New Yorkers Are Complicated

When you think you’ve seen (and drawn) almost everything

Strolling along the Upper West Side’s Columbus Avenue yesterday, I thought I would wander into the park adjacent to The American Museum of Natural History and see what I might draw there. I was aware of a dog park, that was on my mind. I love drawing dogs.

As I headed into the greenery, I saw a free bench, and, as I am want to do, I assessed what might be in my line of vision if I sat on said free bench. You see, in order to execute my live drawing videos, I need to be able to sit down (although I have a device I use for standing and holding my phone around my neck, but that’s a whole ‘nother post. I hate it). And of course there has to be something interesting to draw. I prefer if no one is sitting behind me or around me as I broadcast, it just makes me less self-conscious. So I sat on the bench and looked around. All elements were there.

I saw an interesting guy in a hat off to the right, I could draw him…then, to the left….what are those two people doing?! They are standing almost still, embraced as if dancing, but they aren’t really dancing….but are they? I hear some music coming from their spot. Maybe they are dancing. Is one of them very elderly, and needing this kind of slow attention? Is it romantic? (clearly, no) Then I noticed the man harshly adjust the woman’s hip and speak to her curtly — I couldn’t hear them, but could see his attitude. She was taking it all in, unfazed by his words and his rather abrupt at-times physical directives. He raised his hand and adjusted her jawline, then her hips again, her shoulders, then her waist.

I had to draw them.

Being careful they didn’t see me watching them, I began. When I draw people, I try to stay at a distance so they don’t notice — if they do, it’s okay, but I would rather remain anonymous. But with this couple, I was afraid something nefarious was happening and I did not want the man to get angry at me and direct my body they way he was this woman’s!

After I drew and watched the couple for a good ten minutes, I decided that I knew what was happening. It was a lesson. The man was a teacher, instructing his student in the preciseness of a particular dance (not well-versed, I don’t know what kind of…