carol and I ordered margaritas. Carol said, "These people don't realize the world class caliber of musical talent they are listening to!" I had seen the guitarist on the left, Bobby Koeble, at a Rollins College Faculty showcase concert and he amazed me. The classic jazz, motown and rat pack era music kept the audience swaying. Several couples started to swing dance while children ran in circles on a patch of lawn. Behind the band people relaxed in the grass looking out over Lake Baldwin.

Porch Dogs

Sunday was Terry's day. She decided she wanted to go to Big Fin Seafood Restaurant (8046 Via Dellagio Way) for a Cajun Brunch. She knew there was going to be a Cajun Band playing and she reserved a table right up front next to the band. She ordered eggs Benedict and I ordered an egg in a basket which is an egg nestled inside of some French toast. My egg was under cooked for my taste but hers were delicious. We both ordered mimosas as well. While we ate I continued to sketch, figuring most sets don't last long. The Porch Dogs played their blend of Cajun Zydeco tirelessly. Terry was invited up to sing "The Battle of New Orleans" and play the washboard with some spoons. Amazingly she knew all the words. Half way into the sketch I ordered a Mojito and it was tangy, sweet and strong, just the way I like them. As I was finishing a second Mojito the sketch was nearing completion. The lead singer, Antonio Bolet shouted out, "Looks like we have a serious artist in the audience! Let me see what you been doing." I lifted up the sketch to show the band members. He then suggested I hold the sketch up for folks at the bar, which I did. The waitress came around and offered another round of drinks saying, "It looks like you do your best work with Mojitos!" Later he asked me for my card saying he would love for me to work on a cd case cover.

During another set Terry and I danced around the bar area practicing our Cajun moves. We have been to a few Cajun concerts and picked up the basics along the way. Terry whispered to me, "Every woman in this bar is jealous right now since their husbands don't want to dance." A few couples in the back of the bar also started busting some moves. We ended up staying in the outdoor porch area for over five hours listening to music and relaxing. This was our first time stopping into thus new development of restaurants that cropped up on Sand Lake Road in the last year. I am glad we did and I am sure we will return again son.

Emotions Dance Fundraiser

Terry had tickets to attend the Emotions Dance Fundraiser at Urban ReThink (625 E. Central Blvd). I got to the venue early since I drove straight over from Full Sail. Terry was having drinks with coworkers so she would arrive later. I was hoping I might catch the dancers warming up or rehearsing. As I walked through Thornton Park I recognized a couple of the dancers dressed in nice gowns as they entered a woman's clothing store to shop. When I entered Urban ReThink, I immediately said hello to Larissa Humiston who is the founder of Emotions Dance. She was excited and nervous not having any idea how many people might show up. Tisse Mallon was helping by draping fabrics here and there. Tisse had some really sexy photos of Emotions dancers in the silent auction area. The photos were taken in Wekiva Springs and each shot featured an Emotions dancer floating semi nude in a stream with delicate fabrics flowing off of them. Dina Mack showed me around the new space. She had this wonderful fundraising idea where people could buy a piece of ribbon for $5 and that ribbon would be tied in with all the other ribbons into a continually growing mosaic symbolizing the interconnected nature of the community.

The band, The Forefathers, were setting up on the upstairs balcony. I decided to go upstairs. I stood overlooking the railing to do my first sketch. Dancers were grabbing a bite to eat before people started arriving. As people arrived, I included them in the sketch. The old Urban Think Bookstore logo was still boldly painted on the floor. Amanda Chadwick arrived and I interrupted my sketch to go downstairs and give her a hug. When Terry arrived, they talked for the longest time while I sketched. When I finished my first sketch I texted Terry to let her know I would have to wait till The Forefathers finished their set since I couldn't get to the stairs through all the band equipment. I started sketching the band. Downstairs the Emotions Dancers improvised to the music.

