Monday, December 29, 2008

taking a Griff on our annual pilgramige to see the toy train set up at Grand Central Transit Museum Store (Sunday, 12-28-08)

4 train back and forth to GC40Deuce.

Griff playing the clown for a young French woman (and her boyfriend) who was giggling at him and popping bubbles with her gum.

Arab couple on the 4 to Atlantic.

Out of town couple who were with their teenage kids on the 4. One of the girls was questioning a local straphanger about the CUNY system which she was hoping to attend after examining a BMCC poster in the car.

R Union St. to Court on a Saturday Night (12-27-08)

With milady out to friends who took over our old place in BK heights, caught this guys snoozing for a bit, but he awoke after DeKalb and turned away, not sure if intentionally or by chance.

Thursday, December 25, 2008

The Slow Stoop Over on the F (Tuesday, 12-23-08)

Around 9PM on the F from 4th ave.

His slow stoop over from sitting

to slump spoke said a lot to me though I never heard a word or even saw much of his face.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

R From City Hall (Tuesday, 12-23-08)

Last day of work before winter break so jetted a litle early and treated myself to a trip to the pen dept at Pearl Paint, then hit J &R for some paper and ink. Jumped the R at City Hall with Best of the Blitz cranking on the iPod.

Playing with new pens, a little fine point - brush mash up.

Lotsa curly hair to draw - Happy Hannukah to me!

Monday, December 22, 2008

Still Cold (Monday, 12-22-08)

Riding the 1 car down to the cowboy bar.

I wonder how many goth rodents needed to die to make her hood trim. The way it was pulled so tightly around her face she sorta looked like a drug induced Lewis Carrol creation.

Jumped off at Hoyt St, to pick up some Hannukah goodies for the lady.

Yah, So It's Cold (Monday, 12-22-08)

Hit Wall street this am with the wife to do some legal stuff. Had an early meeting so hoofed it over to the Chambers street 1 for the quick ride to Houston.
Big puffy jackets abounded today. I relied more on the layers and the fat Champion hoodie.

Friday, December 19, 2008

BLEECHHHHHHHH (Friday, 12-19-08)

Gross, slushy, sleety, trip to midtown. Fall was taking one last opportunity to shit all over us.

Had to let the 1st train go at 53rd 5th ave station, said goodbye to these folks waiting for V as I boarded the E.

One stop to catch Brooklyn train at 7th ave.

Two Russian ladies talking. Thought her hat was gonna birth Mothra. It had sparklies on it too...

At 4pm B car already packed with platforms running deep, people fleeing the inclement yet

not disaster movie weather.

Things, as usual mellower on the R.

More B (Friday, 12-19-08)

Spacin' Out. Looked relatively normal in all but he looked like had traveled somewhere else in his mind. Not sure if that was a momentary or permannet condition.

Blond Girl.

Wednesday Morning (12-17-08)

Kid and nanny waiting for the train at 7th ave.

There's lotsa fur appearing on the train these days. On the B it was hard to tell here where the hair ended and the fur began.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Going Nowhere Fast (Tuesday Evening, 10-16-08)

Waiting with umbrella for the 1 at Houston.

By the doors of the 1.
Got to Chambers and it looked like trouble, much thicker crowd than usual waiting for the 2 or 3. Got on extra crowded train and no one looked too peppy. This guy especially.

The headscarf folds kept shifting as she moved her head, frustrating my efforts to capture the essence of its flow and pattren.

I recognized this guy as a dad from my old neighborhood, but didn't really know him. Instead of making any overtures decided to draw him leaning over and talking to his daughter who ha disappeared in the tall grass of commuters on this slow moving 2. Woman with headscarf from last drawing reflected in the window. Woman next to me who jumped on at Borough Hall had some fast food that filled the car with a fry smell. Pretty sure they were those cajun waffle fries from Popeyes (YUMMMM!!!)

Got on the for one stop and it was bouncing round like bunnies, which caused my slightly deformed rendering of this young woman reading. Sorry.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Fur and Soul on the B (Tuesday, 12-16-08)

Furry hats and collars, back with a vengance.

Folks milling around as we wait at Atlantic Ave for the clearup after a stalled train.

My man had the headphones blasting the oldies, classic soul and R & B. He was singing an unapologetic accompaniment, but while I think he was going for Barry White, it was coming out more half Tone Loc, half someone who has one of those synthetic voice boxes.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Late Monday Morning (12-15-08)

Just one of those days I just couldn't get going. It was 10 O'Clock before I got to Union Street, so the commute seemed to draaaaggggg.

Woman waiting at Union Street.

These 2 guys were catching zees together one stop on the R. One wa waring a much bulkier jacket that this 60 something degree day called for, so I was thinking he was either working at night outside somewhere or maybe him and his buddy (i can only assume they were cause tey were bothe crashed out in a similar way) had been rocking it hard til the break of dawn. His buddy was wearing a cheap suit though with a distinctive mustard tie (kinda reminded me of what the brothel manager in Taxi Driver was wearing - ya know the guy who got his fingers shot off by DeNiro), so who knows what they were really doing.

The shape of this mass of unruly white and grey hair on the 2 was difficult to capture as every move sent it into another fleeting form.

Pen died. Luckily I found an old brown pastel in my bag and decided to bust out the fruity smelling orange marker for good measure.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

BROWN (Friday, 12-12-08)

An obnoxious slightly drunken poke at a somewhat confused young tourist couple on the 1.

Woman in UPS uniform waiting for her ride at Chambers street.

A guy in another brown outfit but with no corporate branding. I think he musta been an independent contractor.

Grand Army, Knitting, and Strong I (Friday 12-12-08)

3 Rolling into Grand Army Plaza.

Super Cool, Wholesome Knitting, and Hat with many shades of red.

Sleeping up against the door. Furry rimmed hood making a cameo on the right.


2 college age girls looking like they were riding in for internships on the 1. Apparently from what I overheard of their convo they were from Long Island and were swapping info. The one on the right was from Port Jeff and was making an effort. The one on left was from somewhere close in Nassau and was a bit of a princess. The brief conversation ended in an awkward silence.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Pen Dying, Resorted to the Orange Marker (Wednesday, 12-10-08)

On the 1 my pen started getting chicken scratchy.

Finally died when I was drawing the woman on the left on the 2. She was getting a lot of attention from a dude soliciting donations with a clipboard.

All I had left in the pocket was an orange watercolor marker, it was orange scented, smelled pretty good.

Worked in some pencil afterwards.

One stop on the R.