Saturday, August 6, 2011

Waiting

Ink and watercolor in large moleskine

You know what to expect when you enter a doctor's waiting room, right? You will see patients sitting in chairs, sometimes with their spouses. Many of the patients will be thumbing through magazines. If the room is not too crowded, the patients will have discreetly left empty chairs between them.

Only couples will sit together. Sometimes the couples will whisper, but mostly they will remain silent, thumbing through their magazines. Patients will never speak to one another though, and for that reason it is very quiet.

You will walk to the window which is closed and sign the sheet on the clipboard on the shelf with the attached pen. You will then turn to the magazine rack and select a magazine that is of little more than vague interest to you. You will look for a chair that is at least a seat away from everyone else. Finally you will sit and quietly thumb through your magazine. You will not even whisper unless you are with your spouse, and even then, only occasionally.

Unless you are in Miami.  I have a wonderful old-time Cuban doctor. When I walk into his waiting room for the occasional checkup it is like stepping into Cheers, although nobody knows my name. When I enter everyone looks up, and says the Spanish version of "Hey!" It is as though they have been waiting for me all morning. I sit with my magazine, but don't read it. I am too busy watching complete strangers bouncing from chair to chair, conversing enthusiastically. One gentleman comes to me and starts gesticulating. When I shrug he asks cheerfully, "What,you don't speak Spanish?!" So he talks to me in English for a few sentences, but I'm not nearly as interesting as those ebullient Hispanics that fill the rest of the room, and soon I am left to watch, my eyes wide.

Did I ever tell you that I love Miami?

I have lived in Miami for 26 years. Yeah, yeah, I should have learned Spanish by now, but I haven't. But I kind of like being the outsider looking in.

The other day I was at Balado Tire, getting my brakes fixed. I sat to wait. The cheerful round-faced manager behind the counter conversed with everyone. Folks - strangers - bounced from chair to chair conversing. They would find their talking partner and strike up a conversation. One man came to me, and then walked away when he got no response. No matter. I am an artist. I love being separate. Another man hung out at the counter. Why? I don't know. Every now and then he would talk to the round-faced man, but mostly he was just waiting. When the round-faced tire guy wasn't cheerfully offering everyone cafe' con leche, I was sketching the man at the counter, and that is my sketch above.

We were in an open waiting area next to the bays, all facing a parking lot.  While I was there, an old bent Cuban man walked by, pulling a wagon piled high with mangos.  He yelled something to the group of us, which I suppose was, "Hey guys, any of you wanna buy some mangos?"  He got no takers.  But as he walked by the second bay, one of the workers threw down a tire, pulled out a wad of bills and bought a bunch of the fruit.  I guess that old man knew what he was doing.

Ink and watercolor in small moleskine

My wife and I both wear glasses.  That is a good thing.  The waiting room at the ophthalmologist's office is of the boring dismal type and too small for me to discreetly draw anyone.  So every year my wife and I will set our appointments together, and she will go in first.  I will stay in the car and look for something to sketch or paint.  I was extra lucky this year, because parked on the street was this tractor, waiting.  Waiting for a driver, I suppose.  But also waiting for me to draw her.  While I was waiting for my appointment.


Watercolor, 2-1/2" x 3-1/2"


I am in the middle of a still life. Some watercolor painters paint thin washes and - voila - they are done. That has never been the case for me. I have always layered or mixed or glazed or who knows what, even from the beginning when I knew even less about what I was doing than I know now. I am waiting for the still life to finish, because it is taking a good long time. Not that the process isn't wonderful, mind you, like reading a good book that you don't want to end.

Sometimes I watch (listen) to documentaries when I paint, and while carefully painting this still life I saw a film about a painter who is wonderfully, skillfully sloppy. He would sometimes paint outlines of faces on seemingly random swaths of color. I was absorbing this information when I glanced at the scrap of watercolor paper that I was using to test colors before laying them on the still life. I ran and got a scissors and cut out the most promising section, ACEO size, and painted the face in the span of a minute or two, and voila! (See, I can voila too.)  But mostly I have to wait.

30 comments:

  1. Voila... I like your test strip man. Miami waiting rooms sound much more interesting than here, we have only the boring silent ones.

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  2. Your stories are as delightful as your paintings, Dan. I always know I'm going to smile when I come here!

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  3. I was at my Dr's office recently, and had a similar experience. Most of the patients are of Spanish decent and there was a group there who was having a great time. But mostly, it is quiet.
    I love your test strip painting. Wonderful journal, wonderful sketches.

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  4. I hate waiting rooms, I'm the one sitting outside in the car if at all possible! You captured the waiting atmosphere on the top sketch well.

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  5. I wonder if my lengthy comment made it thru--it just escaped....

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  6. Wow Miami sounds wonderful! Significant casualness in the guy at the desk relates well to your story of how intimate the setting is at your doc's office!

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  7. Ugh, I have one appointment to look forward too... Hopefully its big and has a good mixture of people to sketch (I always hate the mags they have in those places)... I like the tractor, its almost like its having a break in the shade (maybe cooling off in the Florida heat). And the test strip is also neat, I like how the face comes out of all the colours, well done!!

