Awesome corporate gig at the Penthouse

I was sitting on the top of the world drawing at a swank corporate penthouse last night for a leading financial company in NYC. There was a gorgeous penthouse view that over looked the river that made drawing an absolute joy. Weather was VERY good. Not too hot not too windy and NO rain in sight! It was a blast. I can honestly say that i didn't draw ONE bad caricature the whole night. Here are a few of the folks that had fun. Now if you're wondering how I got these pics it's because I IMMEDIATELY drew two pictures of the subject. Ono for them and one for me. Funny thing is I really had to fight to keep my pictures as the guests wanted em both! LOL

The thing I like best about drawing caricatures at corporate gigs is seeing people relax and have a great time, EVEN the boss. I have the advantage of not knowing the boss in the sense that the employees do, and can put him on "equal footing" as the "rest of the victims" I often hear comments like, "draw him nice, remember he's the one paying you!" from the crowd, but I really think that in these situations the boss likes to get treated like everyone else at the event. After all, he's at the party to have fun TOO!. Now that DOESN'T mean I go out of the way to make the boss the "butt of the joke" that would be in poor taste, and I DON'T. I try to feel out the crowd and after so many years of doing this I can tell pretty accurately who really WANTS an extreme exaggeration and who doesn't. My goal is always to get a good likeness whatever Im doing and if I get THAT I'm satisfied. Exaggeration is just icing on the cake.

DOGS ON THE TRAIN! IT’S INSANE! By Elgin Bolling

DOGS ON THE TRAIN! IT’S INSANE!
By Elgin Bolling

You will find it strange
I’m sitting between tow dogs on my train
Boy, oh boy is this insane

Do MUTTS now pay admission?
Who in the world made THAT decision?
Was there some “Formal Presentation??”
Hey! I‘d really like an Explanation!

Excuse my Exclamation
But did my brain take a vacation?
Since when were Canines allowed in the station?
People now board dogs without hesitation!

What’s next?
101 Dalmatians???

THIS is one confusing situation
I can UNDERSTAND the occasion
To have a dog if you are BLIND
You need a “seeing eye” all the time..

But it’s a crime to see your pup’s
Grime in my SEAT!
Don’t you remember?
Dogs walk on their FEET!!

Your pooch may be cute!
But now there’s dirt on my suit!

So sorry miss, I stepped on your poodle!
Er..what’s THIS on my SHOE
Oh, no… It’s DOG ‘DOO-DOO!!
Who Knew that I ‘d be sharing my seat
With a Shih Tzu!! ACHOO!!!!

Doesn’t any one see that this is a HEALTH ISSUE!?
I’m ALLERGIC to dogs!
Please hand me a Tissue!

Won’t SOMEBODY LISTEN???
WON’T SOMEBODY PLEASE!!!!???
I can’t stop this itching
CAUSE IM COVERED WITH FLEAS!!!!!

Copyright 2010 Elgin Bolling all rights reserved.


It started with ONE dog and then another... I've just started to notice lately that the NYC subways are becoming combination Dog park/kennel. This is especially true in YUPPIELAND, my pet name for parts of Manhattan, but ;you can also see dog passengers on the L line that services Greenpoint, Williamsburg, and of course, Canarsie. Mostly you see little dogs like poodles chiwawahs (yeah I KNOW i spelled it wrong) and other "toy dogs" . I dont know when this trend started, but I really think its an unhealthy one and Im really wondering where it will lead. If it's now become "LEGAL" to have non seeing eye dog in the subways what's next? OTHER "exotic " pets??? Oh, dont be scared, that's my pet python,be calm! Pythons can smell fear! just the other day NO LIE I saw a man walking down 14th street carrying a live RAT... not mouse, RATT on his shoulder! Was HE going into the train station with THAT??? getting back to the DOG issue,If the MTA is allowing this now, is there a ban on the size of the dog, or maybe the breed??? I was at the Union square station recently and looked to my left to see a man with a full grown pit bull dog waiting for the train. The dog was on a lease, well behaved and didnt seem too bothered by the crowd, but there is a certain negative reaction that some people have to THIS particular breed of dog. To have it in an enclosed area only adds to the discomfort and stress some feel already riding underground in a post 911 city. And then there is the BATHROOM issue. I dont know about YOU but when a dog "has to go" they usually DO GO! and most pet owners ABOVE ground are not responsible for picking up after them, can you imagine UNDERGROUND??? It's a crazy city we live in... panhandlers are NOT allowed on the subway to beg for food, homeless PEOPLE are routinely rounded up and hurried off the train, while canines are allowed to share space underground.
You cant make this kinda stuff up people! What a city! No wonder I never lack inspiration!!

