I draw people in everyday life, people on trains, people in coffee shops, people waiting in line. I carry a sketchbook with me everywhere. Over time, I’ve used all kinds: from Moleskines to dollar store journals. Some are beautiful to hold in the hand, while others look plain on the outside but have smooth paper within that take the pen with grace and ease.
A sketchbook practice turns a bland everyday commute into an creative opportunity for mindfulness, taking in the scene, with a focused attention.
Long subway rides give me a chance to capture a moment in time, with an awareness of people around me and their stories, by observing and sketching.
They continuously change positions and often leave at a crucial juncture in the drawing which adds to the challenges of capturing their attitude and character.
The experience of sketching what is in front of me, in a few strokes, is immediate and unpredictable. I have to capture a likeness or a posture in the space of time between one or two stops. A drawing may need to be abandoned at any minute. I am subject to the whims of the commuters and have to cultivate a mindset of letting go. A subject turns away, gets and leaves…
