Florida pastels, soft pastels on A4 black paper.
Pool Steps
While I was drawing this it was the middle of the day and a lot of people must have been inside lying under their air conditioners, watching TV or reading books and drinking iced tea, because nothing much happened.
While I was drawing this it was the middle of the day and a lot of people must have been inside lying under their air conditioners, watching TV or reading books and drinking iced tea, because nothing much happened.
Blue House
While I was drawing this nothing much really happened;
A tourist trolley went past.
A girl with blond curls passed with her mother.
A boy sat on a bench and ate a sandwich.
And Miss Catherine lay on her side on a park bench under the dappled light of a moss-dripping oak tree.
While I was drawing this nothing much really happened;
A tourist trolley went past.
A girl with blond curls passed with her mother.
A boy sat on a bench and ate a sandwich.
And Miss Catherine lay on her side on a park bench under the dappled light of a moss-dripping oak tree.
Pool and Palm Shadow
While I was drawing this a white pick up truck came around the corner, pulled up in front of me and a man with 1970's porn star-style moustache leaned out of the window and yelled- 'Ma'am, you want me to park somewhere else, Ma'am?'
'Yes,' I shouted back, 'that would be nice. Thank you,'
Then the man gave me a thumbs-up and pulled the truck into an empty lot to the left of the house.
While I was drawing this a white pick up truck came around the corner, pulled up in front of me and a man with 1970's porn star-style moustache leaned out of the window and yelled- 'Ma'am, you want me to park somewhere else, Ma'am?'
'Yes,' I shouted back, 'that would be nice. Thank you,'
Then the man gave me a thumbs-up and pulled the truck into an empty lot to the left of the house.
Driveway
While I was drawing this a group of people made up of 2 elderly men, an elderly woman and a young teenage girl went past.
It was only 9am but they were already wearing beach clothing; water shoes, bathing suits, hats, sunglasses.
‘Ya mind if I take a look at what you’re drawing there?’ said one of the elderly men crossing the street toward me.
‘Of course not,’ I said.
‘Well, my, look at that,’ he said, standing behind me and looking down at my picture,’ that’s really coming along,’
Then the other man came over and looked at my drawing.
And then the girl came over.
Ant then the woman came over and they were all standing behind me saying things like ooh, ahh, woah.
Then the elderly man who’d crossed the street first said-‘What inspires you to draw a place like that?’
‘Well, the light has to be right and the house has to be a pretty colour,’ I told him, ‘and that’s about it,’
‘Well,’ it’s beautiful,’ he said and the others said some similar things.
Then, because the sun was out, and because the light was right, and because I was sitting in a street in Florida drawing a picture of a house, as the 2 elderly men and the woman and the girl all turned to walk away I called out, ‘You all have a nice day now’ and really meant it.
While I was drawing this a group of people made up of 2 elderly men, an elderly woman and a young teenage girl went past.
It was only 9am but they were already wearing beach clothing; water shoes, bathing suits, hats, sunglasses.
‘Ya mind if I take a look at what you’re drawing there?’ said one of the elderly men crossing the street toward me.
‘Of course not,’ I said.
‘Well, my, look at that,’ he said, standing behind me and looking down at my picture,’ that’s really coming along,’
Then the other man came over and looked at my drawing.
And then the girl came over.
Ant then the woman came over and they were all standing behind me saying things like ooh, ahh, woah.
Then the elderly man who’d crossed the street first said-‘What inspires you to draw a place like that?’
‘Well, the light has to be right and the house has to be a pretty colour,’ I told him, ‘and that’s about it,’
‘Well,’ it’s beautiful,’ he said and the others said some similar things.
Then, because the sun was out, and because the light was right, and because I was sitting in a street in Florida drawing a picture of a house, as the 2 elderly men and the woman and the girl all turned to walk away I called out, ‘You all have a nice day now’ and really meant it.
Yellow Paving
While I was drawing this there was a small boy in the pool called Jonah who shouted repeatedly to his brother, Noah, who was upstairs on the balcony of an apartment.
‘Noah, Noah, come into the pool, Noah, Noah, come into the pool, Noah, Noah, come into the pool,’ he called over and over again.
I was slightly annoyed and was about to start calling out for Noah too when I heard Noah shout back that he was coming.
So then Noah got in the pool and the boys began playing together until Noah took Jonah’s goggles and that’s when Jonah began to cry loudly and then scream, ‘Noah, Noah give me back my goggles, Noah, Noah give me back my goggles, Noah, Noah give me back my goggles.’
I put my pastel down and sat there looking at the screaming Jonah in the water thinking how glad I was I didn’t have any children and that if I’d had any I’d have had them fitted with a volume button.
While I was drawing this there was a small boy in the pool called Jonah who shouted repeatedly to his brother, Noah, who was upstairs on the balcony of an apartment.
