The Giants Are Gone.

The Giants Are Gone. Watercolor, pen & ink on paper. 9"x12"

    I parked outside my fence, on a small patch of grass next to a giant. It was a great shady spot, where I knew my car would remain cool for the day. Early the next morning, I got a text from my neighbor across the street that said, “You might want to move your car. They are clearing the lot next to you”. I ran outside and stood in disbelief when I saw the giants being chopped away mercilessly. Sounds of heavy machinery and loud beeps filled the air, with occasional hair raising noises of cracking wood immediately followed by thumps that shook the ground. They advanced quickly into the densely wooded lot. An osprey stood  on a giant's branch around the middle of the lot and far above me. It held its freshly caught breakfast in its talons while ripping it apart. The limp fish draped on the branch and its silvery scales glittered in the morning sun. An ibis circled the scene assessing the possibility of landing somewhere, but it quickly changed course beating its wings frantically. Within minutes, the osprey and all other birds were gone as the giants' limbs and trunks were cut methodically by the climbing man with a chainsaw, while others on the ground finished cutting them into smaller sections, dragged them to a pile facing the street or readied them for pick up by the grapple truck’s claw, to be placed in a dump truck. I stood watching, taking in the moment. A dragonfly came by and hovered within two feet above my head. We stood in silence looking at the men work, trying to understand the logic of it all. It fluttered away moments later, escaping the wretched noise. 

    The lot next to my property has been a dense forest since I moved here. I listened to an endless concert daily, made of sounds of woodpeckers pecking, owls hooting, an extraordinary amount of birds chit-chatting and an occasional frog clamoring as it was eaten by a snake. The giants stood majestically, providing shelter and playground to innumerable species living next to me. They gave my property a feel of indomitable wilderness that I respected and valued. They stood quiet at night, their silhouettes black and clearly discernible against the starry night sky, while I sat poking at fiery coals on cool nights and listening to my closest neighbors attentively. Living next to the giants wasn't always easy, as my neighbor to the south of the wild lot can attest, after repairing his roof twice in the last twenty years. Although they were kind to me and never damaged my property, I always evacuated before a major storm. 

    The giant's home was offered to me for twenty seven thousand dollars ten years ago, when I purchased this house. It was landscaped in the same manner as my lot, with carefully selected specimens hand picked by the former owners of my house, who were gardeners and lovers of tropical and exotic plants. Knowing it would be too much for me to handle alone, I declined the offer. For a decade, I hoped to someday buy the property, keeping it the pristine wilderness it became and home to all the creatures I heard daily. Until this morning. The lot sold for fifty-two thousand dollars early this year and the new owner is here.

    I was told by a man with a chainsaw that everything will be cleared eighty feet into the property, for the construction of a new dwelling. The lot will be landscaped anew afterwards, surrounded by a six-foot tall white vinyl privacy fence. Construction will begin as soon as they are done clearing the vegetation and may be completed in as little as six months. The giants are gone and everyone who lived on the other side of my fence got an eviction notice. The racoons, armadillos, snakes, woodpeckers, frogs, lizards and occasional ducks. The thirty year old water oak whose dense foliage cooled my side yard, the sabal palms, bromeliads, bamboo, giant birds of paradise, plumerias and pines are gone. So are the owls, squirrels, ospreys, dragonflies and all else.

     That evening, the silence was deafening. I was immediately taken back to Ghost Forest, a painting depicting my experience at mile marker (MM) 574.9 North bound (NoBo), on my 2020 Florida National Scenic Trail (FNST) thru-hike. After walking through a lush and vibrant forest, I confronted destruction and silence abruptly as I entered an area recently cleared for construction. The creation of this work was emotionally exhausting for me, forcing a response to it. The second half of the diptych shows a female figure in the nude, enjoying and honoring the wealth of life that used to live there. The figure was inspired by my drawing of the beautiful Janna Yves, created a few months earlier while I assisted a summer drawing class. I painted my hair on the figure to experiece a sense of calm and gratitude while imagining I was standing in front of what used to be there. This is the first large work where I am uninhibitedly receptive to the creative process and understood it as an integral part of my message. I explain details of my process and findings while creating this work in my thesis, titled Evolving Perceptions of Self and Others: The Effects of Communing with Nature While Thru Hiking the Florida National Scenic Trail (pages 31-37). 

Stella Arbeláez Tascón. Ghost Forest I and II. FNST, MM574.9 NOBO, 2023. Acrylic and oil on canvas. 130”x 74” (170.18cm x 184.96cm)

    I thought about my new neighbors and the excitement they must feel, eager to have their new house constructed to their exact specifications. Perhaps they are a senior couple wanting to be close to The Villages without paying the high price; or a young couple dreaming of starting a family and growing old in their new home. In reality, it is probably an investor who saw the opportunity to build on the only lot available without a back neighbor, in a well established neighborhood slowly being engulfed by overpriced, homogenous looking housing developments, popping up like weeds around it.

