Sink into some local art and music

A Beatles tribute and first couch painted by artist Tyrus Clutter during a previous Couch Session. [Supplied]

The Greg Snider Band performs during an Aug. 2, 2019 Couch Sessions. [Maven Photo + Film]

Olivia Ortiz, the singer for Left on Broadway, drew inspiration for the Couch Sessions Ocala series from fond memories of the early 2000s, when her and her friends’ living rooms brimmed with gatherings of artists and musicians. Bandmates and pals would gather to socialize and create new work. 

Ortiz recreates that comfy-cozy, creative feeling while hosting Couch Sessions Ocala events, which feature a reprise of the musician-and-artist jam sessions but in a public setting. During the events, singers and musicians perform and chat with the audience while visual artists create live works.

Olivia Ortiz, creator of Couch Sessions, listens in as the Greg Snider Band performs during an Aug. 2, 2019 Couch Sessions while artist Maggie Weakley paints. [Maven Photo + Film]

The newest installment will kick off the New Year at Marion Cultural Center’s Brick City Center for the Arts. Olivia and her cohorts are taking over the Brick with a slew of events, both free and ticketed, throughout the month of January (Jan. 6-28). The opening reception for Couch Sessions follows the MCA tradition of coinciding with the First Friday Art Walk, taking over the Brick 

“We have a bunch of amazing artists and musicians here in our community,” said Ortiz, the series’ founder. “When we found out that the MCA had an available gallery opening for rentals, I got really excited. My husband (Anthony Ortiz, creative director for the Couch Sessions team) and I discussed it, and we decided to pull the trigger.”

Ortiz said all of the visual artists who painted live and performed in past installments will have work featured at either the event or in the gallery in January. As for who will perform and when, Ortiz is mum. She said the element of surprise and improvisation is an essential element of Couch Sessions.

Past headliners have included Tyrus Clutter, Jessi Miller, Joel Downing, Ryan Neumann, Teddy Sykes, Jordan Shapot and several other visual artists and musicians of local renown.

The Greg Snider Band performs during an Aug. 2, 2019 Couch Sessions while artist Maggie Weakley paints. [Maven Photo + Film]

“We have three events there that are ticketed in January, and the rest of them are ticketed through Eventbrite, but they’re at no cost to the public,” Ortiz said. “We just ask that people tip the musicians and the artists; that’s the most important thing. That’s how you can support them. Like their Facebook pages, like follow them on Instagram, follow them on Facebook, follow them on TikTok. That’s the support portion of our sip, sit and support.” 

At the first-ever Couch Session at the historic Taylor house in May 2018, artist Mel Fiorentino painted in tandem with singer-songwriter Becky Sinn, who played her pink guitar for the crowd while sitting on a chair decorated with a portrait of David Bowie painted by Fiorentino. 

As detailed in a story in the Ocala Star-Banner, a creative interplay, a call-and-response of sorts, took place as the singer and painter talked about their creative process. 

Ortiz auctioned the David Bowie chair Fiorentino created and all couches and chairs painted for the sessions, donating proceeds to local arts organizations such as the Reilly Arts Center. Headlining visual artists paint couches and unveil them during the shows. 

“We’ve been trying to track down all of the couches and chairs to put them in the exhibit,” Ortiz said.

Interactive games and activities have been added to the mix. During the opening reception on Jan. 6, a scavenger hunt will be featured. The series’ Heart of Art fundraising event on Jan. 10 will feature a speed-dating-style mixer where patrons get to rotate from one person to the next and get to know the artists.  

“It’s such a fun, cool experience,” Lisa Midgett, owner of Noma Gallery wrote in her Facebook review of the event series. “Everyone is laid back and just happy to be together watching artists create.”

For more information visit facebook.com/couchsessionsocala or search “Couch Sessions Ocala” on eventbrite.com to acquire tickets.