‘Noah, Noah, come into the pool, Noah, Noah, come into the pool, Noah, Noah, come into the pool,’ he called over and over again.
I was slightly annoyed and was about to start calling out for Noah too when I heard Noah shout back that he was coming.
So then Noah got in the pool and the boys began playing together until Noah took Jonah’s goggles and that’s when Jonah began to cry loudly and then scream, ‘Noah, Noah give me back my goggles, Noah, Noah give me back my goggles, Noah, Noah give me back my goggles.’
I put my pastel down and sat there looking at the screaming Jonah in the water thinking how glad I was I didn’t have any children and that if I’d had any I’d have had them fitted with a volume button.
Green House, 2 Palms
While I was drawing this, nothing much happened.
A woman with grey hair went past in a Chevrolet and waved.
A woman with blond hair and Jacki Onassis glasses went past in a 4 wheel drive and waved.
And a young man wearing a brown shirt and brown shorts went past in a Fed Ex truck and waved.
While I was drawing this, nothing much happened.
A woman with grey hair went past in a Chevrolet and waved.
A woman with blond hair and Jacki Onassis glasses went past in a 4 wheel drive and waved.
And a young man wearing a brown shirt and brown shorts went past in a Fed Ex truck and waved.
Pool Edge
Monterey Square
While I was drawing this a man with a man came up to me and said in a German accent- ‘Is this the square where they made the movie?’
‘I don’t know.’ I said, ‘Which movie are you talking about?’
‘Forest Gump,’ he said.
And then, maybe out of embarrassment, he started laughing.
And then, because he was laughing, I started laughing too.
While I was drawing this a man with a man came up to me and said in a German accent- ‘Is this the square where they made the movie?’
‘I don’t know.’ I said, ‘Which movie are you talking about?’
‘Forest Gump,’ he said.
And then, maybe out of embarrassment, he started laughing.
And then, because he was laughing, I started laughing too.
Steps and Rail
While I was drawing this, because it was early in the morning, nothing much happened.
While I was drawing this, because it was early in the morning, nothing much happened.
Yellow House With Flag
While I was drawing this a sandy-haired man came out of the house to the left of where I was sitting, got into the back of a pick up truck, stood up and shouted out-
‘It’s like totally frikkin annoying to be interrupted like in the middle of everything all the frikkin time.’
Then the man went inside and a small dark grey dog with a face like a an ugly little bat came out of the same house and stood on the grass staring at me.
I stared back at it for a while and then made some dog-friendly whistle noises.
But the animal didn’t respond; didn’t bark, didn’t growl, just stood there staring at me until eventually, bored by it’s inaction, I ignored it and went back to my drawing.
While I was drawing this a sandy-haired man came out of the house to the left of where I was sitting, got into the back of a pick up truck, stood up and shouted out-
‘It’s like totally frikkin annoying to be interrupted like in the middle of everything all the frikkin time.’
Then the man went inside and a small dark grey dog with a face like a an ugly little bat came out of the same house and stood on the grass staring at me.
I stared back at it for a while and then made some dog-friendly whistle noises.
But the animal didn’t respond; didn’t bark, didn’t growl, just stood there staring at me until eventually, bored by it’s inaction, I ignored it and went back to my drawing.
6 Feet
While I was drawing this children kept getting in and out of the water, bombing and splashing each other, playing underwater fetching games with pieces of plastic.
Then I’d to stop drawing, eat some Cheetos, and wait until the water calmed down again so I could start drawing.
In the end I shouted at the children, ‘You’re messing up my view.’
While I was drawing this children kept getting in and out of the water, bombing and splashing each other, playing underwater fetching games with pieces of plastic.
Then I’d to stop drawing, eat some Cheetos, and wait until the water calmed down again so I could start drawing.
In the end I shouted at the children, ‘You’re messing up my view.’
While I was drawing this the tourist trolley went up and down the street, filled with people wearing sun visors and overs-sized tee shirts.
A few cars pulled in and out of the driveway, and for a while someone even parked on the front lawn. But I drew around the car.
Then a pair of women stopped and I took my head phones off and looked up at them.
‘My, that’s pretty,’ one of them said, referring to my drawing.
A few cars pulled in and out of the driveway, and for a while someone even parked on the front lawn. But I drew around the car.
Then a pair of women stopped and I took my head phones off and looked up at them.
‘My, that’s pretty,’ one of them said, referring to my drawing.
Chair II
While I was drawing this I could hear a little boy behind me in the pool asking his mother-
‘Mommy, what’s she spraying on her paper?’
Then he asked her another question about what I was doing.
And then another.
And then another.
Finally I turned around to him and said- “Why don’t you ask me? I’m from England and we speak English there,”
And then, worrying I might have sounded slightly rude, I forced myself to laugh.
But I needn’t have worried, because the mother laughed too and said to the little boy, ‘Yeh, go on, she speaks English, why don’t YOU ask her what she’s doing?!”