HOT DAY ON THE SUBWAY PLATFORM!!

There might be air conditioning INSIDE the subway cars, but MAN on the outside of them is nothing but humidity and misery...... MTA doesn't seem to have enough money to cool the trains AND the stations, so they opted for the trains.... only problem is, by the time you board your train...you're soaking wet and NOW you feel COLD on board!! Here are a few people I managed to draw through the sweat and the heat... oh man do they look beat...
The first man was literally dragging himself across the subway platform in a vain effort to find a BREEZE to cool himself off.... the guy at the bottom was so fat he looked like he was going to start sweating chocolate milk any second. He was carrying an umbrella which has been a common practice amongst New Yorkers this summer as they go out in the heat. The umbrella acts like a permanent oasis of shade, and it works wonderfully well! I often find myself packing a mini umbrella in my bag along with my art supplies these dog days of summer....

And for you SMART ALEKS out there,,, They guy at the bottom picture AINT ME inspite of a slight resemblance!!!

Subway commuters I shudda reported sooner by Elgin

Okay your surfer fanatics! Ive been spoon feeding you on dis blog long enough!It's high time I brought you even deeper into the subterranean subway world that is my own extreme drawing personal playground. From now on, as much as possible I will be giving you little subway slices of life, complete with the caricatures in an effort for you to get a feel of my subjects in their natural habitat. Enjoy.

IM 50! AInt That NIFTY?! A poem by SUBWAYSURFER

I’m 50! Aint that NIFTY?
By Elgin Bolling

I’m 50! Aint that NIFTY?
Jumped outta this bed this morning in a Jiffy!
Took a shower, put on powder, don’t I look “Spiffy?!”

It’s my BIRTHDAY TODAY! YEA!!!!! My wife kissed me!
My dog wagged his tail, and then, he licked me!
I looked in my mirror, see,
Felt my head in the back and said, Gee,
Looks like some of my hair’s started to FLEE!
It’s getting harder to SEE, to some DEGREE, without my glasses on ME….

My abs are GONE.
But my stomach’s been set FREE!
Sometimes it appears to be ….Leading Me….

It’s just like my BACK!!
If I move a little too FAST
It goes outta WHACK!!

Which is almost as much fun as my
Occasional ATHSMA ATTACK!

My knees, don’t bend
They join the FUN
Hey, what’s this spot here, on my TONGUE?
I’m starting to lose some teeth
One, by one, by one…….

Gotta STOP chewing GUM!!
Er..anybody got SOME??

OH BOY!!! AINT TURNING 5o FUN????

I got to carry an umbrella, because now I cant stand the SUN
And I’m BLACK!
Go figure… THAT.

According to SOME, I should be off somewhere making a
“HOLE IN ONE”
Putting right thar on da “GREEN”

But THAT AINT the kinda Fun I NEED!

I LOVE
Singing and writing
And Kung Fu Fighting!
Making ART,
And “BUSTING FARTS!!”

NO NEED, NO NEED
TO DEPART!!!

Internet blogging and incessant clogging
My arteries with
Deliciously GREASY
Never ever QUEASY
ALWAYS goes down EASY
“Wifey FOOD!!!”

If you got some Fried Chicken,
IM IN THE MOOD!

Making love,
Praising and praying to God ABOVE
And inside

Going with the family for a ride..

My kids make my chest
Swell with PRIDE
So Glad my wife signed on for the RIDE
This is for LIFE

Honey, Im SO GRATEFUL
That you are my WIFE
I know you married me
To be POLITE!
But thanks for sharing the joy and STRIFE.

And yet there’s so much MORE to COME
Next YEAR this TIME….
I”LL BE FIFTY ONE!!!

Elgin Bolling August 19 1960-2010

Well it's the Big Five OH!!! today. In commemoration of the day, I wrote this poem especially for the BIG DAY. I read this at an awesome party my wife threw last week for me that included food, family, fun, singing... I get choked up just thinking about it.
This caricature of me was done by one of my guests fellow artist, Laurie Edmonds.

Unanswered Questions For CATHY by Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling

Hi folks... in my last post I mentioned how the creator of the popular woman's strip, CATHY was calling it quits to pursue other creative endeavors. I dont know if she decided to take up deep sear diving with hammerhead sharks, or was on a quest to create the worlds best seaweed sushi or a combination of the two.. but I found myself not able to let this issue GO and wondered why...
After days of deliberation, contemplation , and regurgitation I finally figured out why I couldn't let Cathy GO!!!!

One word.
CLOSURE.

As human beings we find our selves always asking the same question when something ends badly.

WHY???

