I don’t drive and take the public transit everywhere. Every morning I leave home early from the east end to my studio downtown. My one way trip with bus, RT and subway would take almost hour and half. The subway ride is the longest among the three different transportation. It takes about 40 minutes. I spent my time on the transit reading (books and newspapers) and think about ideas for my art.
The other morning, I was up extra early and ready for my trip to my studio. Thinking I could be more than half an hour early. However, it did not turned out as planned.
Our Toronto subway system is aging fast, break-downs and delays occur far too often. My train was stopped in the tunnel for half an hour due to some fire investigation. As I sat there wonder how my time been wasted but nothing I could do just sit and wait.
Later, back in my studio, an idea came to me: I would use the subway trains as my mobile studio. The same evening for my trip home I was prepared. I packed an artist kits: pen, tiny watercolor paper, miniature watercolor set and small bottle of water. I turned my long ride into something more enjoyable. I start my little drawing by memory. Not only it helps to keep my mind sharp and with the small scale I can focus on the details of the drawing.
The first one I produced is the “grasshopper” which is 3”x6.5” and finished in one trip. The second is the kingfisher 9.5”x4.5” and took two trips.
alfredngdesign 