Denise Halpin began a series of watercolor sketches of her fellow New Yorkers while commuting on the subway in October 2021. The initial paintings were titled “Strangers on the Train,” as they depicted riders wearing masks during the COVID pandemic. The focus of the study evolved to passengers who were absorbed in their reading, and became known as “Readers on the Train,” originally created for the Brooklyn Public Library on Cortelyou Road as an exhibit to encourage reading.
“Readers on the Train” will be taking the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard to be displayed at the Oak Bluffs library throughout the month of September. There will be a reception at the library on Tuesday, Sept. 16, from 3:30 to 5:30 pm.
“The New York City subway supplies a constant supply of fascinating people to draw. My first subway sketch was done spontaneously in 2021, when I was intrigued by two people sitting across from me. The process of drawing was so rewarding that I could not resist bringing my 4- by 6-inch Bee Paper sketchpad each time I got on the subway,” Halpin says.
Denise Halpin studied art in Aix-en-Provence, France, and earned a fine arts degree at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. She has been working in art, design and illustration since 1977, and makes it a point to create work every day in oil, acrylic, watercolor, or paper collage.
11 x 17 color prints will be sold for $25. All proceeds will go to Doctors Without Borders (cash or Paypal denisehalpin@aol.com ). Oak Bluffs library, oakbluffslibrary.org. Work can also be seen online at denisehalpin.com and Instagram @DeniseMHalpin.