Terry managed to win two raffle prize items. When I finally got back downstairs, Tod Caviness was reciting some of his poetry. Kristy Six listened from one of the couches intently. Terry and Amanda had gone for a walk outside and I suspected they would be back soon so I sat quietly and simply listened and enjoyed. The festivities were far from over, but Amanda wanted to go to SAK Comedy Lab to talk to Denna Beena who works there. Outside we briefly bumped into Brian Feldman and Sultana Ali who was going to drive him home. It seems Brian's performance piece, "The Skill Crane Kid" has found a permanent home in the SAK Comedy Lab. In his hand, Brian held out the Florida Fellowship Grant check he had been waiting for. They had plenty to celebrate that night as they hugged to stay warm. Terry, Amanda and I went upstairs and gossiped with Denna. Amanda seems to always play the roll of peacemaker among friends who just don't get along. Denna and Amanda were going to Bananas after SAK closed but Terry wanted to get home to our pet cockatoo so we went home.

The Skill Crane Kid

As part of ArtsFest, Brian Feldman purchased a skill crane machine, stuffed it full of plush toys and then crawled inside where he remained for 16 hours. The machine was set up in Stardust Video and Coffee. When I arrived with Terry, Brian had already been inside for over six hours. Children especially loved the performance, often begging their parents for more change so they could try the skill crane again. Some people took pleasure in dropping the metallic skill crane claws on Brian's head. For me the performance once again had a Kafkaesque quality reminding me of the Hunger Artist. Brian's presence also reminded me of carnival barkers at the fair whose main objective is to keep the rubes from winning a prize. Brian acted as a sort of anti-carnie, actually placing a plush toy in the claws of the feeble skill crane to satiate each child's greed and desire.

I seldom had an unobstructed view of the skill crane. More often than not families blocked my view as they took pictures and stuffed quarters in the machine. A friend of Brian's named Helen Henny was shooting photos the whole time I was sketching. Sultana Ali, Brian's girlfriend, was in the next room and she seemed to be updating Brian's Twitter and Facebook accounts as the performance progressed. I heard the performance was streamed live. Terry and Sultana had lunch while I sketched. Several hours later when the sketch was finished, I walked up to the skill crane to say goodbye to Brian. He gestured from inside saying I had to try my hand at the skill crane. I refused, until Terry lent me the dollar to play. Several people in the room egged me on so I gave in and decided to play. I maneuvered the crane over a small teddy bear right near the exit chute of the machine figuring that if the crane didn't grab the bear, it might just get knocked loose. I really didn't need a teddy bear, and I didn't want to play the game, but once the machine took the money, then the stakes were high. I had two tries and both times the poorly designed claw picked up nothing but air. With this failure I suddenly realized I was upset, not at the machine but at Brian. I had seen him coax the toys into the claw for child after child as I sketched. He even coaxed a toy out for Genevieve Bernard. Everyone was a winner but me! His passivity as I played made him just like any loud mouthed carnival barker who coaxed money from people at the fair using insults and dark sinister humor. I felt robbed.

As a child I once dreamed of getting a huge balloon that was for sale on an ice cream truck that wandered my neighborhood. Inflated, the balloon was larger than me . By the time I had convinced my mom to give me the change needed, the truck was long gone. I ran down the street for many blocks before finally giving up. I was devastated. The next day the balloon was forgotten. I had new obsessions. The night after Brian exited the skill crane, I met him in Stardust video and coffee to get my video camera back which had recorded most of his performance. Brian took me out to Sultana's truck and presented me with the palm sized bear I had tried to win. I refused at first, but he insisted. At home my pet cockatoo was scared of the little stuffed bear at first, his crest rose in surprise, but then he ripped out its eyes and eviscerated its stomach playfully.

Shipyard Emporium

Shipyard Brewery just opened up January 28th in Winter Park (200 Fairbanks Avenue). I knew about the opening night, but was unable to attend. I was told over twenty five hundreds people were there opening night. What a mob scene that must have been!

A few days after the Grand opening I was going to a free concert at Rollins College. Walking down Fairbanks, I couldn't resist going inside the brewery to see how everything came together. The young man at the door explained the layout to me. The place is part Deli and gourmet grocery store then there is seating for the restaurant. Finally there is the bar which overlooks the micro brewery where specialty beers are made by brewmaster Ron Raike daily. I sat at the bar and looked at the description s of the wide variety of beers. I decided to try the Alligator Braggot. I was given a small sample to taste and I loved it. It turned out that Ron had just finished brewing this new brew that morning. above the bar there were many rows of blue mugs hanging from the ceiling. They belong to people who joined the mug club. Each time they return they are served their favorite brew in their own personal mug.