While I was drawing this I could hear a little boy behind me in the pool asking his mother-
‘Mommy, what’s she spraying on her paper?’
Then he asked her another question about what I was doing.
And then another.
And then another.
Finally I turned around to him and said- “Why don’t you ask me? I’m from England and we speak English there,”
And then, worrying I might have sounded slightly rude, I forced myself to laugh.
But I needn’t have worried, because the mother laughed too and said to the little boy, ‘Yeh, go on, she speaks English, why don’t YOU ask her what she’s doing?!”
While I was drawing this house I was on red alert because behind me was a bush where I knew a snake lived. But by the time I’d gotten to drawing the power lines, I’d forgotten all about the serpent and when the dark haired woman with the blond dog passed and smiled and said ‘Mornin’ I smiled and said ‘Mornin’ right back.
While I was drawing this, the owner of the house pulled up in her car, crossed the road to see what I was doing, and said, ‘Oh my that's pretty, I’m going to send my husband out,’
About half an hour later the husband crossed the road, stood to my right, looked down at my drawing and the started telling me the history of the suburb.
‘It’s California style,’ he told me. ‘I’ve had the house 21 years but it’d been standing for 20 before we got it,’
Then he told me his son still lived at home, but that his daughter had gone.
‘This was the first suburb built on the island and there’s no sewerage system.’
Then suddenly he changed the subject.
‘What’s a pretty young thing like you doing with all that mess up your arms,’ he said pointing at my tattoos, ‘and on your legs?
About half an hour later the husband crossed the road, stood to my right, looked down at my drawing and the started telling me the history of the suburb.
‘It’s California style,’ he told me. ‘I’ve had the house 21 years but it’d been standing for 20 before we got it,’
Then he told me his son still lived at home, but that his daughter had gone.
‘This was the first suburb built on the island and there’s no sewerage system.’
Then suddenly he changed the subject.
‘What’s a pretty young thing like you doing with all that mess up your arms,’ he said pointing at my tattoos, ‘and on your legs?
3 Palm House
While I was drawing this house 3 small children stood in the front window waving and banging on the glass.
After a while, not wanting the parents to think I was a child molester, I crossed the road and knocked on the front door. I could hear the children inside shrieking.
A man opened the door. ‘I’m drawing your house and your children are watching and I don’t want you to think I’m some kind of weirdo or anything,’
The man started to laugh, in a high-pitched almost hysterical squeak, the kind of laugh one might laugh after having been trapped inside with 3 children all day.
‘Was that a girl?’ I heard one of the children say as I turned to cross the road back to my easel.
After a while, not wanting the parents to think I was a child molester, I crossed the road and knocked on the front door. I could hear the children inside shrieking.
A man opened the door. ‘I’m drawing your house and your children are watching and I don’t want you to think I’m some kind of weirdo or anything,’
The man started to laugh, in a high-pitched almost hysterical squeak, the kind of laugh one might laugh after having been trapped inside with 3 children all day.
‘Was that a girl?’ I heard one of the children say as I turned to cross the road back to my easel.
While I was drawing this I watched a man drive around the block several times and then pull up at the curb in front of the house. The car was full of rust and when he got out the driver’s side door made a screeching noise.
The man walked left, past the front of the house, and went around the corner.
I was looking at his car thinking it looks like a car a junkie or a killer or paedophile might drive in an episode of Law and Order. I was drawing the part of the curb that fell in shadow when the driver came back, followed by a teenage girl and a well dressed blond woman.
As they got in the car to drive off, a young man and woman pulled up on bicycles, chained them to bottom of the stair railing and went upstairs.
The man walked left, past the front of the house, and went around the corner.
I was looking at his car thinking it looks like a car a junkie or a killer or paedophile might drive in an episode of Law and Order. I was drawing the part of the curb that fell in shadow when the driver came back, followed by a teenage girl and a well dressed blond woman.
As they got in the car to drive off, a young man and woman pulled up on bicycles, chained them to bottom of the stair railing and went upstairs.
Two Palm Beach House
While I was drawing this a woman went past with a dark brown Dachshund, said ‘Hi, good morning,’ to me and I said, 'Hi, good morning,’ back.
Then, when the woman with the Dachshund got to the end of the street, I heard her start up a conversation with another woman who was parked there on a bicycle.
I couldn’t hear every thing they said because the ocean was just beyond and it was loudly bashing into the sand, but I did hear her the woman with the Dachshund say her father had had 9 heart attacks and I did hear the other woman say she’d now have to have a stent in her heart every 6 months.
Then I heard the woman with Dachshund talking about Costa Rica and then I heard the women telling each other their names and that they’d see each other around and that it had been really lovely to see and meet each other.
Then the woman on the bicycle cycled past me and said good morning and I said good morning back.
Then, while I continued drawing, I heard the woman with Dachshund talking to it.
