Interesting Painting Day

Interesting painting day Saturday. I had started a landscape in Cambridge a few weeks ago but didn’t finish it that day, which is unusual for me. So I brought it and a blank canvas into town yesterday where I proceeded to wreck the painting (weak, unresolved). As I stood there at least half a dozen people asked me if I knew where Harvard University was. Each time I wordlessly pointed to my right, since I was standing across the street from Harvard Yard. The homeless people came and went, and at one point a young college-y looking fellow stopped, opened an abandoned free newspaper stand and put a large paperback book inside. Fifteen minutes later another college-y looking fellow showed up and took the book out and put it in his bag. I can’t help but wonder what that was about. Drugs? Plutonium? Plans for the next OWS protest? None of my business.

I went to grab some lunch and ran into a female panhandler I’ve been wanting to paint for quite a while. Unfortunately she was leaving so I’ll be on the lookout for her. Her cancer is in remission, which is good news. As I was walking down the street a guy stopped me and asked for directions to Fenway Park. I said “Take the Red Line to Park Street and…” He said “No, no, I mean by car.” I said I couldn’t help but that he was letting himself in for a world of trouble trying to drive from Harvard Square to Fenway Park. He said “OK, how about Faneuil Hall then?” I said “You’d really be better off parking your car and taking the T.” He said “Then can you recommend a good place to eat around here? Not a Panera, an authentic Cambridge eatery.” I said “Oh sure, try Grendel’s Den, it’s about a two block walk from here” and gave him directions. I started to walk away, glanced back and saw him and his friends getting into their car. I went back and said “It really is a short walk and you will get totally lost if you try to drive there. I’ll even walk you over there, since it’s on my way.” They got in their car and left.

I ended up doing a painting of Michael, a distinguished looking guy about my age who carries a “Seeking Human Kindness” sign. I’m always concerned that my being there is going to interfere with my subject’s panhandling activities but he assured me that business was booming thanks to my presence. One guy said “Let me look at your eyes,” reassured himself that Michael wasn’t on drugs, then gave him a twenty with the comment “I used to be homeless too.” Michael’s story is that he used to be a construction supervisor, had a slight stroke and when he recovered, his job, his money and his home were gone. His plan is to save his dough, then head out to Montana where the oil business is booming. Nice guy. I wish him luck.

Michael