   The osprey returned carrying a fish in its claws the following morning. It circumnavigated the destroyed space and disappeared south, searching for a new favorite breakfast spot. It now visits my backyard regularly, and once surprised me opening its large wings fully as it took flight from the ground. Regardless of who ends up  there, I will have a crockpot full of food and a smile ready when they move in. And I will forever mourn the death of the giants and the absence of everyone else who once lived and thrived next to me

On Location

MFA- End of First Summer Break

Note: These "Throw Back Thursday" entries are meant to be useful to prospective students wanting to take a closer look into the graduate program in Studio Arts in Emerging Media at UCF, as I found no such resources available (from a student's point of view) when I was in the same position, back in 2021-2022. I entered the program in the fall of 2022 and graduated in the spring of 2025. Feel free to drop me a line in the post's comments section if you have any questions. ; )

June 8, 2023- Session A.

    This month I'm volunteer-assisting an undergraduate Drawing Intensive class taught by Senior Lecturer, Assistant Director and Graduate Director for Studio Arts, Jason Burrell, twice weekly. The class meets Monday through Thursday, but I am still living far away so I am grateful for the opportunity to help limited hours.

    Yesterday the students started gesture drawing and I gladly joined in. After my first attempt, the professor reminded me not to elongate the figure, so I spent the rest of the class suppressing my good old Fashion Institute of Technology (SUNY) days, when I was encouraged to stretch the figure from eight to twelve heads while pursuing my associates in fashion illustration. I haven't practiced straight gesturing for a bit and now I'm hungry for it again. The students took turns modeling for five, three and two minute poses. I had fun challenging myself, but we stopped after every sketch to talk about it briefly. I wish we had gone straight ahead for at least four drawings, but I must remember that these students are in a different place on their path than me. I enjoyed drawing different body types and the individual characteristics of each student within the same drawing session. It kept me on my toes, as we usually draw the same person for the duration of one class.

Here are a few drawings from the session, in chronological order. Both in high school and college in NYC, I worked on a 18in.x24in. rough newsprint pad, so I am still getting used to this new, large size pad. My arm definitely felt sore after such workout. It was an awesome feeling!

Charcoal pencil on Newsprint. 24"x 32"

June 15, 2023-  Cage Drawing.

    I got to do some much enjoyed drawing practice while assisting the Drawing Intensive class this week. We did something pretty cool yesterday, which Professor Burrell called a cage drawing. I've never done one  and it was a lot of fun: Easels are placed around the model and cord strung between them at different angles and levels. The model sat on a chair placed in the middle of this string cage and we drew her, concentrating on preciseness and using the strings as guidelines while studying angles, measurements and negative spaces as accurately as possible. Students were given three forty-five minutes sessions to complete their cage drawings. Our model was the awesome Janna Yves. All images of Janna shared here are aproved by her.

Cage Drawing Set up

My cage drawing. Charcoal on newspringt. 24" x 32"

Today we also got to play with changing the setting as we wished, so I added the suggestion of a tree and a rock to my figures. I love the figure to the right and will be using it in a future painting, I'm not sure how yet, but I will be using it.

Two forty-five minute classroom drawings. Charcoal on newsprint. 24"x32"

June 17, 2023- The Search for Housing is Over! 

    At this time last year, I was deep cleaning my classroom as a public school art teacher and assembling my portfolio to enter the grad program by the July 1st deadline. I was informed of my acceptance to the program about two weeks before my first graduate class started, in early August, once I had already started work at the school district for the 2022-2023 school year, so I did not have a chance to make any living arrangements. This year, from the time classes ended, I have spent my time desperately searching for a new place to live close to school, to eliminate my hundred and ten mile daily commute. My goal is to be able to walk or commute to the graduate studios on a bicycle, and be able to leave BooBoo (my little nine pound poodle and companion), behind without worrying about his safety and loneliness. Earlier in my second semester I called the housing department at UCF and was told that only first years get priority housing on campus, not graduate students. I was advised to get on the waiting lists for a lottery space at Northview, where there are some grad students, and Rosen College Apartments, located in downtown Orlando and connected to UCF via a thirty-five to forty-five minutes commute in a free shuttle bus. I did as told but was never selected for either location. I looked at a number of roommate situations listed on special FaceBook pages, like this one and this one, as well as nearby marketplace listings, but not much satisfies all of my requirements, mainly because I still need to pay my mortgage and cannot fix and pack my house to put it up for rent so quickly.