I decided to order a grilled Portobello sandwich with zucchini, roasted peppers, herb goat cheese all on a toasted ciabatta. Along with a second beer, the sandwich was fabulous. Seriously this was culinary heaven. Allison Stevens tapped me on the shoulder to say hello. She is responsible for all the back breaking work that helped make this brewery a realty. She offered me a hot chicken wing dip along with pita chips to scoop it up.The dip was hotter than I am used to, but it had the advantage of making me want to sip more beer.

The owner of Shipyard Brewery, Fred Forsley, had flown down from Maine and he was with a video cameraman shooting footage. By the time I left to walk the rest of the way to Rollins College, I was feeling great. Shipyard Brewery offers delicious food, great beer and a chance to talk to the master brewer himself. I know I will find many reasons to return.

Heat Grand Opening

Terry and I went to the grand opening of a new club downtown called Heat (55 West Church Street) which offers signature cocktails, tapas and live entertainment. The press preview began at 6pm and the general public was invited starting at 10pm. I had come directly from the Scottish Highland games so I was in jeans and a sweatshirt. It became painfully obvious that I was under dressed as soon as I saw some women regally stepping out of a Mercedes with elegant sequined gowns. Terry was dresses better than me but even she felt under dressed. The bouncer at the velvet rope could not find my name on the list but he could not deny that I had an invitation inside the gold envelope sealed elegantly with wax.

When we stepped inside we were greeted by a phalanx of leggy young women all in tight black skirts who welcomed us and offered free champagne. The wall behind them was brightly illuminated red and I considered sketching but I felt I should look around first. I turned down the offer of champagne but Terry decided to indulge. The interior was lit Vegas style and behind the bar a jazz group assembled to perform. I was reminded of the Cantina scene in the original Star Wars. This place was elegant rather than ominous. Within a minute of starting my first sketch a woman pushed up beside me to see what I was doing. I explained that there wasn't much to see yet at this point. Soon the bar was packed and I was being shoved by groups of people who were posing for photos. When I was getting shoved from behind by people reaching for drinks, I gave up on the sketch and found a quieter spot away from the bar. Terry was at a table so I joined her there. We were told the table was reserved so I never sat down. I leaned against a wall and tried valiantly to save my first sketch. The woman who spoke to me at the bar checked back a second time to see my progress. I was bristling, annoyed at the interruptions but I graciously showed her what I was up to.

Terry and I moved outside where space heaters kept patrons comfortable as they lounged on wicker chairs. Mark Baratelli and Terry struck up a conversation as I worked on my second sketch. Every time Terry went to the bar, someone would approach me and ask to see the sketch I was working on. One woman said we had met before and she asked if I remembered a Valentines party. I didn't remember sketching any Valentines party and just as I said this Terry walked up. The woman disappeared. Terry seemed to think I was being hit on. That seemed impossible since I was grubby with a half grown beard and jeans on. Every other man at this place was quite honestly, handsome compared to me. They had tailored Italian suits on and perfectly gelled hair. With my hiking boots and jeans I must have looked very out of place.

Terry was having a grand time people watching. Four women sat at the table next to us deep in conversation. The redhead had an intense gaze which cut through the loud ambient noise of the club. Terry seemed convinced that these woman in the backs of their minds were wondering why men were not hitting on them. To me they just seemed to be enjoying each others company. The woman who had asked me about Valentines day stumbled into the man she was talking to. The high heels might have caught her off guard. The crowd was quite diverse with twenty somethings standing elbow to elbow with women who were noticeably older than me. I loved sketching here where I could observe people up close in a crowded setting where I remained mostly unnoticed. I was glad that Terry was having as much fun as me soaking in the setting. By 10pm there was a long line of people waiting to get past the velvet rope.