'Oh, you don’t wanna go now? You wanna go home? Huh?’ she said.
Then there was quiet.
And then, as if the Dachshund had given a really good reason for not wanting a walk, I heard the woman say, 'Well okay then, I understand. Let’s just head on home.’
And then I turned and watched them as they began the walk back up the street toward me.
While I was drawing this a woman went past with a dark brown Dachshund, said ‘Hi, good morning,’ to me and I said, 'Hi, good morning,’ back.
Then, when the woman with the Dachshund got to the end of the street, I heard her start up a conversation with another woman who was parked there on a bicycle.
I couldn’t hear every thing they said because the ocean was just beyond and it was loudly bashing into the sand, but I did hear her the woman with the Dachshund say her father had had 9 heart attacks and I did hear the other woman say she’d now have to have a stent in her heart every 6 months.
Then I heard the woman with Dachshund talking about Costa Rica and then I heard the women telling each other their names and that they’d see each other around and that it had been really lovely to see and meet each other.
Then the woman on the bicycle cycled past me and said good morning and I said good morning back.
Then, while I continued drawing, I heard the woman with Dachshund talking to it.
'Oh, you don’t wanna go now? You wanna go home? Huh?’ she said.
Then there was quiet.
And then, as if the Dachshund had given a really good reason for not wanting a walk, I heard the woman say, 'Well okay then, I understand. Let’s just head on home.’
And then I turned and watched them as they began the walk back up the street toward me.
A Roof
While I was drawing this a tanned teenage girl wearing only a Rasta hat and a bikini came toward me on a bicycle, stopped, looked down at my drawing and said, ‘Did you like, go to college to learn how to do that?’
‘Yes,’ I said, looking up at her.
‘My Mom went to college to learn how to do that, too,’ she said, ‘but she can’t do it as good as you,’
‘That’s nice of you to say,’ I said to the girl, ‘but you probably shouldn’t say that to your mother,’
‘No,’ said the girl after short pause, ‘I guess I probably shouldn’t.’
While I was drawing this a tanned teenage girl wearing only a Rasta hat and a bikini came toward me on a bicycle, stopped, looked down at my drawing and said, ‘Did you like, go to college to learn how to do that?’
‘Yes,’ I said, looking up at her.
‘My Mom went to college to learn how to do that, too,’ she said, ‘but she can’t do it as good as you,’
‘That’s nice of you to say,’ I said to the girl, ‘but you probably shouldn’t say that to your mother,’
‘No,’ said the girl after short pause, ‘I guess I probably shouldn’t.’
Red Roof
While I was drawing this house a young guy with no shirt but a lot of tattoos passed with his dog.
‘Is that a Border Collie?’ I said.
‘Yeh,’ he said.
‘I love Border Collies,’ I said.
‘Yeh.’ he said.
While I was drawing this house a young guy with no shirt but a lot of tattoos passed with his dog.
‘Is that a Border Collie?’ I said.
‘Yeh,’ he said.
‘I love Border Collies,’ I said.
‘Yeh.’ he said.
A Frame with Succulent
While I was drawing this a car pulled up in the driveway and a woman got out of it carrying 3 McDonald's bags.
Considering it was around 9am, I was shocked she was carrying McDonald's.
So the woman stood in the driveway looking at me for a few moments until she crossed the road toward me.
'Is that your house?' I said when the woman had come to a standstill directly in front of me.
The woman told me no, but that the house had belonged to her mother.
'She died on the first of the year,' the woman said.
I said oh, and that I was sorry to hear it.
'I live in that house just there on the corner,' she said, 'so my momma's house is empty until we get around to cleaning it out. My brother's going to come down from Maine and help so we can get it on the market,'
I said oh again and then the woman said, 'Should have it ready for around the first of the year,'
'Oh, okay,' I said thinking that soon she would be going home with COLD McDonald's for breakfast.
Then the woman said- 'Let me know when you finish that, I might want to buy it from ya,'
I said okay and when she put her arm out to take my business card I was offering I caught the smell of fried food coming out of the top of the McDonald's bag and I felt slightly not good.
Then the woman stood there telling me a few more things about her mother but I missed most of what she was saying because all I could think about was how anybody could put any product from the McDonald's range in their body at 9 am.
*A year later I stopped in to see the woman and she bought the drawing.
She also commissioned me to do a copy of it for her brother.
While I was drawing this a car pulled up in the driveway and a woman got out of it carrying 3 McDonald's bags.
Considering it was around 9am, I was shocked she was carrying McDonald's.
So the woman stood in the driveway looking at me for a few moments until she crossed the road toward me.
'Is that your house?' I said when the woman had come to a standstill directly in front of me.
The woman told me no, but that the house had belonged to her mother.
'She died on the first of the year,' the woman said.
I said oh, and that I was sorry to hear it.