    One late afternoon, on my way home after touring a roommate situation, I decided to drive around the neighborhood. I asked anyone I saw walking their dogs, washing their driveways or working on their cars if they knew of a room for rent, where they would accept a little dog. I came across an older gentleman fixing his project house and convinced him to show it to me. I begged him to let me rent it, offering a reasonable amount, handywoman services , and a steady supply of future renters from graduate students. Unfortunately, he has other plans for his project house, but suggested that I live in his house for a reduced price, if I am willing to help clean and cook for him and his wife. She is ill and can no longer take care of the home. The house is located down the street. I accepted right away and waited eagerly for his message confirming the deal. Two weeks passed since then, so I drove by the place yesterday, to touch base. I just heard from him and was invited to bring Boo and myself to meet his wife and see the room! Yay!

June 20, 2023- Home is Where the Boo is.

I just moved into the room near UCF. I'll be heading home for the weekend and will be here during the week until the fall semester begins. I'm currently working as a volunteer assistant and taking a few extra classes, so I'm still driving a lot during the week. The best thing about this place is that my little Boo is welcome with open arms and he is near me. I hated having to leave him alone at home for so long, to return to school only a few hours later. Boo is very curious about this place. Let's hope he does well with the change. The room is in need of deep cleaning but it is a perfect location for us. I can now walk to the graduate studio and bicycle or walk to SVAD! Both my landlord and landlady/ room-mates seem very nice and appreciative of me being here, with Boo too!

BooBoo in our new room, on move-in day.

June 26, 2023- Mamma Gets a Gift. I received a congratulatory gift box from my twenty year old daughter today, for having finished my first year of grad school: A cute plushie, a set of cute gel pens and incense. How sweet is that? This means a lot to me, because at times I still feel guilty about taking the time to pursue my MFA, instead of working full time like the majority of people my age do. But then again… what good is it to be working a job where you feel under appreciated and unfulfilled, when you have the power to change it?

Gifts from my daughter, celebrating completion of my first year of grad school.

 June 30, 2023- Hanging In there.

While acting as a volunteer assistant for undergraduate classes for thirty-two hours a week in session B, I am also working on three academic graduate classes, attending a ten-week docent training for the Rollins Museum of Art and working part time at Elite Animation Academy online. I believe this highly productive time for me is directly related to my new living situation, where I can spend more time doing and less time stressing on the road or resting after intense commutes during our notorious, torrential summer rains.

This summer, my friend's wise words became one of my mottos:

THE ONLY WAY OUT IS THROUGH

    Right now, I've got six assignments, five docent training sessions and two final research papers to complete in the next few weeks. I'm looking forward to August 7th, when it all ends. I will then have about two weeks of rest and visit with my family before I start my second year of graduate school.

Reminder to self: Everything is temporary. Keep going. It's not supposed to be easy.

July 4, 2023- A New Studio Set Up.

  I'm really hoping I can keep my studio spaces for next year, but I will not know for sure until the new year's orientation happens in mid- August, when everyone is given a choice to pick. Although I wish it happened earlier for returning students, the process is plain and fair: Third years get first choice, then second years and last, first years. All studios have locking metal gates and there are two large studios with locking doors, which are available only to third year students. There's a small room to the left of the entrance, which used to be a utility closet and is now a locking studio. The program also has a few extra rooms with locking doors in the building next door. I was lucky last year because there were only three of us coming into the program, so we each got two spaces, in the same building. The only hiccup a third or second year student may find is that if two, first year students decide to share a larger space (like mine, I guess) they need to give it up. -Please Nooo!  I have put a lot of work into this space and I don't want to do another in-depth cleaning session again, anytime soon!

    My studio spaces are next to each other, without a wall between them so it makes for a nice, big wall where to paint and step back into a long area, which I find essential in my process. I just purchased a new set of Ikea Ivar shelves to complete a wall unit with my existing units. This year, I found that although it is convenient to have my tall bookcases on casters, they are cumbersome to move. So, I'm making a solid wall of shelves instead. One half of my studio is dedicated to working space, the other to academic research/ admin/ and materials. I first came into the program convinced that I would only paint but I am enjoying working with different media, so I added a dry cart (pastels, charcoal, pencils), a wet cart (oil & acrylic paints) on casters, as well as a peg board and bins with other tools (hand tools, sander, heat gun, clamp lamps etc.). Although the studio has tools, I am a grouch when it comes to finding misplaced stuff, so I like to have my own. Also, it is nice to share when others are in need. Besides that, I have a desk area within my standing shelves, a mini-fridge from Walmart, a saddle stool that floats around, a hand-me down recliner like this one (but destroyed by a cat), a gifted H frame easel and my own three-step ladder on the wall.

