Furman Street by the BQE (Brooklyn Queens Expressway) on 140lb Arches rough
Mostly I haven’t posted because I’m tired. Really, really tired. Physically tired. Mentally tired. The tiredest person that ever lived. But you know that already.
Stephen Quirke had a wonderful description of how he felt one day after being super busy, which was “interaction fatigue”. I LOVE that phrase. I have interaction fatigue all the time. Just riding on the subway everyday gives me interaction fatigue. Apparently I am not the only one. In the Gothamist this week, they had to post yet another story about pole hogging. HOW MANY TIMES DO WE HAVE TO TELL YOU PEOPLE THE SAME THING?
It’s tough when you get on the subway and there are no seats and you are 5’3″ (ok, 5’2″ but I’m not going any lower than that) and you can barely reach the bar where the straps used to be. (Even though they still call us straphangers.) So I try to hold onto the pole. But when you have a pole hugger and no place else to hold on to while the subway is lurching you forward to the next stop, it can make one fatigued. Very, Very fatigued. I shared the article with Charlie, which of course was a mistake. It got him started. Which got me started. After pole hogging we discussed how other things would make our list of things not to do on the subway. Don’t pick your nose. Don’t ride naked. Don’t clip your fingernails (or toenails). Don’t eat sunflower seeds and spit the hulls on the floor. And this was only what we could think of in the first two seconds. Nowhere near a complete list. We could go on and on. In fact, we did. (and yes, all of these things have happened to us.)
Although, I am very lucky in that I live in a somewhat decent neighborhood. It wasn’t always nice. We had a crack dealer a few buildings up and the weed dealers in the bodega on the corner. Now we have crime like this: http://parkslope.patch.com/articles/police-blotter-two-crooks-steal-over-a-thousand-dollars-of-teeth-bleaching-strips. (I’m not complaining…just saying.)
The city scene above is Furman Street by the BQE. It’s still a work in progress. Watercolor on 140lb Arches rough. First time I used rough and I liked the texture. I did this in a 2-day workshop I took with Tim Saternow whose paintings I love. And he was a great teacher. I think I will do a subway scene next. But fair warning, there will be no pole-hogging in my paintings!
36 comments
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April 2, 2012 at 6:25 pm
Beth Parker
Subway lurching sounds terrible…. especially if you are thrust into some smelly person or something! Hang on tight to something. I also understand interaction fatigue! Too many people in my shop[ in one day gets me. 🙂
I love the painting, Carol! The perspective is great and all those windows are so believable!! I like the way you splatter a feeling of the city with the colors of …. what is it… smog and noise? Do ya know what I mean? Those colors in your sky area. Any-hoo, I love it!!
April 3, 2012 at 9:47 am
Carol King
Subway lurching is no fun when the train is crowded. And don’t get me started on what a crowded subway car is like in the summer when the temps are in the 90’s and the humidity is too!
thanks for your comments on my painting. I like it too, but it needs more work. Remember your NYC scene? Based on your comment, I just thought maybe you need to mix up some grays, yellows, maybe blues and splatter your painting. 🙂
April 2, 2012 at 8:50 pm
kk2n777
Your “Pole Hogging” comment reminded me of the advice to the “Pole Huggers” in the TONY article about living in NYC. here’s the link:
http://www.timeout.com/newyork/things-to-do/the-rules-of-new-york-life?package_id=42452
It’s pretty funny.
April 3, 2012 at 11:55 am
Carol King
thank you for the link, Kung. the timeout NY link has tons of good advice.
April 3, 2012 at 11:05 am
pointypix
interaction fatigue- its totally the description of how I feel at the end of a working day, thank you for sharing such a perfect description!
i like thie piece a lot. did you use ink aswell as watercolour as it has a lovely illustrative quality to it?
April 3, 2012 at 11:58 am
Carol King
Hello Nicola, It’s all watercolor, no ink. But I actually outlined some of the windows using paynes gray which is what, I think, gives it the illustrative quality.
I think everyone suffers from interactive fatigue if they work or live in a city. Or if they just have to deal with others.
Your images of your latest trip to Scotland SOOOOOO make me want to go there. It looks quiet and peaceful and the scenery is gorgeous.
April 3, 2012 at 12:01 pm
jimmyboi2
I think your urban watercolors are your best– such detail and mood.
April 3, 2012 at 12:18 pm
Carol King
Thanks Jim! come up and we can paint urban landscapes together.
April 3, 2012 at 12:58 pm
lesliepaints
I had to take time to stop laughing before I could comment, Carol. With all that is going on in my life right now, I am so glad I DO NOT ride the subway!!! However, the laugh I have just had from reading your post and about your conversation with Charlie provided me with a dose of comic relief. Thank you.
Why isn’t this painting done? I rather like it just the way it is, so if you include more, please post your results? Awesome!
April 3, 2012 at 2:48 pm
Carol King
Why isn’t this painting done? Excellent question and one to which I have no answer. I think I may want to define the two cars on the double decker BQE, Or maybe define the tree. Or maybe I’ll just leave well enough alone. I will keep you posted.
