The Lady in Waiting

From the window of Atlantic Bakery: Elderly woman, waiting, on a Rockland sidewalk. 

She had navy blue painted fingernails, a huge cameo sort of ring, & silver dangle earrings. 

As she waited she talked & gestured to no one in particular, & kept glancing down the street. 

Eventually, her son (with whom I chatted in the Bakery) came & helped her into a large van. 

She was gone, her image remained.

I was reading that materials often dictate our results. I recently started a new 3.5 X 5.5 Moleskine, 

the one with the smooth cream colored pages, for my carry-everywhere sketchbook. 

With it I use both a super fine Slicci & a heavier point Staples.

And colored pencils. 

Coincidentally, I found this pouch in Rockland.

It is by "Patz, Made in Maine". Perfect! 

In some ways colored pencils are easier for me than watercolors. 

I can use more force than the delicacy that watercolors ask of me, and layer and lift more. 

Crayolas & Prismacolors, they are like a first language to me. 

While some children today have their own studios where they freely make art with lots of materials, 

I grew up on coloring books & Crayolas, on the bedroom floor.