Dublin Street Artist

These days I am noodling on travel pictures.

My friend Lucy and I have signed up for a 2008 show date at Gallery 10 - for a two person show of works drawn from photographs we have taken while traveling.

At this point I am in the awkward hunting stage, looking for images to work with for the show. I know there is something worthwhile in all these images - its just going to take some work to cull and spot them.

These are digital files. Once I select the images the real fun begins - playing with the images and printing them.

TIP: The first step in the creative process, contrary to some popular notions that an artist waits for the muse to whisper in their ear, is to get down to work. I have to get to work and find the show.

In this case the search is even more fun because the images bring back memories - and stories.

On the day in this photo Jim and I were in Dublin walking toward O'Connell Bridge when we saw the street artist and his half-finished masterpiece. He worked intently, oblivious to the people who stopped and lingered to watch him, or to the fast moving pedestrians who tossed him no more than a glance as they passed by.

I was bursting with questions but he did not look up - and I kept quiet.
How long has it taken you?
How did you get started doing this?
Have you always been able to draw like that?
Do your cover it at night?
Will people leave it alone?

and the $64,000 question -
What happens if it rains?

I took this photograph a year ago -
Surely the chalk drawing was washed away long ago.

Is the artist still there?
No matter. I have the picture of the picture.

So many things are that way.
What is real -
and for how long?

Oh, gee, excuse me That does sound a little overly overly. But its been that kind of a day.