   According to some, I have gone overboard with my studio. Some barely clean the walls and are content with a table and chair, but I absolutely love my space as it is now. It is withdrawn and private, at the end of a short hall. I never had such a space in my life, and since my house is in a constant state of remodel, it is especially appreciated. This space is my sanctuary and refuge from the chaos outside; salt lamp and all. I also treat it as a personal gallery, so it is important for me to put systems in place to keep it presentable. I painted the walls grey inspired by the ateliers I have visited and loved, such as The Florence Academy of Art and the Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art. The color also hides dirt well and has a calming effect on me. Inspired by Cesar Santos' studio set up, I installed outdoor carpet on a work wall to hide damage from repeated staple and thumbtack punctures, and put in place a poor woman's version of an art hanging system (inspired by this one), made of 1"x2"s, cording and clothespins. I also make sure to cover the floor under my work area, so no one has to get on their hands and knees to clean after me in the future.

    I love having a welcoming space where I can work freely! Today I changed things around a bit preparing for my second year. I got rid of the 1"x2"s/ hanging system, set up the wall of standing shelves, installed two wall shelves and my peg board above a DIY pine desk. I can’t wait to see what comes out of my space this year! You can see the general studio set up for year one in my quick midterm tour (semester two).

Studio spaces at the Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art, with grey walls.

Studio location and set up- Year one and two.

Year one, studio set up: Painting the walls grey, clothespins hanging system, carpet wall, floor covering and Ikea Ivar shelves on casters, containing fridge and desk area.

Year two, studio set up, WIP: Standing shelves to the left, wall shelves, pegboard and desk to the right, in my admin/ materials space.

July 15, 2023- Session B.

During July and August, I volunteered to assist two, six week classes: 2D Design Foundations with Associate Lecturer and UCF Gallery Director Shannon Lindsey, and Drawing Foundations I, with Senior Lecturer and Director of Flying Horse Editions Printing Studio, Theo Lotz. They graciously allowed me to shadow them and interact with their students, who are entry level.

The design class is meticulously planned and delivered. Professor Lindsey's professionalism, methodology and high standards are inspirational. This is no surprise to me, as she was my first professor of Studio Concentration, a required graduate class, during my first semester. It was then that she said to me: “You must increase productivity”, in a serious and respectful tone, during my first critique. I will never forget that day. Her slide presentations are clear and expansive, leaving no room for unknown parameters in a project, but still allowing the student’s creative vision to flourish. The hands-on demonstrations are engaging and explain every step of the process to be taken, having into consideration a beginner's level of familiarity with tools and materials, which are mostly provided for the students. She offers me friendly advise and resources on class pacing and presenting expectations regularly. Outside of UCF, Professor Lindsey volunteers as the Vice President of Finance for Foundations in Art: Theory and Education (FATE). According to its website, FATE is “an educational association dedicated to the promotion of excellence in the development and teaching of college-level foundation courses in both studio and art history”. After working with her this summer, I can say that she embodies this mission clearly. Student work is shared with permission from the students and instructor.

Samples of student work, first project. L: Cut electrical tape on paper. M, R: pencil and ink on paper

Student work, Color project. Acrylic on paper.

    Theo Lotz’ Drawing Foundations I class is a blast, if you are willing to work hard. He is energetic and pushes students to work beyond their self imposed limitations, setting up huge still lifes that reach the fourteen-foot high ceilings. His expectations are clear: show up on time, do your best and put in the time required to outdo your previous self. Like Lucey, he uses inter-crossing line inspection, proportions and angles in his methodology. Students begin with contour line drawing, and describing planar structure (cow skulls are great for this) then move on to value. Compositions evolve from a singular object to a multi layered, complex set up for the final drawing. I love seeing his demonstrations, which show a flowing line expertly put down in just the right place. Really... how on earth? I think his energy is due in part to his bicycling every day from Flying Horse Editions, located in downtown Orlando. I also enjoy his humor and relaxed personality. Then again... I’m not your average college student. Age has taught me to relax and have fun challenging myself. The class is intense and may be intimidating for level one students, so I enjoy helping them a great deal. 

Here are some of the set ups from the drawing class, my drawings as WIP and a few student works.

The study of planar structure and line quality by drawing cow skulls and bones is a basic exercise at UCF. Drawing WIP by Stella Arbelaez.

Set ups and WIP. Drawing Foundations 1, Instructor: Theo Lotz. Drawings by Stella Arbelaez.

Behold Theo Lotz' Final drawing set up. Isn't this a work of art in itself?

Final review set up.  Drawing Foundations 1, Instructor: Theo Lotz

Final Review.  Drawing Foundations 1, Instructor: Theo Lotz

Final review. Drawing Foundations 1, Instructor: Theo Lotz

Aug.4, 2023- One class down. Two to go. 

    I just completed my Preparing Tomorrow's Faculty class, a twelve-week, P/F voluntary class offered to all graduate and post-graduate students interested in teaching, regardless of major. The class is free if registered for a minimum of six summer credits, so I have also begun coursework in one of many graduate certificates offered at UCF, which I love.