WHY was I fried?
WHY wont you go out with me?
WHY did my pet fish, fluffy die?

WHY???WHY???WHY???WHY???WHY???WHY???WHY???WHY???WHY???WHY???WHY???WHY???WHY???WHY???

As human beings we need closure to continue on.

You were fired because you collected a paycheck but never came to work.
Because you never change your underwear and you're smell like sewage.
Because You forgot to put water back into the tank

If we have CLOSURE we can understand why something went wrong. We also need closure to bring a conclusion to a story.
In Cathy's case, if the author artist KNEW she was ending this, and trust me folks she KNEW she was, then why didnt she tie things up for us nice and neat.

I personally would have loved to see Cathy

FINALLY lose those ten pounds for GOOD.

She could've gotten lipo suck, or the stomach staple thingie done and NOW FINALLY she will forever be able to fit her bathing suit and each all the chocolate she wants.

CLOSURE.

DUMP THE BOYFRIEND
Cathy could have given that cheapskate boyfriend, Irvin, or Irwin??? his walking papers.

"It's over Irvin... I dont need you anymore. Im finally the perfect size and I hav my chocolate to keep me warm."

CLOSURE.

GET RID OF MOM

Cathy has been locked in this co dependent hellish relationship with her sweet gray haired mom... at least that's the way she's drawn.... but actually Cathy's mom is a manipulating gray haired blood sucker who plays her daughter like a violin refusing to let her grow up. We should have been treated to one final scene where Cathy gloriously breaks free. I imagine the conversation being something like this:

Cathy: MOM! that's it!! I'm tired of having you manipulate me! You've ruined by life, held me back, made me doubt myself, that's IT!! I'm cutting the apron strings! Ive set you up in this nice new adult home where your lodging, your food, your playtime, your recreation has ALL been taken care of!!! As of this moment I NO LONGER NEED YOU!!!! WE'RE DONE!!

I imagine Cathy's Mom saying..

IT's about TIME!! I was beginning to worry that you'd NEVER be able to put on the "big girl panties!" When do I leave???

CLOSURE.

With these loose ends tied up we could have happily bid Cathy a fond fairwell and had her continue to live on in our imaginations living her own life clear and free and strong!!!

But NO! Cathy's creator HAD TO BE SELFISH and just leave us all DANGLING in cartoon comic strip purgatory!

Just like Charles Schultz did!
Dont let me get started on THAT subject!!!

Thats my rant for today

Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling.

Cathy Cuisewite Calls It QUITS on CATHY STRIP by Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling

Just Found out today, that Cathy Cuisewite, is calling it quits and pulling the plug on her popular syndicated strip, “CATHY”

READ THE STORY HERE
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_cathy_calls_it_quits

As Usual, I Had mixed feelings when I found out about this…

First off, let me say this…. You Gotta “give it up” for Cathy Guisewite, the strip's creator. Comics have been, and for the most part, still are without a doubt, a "BOYS CLUB" and a tough one at that. Cathy's strip has endured the test of time and while some may think the plot lines were predictable and past their ...time, the art "too simple" this lady had the guts to follow her dream, have her say and made people listen for YEARS. ANYONE can be a flash in the pan for their allotted "15 minutes" but there's something to be said for endurance. It is VERY challenging to come up with ideas week after week as i know WELL as an Editorial artist. Cathy deserves our applause.

Okay… enough applause. Now Consider THIS

Personally I don’t know WHAT'S wrong with creators today. As competitive as it is to get a syndicated strip PERIOD in the comic industry, you'd think that once a person is able to secure a position, find their niche and audience, that they'd want to continue that success. WHY is Cathy Guisewite quitting? according to the article she wants to pursue other creative endeavors I can understand THAT I mean just recently I've begun to focus more on my writing and poetry, but NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF MY ART!!! Let's not forget the income stream that comes with the strip in terms of salary, tee shirts, mugs and other periodicals. Why would she want to give that up to pursue OTHER endeavors? . I s doing a daily strip THAT difficult? To be sympathetic I do a weekly Editorial myself so I know in a sense how taxing it can be to come up with ideas on a regular basis, but it's the JOB of being a professional artist, and not to make a value judgment on Cathy, work ethic is something I find myself questioning when I read about successful artists "quitting" something. Other examples being Gary Larson of the Far Side, and Calvin and Hobb's creator, (whose name escapes me now)

It is for THIS reason why I highly respect the Late Charles Schultz. For 50 yrs, rain , shine, funny , not funny, good drawing, bad drawing, the guy put in work quite literally till he died. THAT'S commitment. Commitment to your craft, commitment to the fans. I suspect there may be other reasons Cathy Guisewite is quitting the strip , reasons that she's not obligated to share with any of us, but please don't tell me you're quitting to pursue other creative endeavors. Were ARTISTS we're the KINGS and QUEENS of multitasking.
That’s the rant for today.