Chips and Salsa

It was Cinco de Mayo at Pancho's Mexican Restaurant, on 436 near 17/92. This was the first time my wife Terry decided to participate in a Brian Feldman performance. She had told me that Brian was a bad influence on me since at times I would sketch his performances very late at night. She changed her tune however after spending an hour eating chips and salsa with him. Brian spent the entire day in the restaurant while a new participant would sit opposite him every hour. There was a video camera set up and masking tape was on the floor marking the active staging area. I grabbed a chip every once in a while as I sketched. I didn't pay close attention to their conversation but I know Terry was glad to have had the time to sit down and get to know Brian. In this age of virtual friendships it is rare for people to sit down and get to know each other face to face. Even when they do, too much time is spent staring at cell phones. The art of pleasant personal conversation seems all but lost. The restaurant was never very crowded. Terry put on a tiny plastic sombrero for kicks. Brian had hung decorative chili's strung in the window behind the table. When the next person came in to sit opposite Brian, I ordered a chimichanga for lunch and continued adding watercolor washes to the sketch.

An Evening of Eligance

Lago is a beautiful restaurant on the shore of Lake Baldwin (4979 New Broad Street Baldwin Park). The Evening of Elegance promised a complimentary cup of wine and piano entertainment featuring songs of Frank Sinatra. How could I resist? Funds raised at this event benefited Fertile Dreams, an organization that embraced hope for couples seeking paths to parenthood. When I arrived the bar was nearly empty except for a business man eating dinner. Slowly as I sketched people arrived and I let them populate the empty chairs in my sketch. One woman showed up with a young girl perhaps five years old. I overheard that this child was born thanks to In Vitro fertalization. The little girl was often the center of attention, often being told how cute and beautiful she was.

The organizer of the evening announced that the piano player and singer both had a cold and would not be able to perform. I was thankful since I was perched on a tall stool next to the piano which was probably there for the singer. I stopped rushing and relaxed into the sketch. This is the first sketch in a new sketchbook. I received the book from the "Sketchbook Project". Thousands of artists around the country are filling these sketchbooks and then mailing them back to the Brooklyn Museum of art where they will form a permanent sketchbook library. The collection will also travel the country allowing people to check out sketchbooks to view. As I was finishing up my sketch, the little girl waved at me and said, "Good bye." I smiled and repeated, "Good bye" in a sing song voice. That was the longest conversation I had that night.

Phenomenal Conundrum

Back in Orlando, I found I had time to kill between scheduled sketch assignments. I was coming from Baldwin Park where the opening of a French furnishings store turned out to be an uninspiring subject. I drove to College Park where Mona Washington was going to have a reading of one of her plays at the Kerouac House. I was early so I stopped at infusion tea and ordered an Italian Gelato. Sitting on a comfortable couch in the back of the room, I was reminded of a scene in "Eat Pray Love" where the main character sits quietly in a bustling Italian square savoring a Gelato and enjoying being alone taking in the scene around her. As I savored my Gelato, using the delicate little spoon, I noticed Rachel Kapitan sitting at a table near the door, looking a bit corporate yet very edgy, working on a laptop probably writing up a storm.

In the far corner, a guitarist got behind the mic and started strumming. His friend worked the knobs on a speaker and walked into the middle of the room to check the sound levels. When he was satisfied, he sat down and started playing the drum. They had a warm, mellow soothing sound and I moved closer. A group of women had just abandoned the front table, so I sat down and started sketching. I really had to rush the sketch since I only had an hour before the Kerouac house reading. One of the women returned and she jokingly raised an eye brow and pointed at me as she picked up her full cup of tea. I laughed as she quickly made her way to the door to catch up with her friends.

The musicians were Alexander Gunn and Raymond Hussmann and they called themselves "Phenomenal Conundrum." They hail from Washington D.C. and they had been performing the Pirate Bars along Florida's coast before sharing their music at Infusion Tea. They had some paintings from a friend leaning against the wall beside them. On the guitar a message was scrawled that said, "This machine kills Fascists." As I got close to finishing the sketch, I saw Rachel walk past the plate glass windows. I knew she was looking forward to Mona's play reading, so I knew I was out of time. The Kerouac house is only a few blocks from Infusion. The sketch was finished with a mad flurry of watercolor washes. I left in the middle of a song, fanning the sketchbook to try and dry the washes.