    In Preparing Tomorrow's Faculty class, we learned teaching practices, how to design coursework, including syllabi according to UCF standards, and assembling our teaching portfolio materials, including teaching philosophy and CV. My classmates were doctoral and graduate students from various disciplines like math, science, computer engineering, history, physical therapy, health, psychology and more. Interacting with such a varied and seriously academic lot broadened my perspective and challenged my communication skills, specifically when discussing artistic terminology and benchmarks. These were twelve weeks very well spent! I'm so excited about it!

Tadaaaaaaaa!

    The hardest decision of the summer for me was figuring out the most beneficial graduate certificate to pursue. I considered the Professional Writing Graduate Certificate seriously, knowing that I have a thesis to write and need a good amount of practice and guidance in this realm. Also, because I love writing. But I decided on the College Teaching and Leadership Graduate Certificate instead, hoping that it offers plenty of opportunities to exercise my writing skills and provides required knowledge to increase my employability in the future. Although I started the coursework this summer, I plan to complete the certificate after graduation. This certificate is offered through the College of Community Innovation and Education. The two courses I am currently taking (Contemporary Issues in Community Colleges, with Associate Professor Thomas Cox, Ed.D. and The Community College in America with Professor Lisa Jones, Ed.D), are challenging and enlightening. I enjoy the academic research involved in both courses and expanding my community to include new classmates with diverse career paths. Still, I hope to someday also complete the Professional Writing Graduate Certificate. 

August 7, 2023 - I’m a Docent and an a Graduate Teaching Assistant! (GTA). 

   Once I completed the Advance Seminar in Art History class in my first semester with the admirable Melissa Gepper, PH.D, I wanted more art history and discussions about it in my life. I approached the art history club leader, Professor Ilenia Colón Mendoza, Ph.D., at the end of the spring semester, hoping to become part of it. Unfortunately, they were nearing the end of their regular meetings and I was unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts. Shortly after, I came across a post looking for volunteers to work as docents at the Rollins Museum of Art, in Winter Park. I submitted my CV, was interviewed and invited to participate in their next training, which ended today, after ten weekly sessions of two-hour meetings. The trainings were led by David Matteson, Associate Curator of Education and doctoral student in Texts and Technology at UCF. The training covered working with diverse guest populations, practicums in public speaking, reading and discussions of museum pedagogy, art criticism and art history articles. I received my official docent badge today. Wohoo! I am now fortunate enough to share my knowledge with others and keep growing while learning about the awesome works at the Alfond Inn and the museum!

Ten weeks of work in a nutshell.

 Today I met with the Graduate Program Director, Jason Burrell, to talk about my summer accomplishments and upcoming semester. It felt good to share my efforts and progress, especially regarding my living situation and completing the Preparing the Faculty of the Future class. I was leaving the library shortly after our meeting, when I received a call from him asking me if I would like to work as a GTA in the upcoming fall semester. An incoming student was unable to commit to the program, and the position is now available. I celebrated the proposition with a loud “Yes! Yes! Thank you!”. This is wonderful news to me because I was unable to meet the priority deadline application of January first last year, to be considered for a GTA position from the start. I will be an assistant for Advanced Printmaking with Senior Lecturer Larry Cooper and grader for the Theory and Criticism of Art class taught by Professor Ilenia Colón Mendoza, Ph.D. Somehow, circumstances are shifting to make the upcoming year an amazing one for me! 

    After having to prioritize my ex-husband’s career opportunities and goals for almost two decades, I am incredibly grateful to be here, forging my own future. It is intense but I love it, and I can't imagine being anywhere else right now.

Stay tunned for next week's TBT: Living The Student Life!

Alligator Alcatraz, Part II- The Camera Man is Run Over.

 

The Camera Man is Run Over. Watercolor and ink on paper. 9in. x 12in.

The weekend after independence day, my friend Thomas and I sketched at Alligator Alcatraz. Read part one of this article here. 

    After taking photos of the signs, we crossed back to the south side of the road, snapping shots as we headed back to my belongings. I walked towards the oncoming traffic on the shoulder, next to the outside of the white line, with BooBoo in my arms, cell phone on my hand and Thomas immediately behind me. At this point cars slowed down significantly to observe the demonstration. Around a hundred yards before me, I noticed when a beige SUV moved to the left lane, as it was about to pass a camera man’s tripod set up on the shoulder. Traveling eastbound, this was probably the driver’s first encounter with an open area and a person on the shoulder, after passing a number of cars parked there. I expected this to happen, as in Florida it is the law for drivers to move over and yield to vehicles stopped on the shoulder when traffic allows, and there were no vehicles heading west. I noticed the next car inmediately, a blue Jeep moving significantly slower than the SUV. I looked straight towards the driver as I neared it, hoping to make eye contact with teh driver and expecting the vehicle to yield. 

