Muni Diaries

We found artist Wendy MacNaughton on 7×7.com earlier this week. Wendy draws people on Muni, BART, and other public transportation on their way to and from work five days a week, twice a day, imagining their thoughts and dreams. We caught up with her to ask her more about her amazing drawings on Muni. She also sent us some more of her drawings done on the bus. In her own words:

I went to an incredible art school for my undergrad (Art Center College of Design), but life took some turns and I stopped drawing for almost a decade. Years later, I found myself commuting from Oakland to San Francisco and back again on BART, with 20 minutes of free time each way and I started drawing the people I saw around me. It was like having professional figure drawing models, except with more interesting features, life histories in their eyes and ties, and they weren’t naked. I still have the first drawing I did — and I’ve drawn every transit ride since.

I draw on the bus and paint at home, using micron pens and watercolor, mostly, with some ink thrown around every once and a while. I don’t sketch. Everything I draw is permanent, for better or worse.

When I draw on the bus, generally people don’t notice. People are immersed in their thoughts or lists or regrets. Or their books. Or iPods, or games, or sleeping.  If they do notice me drawing them, they usually smile. They might be a little embarrassed or flattered, or maybe pretend they didn’t see me, but the smile seeps out. A couple of people have been upset — either refused or got a little physical, But no permanent damage has been done.

You can find Wendy on the 10, the J, the 12, or southbound BART. And here’s more of Wendy’s drawings — I love them all so much! Get this artist a commission! Enjoy.