'I live in that house just there on the corner,' she said, 'so my momma's house is empty until we get around to cleaning it out. My brother's going to come down from Maine and help so we can get it on the market,'
I said oh again and then the woman said, 'Should have it ready for around the first of the year,'
'Oh, okay,' I said thinking that soon she would be going home with COLD McDonald's for breakfast.
Then the woman said- 'Let me know when you finish that, I might want to buy it from ya,'
I said okay and when she put her arm out to take my business card I was offering I caught the smell of fried food coming out of the top of the McDonald's bag and I felt slightly not good.
Then the woman stood there telling me a few more things about her mother but I missed most of what she was saying because all I could think about was how anybody could put any product from the McDonald's range in their body at 9 am.
*A year later I stopped in to see the woman and she bought the drawing.
She also commissioned me to do a copy of it for her brother.
Half Pool
While I was drawing this, a girl got out of the pool, came over and stood dripping in front of me with the hands clutched under her chin and and said, ‘Ma’am, can I see what you’re drawing?’
‘Of course you can,’ I said, ‘come behind me and have a look,’
‘My,’ she said, ‘that’s really good,’
Then suddenly, there were about 4 little girls standing around saying things like, ‘Ooh, that’s pretty,’ and ‘I wish I could draw like that’.
While I was drawing this, a girl got out of the pool, came over and stood dripping in front of me with the hands clutched under her chin and and said, ‘Ma’am, can I see what you’re drawing?’
‘Of course you can,’ I said, ‘come behind me and have a look,’
‘My,’ she said, ‘that’s really good,’
Then suddenly, there were about 4 little girls standing around saying things like, ‘Ooh, that’s pretty,’ and ‘I wish I could draw like that’.
Fence and Shrub
While I was drawing this, a girl got out of the pool, came over and stood dripping in front of me with the hands clutched under her chin and and said, ‘Ma’am, can I see what you’re drawing?’
‘Of course you can,’ I said, ‘come behind me and have a look,’
‘My,’ she said, ‘that’s really good,’
Then suddenly, there were about 4 little girls standing around saying things like, ‘Ooh, that’s pretty,’ and ‘I wish I could draw like that’.
While I was drawing this, a girl got out of the pool, came over and stood dripping in front of me with the hands clutched under her chin and and said, ‘Ma’am, can I see what you’re drawing?’
‘Of course you can,’ I said, ‘come behind me and have a look,’
‘My,’ she said, ‘that’s really good,’
Then suddenly, there were about 4 little girls standing around saying things like, ‘Ooh, that’s pretty,’ and ‘I wish I could draw like that’.
No story.
Yellow House, One Palm
While I was drawing this a woman went past with a dark brown Dachshund, said ‘Hi, good morning,’ to me and I said, ‘Hi, good morning,’ back.
Then, when the woman with the Dachshund got to the end of the street, I heard her start up a conversation with another woman who was parked there on a bicycle.
I couldn’t hear every thing they said because the ocean was just beyond and it was loudly bashing into the sand, but I did hear her the woman with the Dachshund say her father had had 9 heart attacks and I did hear the other woman say she’d now have to have a stent in her heart every 6 months.
Then I heard the woman with Dachshund talking about Costa Rica and then I heard the women telling each other their names and that they’d see each other around and that it had been really lovely to see and meet each other.
Then the woman on the bicycle cycled past me and said good morning and I said good morning back.
Then, while I continued drawing, I heard the woman with Dachshund talking to it.
‘Oh, you don’t wanna go now? You wanna go home? Huh?’ she said.
Then there was quiet.
And then, as if the Dachshund had given a really good reason for not wanting a walk, I heard the woman say, ‘Well okay then, I understand. Let’s just head on home.’
And then I turned and watched them as they began the walk back up the street toward me.
While I was drawing this a woman went past with a dark brown Dachshund, said ‘Hi, good morning,’ to me and I said, ‘Hi, good morning,’ back.
Then, when the woman with the Dachshund got to the end of the street, I heard her start up a conversation with another woman who was parked there on a bicycle.
I couldn’t hear every thing they said because the ocean was just beyond and it was loudly bashing into the sand, but I did hear her the woman with the Dachshund say her father had had 9 heart attacks and I did hear the other woman say she’d now have to have a stent in her heart every 6 months.
Then I heard the woman with Dachshund talking about Costa Rica and then I heard the women telling each other their names and that they’d see each other around and that it had been really lovely to see and meet each other.
Then the woman on the bicycle cycled past me and said good morning and I said good morning back.
Then, while I continued drawing, I heard the woman with Dachshund talking to it.
‘Oh, you don’t wanna go now? You wanna go home? Huh?’ she said.
Then there was quiet.
And then, as if the Dachshund had given a really good reason for not wanting a walk, I heard the woman say, ‘Well okay then, I understand. Let’s just head on home.’
And then I turned and watched them as they began the walk back up the street toward me.
