This drawing shows a place that is a busy bustling area of normalcy and commerce by day, and an abandoned desolate area left to scavengers and wanderers at night; a world both near and far, unknown to most.
The area is littered with discarded items, and, if you look closely, a discarded man.
The “homeless” man stands with dignity, wondering if the viewer notices him, and wondering why the viewer has invaded his world. The man waits patiently with the stillness that comes with having nothing to lose. With his stillness the man asks a question – “Do you see me?”
It is too easy think the homeless are where they are because of bad choices and weakness. We look at them and think to ourselves, “they got what they deserve, they should have planned better and worked harder…”
Maybe. Maybe not. There are many ways that people can fall through the cracks of society. In the end even if it is all their fault, they are still human beings, they are still people, aren’t they?
The painting is intended to make the viewer think about the unseen people that live in the invisible world that coexists with ours beyond the edges of our awareness.
The second part of the title refers to the clearance sign on the viaduct, which also can be interpreted to be digits showing the time on a digital clock. The general layout was inspired by the Logan Street Viaduct in Champaign, Illinois, although the overall composition and details are all fictitious. This is an older piece, done with Prismacolor Pencils.
Image and text © 2021 James Golaszewski
James Golaszewski 
Amazing God given talent Jim! Simply amazing! Mike and Vickilynn Costa
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