Monday, October 13, 2014

Smokers in the courtyard


My first job in the DC area was at an architectural drawing firm where we toiled over repetitive illustrations of development houses. At least one of our employees was a heavy smoker and the fumes from his cigarettes polluted the entire workplace. Up until very recently (21st century) it was perfectly legal to smoke up your workplace with "second-hand" cigarette smoke. And if you go back a few years before that, it was not only allowed but expected, because everyone smoked. I'm glad I live in the twenty first century, so that workplaces are smoke-free. Those who wish to partake are sent out into the courtyards or doorways to indulge in the open air. This drawing shows the smokers in the courtyard of what was once a fancy office building in Edge City but is now just another block of glass and concrete at the fast-building area near the elevated Metro stop. The red overpass does give it a little bit of style, if only fading 1980s style, back in the era of interior smoke.

Pitt technical pen brown ink and colored pencil, 6" x 9", August 4, 2000.

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