Kate From Pittsburgh
While I was drawing this, Kate, who was 4 and from Pittsburgh, came up and stood in front of me.
‘What are you doing?’ she said.
‘I’m drawing a picture,’
‘What are they?’ she said, pointing at my pastels.
‘Pastels,’ I said.
She stood there for a moment looking down at the pastels.
‘Would you like to draw?’
‘Awesome!’ she said, clapping her hands together and doing a little jig.
While I was drawing this, Kate, who was 4 and from Pittsburgh, came up and stood in front of me.
‘What are you doing?’ she said.
‘I’m drawing a picture,’
‘What are they?’ she said, pointing at my pastels.
‘Pastels,’ I said.
She stood there for a moment looking down at the pastels.
‘Would you like to draw?’
‘Awesome!’ she said, clapping her hands together and doing a little jig.
Savannaha, The Magical
While I was drawing this, a blond woman with a whippet crossed the square in my direction. As she passed behind me I could tell that her and the dog had stopped and were looking down at my picture.
I took my head phones off and turned and looked up at her.
‘Hello,’ I said.
‘Wow wee,’ she said looking from the drawing to the house and back, ‘you got that light there just right,’
‘Thank you,’ I said.
‘Are you selling them?’ she said.
‘Are you buying?’ I said back.
She laughed.
While I was drawing this, a blond woman with a whippet crossed the square in my direction. As she passed behind me I could tell that her and the dog had stopped and were looking down at my picture.
I took my head phones off and turned and looked up at her.
‘Hello,’ I said.
‘Wow wee,’ she said looking from the drawing to the house and back, ‘you got that light there just right,’
‘Thank you,’ I said.
‘Are you selling them?’ she said.
‘Are you buying?’ I said back.
She laughed.
Mercer/Williams House
While I was drawing this a man came up and started talking to me and after some small talk got on the subject of god.
He was a big fan of god and he talked to me for quite a while on the topic until he he told me he too was an artist and had drawn a comic book, which he then took out of his backpack and showed me.
I told him it looked very good and good luck with it.
Then he told me that he didn’t have a job, that he lived on the street and did odd jobs for people.
I felt like asking him why, if god was so amazing, he didn’t get him a job and his own house.
But I didn’t.
While I was drawing this a man came up and started talking to me and after some small talk got on the subject of god.
He was a big fan of god and he talked to me for quite a while on the topic until he he told me he too was an artist and had drawn a comic book, which he then took out of his backpack and showed me.
I told him it looked very good and good luck with it.
Then he told me that he didn’t have a job, that he lived on the street and did odd jobs for people.
I felt like asking him why, if god was so amazing, he didn’t get him a job and his own house.
But I didn’t.
House With Trees and Flag
While I was drawing this 2 middle aged women with dark orange tans came up the street on bicycles, pulled up on either side of me, looked down and started talking at me.
‘Well, hey there,’ said the woman to my right, ‘I see you’re doing some painting?’
‘Actually,’ I said, putting a pastel back in its box and looking up at her, ‘I’m drawing,’
‘Oh, how neat,’ she shouted out.
Then the other woman started talking.
‘On Oprah yesterday there was an artist who did this like massive portrait,’ she said, letting go of her handlebars and drawing a big air square with her hands, ‘and he’s like the fastest portraitist in the world. And he was like doing this portrait in 2 minutes only using his hands, no brushes, and right alongside of him they had the fastest violinist in the world and he was playing Vivaldi, one of the seasons, I don’t know which season, but it was, really, really fast.’
Then the other woman shouted out how neat again and then without even waiting for my response to the Oprah portrait story, they both told to me to be sure to have a great day and rode off.
While I was drawing this 2 middle aged women with dark orange tans came up the street on bicycles, pulled up on either side of me, looked down and started talking at me.
‘Well, hey there,’ said the woman to my right, ‘I see you’re doing some painting?’
‘Actually,’ I said, putting a pastel back in its box and looking up at her, ‘I’m drawing,’
‘Oh, how neat,’ she shouted out.
Then the other woman started talking.
‘On Oprah yesterday there was an artist who did this like massive portrait,’ she said, letting go of her handlebars and drawing a big air square with her hands, ‘and he’s like the fastest portraitist in the world. And he was like doing this portrait in 2 minutes only using his hands, no brushes, and right alongside of him they had the fastest violinist in the world and he was playing Vivaldi, one of the seasons, I don’t know which season, but it was, really, really fast.’
Then the other woman shouted out how neat again and then without even waiting for my response to the Oprah portrait story, they both told to me to be sure to have a great day and rode off.
The House Opposite John's
While I was drawing this a guy came out of the house behind me and said, ‘Hey my wife just rang me and said there’s some cute girl out front doing some painting.’
‘Oh, yes?’ I said looking up at him thinking his wife shouldn’t have been driving if she thought I was a ‘cute girl’.
