This is a true story. I was in the men’s room before church and stood between to men while peeing. They were both older gentlemen (I know the drawing makes them look younger, oh well). They were talking about their retirement. I focused on what they were saying so I would remember it.
All I could think of as they talked was that I am so glad I am an artist because I don’t have to worry about retiring and having nothing to do. Artists ALWAYS have something to do.
I drew these two women at a local cafe. I had the thought bubbles there for quite a while before I decided what to put in them. As I was painting the image much later I thought about how easy it is to imagine someone who is overweight thinking they are too fat and need to lose weight. But it’s not as nearly common to see a thin person and imagine they are thinking they are too skinny and need to gain weight.
It’s an assumption we make that is just another form of judgment. What’s the point of that judgment? What does it do for us?
I drew this in 2004 at Knox College where my daughter Connie was in her Freshman year. I was there for Parents Weekend and was attending a meeting on Study Abroad.
The woman was very intense and did say she was very worried about her child going abroad. I imagined her having a dream of danger and her husband calming her worries. It seemed like a nice idea to offset her obvious anxiety.
I came back to this drawing after 15 years and decided to paint it.
Drawings and commentary © 2019 Marty Coleman | napkindad.com