Jack McGann

Tay is an artist I met on State Street yesterday. I've passed him plenty of times before, and he'd always be drawing under the Marshall Field and Company plaque. I wanted to know more about him and why he's always drawing, so I asked.

"Did you draw all of these?"

"Yeah, are you an artist?" he asked.

"No not really, just a photographer."

"Eh, same thing."

Tay was a relaxed person, he never seemed to be annoyed by the honking cars, or the people that would gaze at us intently as we talked. I suppose we really connected through talking about each others "art." Throughout our conversation that lasted about 20 minutes, only one person stopped to buy a drawing. The lady that stopped wanted to buy the drawing that Tay was working on which was Batman. It wasn't anywhere near finished, and she didn't have change for it so she said she'd be back.

As soon as the woman left, Tay said that people are always buying the same drawings, but the ones that he enjoys drawing the most never sell. He said that Batman always sells, but wasn't exactly sure why. I could tell that Tay didn't enjoy drawing the skyline constantly, I could see it in his eyes when he talked that these drawings weren't his true passion.

Tay told me that he spent some time at Columbia College Chicago but couldn't afford it long term. He said that if he could he would be doing more anime. That's his favorite.

We talked about his creative process, and how many of his best ideas come late at night.

"It's weird like I just want to make stuff throughout the night, and sleep during the day, you know?"

I began to notice how similar Tay and I were. We come from two separate backgrounds, and live two completely different lifestyles, yet there's things that connect us. For example our love for art and conversation.

"Sorry I've never stopped and said hello before, but I pass by here often. You wouldn't mind if I said hello from now on would you?"

"Not at all," Tay said.