Walking forward fixated on the Jeep, I thought to myself: “Wow. When is this car moving out of the way?” Well, It didn't. The Jeep was about ten feet way from us when we passed the camera man. Thomas stepped to the left, heading deeper into the shoulder, and I rounded the tripod to the right, with little space left between the tripod and the approaching Jeep. It was at that moment that the front right tire of the jeep passed me at arms’ length and I tapped the vehicle in disapproval, still trying to make eye contact with either driver or passenger. The two women inside were distracted, looking at the demonstrators across the road. I was next to the passenger’s door when I heard loud screams behind me. Stepping back, I saw the camera man on the ground, with the Jeep’s right front wheel completely on top of his lower left leg, sandwiched between the tire and the road. His right leg was hidden by the jeep and his body was bent towards the leg, head struggling upwards as he screamed in panic. I turned to look at the driver and asked her to back up. The driver was mortified; surprise and horror distinctly visible on her face. The Jeep backed up gently, as the driver stretched her neck trying to see, saying "Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God!" nonstop. She stopped the vehicle once she saw the man’s body on the ground, remained in place and hyperventilated in a stupefied state. 

My head went back and forth between the driver and the man on the ground. People assisted the man promptly, as he tried to get up. A trooper came to the driver’s window and asked her to calm down and take deep breaths. Photographers, camera people and reporters swarmed the scene, snapping photos and trying to get an explanation from the victim, who was advised to remain in place. The reporter from Tampa told me the camera man worked for EFE. He was given water, shade and a funny looking hat while someone fanned his face. The driver and passenger were stunned and maintained that the camera man was on the road. Voicing my disagreement, I was asked to give my information to police as eye witness. I felt terrible seeing the driver and her young companion trying to make sense of this chaotic scene, desperately blaming it on the camera man. I approached the driver and tried to comfort her, telling her " I’m sorry this happened to you and him. We all make mistakes, I know you didn't mean to do it. Everything is going to be ok". Her hand reached out for mine shaking, and she offered me many blessings. Unbeknownst to me, the reporter from Univision was already at work at this time and captured me in the background of her video, while talking to the driver. The camera man was picked up by an ambulance and taken to the detention  center's grounds to be examined. When it was all over, a female officer spread her arms open and signaled for everyone to stay behind the white line. She said " Thank you for being here, I appreciate you being here."

       I was talking to a new reporter when a man in full National Guard uniform approached us smiling ear to ear, asking for permission to pet BooBoo. He assured us that everything was going to be ok, while he teased and played with my canine companion. He shared the love for his dog excitedly, a sweet chihuahua named Josephine Coco Pebbles. Smiling, told us the origins of her name and that she has her own instagram page. It is in moments like this that I appreciate the privilege of being encharged of BooBoo, and his ability to remind us of our commonalities, no matter where he is. 

   We drove directly to a quiet lunch place in Miami, where we sat in silence to write and research while we ate. That night we shared a room at THE worst LaQuinta Inn Hotel I have ever visited (‘nuff said). Thomas completed a sketch based on a photo I took at the scene and quickly published it before the end of the day.  I composed the first part of my article and went to bed. It was around 3:30 am when I woke up still disturbed by the event, and walked with Boo on the unkept patches of dirt around the hotel, with the image of the camera man under the tire seared in my mind. Thomas woke up when I came in the room and asked in the dark: “Can’t sleep? Wanna work?”, I replied yes, and we got busy reenacting the accident. We looked at photos and videos taken at the scene, relied on our memory as trained visual artists, and knowledge of anatomy and movement as former animation artists to make sense of the man’s final position. Thomas acted as my model while we gathered our observations and figured out the mechanics and physics of the possible movements involved. We asked ourselves: “Where exactly was the camera man? What happened after the first push by the bumper? What side of the hip led the action? How fast did he move? What leg followed the movement through  in order for him to land this way? What did his ankle do? Where was the white line in relation to the Jeep?” I created the rough sketch of my drawing urging Thomas to assume the man’s position as I described it, still vivid in my memory. I finished the sketch on our way back to Orlando.

    As traumatic as this event was for us to witness, it is not news worthy. I researched further information on the camera man's recovery, but have no leads on the story other than what I have shared here. It could be because it was not caused by malice, racial or politically divisive ideas. 

Here are photos related to parts I and II of this article.

