Culture Worthy of Your Calendar by Josh Garrick     

Great Photo Portraits
Before he moved to New York City and built a brilliant career photographing leaders of the art world, Jack Mitchell was a home-grown Floridian who grew up in New Smyrna Beach.  He opened his first photography studio there in 1947 before moving to New York City in 1950. 
His fame as a photographer came from the black and white portraits he created of artists (including Andy Warhol and the Beatles) with his work appearing for decades in People magazine, Rolling Stone, and the New York Times. He has since returned to New Smyrna Beach where he now creates the photo-portraits of master artists who visit and ‘teach’ at the Atlantic Center for the Arts.  His portraits, which cover the walls at the Atlantic Center, represent an amazing collection of artists from the past 50 years.
Now his work has come ‘home’ and is being exhibited at the Wooten Gallery on the East Campus of Valencia Community College at 701 N. Econlockhatchee Trail.  The Gallery is free; call 407-582-2298 or 407-582-2268. Hours are Monday through Friday from 9am until 5pm.

“Art of Enduring” to Open Downtown 
A dozen artists from around the world have been creating in the heart of Downtown Orlando for an opening on October 15 from 6 pm to 9 pm at the City Arts Factory, 29 South Orange Avenue. The artwork is being created to raise funds for charities in Orlando and Uganda and will be on exhibit through November 13.
Daniel Baltzer of the Limner Society brought the artists together around the theme The Art of Enduring. “As we pass through this turbulent time, the questions of ‘what is worth enduring,’ ‘what will endure,’ and ‘where does endurance come from’ are worth exploring,” explains Baltzer.
Terry Olson, producer of the exhibit says, “After deciding on this year’s theme, it seemed perfect to invite The Limner Society to form the core of this exhibition.” Annually, artists of the Society travel from their homes in India, New York, Phoenix, Indiana and Orlando to hold a ‘group studio’ in a selected city and explore a relevant theme. Joined by an additional six “guest Limners,” the visiting artists from Central Florida create along the same theme. This year, Patricia Zalisko, one of Central Florida’s great abstract painters, will be a guest artist, adding her work to the exhibition.
The causes benefiting from the sale of the art include: The Destiny Foundation; Evoke Ministries; ArmourArts; and the Limner Society.  Call 407-491-4663.

Four Ladies at the Maitland Art Center
Another extraordinary exhibit – certainly one of the finest of the season – opened recently at the Maitland Art Center.  It is a four-woman show entitled “A Confluence.” The exhibit features the artwork and the interaction of artist-colleagues Brigan Gresh, Vicki Jones, Dina Mack, and Anna McCambridge.  What it does brilliantly is exhibit works by each artist on one wall facing four large collaborative pieces on the opposite wall.  Each collaborative work includes participation by all four artists.  Not only do the collaborative works stand up as great works of art, but they invite the viewer to go back and re-view the individual works saying, “This is where Brigan added her artistry,” or “this is the part painted by Vicki Jones.”  It allows you to see both individual and collaborative works in a new way … and it seems particularly at home in the Maitland Art Center’s quirky space.
The exhibit runs through November 1.  A Gallery walk with all four artists will take place on Sunday, October 18 at 1 pm. For information call 407.539.2181 or visit www.maitlandartcenter.org

Cinderella on Pointe
Considering how close we live to her castle, our children might believe that Orlando is Cinderella’s home-town.  And with the Orlando Ballet presenting the ballet version of the familiar story, little girls will have even more reasons to believe in magic.
As if dancing on pointe is not magical enough, the lead role in the performances scheduled for October 16, 17, and 18 will be danced by the sensational Katia Garza.  Ms. Garza recently celebrated her own special evening when she was honored with the ‘Angel of Independence Award’ from the Mexican Consulate (recognizing cultural contributions by people of Mexican descent).
Prince Charming will be danced by Joey Gorak, who once studied at the Orlando Ballet School, and now dances with American Ballet Theatre in New York City; and  Arcadian Broad, the talented young dancer who appeared on America’s Got Talent this summer, will dance a solo.
Peter Stark, choreographer for the ballet, says, “… everyone has one great creative project in them - Cinderella is mine.”  The magic will take place at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre.  Call 407 426 1733 or visit www.orlandoballet.org.

The Return of … CATS
Continuing to live up to its slogan "Now and Forever," the musical CATS will return to Orlando from October 20 to 25, with performances at the Bob Carr. 
By now, you or someone you love has seen this “longest running musical on Broadway” by Andrew Lloyd Webber, which features singing, dancing ‘cats,’ and you may know some of the poems by T.S. Eliot from his book Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats (1939) that served as the inspiration for the musical. (Eliot had a great affection for cats, and ‘Possum’ was his nickname).  
It won seven Tony Awards (in 1983) including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Lighting and Best Costumes. 26 years later, the cats are back to give the whole family one more chance to experience ‘the magic, the mystery, the wonder of’ CATS. Tickets can be purchased at www.BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com/Orlando or charge-by-phone at 1-800-982-2787.

Great Art for the Kids
Who says that great art isn’t created for children?  One of the greatest living illustrators in the world – Jerry Pinkney – will appear at the Orlando Museum of Art on October 24 at 1pm for a special presentation and book signing.
The Lion & the Mouse, Pinkney’s newest creation, is a New York Times bestseller. Admission to the event is free, compliments of his Publisher Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, and the little ones will see the original illustrations from the book displayed in the Museum galleries.  A fascinating exhibition – from early sketches to final book pages – will continue at the Museum through November 1. The art is even hung lower on the walls for easy viewing by young visitors – a great introduction to the wonders of a Museum for the young ones. For more information on the Museum and its programs, visit www.omart.org or call 407 896 4231.

Josh Garrick is the Florida Arts Editor for Wandering Educators.