It was the look of impending doom that "drew" me to this woman. She was sat on the subway and I'm guessing, was on her way to work, clearly distressed about what was awaiting her. I don't even know if she was on her way to work, she might have just been regretting having had two cups of coffee and a bran muffin.
13 comments:
You definitely captured the anxiety in her eyes. Poor thing.
Because you know she's actually not going to work today. She is going to confront the 'other woman' whom she has learned has a new baby. Her husband's been cheating this whole year that she's been taking care of her sick father who is dying of pancreatic cancer. And that's not all. She has 2 younger siblings who look to her for maternal support because her mother passed in a car accident during her senior year in high school and ever since then she has assumed her mother's role in raising her younger siblings.
Wow, I captured a whole lot didn't I. Having looked at the drawing again, I'm sure you're on to something. Where does she go from here?
wow this is great..it goes with my post from yesterday..mmmm... but I dont look like this when I worry..she actually looks very pretty....!
This drawing is so insightful that I know exactly what she's thinking. "Why does that guy keep looking at me? It's really creeping me out. When I get off the train, will he follow me? What's he writing in that book? Is he a private eye hired by my jealous boy friend? Why won't he stop? Does he know I'm on to him? What if I wait till just before the doors close and make a mad dash for the exit? Wait, he's getting off here, Thank God!"
Ha! That's right. Nevermind what I said before. I'm with Larry now. It's the stocking sketch-artist that is worrying her! ;) lol
WOW! this one IS worth a thousand words.
I'm having another go at it because now I think your bran muffin and coffee idea could be right. She's actually quite young and suffering from the denial of her morning sickness... Yup, that's right. Definitely a 'new mother anxiety' look or 'accidental-mother anxiety look.'
Yes, you did really well today with this sketch. You see, I keep coming back thinking I'll get an update on her and how she's doing, as if she is more than simple pencil strokes on paper.
I think she sat on an ice cream.
On the way to a job interview.
I don't think she's focused on anything enough to notice Stephen, but the thought did cross my mind. I think she's on her way to or from a job interview, minus the sitting on the ice cream. If she had sat on something, she would have an "oh s***" look on her face.
Nice work, Stephen.
Jane
Hey! I've followed your blog ever since you came to laguardia to talk to us about sketchbook keeping and such, and I thought you might like to check out matthew Sheahan at http://politenewyorker.blogspot.com/ . He is a writer and a poet, and a poem I read of his recently made me think of people like you who sketch others while on the subway:
Phantom Army of Plainclothes Poets
Sweaty with drink
or dance or overwork
I board the subway
and feel the piercing eyes
of a fellow artist
One bare foot
fluttering its eccentricity for all to see
he takes the overt poets posture
his presence a gift to us
he eyes me and flits his poison pen
across the page
I retaliate
with buzzhead bare bones poetry
barely scribbled
And this is our Gotham
flooded
with the thick moody glut
of expression and ego
it clogs the sewers,
pollutes our rivers.
But I don't mind
if an undercover sculptor
steals the shape of my mouth
or a plainclothes painter
grabs my youthful slouch
Wow you guys are great, thanks for playing along. I'm going to have to take some time and study these responses. Thanks all.
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