On Location

MFA- Year One, End of Semester Two (Spring)

Note: These "Throw Back Thursday" entries are meant to be useful to prospective students wanting to take a closer look into the graduate program in Studio Arts in Emerging Media at UCF, as I found no such resources available (from a student's point of view) when I was in the same position, back in 2021-2022. I entered the program in the fall of 2022 and graduated in the spring of 2025. Feel free to drop me a line in the post's comments section if you have any questions. ; )

May 16, 2023

    The first special event of the spring semester was the SVAD Faculty show, which happens in early January. The 2023 show was a great event, relaxed but buzzing with energy from the work exhibited. Here are works presented by Robert Reedy, Nicolas Kalemba, Shannon Lindsey, Bobby Aiosa and Robert Rivers. Here are works presened by Larry Cooper, Jim Casey, Theresa Lucey, Carla Poindexter, Debbie Starr, Amer Kobaslija and others.  I attended the same show last year and was impressed by Theresa Lucey's  paintings in domestic settings and a headdress by Wanda Raymundi Ortiz, who sadly, left the faculty that year.  

    With the exception of Studio Concentration class, graduate studio classes in the MFA in Emerging Media in Studio Arts are blended, meaning made of upper level undergrads and grad students. Graduate students are expected to know their stuff, have skills and create work that demonstrates mastery of a chosen medium while developing a cohesive body of work. This was an intimidating notion to me at first because I didn't feel confident in myself or my abilities at the time. But I had a strong artistic past, convinction on my topic of research, dreams and a renewed, loving attitude towards myself, so I gave it my best. The program is not centered on instruction of techniques at the graduate level and it is one hundred percent self guided  artistic research, which I found to be the perfect aproach at this stage, openning endless posibilities for me. That's part of the reason I chose to come here and not another program with more restrictive expectations in a specific discipline. 

    In the spring, I took Advanced Drawing with  Lecturer Theresa Lucey and Advanced Painting with Professor Carla Poindexter. In both classes, the upper level undergrads were inspirational and created superb work. The professors are admirable in their own disciplines and their expertise, care and love of teaching were present in every interaction I observed.

    The Advanced Drawing class provided students with much needed drawing practice from live models, complex still life set ups twice a week, and weekly homework assignments. This class provided an excellent opportunity for me to not only refresh my basics, but also rebuild my confidence as a representational artist. 

    Graduate students were not expected to create homework but rather take their drawing practice into their independent work. Class time became serious brain-gym time for me, as I reacquainted myself with academic drawing concepts learned thirty years prior and blended them into my observations of the UCF instructional method for drawing. I challenged myself to capture someone's likeness from life, so that was my focus. Prior to this class I heard of the specificity of the drawing teaching technique at UCF, so I was not only curious but honestly, I a little intimidated about it. If you have ever walked the hallways of the second floor of the VAB, you know what I mean. These students can draw! 

Turns out the method uses inspection of intersecting lines to determine angles. It specifies making marks as the eye moves naturally while inspecting the subject. The aproach is similar to what I learned in New York as an art student, but not quite the same. I recently reviewed this concept as explained in the title On Drawing Trees and Nature (ISBN-10: 0486442934), one of my favorite classic drawing instruction books, written by the victorian artist J.D Harding. 

My first portrait after instruction of the inter-descending line inspection technique as taught at UCF.

Although  the approach is similar to what I experienced before, the results of my first attempt after Lucey's expert explanaition was shockingly agreeable to me. The thing that I find unique and beautiful here is the encouragement to keep many of the marks made during the initial and continuous scanning of reference points that compose a drawing, as part of the end result. These marks show how the artist's eye moves throughout the work, keeping evidence of the drawing process at all times and giving it a raw beauty that draws the viewer in. Thanks to this approach, I now have a deeper understanding of the process of drawing, as well as a new appreciation for this aesthetic and teaching method, even if I don't always choose to use it in my finished works.

Left: Base/ First Drawing of the semester. Charcoal on newsprint, 24"x30". Right: Portrait Drawing of the same model. Polychromos pencil and conte chalk on coffee stained rag paper, 16"x 20"

    There are two books recommended by every drawing professor at UCF: The Art of Responsive Drawing by Nathan Goldstein, 1999 (ISBN: 9780135979310) and The Natural Way to Draw by Kimon Nicolaides, 1990 (ISBN: 9780395530078). I have not read these titles yet but look forward to using them in my effort to further understand the drawing methodology emphasized here; because it definitely works!

Books recommended by drawing professors at UCF. 

Alligator Alcatraz, Part I

Entrance to Alligator Alcatraz. Watercolor, Ink and color pencils on paper, 9in. x 12 in.

    On independence day weekend my friend Thomas and I drove down to Alligator Alcatraz, to record the protests happening there, as urban sketchers and visual reporters. We also thought it was the most appropriate way to observe U.S. independence day this year, by highlighting the loss of freedom many are experiencing today. It was a failed attempt. Thomas completed a sketch from the reference materials we gathered and wrote about it in his blog.  I was prompted to go back after reading a letter written by the Florida Division of Emergency Management, circulated on social media the following Thursday. The agency invited Florida state legislators and members of congress to visit the location after being denied entrance the week prior. This denial was an illegal act towards said officials, which  resulted in legal action against governor DeSantis and caused said invitation. 