I’m happy I could provide some comic relief. Really, you don’t know the half of it when it comes to riding the subway. Perhaps I need some time in a small town for comparison. Ft. Wayne sounds like a nice place…
April 3, 2012 at 5:22 pm
hannekekoop
One of the first thing that catches my eye is the sky, reflected in the windows; wow.
Hope you have a loooong and good Easter weekend.
April 15, 2012 at 9:05 pm
Carol King
Great! I was going for that. I’m glad you picked up on it. Thank you.
April 3, 2012 at 6:49 pm
cathyannburgess
Love this and can’t wait to see the finished work. Terrific.
and I DO NOT miss riding the subway. I feel for you.
April 23, 2012 at 3:36 pm
Carol King
Thanks Cathyann, Glad you like the painting. I hope someday to say I don’t miss riding the subway either.
April 5, 2012 at 10:10 am
Ras Alonso
I love your water color paintings, I could see myself wondering about on that street looking for a good vegetarian restaurant. Thanks for sharing 🙂
April 23, 2012 at 3:39 pm
Carol King
I’m sure you would be able to find a vegetarian restaurant somewhere around there. thank you for your comments and for visiting. I tried to post a comment on your blog and I couldn’t. Probably some weird WordPress glitch.
April 5, 2012 at 10:59 am
Joan T
Your posting about traveling on the subway made me laugh. How I remember those days of commuting on the F train from Queens. I had the same problem with holding on because I was too short. lol
This is a great painting! I love the atmosphere and the grittiness that you gave it! But where is the traffic? lol You really do capture NY!
April 23, 2012 at 3:42 pm
Carol King
this was early in the morning. no traffic. Or maybe I just got lucky and there was a break in the traffic. I don’t remember.
April 6, 2012 at 4:02 pm
Deb
Lovely work as always, Carol!
Happy Easter!
April 23, 2012 at 3:42 pm
Carol King
thank you Deb
April 8, 2012 at 7:51 am
cathy
Hi Carol I have a young friend who has a C.D. titled i hate people…. sound familiar. Great cityscape. New computer for me, finally!
April 23, 2012 at 3:43 pm
Carol King
LOL! I may have to listen to that CD. congrats on your new computer. Thanks for stopping by.
April 12, 2012 at 3:25 pm
northpenninegallery
Great post Carol and I really like your painting. I can connect with interaction fatigue, although I’m now blessed with one day each week free from mobiles, internet and mostly people (okay one or two). I think Tim’s work looks wonderful. Offer for another look.
April 23, 2012 at 3:45 pm
Carol King
Hey Keith, thank you for coming by and commenting. I’m jealous you get one free day away from phones and the internet.
April 16, 2012 at 9:40 am
Alex Zonis
I absolutely love the gloomy cityscape! Sorry to be absent for so long, been abroad, as you know.
I hate subway myself – totally understand. Although with the current parking situation in Chicago (complete lack of street parking!) I have re-evaluate. At least subway will get you there without emptying your wallet…
April 23, 2012 at 3:46 pm
Carol King
Welcome back. Hope you had a great trip. I’m with you about the subway, as much as I dislike it sometimes it’s better than driving in the city.
April 17, 2012 at 6:05 am
CathyG
The painting is terrific Carol, can’t see what else you need to do, and interaction fatigue is exactly the right description for how I was feeling a couple of weeks ago – a totally lazy self-indulgent Easter weekend has hopefully fixed it. Having only been on the subway once in my life, I found it fascinating, but I can see why it could turn to gross!
April 23, 2012 at 3:47 pm
Carol King
Hi Cathy, Thanks for your comments on my painting. Glad to hear you had a lazy and enjoyable Easter.
I’m planning on doing a few subway drawings. Stay tuned.
April 17, 2012 at 10:19 am
napabelle
I do like it as is… what an acheivement ! It’s wonderful, intense, detailed and loose. Your colors are great for this scene ! Way to go!
April 23, 2012 at 3:48 pm
Carol King
thanks Isabelle, always nice to see you.
April 18, 2012 at 8:34 am
asmalltowndad
Lazy! Can anyone give me Amen brother on being Lazy! Never felt this way before, and I’m not liking it at all now. I have had my health issues with my fast heart rate, but this is crazy. Hopefully all of our energy will return and hopefully soon.
Love the painting, not sure if I have ever painted a large city scape, but this one is fantastic.
April 23, 2012 at 3:48 pm
Carol King
many thanks Ryan. I do hope you’re feeling better. I look forward to you doing a city scape one of these days. I’m sure yours will put mine to shame. 🙂
April 30, 2012 at 6:08 pm
lindahalcombfineart
I think Stephen’s phrase is wonderful – interaction fatigue! I have it about 5 days a week. Here’s another one for you and the main reason I never went back to my grief support group – competitive grieving. It happens…
May 1, 2012 at 11:50 am
Carol King
My mouth literally dropped at competitive grieving. I’m so sorry you had to experience that.
May 1, 2012 at 7:31 pm
Barry Coombs
I just slept through most of the afternoon between my morning and evening classes. Thanks to Stephen and yourself I now know it was only a mild case of interaction fatigue. Love your gritty urban work.
July 29, 2012 at 10:41 pm
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