Shipyard Brewery

Allison Stevens has been helping spearhead the creation of a Shipyard Brewery right in the heart of Winter Park (200 West Fairbanks Avenue, the former site of Strollo’s Cucino Due). Fred Forsley, president of Shipyard Brewing company of Portland Maine. Allison, the new brewery's General Manager, has been doing the whole project of construction, retail, marketing, and menus on her own. When I first visited the Brewery, Allison told me that they had baked 300 pounds of bread the previous weekend. Much of it had been sold to the finest restaurants in town but there were racks of fresh bread lining the baking shelves. She threw large loaves and baguettes in a brown paper bag and insisted I take it. This was delicious European style bread without preservatives. Saturday November 20th, there will be a group of 40 home brewers going for a private beer and bread tasting.

The brewery will feature a 28 gallon brewing system. A hole had just been knocked into the western wall to accommodate the system. When I arrived a cement truck was being used to drop fresh cement into an outdoor shelf on which the equipment will rest. Two workers dragged a 2 by 4 over the wet cement to flatten the surface. Inside a loud metallic screeching noise shattered the relative calm. At the front door Allison was handling business on her cell phone. She high fived me and I walked inside. In the kitchen workers were using a large saw to cut a hole in the foundation. One worker handled the saw while the other slurped up the slurry with a wet vac. They were trying to uncover hot and cold water lines under the building. Once the thick foundation was cut into sections, they then lifted out the chunks and dropped them in a wheel barrel. The saw operator shouted out, "You think I'm making enough NOISE!" I shouted back, "You are getting there." I considered stuffing two erasers in my ears, but I chose to remain stoic.
I was told that a new counter area would be built in this area. Originally they thought they might have to plumb the new waterline up to the ceiling and over but the owner insisted the new sink be plumbed directly to the main water line below the building. Once the cement was lifted clear, they shoveled out the dirt and found the PVC pipes a few inches down.

The water was turned off for the entire building. I noticed this since I couldn't refill my watercolor brushes. The new lines were branched off and glued in place with bright yellow PVC cement. While this work was being done below the foundation, an electrician was busy high up on a ladder snaking in new electrical lines.

I told Allison that I was going to get some lunch and come back. She said I could have a hot dog with the crew, so I stayed, continuing on my second sketch. The workers had a BBQ grill set up outside. I ate my lunch like a hungry wolf listening while one worker told a dirty joke that I will not repeat here.

Once completely set up, the brewery will be run by accomplished local brewer Ron Raike. He will brew small batches of seasonal and unique beers based on his inherent creativity and seasonal ingredient availability. Allison told me local home brewers will be invited to share their experiences and findings, making the brewery a creative place of experimentation and discovery.

The Big Wheel Provisions Marketplace will feature a regularly revolving selection of deli items, local produce and eggs, cheeses, hard-to-find specialty food products, cookbooks, food-focused periodicals, and kitchen tools. Alfresco dining, cooking classes, catering, and local delivery service will also be offered. Located right next to Rollins College, I can already imagine this place crowded every evening, becoming a creative social hub.

Trivia - Hamburger Mary's

Terry and I went on a double date with Amanda Chadwick and Matt Simantov at Hamburger Mary's. The small stage in the corner was already set up with a microphone and questions were being lobbed out to the crowded room. Sheets were handed out where answers could be filled in. The first order of business was to figure out a team name for everyone at the table. After much discussion, we decided our team would be called Cuntry Blimpkins. I had never heard the work blimpkin before, but Matt went on to explain it and I don't think I should repeat it here. You are better off not knowing. Other team names of note included, Your Earwax Tastes Better Than My Dick, Eat Rim Love, and Grandmas little vibrator. You get the general idea and flavor.
Here are some of the questions presented in the "Gay, Gay, Gay" round.
Who designed Cher's costumes?
EOCPHUANLIACRPSM This is two words and a magazine popular with lesbians.
Al Pacino played a homosexual in what film?
What homo is getting a talk show on the Opera Winfrey Network?
What was Julias's son's name on "Designing Women?"
What actor did Will marry on "Will and Grace?"
What "Facts of Life" star has a movie coming out in which she plays a fag hag?
Who wrote the book "La Cage Aux Folles?"
Our team did really good in the first round, coming in second place. We were shocked when the table next to us had copied our team name. They spelled 'Country' the traditional way, however. Our ranking slipped gradually in the subsequent rounds, but regardless of there we placed the evening was a blast.