Then a woman pulled up in the driveway of the house I was drawing and came out to see what I was doing. She had a little girl with her.
‘Can I draw?’ said the little girl.
I said yes and gave her a piece of paper and a pastel.
Then, holding the pastel like she was going to use it to stab the cat or something, me and the guy and the mother watched as the child started making manic circles all over the paper,
Then the guy asked if he could take a picture of me and the drawing. I said yes and he went inside, came back with a camera and took a picture. Then he said, ‘If you want to use the bathroom come on in, the doors open, or if you want a beer when you finish up?’
‘Okay,’ I said, ‘thanks.’
Then, because she’d seen me spraying mine with hairspray, the child asked me to spray her drawing. So I gave it a squirt to fix it.
Then the mother said to the child, ‘Come on Chloe, let’s go inside,’
Chloe didn’t want to go but I gave her a pastel to keep, and another piece of paper, and she went home.
Then the guy, told me he was going inside and to just come in when I finished.
‘I want you to see my house,’ he said, ‘Richard Boone drank himself to death in it.’
While I was drawing this a guy came out of the house behind me and said, ‘Hey my wife just rang me and said there’s some cute girl out front doing some painting.’
‘Oh, yes?’ I said looking up at him thinking his wife shouldn’t have been driving if she thought I was a ‘cute girl’.
Then a woman pulled up in the driveway of the house I was drawing and came out to see what I was doing. She had a little girl with her.
‘Can I draw?’ said the little girl.
I said yes and gave her a piece of paper and a pastel.
Then, holding the pastel like she was going to use it to stab the cat or something, me and the guy and the mother watched as the child started making manic circles all over the paper,
Then the guy asked if he could take a picture of me and the drawing. I said yes and he went inside, came back with a camera and took a picture. Then he said, ‘If you want to use the bathroom come on in, the doors open, or if you want a beer when you finish up?’
‘Okay,’ I said, ‘thanks.’
Then, because she’d seen me spraying mine with hairspray, the child asked me to spray her drawing. So I gave it a squirt to fix it.
Then the mother said to the child, ‘Come on Chloe, let’s go inside,’
Chloe didn’t want to go but I gave her a pastel to keep, and another piece of paper, and she went home.
Then the guy, told me he was going inside and to just come in when I finished.
‘I want you to see my house,’ he said, ‘Richard Boone drank himself to death in it.’
5 Feet
While I was drawing this two little girls came running out of the pool, and stood there dripping next to me for a bit until one quietly said- ‘What are you doing?’
‘I’m drawing the pool,’ I said.
‘What are those things in that box?’ she said, pointing to my pastels.
‘Pastels,’ I said, ‘that’s what I use for drawing,’
Then a little boy came running up and stood next to the girls and asked what I was doing.
‘She’s drawing a picture of the pool,’ said the little girl, ‘and she’s drawing it with her pistols.’
Then they all started squealing and running back toward the pool shouting- ‘She’s drawing the pool with her pistols, she’s drawing the pool with with her pistols.’
While I was drawing this two little girls came running out of the pool, and stood there dripping next to me for a bit until one quietly said- ‘What are you doing?’
‘I’m drawing the pool,’ I said.
‘What are those things in that box?’ she said, pointing to my pastels.
‘Pastels,’ I said, ‘that’s what I use for drawing,’
Then a little boy came running up and stood next to the girls and asked what I was doing.
‘She’s drawing a picture of the pool,’ said the little girl, ‘and she’s drawing it with her pistols.’
Then they all started squealing and running back toward the pool shouting- ‘She’s drawing the pool with her pistols, she’s drawing the pool with with her pistols.’
Old Street
While I was drawing this I noticed the car parked in the driveway opposite where I was sitting had an Obama/Biden bumper sticker.
So did three other cars further up the street.
‘Hmmm,’ I thought to myself, ‘I could live in the street’.
While I was drawing this I noticed the car parked in the driveway opposite where I was sitting had an Obama/Biden bumper sticker.
So did three other cars further up the street.
‘Hmmm,’ I thought to myself, ‘I could live in the street’.
White House with Palms
While I was drawing this a young man came out of the gate next to the garage, walked across the road toward me and asked, ‘Do you mind if I have a look at what you’re doing.
‘No,’ I said.
‘Hey, that’s neat,’ He said.
‘Thanks,’ I said.
‘Where are you from?’ he said.
‘Well, originally I’m from Australia,’ I told him, ‘but now I live in England,’
‘Neat,’ he said, ‘I lived in Australia for a while,’
‘Oh, yes?’ I said, standing up to stretch my back which was now hurting from leaning forward toward my easel.
‘Yeh,’ he said, ‘I like totally loved Sydney,’
‘Yeh?’ I said, ‘Well, I like totally love Florida.
‘Really?’ he said.
‘Yeh, really.’ I said
While I was drawing this a young man came out of the gate next to the garage, walked across the road toward me and asked, ‘Do you mind if I have a look at what you’re doing.
