You can draw anywhere really, but there are certain circumstances I seek out that I know will give me the mental space and the distance I need for interacting with paper. My rides on New York City’s F train are perfect capsules for working with life in flux. Cafes have become another ritual format for me, a universal structure of stillness. The communal morning silence in an urban cafe is conducive to sketching, studying Spanish, reading the paper. A sustaining cord, the cafe environment supports mental/creative exploration. And if you run out of water for washes there’s always the coffee.
Brooklyn. Sol y Sombra, March, 2008.
Out-for-coffee at Crossroads in Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn. Crossroads is our regular coffee stop in the neighborhood. We were so glad to see Crossroads and the arrival of good coffee to hunker down with. The space is very small and cozy with a view of one of the Ft. Hamilton Parkway F train entrances.
Brooklyn. Visión del Túnel, November, 2008.
The tension was almost unbearable in Crossroads as the election approached. Even with an excellent book. The comfort of ritual doesn’t always do the trick — not against the anxiety of uncertainty. And of course the welcome shared silence was infused with a real crackle of tension.
Que llueva mostaza el la calle. August 24/25, 2008.
The Richmond on Calle Florida in Buenos Aires was a Borges haunt. I decided to include the presence of another Argentinian master Julio Cortázar, widening the circle. The Richmond is an old fashioned coffee house with warm, woody interior, comfortable chairs, delicious medialunas and great espresso. Time stops here — you can spend hours in a nicely-lit cocoon with your pencils, pens and washes or book/newspaper. Like almost all cafes in Buenos Aires, the major dailies/publications are available for customers. You have to bring your own book.