I LOVE TO DRAW A GOOFY LOOKING GIRL By Elgin Bolling

My funny Valentine
Sweet comic Valentine
You make me smile with my heart
Your looks are laughable, unphotographable
Yet you're my favorite work of art

Is your figure less than Greek?
Is your mouth a little weak?
When you open it to speak, are you smart?

But don't change a hair for me
Not if you care for me
Stay little Valentine, stay
Each day ON THE SUBWAY is Valentine's Day

I Recently posted this on the ART JUMBLE Blog. The Subject this week was "GIRLS" and while most of the artists displayed the usual bevy of curvaceous big booty cuties with bodacious breasts, as usual, I saw things through the fun house mirror of my own caricature lens.

I can think of nothing more boring than drawing a ugh.. so called, "Beautiful Girl" at least as dictated by Madison Ave standards. As a caricature artist I truly find beauty in the off beat and out of the ordinary. When I ride the Subway trains of this great metropolitan city we call the BIG APPLE I never cease to be mesmerized by the endless varieties of faces, the odd conflagrations, the physical proof of unlikely pairing of Male Female union that produces the outstanding faces that continue to appear on my sketchpad, and live in my imagination.

Give me a Goofy Gurl to draw ANY DAY on the SUBWAY! I consider THAT a FUNDAY!! Draw a "pretty girl/" NO WAY!

GET THE E BOOK!
http://subwaysurfer.blogspot.com/p/shop-att-subwaysurfer-store.html

5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD HIRE CARICATURE ARTIST ELGIN BOLLING FOR YOUR NEXT PARTY

Need a NYC Caricature Artist? Call Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling For YOUR next Party or Special Event!

There are HUNDREDS of very talented caricature artists in the NYC area, so WHY should you hire ME??? I can think of FIVE reasons:

1) IM FAST

Caricature at a party should be FAST.

Look, you go to a party to enjoy yourself, eat the food, make a love connection, and dance! why would you WANT to spend the MAJORITY of your precious party time in a Loooooooong line waiting to MAYBE get drawn. It takes me 1-3 minutes to draw who ever is in front of me. FIVE MINUTES TOPS and if I take THAT long Im reallllly taking my time.

The great thing is if you get drawn by me you can get your pic FAST and enjoy the rest of the party.

2) I WILL MAKE IT LOOK LIKE YOU

The ugly truth is that there are a LOT of caricature artists who can draw a decent picture at a party that just doesn't look like YOU.

They cover up their lack of art skill by excessive shading and lots of color hoping that because you see blond hair on the character in the drawing that it MUST be YOU because you have the same color hair. When I draw you, it LOOKS like you. Sometimes HILARIOUSLY so!

I am committed to giving you something that is INSTANTLY recognizable to everyone. You will be proud to hang my picture on your wall, or your office.

3) IM EXPERIENCED

Ever have a novice plumber fix your kitchen sink? If you're not careful, you'll have an indoor kitchen pool.
While this doesn't apply to ALL novices, Experience really IS the best teacher. I have over 10 years of it working every kind of entertainment venue. Working these different venues have given me a certain "feel" for particular parties that a novice just doesn't have yet, and NEEDS if they are going to handle themselves with poise and professionalism. Unlike "studio drawing" which most artists are accustomed to, PARTY CARICATURE is a "live animal" full of noise, crowds, and energy that I’ve seen lesser artists fold and crumble under.

Don’t let that happen to you. Go with an artist with experience...er... that would be ME.

4) I’M MULTI TALENTED
man.... this isn’t even FAIR to say....Whenever you hire an artist to entertain your guests, if they are FAST, ABLE TO GET A GOOD LIKENESS, and EXPERIENCED, then technically they've done their job... what MORE could you "legally " ask for?

How about a TOTAL ENTERTAINER???

I believe that a caricature artist should be MORE than a person who stares blankly at you and hands you a picture.
I feel that he is a part of the ENTERTAINMENT PACKAGE and he should be multi talented.
IS HE INTERESTING AND THOUGHT PROVOKING??? CAN HE ENGAGE AND ENTERTAIN YOUR GUESTS WITH CONVERSATION??

I CAN.

CAN HE DANCE?

I CAN.
And DO. In fact, upon occasion I've even Taught an entire waiting audience how to break dance, moonwalk and do "tutting" all while not skipping a beat or losing time drawing...

CAN THE ARTIST SING???

I CAN.