‘No,’ I said.
‘Hey, that’s neat,’ He said.
‘Thanks,’ I said.
‘Where are you from?’ he said.
‘Well, originally I’m from Australia,’ I told him, ‘but now I live in England,’
‘Neat,’ he said, ‘I lived in Australia for a while,’
‘Oh, yes?’ I said, standing up to stretch my back which was now hurting from leaning forward toward my easel.
‘Yeh,’ he said, ‘I like totally loved Sydney,’
‘Yeh?’ I said, ‘Well, I like totally love Florida.
‘Really?’ he said.
‘Yeh, really.’ I said
Pink House
While I was drawing this the garbage truck came screaming along the road.
It was early in the morning, about 7.30am.
I could hear people laughing in the house behind me.
It’s easy to be happy that early in the morning, when the sun is already up and strong.
While I was drawing this the garbage truck came screaming along the road.
It was early in the morning, about 7.30am.
I could hear people laughing in the house behind me.
It’s easy to be happy that early in the morning, when the sun is already up and strong.
White House, Red Roof
While I was drawing this house a man came out from the house behind me and asked me if I’d draw a picture of his house for his father. With him were three little kids sucking at ice creams and cans of coke.
‘Yes, I’ll draw your father’s house,’ I said.
Then it started to rain slightly so they all ran inside and I started packing up.
‘Come up and get my card,’ he called out.
After I’d put my drawing stuff in the car I went to look for the guy. I found his apartment at the top of some stairs.
‘C’mon in,’ he said, ‘you wanna beer?’
After I said no to the beer he introduced me to his wife, who was called Sherri, or maybe Candy, and his three boys.
Then he went looking for his business card and I stood in the doorway staring at the TV while the rest of the family stared at it from the sofa.
They were watching a show about killer snakes.
‘Y’see that kids,’ Sherri/Candy said, ‘that snake bit that little boy and all the skin fell of his face.’
While I was drawing this house a man came out from the house behind me and asked me if I’d draw a picture of his house for his father. With him were three little kids sucking at ice creams and cans of coke.
‘Yes, I’ll draw your father’s house,’ I said.
Then it started to rain slightly so they all ran inside and I started packing up.
‘Come up and get my card,’ he called out.
After I’d put my drawing stuff in the car I went to look for the guy. I found his apartment at the top of some stairs.
‘C’mon in,’ he said, ‘you wanna beer?’
After I said no to the beer he introduced me to his wife, who was called Sherri, or maybe Candy, and his three boys.
Then he went looking for his business card and I stood in the doorway staring at the TV while the rest of the family stared at it from the sofa.
They were watching a show about killer snakes.
‘Y’see that kids,’ Sherri/Candy said, ‘that snake bit that little boy and all the skin fell of his face.’
Two Palm House
While I was drawing this a series of teenagers went up and down the street in front of me on red motor scooters while a short, fattish woman with hair like a Lego man shouted instructions at them - ‘A little gas, a little break, a little gas a little break a little gas, a little break,’
Then, as if I’d called out, hey who’s related to that fat motorcycle instructor, a middle aged man came over to me, pointed to the woman and said, ‘That’s my sister. She’s got a whole heap of them motor scooters so she’s teaching my kids to ride ‘em,’
Then, because I didn’t know what else to say I said - ‘I have a proper motorbike at home,’
Then the man, who was wearing shorts but no shirt, put his hands on his hips, turned his attention fully toward me and started to tell me the story of how he’d once had a motorbike.
But luckily, before he was too far in, he got distracted by his sister who had stopped screaming out motorcycle instructions and was now literally bellowing out information about their evening meal.
‘We’re going to take the scooters out onto A1A,’ she was crying out, ‘we’re gonna go order pizzas. We’re gonna head on down there now and get us some supper underway.’
While I was drawing this a series of teenagers went up and down the street in front of me on red motor scooters while a short, fattish woman with hair like a Lego man shouted instructions at them - ‘A little gas, a little break, a little gas a little break a little gas, a little break,’
Then, as if I’d called out, hey who’s related to that fat motorcycle instructor, a middle aged man came over to me, pointed to the woman and said, ‘That’s my sister. She’s got a whole heap of them motor scooters so she’s teaching my kids to ride ‘em,’
Then, because I didn’t know what else to say I said - ‘I have a proper motorbike at home,’
Then the man, who was wearing shorts but no shirt, put his hands on his hips, turned his attention fully toward me and started to tell me the story of how he’d once had a motorbike.
But luckily, before he was too far in, he got distracted by his sister who had stopped screaming out motorcycle instructions and was now literally bellowing out information about their evening meal.
‘We’re going to take the scooters out onto A1A,’ she was crying out, ‘we’re gonna go order pizzas. We’re gonna head on down there now and get us some supper underway.’