I’ve been drawing old people – they’re harder than they look. Lots of interpretation. When I work, tourists will come by and watch. Some take photos. They like the old people the best because their faces tell so many stories.
They want to buy the drawings but I tell them they are already sold —
My style is heavy-handed – see the difference between my last old lady and Toom’s, my teacher? It’s interesting how differently two artists can see the same picture. Click on the drawing to see the detail.
Many of the merchants are used to me now – they give me discounts and know what kind of chicken I like from their carts. I arrive before most and put on music — Bob Marley followed by Eric Clapton followed by Neil Young – that’s all I have on the thumb drive so the set is always the same. Toom always turns the music way up. Sometimes the studio looks like a scene from Blade Runner – I’m in the basement, no windows, low ceilings, every stall is surrounded by roll-up steel doors, lots of live wires and bare bulbs hanging down. Crowds move around me speaking many languages, kids are yelling, a motorcycle drives down the hall, TV’s are blaring; sometimes I hear Julie Andrews, a Thai game show and Neil Young all mixed together, then the old lady with the food cart rolls by yelling prices, followed by the old man selling lottery tickets – everyone is yelling, laughing, bartering and drawing – somehow Bob Marley always breaks through the din with “don’t worry, be happy” many of the stall workers sing along.
On new year’s eve we closed shop early. The artists broke out the whiskey and pulled out stoves. Lizard, raccoon, cat and dog were all on the menu. I liked the raccoon the best.
I’m working on GeekFloyd.com. They were thinking about what Geek Floyd looked like personified. LOL, I know she’s a “she”, but if you could make “Northern Thai Old Lady” look a little more like Snoop Doggy Dog and Willie Nelson it might be a fit!
@John — I’d need a lot of mushrooms to do that 🙂 — saw your site — or what there is of it — looking forward to…whatever it becomes.
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