I frequently break out spontaneously in song, encourage singalongs and other such antics while drawing..

I CAN EVEN BUST OUT A FEW RHYMES OR TWO...

I realize these things are not required, but they are just a few things I do spontaneously because I LOVE what I DO. When your guests leave your party I want them to say, “MAN! THAT WAS A GREAT PARTY!!”

5) I UNDERSTAND THAT A PARTY IS A REFLECTION ON THE HOST

If an entertainer does something crude, rude, or lewd at an event, it’s going to reflect on the HOST, NOT the entertainer. Folks are going to say, “WHY THE HECK DID THEY HIRE THAT JERK FOR??”

If you are a Businessperson, throwing great parties are crucial to your success, as they are reflections of YOU.

I understand THAT.
MOST artists DON’T.

Most are in it to sit down draw a picture, and LEAVE. Often times I’ve seen them cruelly make fun of a party guest just to feed their own ego, leaving the guest angry embarrassed, and humiliated in front of their friends and people they wanted to meet and impress.

I’m not saying that a Caricature drawing “should NEVER be exaggerated” after all, exaggeration of facial features is an essential part of the art form. What I AM saying is that an artist SHOULD have the SENSITIVITY and COMMON SENSE to be able to “read people” and know when it’s appropriate to do an exaggeration and when it is NOT.

When I exaggerate at parties my goal is to have you LAUGHING WITH ME Not ME LAUGHING AT YOU.

I make it a point to realize this is about entertainment. I’m there to make YOU the HOST look good and to make your guests feel great about coming to my stand.

That’s why I want to do it for YOU.
Let Me Entertain YOU!
Call ELGIN AT 347 424 5349 today!

Looking forward to entertaining YOU!

DONT JUST TAKE MY WORD FOR IT! CHECK OUT THESE VIDEOS AND HEAR WHAT OTHERS HAVE TO SAY!

http://subwaysurfer.blogspot.com/p/video.html

Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling At Work

Cutest Boy on the A Train by Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling

So Cute and innocent looking he looked almost "doll like" how could I resist?

Beauty in the eye of the beholder by Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling

Beauty
By Elgin Bolling AkA El Prophet, The Scribe

If Beauty’s in The Beholder’s Eye,
Then Why Is It That So Few Try
To Love Themselves?

I Guess They’re Too Busy
Tryin’ To Be Someone Else

Who Want’s To Be
Just Like Them!
And So The Cycle Starts Again

I Want To Be YOU,
You Want To Be ME,
And BOTH Of Us
Want To Flee
From The Person We See
In The Mirror.

We All Need To See A Little Clearer.
For We Are Made In The IMAGE OF GOD
Realizing THIS, It Shouldn’t Be Hard,
To Give YOURSELF a Great Big HUG!
Then We’d be Respecting HIM
Up Above.

May I See Myself
Through YOUR EYES
Then Myself
I Would not
Despise.
Copyright 2010 Elgin Bolling

ANOTHER SUBWAY SURFER RHYME ON TIME

Subway the surfer is movin
guaranteed to get ya groovin
clear da wax out cha ears
and dontcha dare start snoozin

He's paid the price
To be nice

No longer proovin

with his caricatures ya cant lose,
and if he choose to drop a verse
absolutely, and totally un rehearsed,
what could be worst

than sittin back while he attacks
listenin to him converse,
this time drawin with his voice box
insteadda using markers
that come outta a box

While you dine on ya Bagels and Lox,
hold on to your sox
cause surfers gonna knock you out of them.

Oh man I wrote another rhyme!
there I GO AGAIN!

ALL GIANTS FALL By Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling

ALL GIANTS FALL
BY ELGIN SUBWAYSURFER BOLLING

So, they’re saying I can no longer draw on the street?
How do they suggest I eat?
Fat Cat Politician there, is sitting in MY seat
Thinking he’s got me beat.

But I aint WEAK
I refuse to RETREAT
I can take the HEAT
You give me a napkin,
I’ll transform it into a SHEET

Hand me a lemon,
And I’ll make it SWEET.
Holding me down
Only causes me to LEAP
Up high in the air
I always land on my FEET

You say the water’s shallow?
But I say it’s DEEP

My eyes are wide open,
I’m refusing to SLEEP
Whatever you sow, ya know
That you will REAP

Since this is a game
Then I’m playin’ for KEEPS

You may be a wolf
But I’m an intelligent SHEEP.
Whom you cannot DEFEAT
I refuse, and don’t choose to be BEAT.
For ALL GIANTS FALL
They all land at my FEET.

And now this poem’s finished.
Oh yeah, it’s COMPLETE.