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  8. I don't know which of these drawings I like best! Because of you, I take a sketchbook with me to doctors' appointments. So far, I haven't had the courage to draw anyone--I did draw my pocketbook hanging on a hook while waiting in the examining room. One day, I'll follow your example.

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  9. Great post Dan. I love the way you distil everyday moments in life, both with words and pictures.

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  10. You make want to shift to Miami! I would love to be in a cheerful place, teeming with people whom I can keep sketching.. I find it difficult to get people even in my library here - I have to go to the mall to see people!
    But lovely 'writeup' and wonderful sketches!

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  11. We artists are so lucky. We wait well.

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  12. This post made me smile and I love the test paper portrait. Might have to try that one...if I ever try painting anything substantial enough to use a test sheet!

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  13. What a terrific post - not only great sketches but also a glimpse into your world of waiting! (I think you will now have us all playing with test strips...!)

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  14. Hi Dan, Miami sounds like a fantastically vibrant place. I'd like to visit some time. Those watercolours sure are fantastic too, I especially like your tractor.

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  15. well, Google broguht me here...I reread your column and see I misplaced the guy in a Dr's office...must be because your words reminded me of an eye Dr. appointment I had (should be a post/drawing) where as I sat in the silence of safety in such a place filled with squinty eyed strangers...all of a sudden.......in burst a woman, set down a tape player, hastily removed her coat, pressed the on button and belly danced around the office right down to floor moves...the Dr in the next office came in grinning with dollar bills and last but not least---the wife came in smiling as this was an anniversary gift for her
    also smiling eyedoc Husband.....memorable appointment for me---never happend again--where are all the creative gift minds hiding? Martha doesn't have all the answers...
    You've done such an excellent job with this blog-I was inspired to do the messed paint portrait thing which I have always done for my pallette color charts---made faces in the paint blobs...etc.....but not actually cut one out and pasted it to a sketch--I LOVE the idea you planted....and according to comments I have gotten, I'll bet others will be right along with theirs---you've started something that
    won't quit I think...
    winna
    (I have to comment annymous for some reason or other)

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  16. Wow! some waiting rooms have a lot to offer.
    All your paintings did not show on my computer, but loved the ones I could see.

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  17. Dan, your posts are always so entertaining! Like the analogy you made about a good book you don't want to end...I "savor" your posts. I relate to many things, like waiting rooms! I try to stay out of dr offices when I can...but often I wind up there, maybe driving someone else and at my own "annual". I would like to experience the "lively" waiting room! lol
    Your sketches are all wonderful..and, of course, I really love the one inspired by the sloppy artist!

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  18. What a great post! Love the sketches!

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  19. A great post and fantastic sketches as always. Each one is a gem. Well worth waiting for.

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  20. Nice job on your sketches. I like your ATC too! I am glad I have a kindle now so I don't have to read those old magazines.

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  21. Ola! I like the portrait you did on the color test paper, very cool effect. And the drawings are great, too. I wish I was as brave as you are to draw people in public spaces, like this. It would make a lot of boring moments pass quicker...

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  22. I must have hidden Hispanic genes somewhere because I chat with folks in the quietest of office waiting rooms. What I've discovered is that once you start with someone, others join in, and pretty soon it's your turn to go in. The best part is that the others keep talking after I've gone. Your drawings and narrative never disappoint. I'm always so impressed with artists who can (and do) draw machinery! This was a great post! nancy

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  23. Wonderful story...wonderful drawings. An I love that you go to the "other" kind of office!! Were the mangoes whole, or sliced with lime, salt and chile? Man, I love those!!!
    Anyway, love those cargo shorts and I believe I like the guy wearing them! Great character in his face!

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  24. I love your description of the waiting room! Your words bring your paintings to life.

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  25. Great work Dan! I love it all... my favorite is the tractor.
    Draw a wagon full of mango's why don't ya? Or maybe green apples. I like green apples. Perhaps bananas too and some watermelon. Oh... and a few strawberries for color.
    Obviously... you'd better get to work.

    Keep em coming!

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  26. Love the post. Love the drawings Dan =)

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  27. Hola Dan,haven't caught up for a while, great post, lovely sketches......know what you mean about other languages I probably know about 20 words in Cantonese!

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  28. Hmmm, been awfully busy down here. Sorry for the delay in responding to all of your wonderful comments! Thank you all so much!

    If you want to see Winna's messed paint portrait thing, based on the idea to use my "palette", go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/ejmordasky/6014893534/in/photostream She has it overlaying a beautiful Italy drawing (along with her other fine work). And Winna - thanks, love to get a great story in return.

    I'm glad you all like the drawings, and glad that so many of you can relate to the waiting room story!

    Ellen - The mangos were whole in the wagon - he leaves the salting, liming and chile'ing to you!

    Pamo! Good to hear from you! I generally can't keep fruit uneaten long enough to paint 'em.

    debra - How interesting! Lei ho!

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  29. I'm just an itty bit late reading your post.I love your ACEO size sketch. Your Miami life sounds wonderful. I love meeting friendly strangers, but my eye doctor, dentist and car repair places are always filled with customers that act like each other have the plague...so extremely boring waiting in rooms like that, When husband happens to be with me at the eye doctor place, I do talk up a storm with him :)

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  30. I absolutely love the face on the testing colors!

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