Letter circulated on social media. July 10, 2025.

    As a law abiding naturalized citizen, I was surprised by the fear I felt driving back to this place. The thought of being a Latina amongst demonstrators concerned me, as I remembered recent headlines of  detainment practices by ICE agents. However, above all, I am an artist, which means I must be courageous and true to myself no matter what, so my work remains honest. I put my fears aside and got ready to observe and absorb. This time we arrived Saturday morning, when people congregated under a press tent set up on the south side of the road, listening to congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost of Florida’s 10th district. I moved away from the press tent once Thomas set up to sketch and headed to the side of the road instead, facing North towards the entrance. BooBoo, my loyal canine companion, sat on my lap taking advantage of the shade my wide umbrella provided. I eventually moved him to rest under the shade on the ground, where he laid on the cool, damp earth, leashed next to me, after drinking some water. 

    Reporters circled us shortly after I started working. They asked about my involvement and personal opinion about Alligator Alcatraz: Are you a Meekosukee indian? (because you look like you could be one). Do you have any relatives incarcerated here? What’s your dog’s name? Why are you here? Does the dog have water? What do you think of this detention center being so close to indigenous land? Where are you from? What do you think of the Major of Miami not being able to visit?  I answered their questions the best I could, informed by my experience in Big Cypress National Preserve as a thru-hiker of the FNST, a research artist and author of my thesis titled, Evolving Perceptions of Self and Others: The Effects of Communing with Nature While Thru Hiking the Florida National Scenic Trail. It is here that I discuss the importance of respecting Nature as an entity, working with indigenous people as stewards of the land, and healing through Nature.

    Honestly, there were so many reporters that I could not keep their agencies straight. I talked to a reporter from Univision Digital in Spanish, the Miami Herald, a newspaper from Tampa and another from Boca Raton, to name a few. Reporters, camera men and photographers seemed to outnumber demonstrators at times, and caught up to the representatives as they arrived in black SUV’s. I was talking to a reporter from Tampa as I worked when he showed me a rusty nail, about three inches long. He and others found a number of them off the shoulder of the road, where demonstrators park their cars. I was surprised by the malice of this action, so I drew a number of nails floating in the lower half of my sketch. 

    This was a difficult location to sketch for three reasons: a) Answering questions by the media made it difficult to concentrate and work quickly. b) Even sitting under my double layered, oversized umbrella, the heat was distracting. Sweat ran down my face and arms constantly, making it challenging to hold my tools and metal umbrella shaft without slipping. c) Unbeknownst to me, fountain pens leak at the nib under heat, due to the expansion of air inside the pen and the thinning of the ink. High humidity also affects the pen’s internal seals increasing leakage. In short, since it was both hot and humid, my loved fountain pen had a major temper tantrum. Lesson learned: Always carry a Micron pen when sketching in hot, humid weather. 

    Demonstrators for both sides of the issue stood next to each other, held their signs, were interviewed or photographed, waved at drivers passing by and minded their own business. The overall atmosphere was serene, occasionally disrupted by loud, encouraging honks from cars. Drivers slowed down to read signs. Co-pilots filmed or snapped photos, and some people traveling alone held their phones on their steering wheel as they drove, filming the protestors on both sides of the road. Some people stuck their head and hands out the window giving thumbs up, clapping or shouting “Thank you, Thank you for being here!” as they passed, while others whooped and pumped a fist on tempo to their shouting of “Trump, Trump, Trump!”. At one point a family of three appeared and stood under the sign to the facility. Mom and dad took turns waving an oversized Betsy Ross flag with the numbers 1776 printed in yellow in the middle of the circle of stars, against the dark blue background. The daughter, in her early teens, held a flag that said Trump! Make America Great Again! with her arms opened wide. She wrapped the flag around herself when her arms tired. The three of them adopted serious countenances and heroic poses for the cameras on command from the moment they appeared, as they were engulfed by reporters on the hot asphalt. 

    As noon approached, the heat intensified. Although it had been almost two hours, I was far from finishing my sketch due to the interruptions. I took the closing On location photo at this point, when I decided to end the session and finish the work later. I packed up and set my belongings aside, carried Boo on one arm and maneuvered the umbrella between my shoulder and him as I crossed the road, cell phone in hand, towards the North side to photograph signs. Thomas waited under a shady tree there. Everyone was kind when I asked for a photo, regardless of their political stand. 

    I led the way and with BooBoo still in my arms, quickly crossed back to the South side of the road, snapping shots and making my way to my belongings. We walked on the shoulder, next to the outside of the white line, when I noticed a blue jeep heading slowly towards me. 

Here are photos of the day, up to this point.

On Location

                           

Stay tuned for Part II of Alligator Alcatraz, where I reconstruct how a news camera man was run over on this day.