COPYRIGHT 2010 ELGIN BOLLING

CARICATURE IS WHAT I DO a poem by Subwaysurfer Elgin Bolling

Caricature is what I Do
By Elgin Bolling Subwaysurfer

Caricature is what I do
Don’t need a Posse or a crew.
Using my own hand, I control my destiny
And I draw without a flaw
Exactly what I see

It was a Gift To Me
God Given
FREE.
Satan Tried To sift me
God sidetracked him
And so He Missed Me

It’s because the Lord Kissed Me
That I’m still here making History.
This aint no mystery…

The boys in Blue said they would rule and stop me from doing this,
But I aint new to this
I’m true to this
And that why I don’t use my fists

Let me tell you boye, it be like this:

I make my money by being funny
Clowning people just like you…
So Dont cha' run,
It's All For Fun!
It's Kool, it’s what I do.

Ya guaranteed to like what I drew.
Caricature is sure to stay around as long as I’m in a Town that
Has Bar and Bat Mitzvahs
Where I draw your kids, and your little sister
Who looks more like a “mister?”
Good thing I don’t have to kiss her,
You do that!
Please pay me though for the two hours I sat!

Freelancing pays that why I stay in tha mix,
I’m a New Yawk Professional Artist,
Not a theme Park Drawing HICK

I’m slick that‘s why I slide
Outta the devils hands
Straight to my fans
Who continue to pay.
All you haters Can go away.


copyright 2010 all rights reserved

UNION SQUARE MEMORIES By Elgin SUbwaysurfer Bolling

UNION SQUARE MEMORIES By Elgin SUbwaysurfer Bolling
I always thought you’d stick around
To draw my face so funny…

I regret the times I’d pass you by
Pretending I had
No money…

I’d watch you draw
And would secretly admire…
Never realizing a Political fire
Had been lit and put in motion,
By a “Richie Rich” Politician
Who one day got the notion,
That he needed yet ANOTHER piece of the street…

He couldn’t care less
That he’d make a mess
Causing others not to Eat…

He doesn’t care
And it’s unfair
That because of him
They’ll be another hundred candidates
For WELFARE,
That’ll drain more dollars,
Make the Middle Class Holler,
In an already depressed Economy

Which is already taking it’s toll on me…
And soon on “SHE”
And "HE"
And even
THEE....

To Be Or Not To BE
That is The Question
I keep asking ME,
When Cops Start Arrestin’
People Who Do Nothin’ Wrong
But DRAW!!
While Da Dealer On The Corner Sell Crack
You Blue Boys Pretend You Never Saw…

I guess Locking up a vendor who's selling a clock
Is a heck of a lot safer than duckin bullets from a Glock
I understand it’s no fun, you see,
But Then Again,
Nobody FORCED you to join The NYPD
You did that for free.


“Quality of Life”
It’s a term that’s been thrown around and used
By A Mayor, who’s spit shined shoes
Never ever touches down
On this Terra fir-ma we city dwellers call
“The Ground”
Bloomie never sticks around…
Unless threes a Photo Op to be found…

You Yuppies Are just a buncha guppies
Swimming in ya fish bowls
Whining like puppies

What did people like you do to protect people like me?
Passed me by,
Gawked at my pictures,
While Gulping Ya Latties and Tea??

“ I don’t NEED one of THOSE”
“ I GOT one of THOSE”
You mumbled contemptuously
Looking down your nose..

You all shudda got drawn by me
When it was cheaper
In Light of recent events
The price for Caricature has just become steeper.
You could been a customer,
Insteadda a “peeper
Ya shudda woke up
Insteadda being a Sleeper.

Now that we’re gone,
In no time you'll see
The “Quality of life” you seek,
That was ME.
Along with thousands of vendors
Wake up and smell the coffee!

Finally, it really says a LOT
That politician TOTALLY FORGOT
That it was STREET VENDORS
Who foiled a Times Square Terrorist Plot
By spotting a Suspicious Vehicle
And that’s saying a LOT

We thought you’d be grateful
But you turned out to be hateful
All you did was DISS US
Give it time
We KNOW
You’re going to



Miss us.



copyright 2010 all rights reserved

UNION SQ POEM HIGH HO TO THE SILVER

HIGH HO TO THE SILVER
Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling Street Artist

People are not dollars and cents,
How we gonna eat or pay the rent?
Corporate Gangsters they need to Repent.

Being reduced to decimal points and numbers on a page,
Only succeeds in increasing my rage
How are people gonna make ends meet
When their source of incomes been reduced to
Another number on ya spread sheet?

