Store windows are turning to the holidays. Here in Phoenix that means Christmas. This isn’t a big Chanukkah or Kwaanza town. Most windows are sprayed with stencils.
This afternoon, walking to pick up my repaired car, I saw a man arranging paint cans on the back of his truck. The shopping center was brick, so I wondered what he was painting.
A strip mall on a mild December afternoon, and an artist ready to paint.
What he was painting was the windows. Of the entire strip mall. First he painted houses with snow on them. Then he added pine trees. He worked with brushes and paints, quickly. Amazingly quickly. A tree took under a minute. He didn’t want me to photograph him, but he agreed to have his hand shown. Here is a tree that he was just starting.
The aritst painted around the information already in the window.
This is a tree about a minute later.
The artist worked steadily and quickly.
And here is the completed window. All done by hand on a cool December afternoon by a man who has never seen snow.
If you are comparing windows, this was a set of four, these were the first two.
–Quinn McDonald is a life- and creativity coach. © 2009. All rights reserved.
Never seen snow, huh? That guy’s reflection is dimly visible in the photo of his hand — just out of curiosity I tried some image enhancement software. Only to see what would happen, you understand…
You know, he really looked like a stand-in for Santa. Sort of like a mountain-Santa who has been on the desert floor too long.
Pretty darn amazing for a guy who has never seen snow. What a great thing – the best camera – the one that is always with you!
It’s true. I always have the iPhone around and some picture is better than no picture.