“Win some, Lose some”
Very easy for some of YOU to say,
When you GOT a regular nine to fiver
And a guaranteed paycheck waiting for ya
At the end of YOUR day…

Politicians taking away PUBLIC spaces
To improve “Quality of Life???”
Look with me inside the parentheses
(As long as you wearing Armani suits, got money, and a supermodel trophy wife)

“Vendors and Street Artists?” “
get ‘em ALL outta the way”
Corporations need this space!,
C’mon Boys, Let’s Play!!
High Ho to the SILVER! Cow Yippie Yo I PAID!

Herding us Vendors Away like we wuz Cattle
Contemptuous Corporate Cowboyes
Riding High in the saddle

Although they might treat us
Like we’re “burgers for lunch”
I’ve got a feeling, and it’s more then a hunch
Pretty soon they will be feeling the crunch
You can never silence the activity
Of those who possess creativity and the proclivity
To protest and debate

Let’s not stoop to their level and HATE.
Our creative ability is greater than yours
The ONLY thing YOU’VE done
Is put us on PAUSE.


copyright 2010 all rights reserved

UNION SQUARE POEM Aka SUBWAYSURFER’S Refrain To Hurt and Pain

SUBWAYSURFER’S Refrain To Hurt and Pain


Oh where, Oh where in Union Square
Are those funny caricature artists?
They made us stare!
They were right there!!
And now they have departed!
We thought they’d stay,
But they’ve gone away!
Are they ever coming back?
Oh no! They’re gone!
And it’s so wrong
That Bloomie’s on the attack.
He took their spaces
Rubbed dirt in their faces,
Used the police to take them away to other places..
And now they’re on longer drawing funny faces of all the races,
On the sidewalks after dark
In Times Square, or Bryant Park...
Uptown,or Downtown,
we cant find them
They’re not around…
Oh where , oh where can they be found?

Bur wait! There’s still one Underground!

Da Name’s SUBWAYSURFER,
Im getting busy under the Eartha
keep ya head up, New York I’ll never ever desert ya!
Caricature cartooning, is in my blood you see,
It’ll take more than a wacky law to ever put a stop to me
My games always been in motion
Continuous and steady, just like the ocean.
BMT, IRT, IND and even on the Number 6 train and even the B
Too many trains to continue my reign, and ever put a stopp to me.
Feel Free 2 join in too start drawing today, c’mon! let’s draw! It’s cool.

Clownin' commuters regardless of what they say…
Now that they think they “leveled” our playing field,
time to make em pay.
For drawings I did once, 4 free
I’ll gladly do now 4 a fee.

Gotta roll with the punches in Bloombergs new economy..
Since he wants to make it about
Economics and Finance,
It’s high time we, as artists, rise up in unity and take our chance
To advance, to stop lookin in the mirror no more time to prance.

Let’s arm ourselves with paper pencils and paint,
Some say, “This is over” but I say it aint
Imagination and contemplation
Has always been a lethal combination

Let’s use our artistic creative minds
To regroup, re access, reorganize, and take control of our minds.
Continue to draw
Dont cha dare snore

A world devoid of Art
Is a dreadfully horrible bore
Take time to educate and evaluate, don’t be clueless
You were Born to be an Artist
Be Thankful to GOD
Not Every One can DO THIS.

When you roll back the covers
And turn down the volume of all this
“Quality of life” Political Hypocrisy
You’ll find it’s fundamentally about jealously.
Jealous of ALL OF US because we’re FREE
It’s exactly how they WISH they COULD be.

Anal Retentive, Money hungry minds
Will ALWAYS be CLUELESS.
Use your imagination
Make your OWN money
We did it before
Let’s get Through This.

By Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling Caricature Street Artist


copyright 2010 all rights reserved

Beautful Gesture drawing from the train

I drew this very quickly with a sweep of my pencil as far as the body is concerned SHe was standing this way for an instant and I managed to nail this beautiful pose. I was absolutely giddy when I inked it. It's moments like this where I say that drawing live on the subway is the REAL "LIFE DRAWING". No way could I get a paid model to pose like this with so much natural grace and personality.

Follow and ugly kid home and see if somone ugly dont open the door for them

If the KIDD is THIS ugly what must the parents look like???

subway seated figure drawing

did a study on women sitting on the subway, Interesting body language what a story the body tells!

caricature crowd scene

another series of caricature faces of past subway caricatures put into a crowd scene The challenge to a good caricature artist is to actually SEE the face that you're drawing. Most artists who "can draw" get stuck in "generic drawing mode" and after a few drawings in a party setting especially, start to draw everyone the same, and even resort in some cases to racial stereotyping. This should NEVER happen. I always FORCE myself to be a keep observer of people and NOT to flinch. The "flinch response" is natural to us human beings as we look at strangers. We learn, culturally, not to hold our haxe longer than a few seconds, and to immediately turn away if spotted. Prolonged staring is reserved for young children who haven't learned the "rules " yet, and for mentally ill people who have abandoned all rules! LOL!  Drawing on the subway day in and day out has helped me to sharpen my ability to SEE what's there and not just to "draw what I THINK I see' Putting this collage of faces together has helped me to see also how much Ive grown as an artist, and also how truly fascinating people's faces are. I feel, that as an artist you must truly "fall in love" a little , with each face you draw or you wont have the proper passion to draw it. I always endeavor also, to NOT just "draw the face" in an objective sense, but to "draw the personality" of the subject. If I succeed in doing THAT I will manage to get an "objective" likeness also.

THE UNAPOLOGETIC SUBWAYSURFER CALL TO ACTION MESSAGE

Maybe you're a face in the crowd that is thinking "wow, Id really like subwaysurfer to draw a cool caricature of me like this!" Well, you dont have to sit there wishing! just drop me an email at
cartoons4u2@aol.com
and lets do YOUR caricature!
Prices are more affordable than you think, and just think how jealous you'll make all your facebook friends because you got a cool caricature to use as your avatar, while they are stuck using their same tied old photograph! Give me a hollar and lets make this happen!

crowd scene

was constructing a caricature crowd scene for a recent project that a client rejected much to my relief because it was hard to do! LOL! here is one of the crowd scenes.

Gift caricature

Seated passengers on a train

spray can art

due to the popularity of this post, I thought Id draw another in full color.
 If you like the pics feel free to contact me for commissions. You will find I am very reasonable. Also, If you download these pics PLEASE INCLUDE MY URL that way traffic will come back to this site.

CAN DEFINITELY CREATE ORIGINAL ART LIKE THIS FOR YOUR APPAREL OR PAGES! JUST DROP ME A LINE!

Most interesting face at Mayor Bloombergs party

Did a party for Mayor Bloomberg's company in New Jersey, and hands down THIS was the most interesting face in the room!

Two friends on the R train

Caught these two talking on The R train one evening. I drew them both on a small notebook pad which explains I hope, the odd placing of the figures. The girl kept looking down at her chest as if she could not believe they were really hers.... she seemed very proud of them.

Big Gurl in a hoddie

Yakin away on her cell phone....She was big And tall. Even sitting down she seemed taller than me standing up....

Hot day!!!

Random drawings of some folks I saw in Baskin Robbins trying to get refreshment from the ninety degree heatwave this week.

The Funniest one was the guy who just HAD to have his HOT latte in the ninety degree heat!!! now THAT"S a JAVA JUNKIE FOR SURE! LOL! Then there was this girl in the checkered skirt who was wearing a long sleeved sweater of all things in the heat....

Klingon Warrior on the L Train

I guess his Klingon Bird of Prey Starship was in the shop for repairs....

A Train Alien

Remember that SCi FI show back in the old days called "V"? If I remember correctly, the V Aliens talked moved, smelled and looked like humans ....until they stuck out that forked snake like tongue......I think I saw that on this chick while she ate her potato chips breakfast one morning during rush hour....

Number 6 train "YOU THINK IM PRETTY, DONT YOU??"

She had this look on here face that you didn't want to argue with...

The great Chris Chua

When I want inspiration to draw CHUA is one of the guys I look to. SO adventurous so extreme with his caricature concept I wonder how his mind processes all this madness and STILL gets a great likeness. Amazing.

old man young man

Clark from the F Train This Weekend

Clark here was bold enough to ask for his own caricature after seeing me draw a young lady sitting directly across from me on the train. How could I refuse?
This version is rather tame... I think I'll exaggerate it more later...heh, heh...

Young Bearded man on Queens Bound A train Sat evening

I boarded the train at Chambers Street after an enjoyable afternoon in the city. I sat down next to this young man who had such a great face for caricature I could not wait to bet started. I had already been drawing for a little while much to the amusement of onlookers, and was in such a generous mood that I'd been literally giving caricatures away throughout my commute today. "who are you drawing now?" his female companion asked... I'm drawing your boyfriend, I replied. He has a great face!! and went immediately to work having just passed Jay Street Boro Hall. Thanks, He replied, but Im getting off next stop. I knew that the Hoyt street station was less than 30 second s away so I quickly made a gesture of him promising that I'd upload a memory sketch this evening. THIS is the final drawing.
One man was so impressed, that he gave me his business card and "demanded' a call! this was my second "demand" of the day, the first being an Advertising executive that Im currently doing a logo caricature for.
Definitely a good "hunting day!"